Depending Deeply on Prabhupada

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 05 September 2011, Berlin, Germany, Radhastami, Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Lila 142-145)

I like the comparison, of the love of Srimati Radharani to a mirror which reflects the qualities of Krsna – as she discovers more and more qualities of Krsna, her love is just responding to those qualities. In this way, the love of Srimati Radharani is eternally growing. This explains the nature of love in the spiritual world and how one is increasing in one’s devotional service and one’s devotional experience eternally. Krsna becomes captured by this love which increases his experience of love; so that exchange eternally continues.

The topmost relationship in the spiritual world is parakiya rasa, which is a forbidden relationship of paramours. Not the conjugal love within marriage but forbidden relationship of paramours – those stolen moments are considered to be the topmost. Gopis cannot openly associate with Krsna – that is not possible because it is socially not acceptable that they mix with Krsna. Many are married, others are young girls under the authority of their parents – how can they openly mix with the young boy in the village? It is not possible. Therefore, in the relationship between Radha and Krsna it is not possible that they openly meet, as there are many obstacles. Some stolen moments are there which are very precious for that reason. There is great eagerness to finally have the opportunity to meet Krsna; that is usually very difficult.

When Srimati Radharani encounters Krsna, she is overwhelmed. It is described that when Radha sees Krsna in public that she cannot help but smile, but she is hiding that smile. So her smile is practically not visible, it is slightly there, by the corner of her lips, but Krsna notices that smile and therefore he also starts mildly smiling, also controlling his smile. Srimati Radharani notices that Krsna is seeing that she started smiling and therefore she begins to smile more. Krsna notices that she has noticed that he had noticed that she was smiling and therefore Krsna begins to smile more. Then she notices that Krsna has just noticed that she had noticed that he was noticing that she was smiling… and in this way, they go on with noticing until in the end, they cannot control the smiling anymore! So in this way, there is the intimate exchange but at the same time, it is covered by the separation. The essence of parakiya rasa is separation. The mood between Radha and Krsna is always one of separation with some stolen moments of coming together and then again increased separation. This is the basic theme of that topmost love.

I find very interesting this image of the love of Srimati Radharani being a mirror reflecting the qualities of Krsna and then eternally discovering more qualities because it shows how one eternally makes spiritual advancement – there is no limit to it! It is very profound and it does not just apply to only Srimati Radharani, it applies to all devotees – especially to all the eternal associates of the Lord and even to us! We are also discovering little-by-little, more and more, about the nature of Krsna and the qualities of Krsna. Maybe, at this stage, our love is not very developed but some attraction is there – it is unavoidable even! One of meaning of the word Bhagavan, as told by Srila Jiva Gosvami, means, ‘Krsna is irresistible, you have to worship him!’ So this is the situation – there is no question of not coming to the point of loving Krsna! 

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Visit my page below for  two articles: 12 Best Tips on Writing  and  Getting the Word out About your Book or CD:

https://mahabharata-project.com/on-writing/

Sri Yamuna in Rainy Season (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Today you can see real Sri Yamuna filled with fresh rain wate...

Radha’s 25 transcendental qualities, by which She controls Krsna. The first version is from CC Madhya 23. 87-91 and next to it is a slightly different version from the “Teachings of Lord Caitanya” Ch. 14. The original reference is said to be Ujjvala-nilamani, Sri-Radha-prakarasa (11-15).
(1) She is very sweet.// She is sweetness personified;
(2) She is always freshly youthful.// She is a fresh young girl;
(3) Her eyes are restless.// Her eyes are always moving;
(4) She smiles brightly.// She is always brightly smiling;
(5) She has beautiful, auspicious lines.// She possesses all auspicious marks on Her body;
(6) She makes Krsna happy with Her bodily aroma.// She can agitate Krsna by the flavor of Her person;
(7) She is very expert in singing.// She is expert in the art of singing;
(8) Her speech is charming.// She can speak very nicely and sweetly;
(9) She is very expert in joking and speaking pleasantly.// She is expert in presenting feminine attractions;
(10) She is very humble and meek.// She is modest and gentle;
(11) She is always full of mercy.// She is always very merciful;
(12) She is cunning.// She is transcendentally cunning;
(13) She is expert in executing Her duties.// She knows how to dress nicely;
(14) She is shy.// She is always shy;
(15) She is always respectful.// She is always respectful;
(16) She is always calm.// She is always patient;
(17) She is always grave.// She is very grave;
(18) She is expert in enjoying life.// She is enjoyed by Krsna;
(19) She is situated at the topmost level of ecstatic love.// She is always situated on the highest devotional platform;
(20) She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula.// She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula;
(21) She is the most famous of submissive devotees.// She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees;
(22) She is very affectionate to elderly people.// She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors;
(23) She is very submissive to the love of Her friends.// She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates;
(24) She is the chief gopi.// She is the greatest amongst Krsna’s girl-friends;
(25) She always keeps Krsna under Her control. In short, She possesses unlimited transcendental qualities, just as Lord Krsna does.// She always keeps Krsna under Her control.

