September | 2012 | doyoureckon

Lord Ganesha (Elephant Head God)

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Asian culture is full of religious and spiritual stuff wherein you can find varied god and their respective sotries. Lord Ganesha, son of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati.

Similar to other god even Ganesha has many names, very famous amongst them are: Ganpati, Vinayak, Pillaiyar, Vighneshwara, Dvaimatura (one who has two mothers), Lambodara (one who has a pot belly, or, literally, one who has a hanging belly), Gajanana (having the face of an elephant), etc. List of 108 names of Ganesha is shown at the end of this article.

Ganesha is widely worshiped for many purposes like removing of obstacles, knowledge, wealth, power, etc. as he is the elder son of the creator, the destroyer Lord Shiva. He is worshiped in many different parts of the world like India, Nepal, United States, Canada, Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and Fiji.

Apart from Indians and specially Hindus, the story behind the elephant head is rarely known to others. Let us go through a quick short part of it. Mother of Lord Ganesha, Devi Parvati set him to stand guard at her door while she bathed. Lord Shiva returned and, as Ganesha didn’t know him, he didn’t allow him to enter. Lord Shiva became enraged, severed the head of the child and entered his house. Parvati got angry on Lord Shiva and asked him give her son back alive. Lord Shiva promised her and said that he will fix the head of any one who will come first on the way, suddenly an elephant came on the way and Lord Shiva fixed the head of an elephant in place of Ganesha’s head. In this way, Lord Ganesha came to be depicted as the elephant-headed God.

During Ganesh Chaturthi festival people buy Lord Ganesha idols to make them sit in their particular premises or nearby house/office with an open invitation to all. Prayers and offerings are given to all during the rituals everyday untill the date of Ganesh Visarjan (Ganesh Visarjan – People carry Ganesh idol to the water resources i.e. river, sea, etc. and put it in the water). Ganesh Visarjan ceremony is very glamours, full of traditional music, dance, joy & happiness all around. During Ganesh Visarjan you can also find feeling of losing someone you love the most, people request to the god to come back soon.

In the field of spiritual practices, it is said that Ganesh resides in the first chakra called Muladhar Chakra (Basic Chakra). Muladhar chakra is the chakra for manifestation or outward expansion and in other teachings it is also believed that muladhar chakra is for prosperity and will to live.

One can chant the following mantra as prayer:

Vakra-Tunndda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryessu Sarvadaa.
Om Gum Ganpataye Namah Om
Om Shree Ganashai Namah Om

Chanting can also be done on any one of the names of Lord Ganesh, here is the list of 108 names:

Akhurath – One who has Mouse as His Charioteer
Alampata – Ever Eternal Lord
Amit – Incomparable Lord
Anantachidrupamayam – Infinite and Consciousness Personified
Avaneesh – Lord of the whole World
Avighna – Remover of Obstacles

Balaganapati – Beloved and Lovable Child
Bhalchandra – Moon-Crested Lord
Bheema – Huge and Gigantic
Bhupati – Lord of the Gods
Bhuvanpati – God of the Gods
Buddhinath – God of Wisdom
Buddhipriya – Knowledge
Buddhividhata – God of Knowledge

Chaturbhuj – One who has Four Arms

Devadeva – Lord of All Lords
Devantakanashakarin – Destroyer of Evils and Asuras
Devavrata – One who accepts all Penances
Devendrashika – Protector of All Gods
Dharmik – One who gives Charity
Dhoomravarna – Smoke-Hued Lord
Durja – Invincible Lord
Dvaimatura – One who has two Mothers

Ekaakshara – He of the Single Syllable
Ekadanta – Single-Tusked Lord
Ekadrishta – Single-Tusked Lord
Eshanputra – Lord Shiva’s Son

Gadadhara – One who has The Mace as His Weapon
Gajakarna – One who has Eyes like an Elephant
Gajanana – Elephant-Faced Lord
Gajananeti – Elephant-Faced Lord
Gajavakra – Trunk of The Elephant
Gajavaktra – One who has Mouth like an Elephant
Ganadhakshya – Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
Ganadhyakshina – Leader of All The Celestial Bodies
Ganapati – Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
Gaurisuta – The Son of Gauri (Parvati)
Gunina – One who is The Master of All Virtues

Haridra – One who is Golden Coloured
Heramba – Mother’s Beloved Son

Kapila – Yellowish-Brown Coloured
Kaveesha – Master of Poets
Krti – Lord of Music
Kripalu – Merciful Lord
Krishapingaksha – Yellowish-Brown Eyed
Kshamakaram – The Place of Forgiveness
Kshipra – One who is easy to Appease

Lambakarna – Large-Eared Lord
Lambodara – The Huge Bellied Lord

Mahabala – Enormously Strong Lord
Mahaganapati – Omnipotent and Supreme Lord
Maheshwaram – Lord of The Universe
Mangalamurti – All Auspicious Lord
Manomay – Winner of Hearts
Mrityuanjaya – Conqueror of Death
Mundakarama – Abode of Happiness
Muktidaya – Bestower of Eternal Bliss
Musikvahana – One who has mouse as charioteer

