14/09/2026
Aum Sai Ram, Wishing all, A Happy and Holy Ganesha Chaturthi.
Significance of Ganesa worship
No one knows all that has to be known.
There is none who knows nothing of anything.
Many there are, knowing something of some things.
Sai alone knows everything of all things.
THE five-element body of man equipped with five senses has as its life-breath the five-lettered
formula, enshrined in the Namaka section of the Yajur Veda "Namah Si-vaa-ya". It is a basic
mantra which means "that which can save, when meditated upon." Every mantra has a seed-
sound (bijaakshara) which precedes it and provides it with additional potency. Sound emanated
first through the will of God. So the bijaakshara is fundamental for the mantra and its efficacy.
The Akshara is sanctified by the Vedas or by the Ta**ra texts. The bijaakshara for the five-
lettered Namah Sivaya is the Vedic sound, OM.
The sound OM arouses energising vibrations
OM is how A, U and M are jointly pronounced. Each of these letters is devoid of spiritual force
but, together, they arouse energising vibrations. 'Sivaaya' in the mantra means 'to Siva'. 'Siva' is
That which confers good fortune, wealth, prosperity and happiness. Pandits have commented on
this formula and explained it in various ways. They have interpreted Na as indicating
Nandivahana, the God who has Nandi (the Bull) as Vahana (vehicle). They take ma as the
pointer to another Name of Siva, Mandaaramaalin (wearing a garland of Mandaara flowers) and
Si as Surya (the Sun which when it dawns on earth unfolds the Lotus of the Hearts of Beings
etc). Each one al1ows his imagination to lead him along.
But, the formula contains a more universal and abstract concept. It has to be pronounced always
with OM. The namah (prostration) is for OM which is denoted as having the Siva attribute (being
the source of peace, prosperity and success, of Mangalam in short). The process of worship is
best described by Pothana in the Bhagavatha he has rendered in Telugu.
Pothana speaks of "Chethulara Sivuni Puja" (worshipping Siva with the hands). By 'hand', he
means, the 'five-fingered', representing the five-lettered mantra. Siva is the five-element-lord and
so He has all the power and wealth the five can yield to man who is himself a composite of the
five!
The Vedas assert, "Atma Vai Putranaamaa asi" (Oneself is the person known as son). One
repeats himself in the son. Ganesa is therefore Siva Himself expressing certain aspects of Siva on
certain occasions for certain purposes. Ganesa means the leader of groups. Ganapathi too means
the same.
The elephant head is the symbol' of wisdom
The elephant-head of Ganesa is a symbol of intelligence, discrimination and wisdom. The
elephant is ever alert and eminently conscious of its surroundings. Its memory is strong and
deep. It treads through the thick forest imprinting huge foot marks on the track. One such print
can subsume the marks left by scores of other animus, both wild and tame. It moves majestically
through thick jungles; its very passage blazes trail for other animus to go through. It is a path-
maker, helping others without being aware of it, because it is its nature. Ganesa guides the stars,
the communities of men and their homes. He is Lord of Obstacles, causing them when needed and helping men to overcome them, when that boon will promote the well-being of the
supplicant.
There is astronomical support also for the Ganesa festival, celebrated on the fourth day of the
bright half of Bhadrapada month. A constellation with the appearance of the elephant-head
becomes brightly visible on this very night.
Ganesa is the embodiment of buddhi (intelligence) and siddhi (achievement). He was approached
by Sage Vyasa with a prayer to write down the Mahabharatha, even as he composed the
hundreds of thousands of its verses! Ganesa agreed immediately; He brooked no delay, even to
secure a writing tool: He broke his sharp-pointed tusk and was ready to start!
Lessons that Ganesa teaches men
Ganesa can teach many a lesson to man. That is the reason for His being adored by people of all
ages and professions. Take the problem of food. Thygaraja invites Ganapathi most endearingly,
and delights in offering Him sweet satwic items of food---coconut kernal, sweet fruits of various
types, steam-cooked rolls and balls of modak etc. The elephant feeds on grass, sugar cane,
bamboo-shoots, and twigs and leaves of the banyan tree. Devotees offer Ganesa, while
worshipping, leaves, grass blades and flowers gathered from meadows and valleys. Ganesa, the
Elephant-headed, is adored as the source of Love, Faith, Intelligence, Guidance and Grace.
Take into consideration another role assigned to Ganesa. When Siva is moved to supreme
ecstasy and it is expressed as the Cosmic Dance of Nataraja, Ganesa, Master of Tune and Time,
leads other Gods, marks time on the mrdangam (drum). No wonder, the Gods are pleased when
puja is offered to Ganesa even before any of them is propitiated.
Man is bound by three tendencies. The first is K**a (the longing to possess). When that longing
fails, Krodha (anger) raises its hood. When the desire is fulfilled and the thing is gained the third
tendency, Lobha (greed) overtakes him. If one's desire is beneficial, the Divine will shower
Grace. Ganesa has no desire, no anger, no greed. His Grace is available for all who seek good
and godly goals. Look at the vehicle which He has chosen, the mouse! The mouse is a creature
that is led, even to destruction, by Vasana (the smell of things). Men are all victims of Vasana
(Preferences and predilections stamped on our minds during the past lives). Ganesa smothers and
suppresses the Vasanas which mis-direct man and create misfortune.
Since the mouse has been honoured so, it shares the worship offered to Ganesa. Association with
Gods, as vehicles, ornaments, accessories or servants of Gods, endows objects, animals and men
with specially sacred status. Elephants, Lions, Eagles, Snakes, Primates--all these and many
more have been divinised thus.
This day is Ganesa festival Day. Since Ganesa leads when gods are invoked, installed and
adored, this Festival leads the long line of festivals 'for other forms of God---Navarathri,
Dipavali, Sankranthi, Sivarathri. The duty this Day is to contemplate on the Universal and
Eternal Truth embodied in Ganesa and worship Him with purity and faith, praying for the Grace
which can prevent lapses and promote progress in all efforts to achieve the highest goal.
Discourse on Ganesa Chathurthi day at
Prashaanthi Nilayam, 18-9-1985.