Simple Daily Meditations
How to know Krishna? How to get a sense of who He is, a feeling towards Him? How can we think about Him naturally throughout the day and not just while we battle with our mind during our chanting practice? In other words, can we meditate off the mat and into the day?
Meditation is mind work. For some it’s emptying the mind of everything. For us it’s filling the mind with thoughts of Krishna. Letting the mind drift to His side, lean into His space and rest there.
Arjuna asked Krishna such a question – “How shall I constantly think of You, and how shall I know You? In what various forms are You to be remembered?” In the Gita’s beautiful poetic verses, Krishna invites us to breathe deep the extent of his presence everywhere and to let our minds connect with that. Simple, beautiful, daily meditations.
Here are my 12 favorites.
Of lights I am the radiant sun
Among stars I am the moon
Of bodies of water I am the ocean
I am inexhaustible time
Among beasts I am the lion
Of purifiers I am the wind
Of seasons I am flower-bearing spring
Of letters I am the letter A
Of the wise I am wisdom
Of the splendid I am the splendor
I am all devouring death and
I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be.

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Barsana Wonderland in Rainy Season (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Yesterday we went to visit Barsana. In rainy season, even by your material eyes, you can see it’s not part of the material world! We started with a small group, but as soon as we got out of the car, Vanamali came with a bus of devotees from Mira Road, Mumbai! Come along with us on Parikrama of Barsana by the pics of Vittalrukmini Das!
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A visit to the beautiful Hare Krishna Temple in Zurich (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Simply we have to desire to please...

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Hare Krishna Days at Croome - 3rd & 4th Sep (Album with photos)
The Hare Krishnas are part of the history of Croome. Devotees have a special place on the National Trust’s ‘history of Croome’ display board.
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Shri Sita Thakurani is to be worshiped just as much as Sachidevi herself, as the mother of the universe. She is the eternal wife of Shri Advaita Acharya. She was the daughter of Shri Nrishinga Baduri. She was married to Shri Advaita Acharya in Phuliya Nagara. After their wedding, Advaita Acharya went to Nadiya, to live in Shantipura. Sita Thakurani was always absorbed in vatsalya prema for Shri Gaurasundara Prabhu, and, out of parental concern used to instruct Jagannatha Mishra on how to care for the boy.

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By Mathura Lilesvari Devi Dasi

Year after year many soldiers of Srila Prabhupada are leaving us bereft of their association. These are great Prabhupadanugas who has dedicated their lives for the mission of Srila Prabhupada. There is so much to learn from their lives. Her Grace Kaulini Devi Dasi was born on August 30, 1946 in Sacremento, California. She grew up there and joined ISKCON in 1972 in San Francisco with her then husband, Keshava Bharati Prabhu (now Keshava Bharati Swami). While in San Francisco, she was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in May 1973. During that time, her family lived in the same home as Jayananda Prabhu. In fact, her first service was going on Harinam with Jayananda Prabhu's sankirtan party. Over the next three years, she continued to serve in San Francisco, Saint Louis and Florida. After her husband took sanyasa, Kaulini devi put on white cloth and as Satsvarupa Maharaj noted, "flourishes in chaste renunciation". In 1976, she moved to Gita Nagari, where she lived and served for over 30 years. Continue reading "Remembering Mother Kaulini
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By Braja Vilas das

