Message of His Holiness Sri Swamiji
delivered during the Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha, Today is the 10th anniversary and consecration of this Ganapati temple, we are all together celebrating the renovation along with the residents of this locality, making necessary arrangements for all the daily as well as special rituals for the lord. It is indeed a happy moment as we humbly assume the role of servitors at the feet of the Lord. Today is an auspicious day too, having the Ashthami and Navami dates (i.e. 8th and 9th day of Lunar calendar), they remind us of Krishna-Ashthami and Rama-Navami, and also Navaratri of Dussera. These days are auspicious for people of all walks of life - students, scholars, businessmen etc. Who is the primordial energy that enables any activity to take place? He is none other than the Omkara manifest Lord Ganapati. He is the one who is unwavering, non undulate and formless, yet has many forms proclaimed as Vishwaksena, Gajamukha, etc., - described elaborately in the Gakara Ganapati Sahasram (thousand names of Lord Ganapati starting with the Sanskrit syllable Ga. These thousand names are immensely powerful and carry the meaning and essence of the ‘Mudgala Purana and all the 108 puranas.’ No other sacred text is required to redeem us from the sins if one chants the Gakara Ganapati Sahasram. Lord Ganapati is a Universal God. People from many cultures and regions, like Indonesia, Sumatra, Nepal, Bhutan - all worship Him. In fact, the first respects in the start of any prayer be it a celebration or mourning, everything starts with a prayerful offering to Lord Ganapati. Just like the concept of Shiva (Lingam Akasha Murtim- the Shiva Linga is vast in magnitude, like the sky), Lord Ganapati is also endless and formless energy. However, He has assumed many forms too, time and again to protect the devotees. Intellectuals, scholars, businessmen, householders everybody worship Lord Ganapati. He holds a Pasha (whip) and Ankusha (spear) in His hand. All the 3.33 billion celestials gave their weapons to Him. He is Ekadanta (elephant faced with only a single tusk). This form of Lord Ganapati with a whip, spear and single tusk is very important for people involved in Yoga. This is the form that removes the afflictions of Kama. Kama signifies excessive desires. We are always craving for one thing or other be it clothes, electronic equipment, house, car, furniture, utensils etc. Every hour in China and Japan, there is a new model. We crave for all of them. We are always discontented about our possessions and achievements. Even scientific development is also like that. We want more and more. To make the floor of the new house shine brilliantly, we give it more than necessary wax polish. Later, during the house warming ceremony, when a guest slips and falls and has to be taken to the hospital, we repent. The extra shine that we craved for has brought this disaster. Where is the end to this craving? The root cause for all the miseries is discontentment. We often attend marriages and at the dinner table while eating we compare this food with the food of some other marriage or ceremony. If the host were to listen to your comments, how bad would they feel? Instead, if you utter to him a few words of praise for the arrangements made, imagine how much happiness he would get? Even when all arrangements are excellent, you tend to make some silly unwarranted comments on the bride or bridegroom. Why should such people who do not have contentment be invited for the functions? In fact, if you serve that food to some poor and needy, they will eat it gratefully. One who dispels such a discontentment in life is Ekadanta. Lord Ganapati in this form grants contentment to the worshipers. Life without contentment is a rat race. We wish to educate our children in English medium schools and put them in residential schools thinking they will more disciplined just at the tender age of eight. Where is the scope for them to develop affection towards you? He goes to college and then to America, finally falls in love and gets married. As regards your parents they are in an old age home. Your parents are away, children are away and there is no chance of their return. Though you have a big new house, there is no one with you, no one to look into your needs. What is the use of such a living? Externally however, we maintain a false status. Internally there is immense pain. ‘Samsaaram Dukhamayam, Shariram Rogamayam’ (Life is full of miseries and the body is full of disease and afflictions). Devotion to Lord Ganapati helps one to get out of this race. He removes the pain and obstacles in life. In Mudgala Purana, there is this story of Divodasa and many other short stories on Lord Ganapati and His valor. Divodasa was a great Sadhaka (seeker); but, out of ego, He asks Shiva to leave Kashi, and he begins to rule over the kingdom of Kashi (Varanasi). At that time, Lord Ganapati with the name Kaladhara intervenes, creates obstacles in the kingdom of Divodasa and finally makes him realize his mistake and invites Shiva back to Kashi. It is mentioned that all the modern skills of wireless communication, scanning and many scientific advancements now being used existed at the time of Divodasa. There is another story about the Atma Linga taken from Shiva by demon king Ravana, Lord Ganapati intervenes and saves the world from the Linga being carried away by Ravana. Mudgala Purana also has many secrets pertaining to healthful living and good quality life, secrets about rearing children, Vastu, eating habits and many other subjects. People are often so much lead away by Vastu, that they don’t build bathrooms in their house at all. People break down room after room thinking that it will improve their financial, health or other aspect. Do you remove one of your shoulders if they are of different height? Do you remove your eye if you can’t see? Obviously we will correct them by proper treatment. This body is also like a building. If there is any problem we must repair it not remove it. We just form a tiny miniscule in the cosmic existence of the 14 worlds. We do not remember the food we ate yesterday, where the light switches on the wall of our house is? How then can we remember our previous births, our merits and demerits? We do a lot of decoration to this body with clothes, perfumes etc, but ultimately we have to leave it one day. Then we say Sat (truth) is gone. Every breath we take relates us to that eternal truth. “ ‘So Ham’ – that is me.” The real nature of our self is revealed by this constant penance and grace of Lord Ganapati who is Omkara- the primordial sound. Ankusha (spear) in his hand removes our sins. He teaches us the Pranayama method for control of body and mind. Divodasa learnt Pranayama from Ganapati. He is the Yuga Purusha existing from time immemorial. In fact, Vyasa chose Lord Ganapati to write the scriptures, while he dictated. In the first era, people lived till their bones existed. In the second era, people lived till their muscles existed. In the third era, people lived till their skin existed. In this present era, people live as long as their breath lasts. Controlling breath energy through Pranayama is therefore, the secret of qualitative and quantitative living in this era. All of us should participate actively in the service to the Lord, by questioning ourselves what is my role? Lord Ganapati will then bestow on us health, wealth, prosperity, and Guru’s grace and remove all the obstacles in our life. Swamiji is very happy about this program and Abhishekam to Lord Ganapati.
Despite heavy rush and Lord Krishna festival going on in Mysore ashram,
Swamiji came for this function, because, He had promised the organisers.
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