Talk by Gurudev on Ganesha

On the eve of Ganesh Festival, here is an excerpt from an insightful
talk by Gurudev on Ganesha - Reproduced from International Rishimukh,
August 2004 (www.rishimukh.org)
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The principle qualities of the elephant are wisdom and effortlessness.
Elephants don't walk around obstacles, neither do they stop at them.
They just remove them and keep walking straight on.

So when we worship Lord Ganesha these elephant qualities within us are kindled and we take
on these qualities. So if you meditate on Ganesha you will get the
qualities of an elephant. You will overcome all obstacles. The enormous
head of the elephant signifies Knowledge and Wisdom.

Ganesha's big belly represents generosity and total acceptance. The story goes that one day
Ganesha drank so much milk that his stomach burst. So he grabbed a
cobra and tied it around his stomach. This signifies that acceptance of
people and situations without profound awareness is of no value. The cobra
symbolises awareness and alertness. True acceptance is acceptance with
awareness.

Ganesha's upraised hand in abhaya mudra means "Fear not! I am with you"
and his lowered hand, palm facing outwards in varada mudra, symbolic of
giving boons means unending giving as well as an invitation to bow
down.(Bowing down signifies merging with the earth again, recognizing
the truth that we will return to the earth. In the womb our position is
one where our heads are bowed, our bodies are in a circle. Even at
birth we come into this world head down. It is our nature to bow down.)

Ganesha's single tusk implies one-pointedness.
Often one sees the picturisation of the moon laughing at Ganesha as he
tried to "Saastanga Danda Pranaam" to his parents. Here, the moon
signifies the mind; the Mind laughs at Wisdom.

Also, Ganesha is mostly seen sitting on a lotus. Now an elephant supporting itself on a lotus
is kind of odd! This signifies that he is sensitive.

Also Ganesha is always seen riding on a mouse. This is the most unexpected mode of
travel imaginable - an elephant on a mouse! However the significance
runs deeper...The mouse snips, nibbling away at the ropes that bind.
The mouse who gradually nibbles away through things is like the mantra
which can cut through sheets and sheets of ignorance and carry even an
elephant. All that is required is just this tiny persistent awareness.

The ancient rishis were so deeply intelligent that they chose to
express Divinity, in terms of symbols rather than words, since words change
over time, but symbols remain unchanged. For instance, in any language, a
skull and a cross indicate danger. Similarly, Ganesha signifies
shubh(auspiciousness) and laabha(prosperity).

Jai Gurudev!!!