On this most auspicious occasion of the appearance day of Srimati Radharani, we at the TOVP would like to extend our best wishes to all of you. We hope that on this day everyone can receive Her blessings, which are needed to attract Lord Krishna’s mercy. Srila Prabhupada wrote the song ‘Krishna Tava Punya Habe Bhai’ in his Jaladuta diary, where he explained: “O, brothers! The Supreme Lord Krishna will bestow virtue upon you -- but He will do this only when Srimati Radharani first becomes pleased with you. This I surely declare to you.” From the very beginning of his preaching in 1966, Srila Prabhupada told us that Radharani is the best devotee of Krishna because She loves Him the most. He told us not to approach Krishna directly, but that if we prayed to Radharani, she could recommend us to Krishna, and then Krishna would be obliged to give us His shelter. This is the secret behind the power of the Maha-mantra. Continue reading "Happy Radhastami from the TOVP team
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By Madhava Smullen

Devotees at ISKCON New Vrindaban, West Virginia are in the midst of major renovations on Srila Prabhupada’s Palace. And they’re launching a campaign to help them continue restoring the renowned Smriti Samadhi, or memorial shrine to ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya, to its full glory. The effort is a labor of love, just as it was when devotees first started building the Palace in 1973, intending it as a residence for their guru, who expressed a strong desire to retire there and translate his books. “Regarding New Vrindaban I was very happy when I was there,” he wrote to them in 1974. “I am expecting very soon to go there and live in my proposed palace at least for some time.” When Prabhupada passed away in 1977, the Palace – which opened to the public in 1979 – became a monument to his astounding achievements and gifts he gave to the world; a place where he resides in spirit through his instructions; and a major attraction for pilgrims and tourists. Continue reading "Prabhupada’s Palace Launches Campaign to Support Restoration
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It was nice to be invited to hear my guru maharaja HH Devamrita Swami give a small discourse on unnatural happiness at Anna Loka in Cardiff.

The audience were captivated by the insights on what we class as happiness, it’s tempory nature and how to gain true happiness; their was some insightful questions afterwards. Here is an MP3 recording of the class

Bhakta Adam and his team then gave a lovely plate of Prasadam, and hearing that one of those attending had special dietry need’s made sure it was totally complient so all could enjoy; now that’s a lovely example of service.

Hare Krishna

His Holiness Bhakti Charu SwamiMaharaj launched his recent book “Ocean of Mercy” on 4th September 2016 in Sri Sri Radha Radhanath temple, Durban,  South Africa. Below are the links to videos and pictures of the event. Pictures Video

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Hearing Prabhupada Face to Face

If I let myself think, “Aparādhā-bhajan is better than no bhajan at all,” then I probably won’t stop this aparādhā bhajan for a long time to come. 

Bhajan with aparādhā is  worse than no bhajan at all.

Bhajan with aparādhā is  worse than no bhajan at all. Just as having a negative experience with a person is worse than having no experience with them at all. But the solution is not to stop the bhajan. The solution is to stop the aparādhā.

Bhajan with mistakes and failures is certainly better than no bhajan at all.

First, let me reiterate what aparādhā actually is. It is not a mistake or a failure. Mistakes or failures in our bhajan are natural and inevitable because we are complete beginners. Bhajan with mistakes and failures is certainly better than no bhajan at all. It is by doing sincere bhajan with mistakes and failures that we gradually overcome the mistakes and failures – just as practicing a musical instrument gradually gets rid of our mistakes in playing it.

Love expresses itself in celebration (kīrtan) and adoration (bhajan). Hate expresses itself in slander and criticism (ninda). 

Aparādhā-bhajan is something else.

What is aparādhā?

Aparādhā literally means Anti (apa-) love (rādhā). What is “antilove” – it is “hate.”

So, you see, aparādhā means to intentionally choose do do the opposite of love. Love expresses itself in celebration (kīrtan) and adoration (bhajan). Hate expresses itself in slander and criticism (ninda). 

Not all criticism is hateful, but all hate maifests in criticism (ninda). Therefore we have to be very careful of ninda. We don’t have licence to criticize anyone — unless we have some practical reason to expose a flaw for the sake of benefiting those adversely affected by it. Even then, we should measure our pulse. It is so easy for beginners like us to think we are expressing “constructive criticism” when in fact we are just venting anger as a result of frustration and hatred.

We have to dilligently curb our habbit of inflating our own stature by deflating the stature of others.

