From Ganesh Utsav celebrations 2021 with Pt. Maniedeo Persad, Spiritual Leader, SWAHA Shri Raam Dhaam; Managing Director, ieTV Trinidad
In Hindu theology, Bhagavan Ganesh is known as the Lord of Beginnings, the Lord who removes all obstacles, the One who is worshipped first. We know that there is One Supreme Divinity, Ek Brahm, but the Hindu mind has identified the places where Bhagavan can be found, the functions that Bhagavan performs and in each of these elements, a particular name and form is given. When we worship Lord Ganesh, we are not worshipping a different God from Shivaji or Shree Raam. It is just a different embodiment of the same divinity. Each of these divinities has particular characteristics and attributes that make them attractive to people based on their temperament.
Lord Ganesh is an element of divinity who is portrayed in many ways. Lord Ganesh is visualised and portrayed as having an elephant head, a huge belly, and is One who has performed wondrous activities. Bhagavan Ganesh is known as the Lord who removes obstacles in our lives. We all have imperfections in our lives and there is always room for improvement. Life is an ongoing work in progress. Each of us has embarked on a journey of self-discovery, self-analysis, worship to Ganeshji, with the intent of overcoming the challenges in our lives. What fulfilment do we require in our lives? What blessing do we seek that we have not yet found? The worship of Ganeshji gives us the tools by which we can overcome the obstacles in our lives.
What are the types of obstacles that exist that prevent us from achieving success? Success comes when we are able to remove obstacles and achieve that which we seek. We can identify obstacles from three sources, two are external to ourselves and one is within us. The first source of obstacles is disturbances in the environment, termed adhibhautik. These are environmental obstacles which can be overcome with our effort. For example, if we are trying to worship Shree Ganesh, and all around us there is noise or people who do not value what we are trying to do, we can remove ourselves from that situation. We must analyse what external obstacles exist that prevent us from achieving our goals.
The second external source of obstacles is adhidaivik, which are those things in nature over which we have no control, such as floods or strong winds. These natural earth-related events occur in Trinidad and Tobago as well as around the world. Once we recognise them, the worship of Ganeshji can provide us with protection. We must remember that the grace of God is a shield.
The third source of obstacles, which might be the most difficult to overcome, are the internal obstacles, adhyatmik. In Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna says, “We are own best friends and we are our own worst enemies.” By our own effort we can lift ourselves or degrade ourselves. If we want the Ganesh principle of success in our lives, and to remove obstacles to our success, the internal impurities must be controlled and transcended. These obstacles include negative emotions and any other internal impurities that affect us all and prevent us from exercising true discerning power to recognise what is real from what is not.
To progress in life, these three sources of obstacles must be identified. We must spend some time in reflection, shed that which is negative and include that which is positive, and so refine ourselves. Whatever challenge is bothering us, whatever fear exists in the heart, whatever difficulty there is, Lord Ganesh can, by His grace, help us overcome these challenges.