Nadapratithishta – One who Appreciates and Loves Music
Namasthetu – Vanquisher of All Evils & Vices & Sins
Nandana – Lord Shiva’s Son
Nideeshwaram – Giver of Wealth and Treasures

Omkara – One who has the Form Of OM

Pitambara – One who has Yellow-Colored Body
Pramoda – Lord of All Abodes
Prathameshwara – First Among All
Purush – The Omnipotent Personality

Rakta – One who has Red-Colored Body
Rudrapriya – Beloved Of Lord Shiva

Sarvadevatman – Acceptor of All Celestial Offerings
Sarvasiddhanta – Bestower of Skills and Wisdom
Sarvatman – Protector of The Universe
Shambhavi – The Son of Parvati
Shashivarnam – One who has a Moon like Complexion
Shoorpakarna – Large-Eared Lord
Shuban – All Auspicious Lord
Shubhagunakanan – One who is The Master of All Virtues
Shweta – One who is as Pure as the White Color
Siddhidhata – Bestower of Success & Accomplishments
Siddhipriya – Bestower of Wishes and Boons
Siddhivinayaka – Bestower of Success
Skandapurvaja – Elder Brother of Skand (Lord Kartik)
Sumukha – Auspicious Face
Sureshwaram – Lord of All Lords
Swaroop – Lover of Beauty

Tarun – Ageless

Uddanda – Nemesis of Evils and Vices
Umaputra – The Son of Goddess Uma (Parvati)

Vakratunda – Curved Trunk Lord
Varaganapati – Bestower of Boons
Varaprada – Granter of Wishes and Boons
Varadavinayaka – Bestower of Success
Veeraganapati – Heroic Lord
Vidyavaridhi – God of Wisdom
Vighnahara – Remover of Obstacles
Vignaharta – Demolisher of Obstacles
Vighnaraja – Lord of All Hindrances
Vighnarajendra – Lord of All Obstacles
Vighnavinashanaya – Destroyer of All Obstacles & Impediments
Vigneshwara – Lord of All Obstacles
Vikat – Huge and Gigantic
Vinayaka – Lord of All
Vishwamukha – Master of The Universe
Vishwaraja – King of The World

Yagnakaya – Acceptor of All Sacred & Sacrficial Offerings
Yashaskaram – Bestower of Fame and Fortune
Yashvasin – Beloved and Ever Popular Lord
Yogadhipa – The Lord of Meditation

This time we are going to know something which might be least known to people around the world (except for Jewish people). “Rosh Hashanah” Jewish new year is on 17-18 September this year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”) which usually occur in the early autumn. Rosh Hashanah is celebrated on the first two days of Tishrei (said to be the first month of civil year). It is described in the Torah as Yom Teru’ah (a day of sounding the Shofar).

Shofar

Shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a sheep (ram), discussing shofar is another wide topic which needs time to learn and explain, so I will try to cover it later.

Prayers performed on this new year day called piyyuttim, another special prayer-book is also used known as mahzor.

Rosh Hashanah Symbolic Items

Moving towards the details of something required by every living being, Special Food of the festival. Apple and Honey includes in the symbolic food list of Rosh Hashanah, to symbolize a sweet new year. Next important symbolic food is fish head to symbolize the ‘head’ of the year. Some communities hold a “Rosh Hashanah seder” (seder – (Judaism) the ceremonial dinner on the first night (or both nights) of Passover) during which prayers are recited over a variety of symbolic dishes. Blessings start with a phrase – “Yehi Ratzon” (“May it be thy will.”). The Yehi Ratson platter may include apples (dipped in honey, baked or cooked as a compote called mansanada); dates; pomegranates; black-eyed peas; pumpkin-filled pastries called rodanchas; leek fritters called keftedes de prasa; beets; and a whole fish with the head intact. It is also common to eat stuffed vegetables called legumbres yaprakes.

Prayer & Greetings

Just like every religion and language, Jewish people have their traditional greetings:

On the first night of Rosh Hashanah after the evening prayer, it is the Ashkenazi and Hasidic custom to wish Le’shana Tova Tikoteiv Vetichoteim (Le’Alter LeChaim Tovim U’Leshalom) which is Hebrew for “May you (immediately) be inscribed and sealed for a Good Year (and for a Good and Peaceful Life)”.

Shana Tova (pronounced [?a’na to’va]) is the traditional greeting on Rosh Hashanah which in Hebrew means “A Good Year.”

Shana Tova Umetukah is Hebrew for “A Good and Sweet Year.”

Ketiva ve-chatima tovah which translates as “May You Be Written and Sealed for a Good Year.”

The formal Sephardic greeting is Tizku leshanim rabbot (“may you merit many years”), to which the answer is ne’imot ve-tovot (“pleasant and good ones”). Less formally, people wish each other “many years” in the local language.

Let us greet all people a very happy rosh hashanah and god bless all for all their good wishes. Have a joyful, prosperous life. Amen!