Unfortunately we constantly saturate ourselves in ninda. It is even a socially accepted part of many āśrama cultures! Often I have heard entire lectures supposedly about Bhāgavatam or Krishna which in truth were nothing but fourty-five minutes of nonstop ninda – full of criticism of “karmis” and making fun of “māyāvādīs” and “christians” and so on. [Pointing this out is not a ninda, but part of the effort to rid myself of ninda and its sources].

It is almost a requirement for joining one āśrama that you must criticize every other āśrama on the marg. This is why many of us feel we are better off not “joining” any āśrama at all.

We have to dilligently curb our habbit of inflating our own stature by deflating the stature of others. Yes its very tiring and difficult to do this, but we will never really get anywhere  in bhakti-yoga until we make this effort, and make it fully. We must avoid criticizing people – any people. Especially we have to avoid expressing hatred for people who love the same person we are supposed to love, Krishna! This includes other beginners as well, as bungling and annoying and dumb as we all are. There is so much criticism of sādhus who are on even minutely different paths than we are. It is almost a requirement for joining one āśrama that you must criticize every other āśrama on the marg. It is so awful and so detrimental to bhajan. This is why there are no shining, self-effulgent ācāryas. This is why we all remain such dunderheads and dullards. And this is why many of us feel we are better off not “joining” any āśrama at all.

People who love Krishna also include all the various adhikṛta-dāsa divinities, (Śiva, Brahmā, Indra, Varuṇa, etc.) and their followers – and not only in their obviously Vedic manifestation but also in their cross-cultural cross-pollenated faccimilies (like Thor, Odin, and so on). Why criticize them? What do we gain from it? Nothing. Rather than gain, in fact, we lose the most important thing – the devotional attitude (which is soft, forgiving, tolerant, and gentle by nature).

People who love Krishna certainly also include the intermediate and advanced devotees who should be treated as sādhu and guru. 

Obviously, it also includes Krishna himself. We must not slander, criticize (or cause others to do that by our pathetic misrepresentation of) Krishna’s manifestation as the Veda (yes, all of them, including the karma-khanda and jñāna-khanda – and culminating in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam), as Śrī Mūrti, as Śrī Nāma, and as Śrī Dhāma.

We should stop our aparādhā by increasing our rādhā. We should do more kīrtan and bhajan

Rather than trying to stop our aparādhā, we should take a positive approach. We should stop our aparādhā by increasing our rādhā. We should do more kīrtan and bhajan with better sincerity, while giving up our spite and jealousy and need for superiority and eminance and recognition. Then aparādhā decreases and rādhā takes its place in our hearts. Then our progress is swift and perfect.

We must stop our aparādhā immediately and entirely. We can’t go around resting on slogans like, “something is better than nothing.”

Vraja Kishor dās

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Govindas Asrama in Darlinghurst has had regular programs for years. Many visiting devotees like Devamrta Maharaja, Janananda Maharaja, Kadamba Kanana Maharaja and recently Syamasundara Prabhu lead kirtana and speak.

I am also a regular visitor and often attend to head up an evening of kirtan, lecture and prasadam. There is a mix of people from locals to foreigners who join in and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere.

The principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa. Brahma Purana and Brahmanda Purana are other two Puranic texts that deal with Ganesha.

Lord Ganesh is known as the son of the Shiva and Parvati, and is the god of luck and of “opening the way.” That is why many people pray to Ganesh before starting a new project, in order to proceed with as few obstacles as possible.

Ganesha became the Lord (Isha) of all existing beings (Ganas) after winning a contest from his brother Kartikaya. When given the task to race around the universe, Ganesha did not start the race like Kartikeya did, but Ganesh simply walked around Shiva and Parvati, both his father and mother, as the source of all existence, and, thus, showed his intelligence.

The most prominent characteristic of Lord Ganesh is that he has the head of an elephant. How Lord Ganesh got an elephant’s head is related in several places in the Vedic texts. There may be a few different versions, but the general way in which it is accepted relates as follows: One day Goddess Parvati was at home on Mt. Kailash preparing for a bath. As she didn’t want to be disturbed, she told Nandi, her husband Shiva’s Bull carrier, to guard the door and let no one pass. Nandi faithfully took his post, intending to carry out Parvati’s wishes. But, when Shiva came home and naturally wanted to come inside, Nandi had to let him pass, being loyal first to Shiva. Parvati was angry at this slight, but even more than this, at the fact that she had no one as loyal to Herself as Nandi was to Shiva. So, taking the turmeric paste (for bathing) from her body(some say it was sandalwood paste) and mixing it and fashioning it into her son, she breathed life into it and she created Ganesha who manifested from this form, declaring him to be her own loyal son.

