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BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has inspired a global phenomenon of
compassion and service. A spiritual leader and humanitarian, his
programs have impacted more than 25 million people worldwide. He is the
founder of the Art of Living Foundation, a multi-faceted organization
that offers a wide array of educational and humanitarian programs that
uplift individuals, make a difference in local communities, and foster
global change.
Ganesh Chathurthi is the
auspicious day marking the birth of Lord Ganesha. It is an eleven-day
festival celebrated in India, which begins with the installation of
beautifully sculptured, colorfully decorated Ganesh idols in homes and
mandaps. For ten days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to Ananta
Charudashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image is taken
through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing and singing
to be immersed in a river or sea. This symbolizes the ritual see-off of
the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away
with him the misfortunes of all humanity. ?
Science has discovered that within a single human DNA strand, there can
be found the DNA of every other species on the planet! Therefore we also
carry the quality of every animal in us. In fact, this has been known
since the ancient days.?
The principle qualities of the elephants 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. For instance if there are
trees in their path, they will just uproot those trees and proceed.
Whatever you keep your attention on, you take on those qualities. So,
when we worship Lord Ganesh, these elephant qualities within us are
kindled. If you meditate on Ganesha, who has the head of an elephant,
you will get the qualities of an elephant. You will overcome all
obstacles. 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 cross bones indicate danger. ?
Ganesha signifies ?shubh? (auspiciousness) and ?laabha? (prosperity).
The elephant has special qualities. It has an enormous head, which
signifies knowledge and wisdom. It has large ears that fan small eyes,
which convey, that it is wiser to follow that which you hear and
understand, rather than to follow appearances. The elephant uses its
trunk for dual functions?it smells and acts through its trunk. Likewise,
in wisdom, we smell then act. With the merest hint of something (like
smelling smoke!), a wise person will take immediate action. The elephant
also possesses tusks that are visible for all to see, while its teeth
for grinding purposes are not, as they are in its mouth. ?
So what is the significance of Ganesha? Parvati (this is where the word
?power? comes from; Parvati represents power) had been celebrating with
great enthusiasm and had become dirty?signifying that celebration can
easily become rajasic or feverish and take you away from your center. So
she removed the dirt (symbolic of ignorance) from her body and created a
boy doll from the dirt. She gave the doll life and asked him to guard
her door while she bathed. When Shiva (representative of Supreme
innocence, peace and knowledge) returned to Kailash, the boy could not
recognize him and so obstructed his passage. This signifies that
ignorance does not recognize wisdom or innocence. However, truth cannot
be stopped by ignorance so Shiva chopped the boy?s head?the head of
ignorance?and entered. When Parvati realized what had happened, she
explained to Shiva that boy was their son and Shiva had to save him. So
Shiva instructed his helpers to go and find someone with his head
pointing to the north, someone in tune with the natural flow of energy,
and then bring back his head. They searched far and wide only to find
the head of an elephant in that state. So they bought back the head of
an elephant and this became Ganesh.?
Now Ganesh is always depicted with a big stomach. His belly represents
generosity and total acceptance. The story goes that one day Ganesh
drank so much milk that his belly burst. So he grabbed a cobra and tied
it around the stomach. This signifies that the acceptance of people and
situations without deep awareness is of no great value (akin to
accepting people when they?re sleeping! That?s easy!). However, when
there is awareness?the cobra is a symbol of great alertness?that is true
acceptance and love. Ganesh?s upraised hand (in Abhaya mudra, depicting
protection) 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
symbolizes the merging with the earth again). Ganesh also has a single
tusk which implies one pointedness.?
Ganesh is often seen sitting on a lotus. Now an elephant supporting
itself on a lotus is a kind of odd! This signifies that he is very
sensitive. Also Ganesha is always seen riding a mouse. This is the most
expected mode of travel imaginable?an elephant on a mouse! However, the
significance runs deeper. The mouse, which gradually nibbles through
things, is like a mantra which can cut through sheets and sheets of
ignorance and carry away even an elephant. There can be nothing but
absolute darkness and all that is required is a single tiny ray of light
that can illuminate us?free us from ignorance. Not much is required at
all?just this tiny, persistent awareness. ?
Even the implements Ganesh wields are symbolic. He carries in his hands,
the ?Ankusa? (the goad/stick that is used to prod an elephant awake).
This signifies awakening and the ?Paasa? (the noose, which signifies
control). Now with awakening, a lot of energy is released which without
proper guidance, can go haywire.?
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the states of
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andra Pradesh and many other
parts of India. Started by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja, the great
Maratha ruler, to promote culture and nationalism, the festival was
revived by Lokmanya Tilak (a freedom fighter) to spread the message of
freedom struggle and to defy the British who had banned public
assemblies. The festival gave Indians a feeling of unity and revived
their patriotic spirit and faith.??
To learn more about the teachings of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar and Art of Living courses in Atlanta, please visit
www.artofliving.org/atlanta or contact us at 877-AOLIVING or atlanta@us.artofliving.org.
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