Then when Lord Shiva’s wife, Parvati, was going to bathe in the forest, she wanted someone to guard the area. Some references say she was going to bathe in her house. So she ordered Ganesh to let no one into the area while she was bathing. However, Lord Shiva came after a long absence and wanted in, but was blocked by Ganesh. Lord Shiva did not recognize the boy as his son, nor did Ganesh realize Shiva was his father, and enraged, Shiva and Ganesh began to fight. Ganesh lost the battle with his head being cut off. When Parvati entered the scene and saw what had happened, she was so upset that she was thrown into despair and threatened to destroy the entire universe. Shiva, after understanding the situation, devised the means to revive his son. Desperate to pacify her, Shiva promised to take the head of the first creature he came upon in order to give their son a new head and bring him back to life, and that first being was an elephant. So Ganesh got the head of an elephant and with Lord Shiva’s power, came back to life.

Part of the meaning behind this symbolism of the man with an elephant’s head is to represent the unity between the small entity, or man, and the large universe, the elephant. In the word “gaja”, which means elephant, “ga” means the goal, and “ja” means the origin. In the form of Ganesh, the elephant-headed man represents the culmination of the man, the origin, on the path toward universal consciousness, the goal. Ganesh, therefore, is the representation of man who understands the foundation of the reality upon which the universe rests, as is summarized in the Vedic term, “Thou art That,” tat tvam asi. (Taittiriya Aranyaka 8.1.1)

THE SYMBOLOGY OF GANESH

Ganesh is also called Ganapati. This means lord of the Ganas who are the attendants who control the function of the sense organs. According to Karapatri’s Sri Bhagavat-tattva (p. 638), the word gana means a collection of something that can be counted or comprehended. In this way, Ganapati is also the lord or ruler of categories.

He is also known as the Lord of thresholds or entrances into new dimensions. He is the remover of obstacles or obstructions. That is why students pray to Ganesh before taking a major test, to remove the obstacles. That is also why it is not unusual, especially in India, that as we enter a new space or house we may see an image of Ganesh above the door or nearby to give blessings to those who enter. Thus, he is also the guardian of the doorways. This is the case in many Vedic temples. As we enter the temple, we first see a deity of Ganesh to whom we pray for blessings and the removal of obstacles in our devotion or the rituals that we do inside the temple. That way the obstacles to our worship and further spiritual progress can be removed, in which case our spiritual development can be made more rapidly and easily.

Ganesh is also considered the Lord of astrology. He is said to know the language of the stars and the destinies of every living being. Thus, astrologers also petition Ganesh to pen such knowledge to them.

Ganesh is also said to be the writer of the scriptures. (Mahabharata 1.1.77) He accepted the position of being Vyasadeva’s scribe and wrote the Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam as it was dictated by Srila Vyasadeva, the compiler of the major portions of the Vedic texts. You can see the cave where this is said to have happened at Mana, near the holy place of Badrinatha (Badarikashrama). For this reason the ancient Brahmana texts also describe him as the god of learning.

His other names include Ganesh (related to the word gana), Vinayaka (a name familiar in South India, meaning great leader), Vighneshvara (the remover of obstacles), Gajanana (elephant-faced), Gajadhipa (lord of elephants), and Jyeshtha-raja (King of the elders).

Ganesh is said to have two wives, Siddhi (success) and Riddhi (prosperity). Thus, if anyone pleases Lord Ganesh with nice prayers or worship, the person also attains the company or blessings of the wives of Lord Ganesh. However, if used improperly, success and prosperity can be distractions on the path toward the goal of spiritual wisdom.

Ganesh is also shown in particular ways with certain symbols, which is described in the Ganapati Upanishad (11-14). He is seen with one tusk and four hands, two of which hold a noose and a hook. The noose that he holds is to catch delusion, to free one from its affects. The noose also represents attachment that can lead to anger, which hurts us like the goad. The noose or rope is also used to pull his devotees nearer to the Truth and to tie them to the Highest God. The hook or goad indicates his power and helps motivate one towards the goal. Sometimes he is also shown holding an axe, which he uses to cut off the worldly attachments of His devotees, which can thus end the cause of their sorrow.

Of the other two hands, one is positioned in the gestures for giving blessings and assuring fearlessness, and the other is often holding a rice ball. Ganesh’s hand that gives blessings shows that he can grant one’s desires and assures freedom from fear, and that he is beyond the influence of time and space wherein fear exists. In this way, he blesses all and offers protection from all obstacles on their spiritual path in seeking the Supreme. The rice ball he is often seen holding indicates the reward of the sadhana or spiritual practice for his devotees. Ganesh also has a big stomach and large ears. The fat belly of Ganesh indicates that the influence of the material manifestation is within him. His big ears represent that he accepts the truthful and positive vibrations, while throwing out the false and non-virtuous words that men may present to him. On his flag is a mouse, which is also his carrier.

Deities of Ganesh are often covered with red vermillion. The significance of the vermillion is that it represents the reddened complexion of one who is absorbed in work, which causes the intensified circulation of blood to all parts of the body. This also produces the skin’s red glow. Ganesh is also the lord of action, so he is often seen smeared with red vermillion. He is also worshiped with red flowers. Since Ganesh works wholeheartedly, he has a strong appetite and is thus offered and enjoys a steady supply of sweets and delicacies.

As Vighneshvara, Lord Ganesh also gives us the gifts that destroy obstacles, restrictions, or hindrances. All obstacles exist in the arena of time and space. Through the access of immortality, or the realization of such, we can overcome the fear that is intrinsic in the arena of temporary time and matter. Thus, Lord Ganesh gives and takes away. He gives us what can take away the hindrances and obstacles that keep us from realizing our true potential. Because of this, Lord Ganesh is often worshiped before starting any new project, or before entering a house or building. This is why he is often placed above doorways through which people enter, or is recognized and afforded respect and worship before accepting a new position, starting a new undertaking, or before beginning a new challenge, like taking a difficult test, so we can reach its completion without hindrance.

In worshiping Ganesh, there are several different mantras from which one can choose that help invoke the energy or mercy of Ganesh. There is also a specific graphic design called a yantra that is also a symbol for Ganesh. The swastika is another graphic design that can be used in representing Ganesh and the good fortune that he can provide. This is also why the swastika is a sign for good fortune.

Locally, you often see Ganesh deities as either individual images or as a bas relief carved from stone or boulders. His trunk is also curved to the right and sometimes to the left. This indicates the ways to get around obstacles to reach the goal. This is an indicator of Ganesh’s ability to master adversities, and is also a symbol for the Om mantra. His trunk also often holds a modaka, a type of sweet. The single tusk he has represents the one Truth, while the broken tusk indicates the imperfections of the ever-changing material world. He lost the broken tusk when Parashurama once arrived at Mount Kailash to see Lord Shiva. However, Shiva was sleeping, so Ganesh did not allow Parashurama to get in. When they started fighting, Ganesh lost one tusk. (Padma Purana)

The broken piece of the tusk was later used as a pen to write the Mahabharata when it had been dictated by Srila Vyasadeva to Ganesh. How Ganesh wrote the Mahabharata from the dictates of Srila Vyasadeva is described as follows: Vyasadeva entered into a state of meditation after the death of the Kaurava and Pandava clans, and after the disappearance of Lord Krishna. While the great story of events between the tribes, along with the episodes of the Kuruksetra war, was still in his mind, he wanted to write the epic in the form of a great poem. He went to Brahma for advice regarding a qualified person who could accept his dictation to write the story, and Brahma mentioned Ganesh. When Vyasa thought about Ganesh, he appeared before the sage. However, Ganesh was not so receptive to the idea, so he stipulated that Vyasa dictate it in such a way that Ganesh would never have to put down his pen before it was completed. Vyasadeva countered with the requirement that Ganesh not write down anything before he completely understood the meaning of it. Ganesh was not meant to write anything he did not understand in order that he realize the depths of the meaning, and how to write it in a way that would make the meaning accessible to all humanity. This was agreed, and the Mahabharata was completed within three years. (Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapter 1, verses 74-80)

Sometimes Ganesh is shown as Balaganapati in his child form, or Tarunaganapati as a young man. During the popular Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Ganesh is worshiped as Varasiddhi Vinayaka. At other times Ganesh is portrayed as Herambaganapati, with a third eye in between his eyebrows, along with five heads and ten arms. These show an extended view of his various powers, which are represented by what he holds in his hands, which include a lotus, pomegranate, water-pot, an axe, a lute, a sugarcane, ears of paddy, a bow and arrow, a thunderbolt, prayer beads, and a book.

The mouse that accompanies Ganesh is his carrier. The mouse is often seen in pictures eating or stealing the sweets that are piled near Ganesh. The mouse is the desire to enjoy material pleasures and the dangers of the ego. Though the mouse is small, this desire for material happiness, and the driver that motivates one into actions to acquire such pleasure, is like a thief that takes away all that people possess. It steals away one’s life that could be used to acquire the goal of spiritual perfection toward true happiness and liberation. The mouse also represents the mind, which is always active. It takes much weight to keep the mind from going astray. The weight of an elephant, Ganesh, on the mouse represents controlling the mind. Thus, Ganesh rides on this mouse as the controller of material desire and the effects of illusion.

GANESH MANTRAS

To Ganesh, for removing obstacles:

Aum Eikdantaya vidmahe

Vakratunaye Dhimahi

Tanno Buddhih Pracodayat

Translation: “Om. Let us meditate on Sri Ganesh, the lord with one tusk. May that great lord with curved elephant trunk inspire and illumine our mind and understanding.”

Invocation to Ganesh:

Gajananam Bhutganadisevitam

Kapittha Jamboo Phalcharu Bhakshanam

Umasutam Shokvinashkarakam

Namami Vighneshwar Padpankajam

Translation: “Oh Elephant-faced, worshiped by the existing beings, of all living beings, tasting the elephant apple (kaith) and jambolana (jamun), the Son of Uma, destroyer of grief, I bow to the lotus feet of Ganesh who is lord of all.”

Ganesh Gayatri Mantras for increasing intellect:

Om Lambhodaraya vidmahe

Mahodaraya deemahi

Tanno danthi prachodayath

Om. Let me meditate on that god with broad paunch. Oh, God with a big belly, give me higher intellect, And let the elephant faced one illuminate my mind.

Om Thatpurashaya vidhmahe

Vakrathundaya dheemahi

Tanno danthi prachodayath

“Om. Let me meditate on that great male, Oh, God with broken tusk, give me higher intellect, And let the elephant faced one illuminate my mind.”

To Ganesh for removing obstacles, a good way to start any projects, studies or rituals:

Ganapati Bappa Morya

Pudhachya Varshi Lovkar Yaa

Use this to Ganesh prayer before beginning any new project so impediments may be removed and your endeavor may be crowned with success: Om gam ganapataye namaha.

The Ganesh Mula Mantra:

Om srim hrim klim glaum gam ganapataye svaha

Om shanti shanti shantihi

Also:

Om gam-gau-ganapataye

Bighna-binashi ne-svaha

For one who wants wealth and prosperity, meditate on the golden color of Ganesh and say this prayer:

Om Lakshmi Ganapataye namaha

Another to Ganesh, Japa is 5,000 times a day for 25 days:

Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha, Om

Also to Ganesh:

Om gam ganeshaya namaha

Om klim gam gam gam mahaganapataye namaha

To Ganesh for blessings for spiritual success:

Om gananam tva ganapatigm havamahe kavim kavinamupamashravastamam

Jyeshtharajam brahmanam brahmanaspata snah shrinvanutibhissida sadanam

Mahaganapataye namaha

Translation: Om. Oh lord of speech, we worship you, the lord of the gods, the wisest among the wise, the one having incomparable fame, the best among the praiseworthy, and the lord of the Vedic hymns. While listening to our praises, come with your protecting powers and be rested in our yajnashala (temple). Obeisances to Mahaganapati.

Agajananapadmarkam gajananamaharnisham

Anekadantam bhaktanamekadantamupasmahe

Translation: We meditate, day and night, on the one-tusked one (Ganesh) who is the sun for the lotus in the form of the face of Parvati, the one with the elephant face and the one who is the giver of plenty to his devotees.