Pt. Jaidath Maharaj, SWAHA President, Spiritual Leader, SWAHA Gyaan Jyoti Mandali
In the form of Shree Ganesh, we can observe certain physical attributes of the elephant: the head, the large elephant ears, large elephant trunk and one tusk. Through our faith, we believe that Shree Ganesh is the personification of Brahm, or that Divine Spiritual Personality. Through our faith, we view Shree Ganesh as a person or individual, and so, we do our best to please that divine personality in our lives.
Beyond the form, Shree Ganesh is the embodiment of ideal principles. He is known as Vignaharan, the One who removes obstacles from our lives, and Gyaandaataa, the giver of wisdom. Our scriptures indicate to us that we are imbued with all the cognitive abilities to be able to solve the problems of everyday life. The Hindu view is simply this: when we are challenged in life, it is incumbent upon you and I to find solutions by drawing on our experiences. We must take the information we have learnt; apply it to various situations; and thus, solve problems. We use our knowledge of past experiences, and are guided by Shree Ganesh, who leads us to the right path for resolving the problem. Through that inner wisdom, we can discover different solutions to a challenge in the world that we live. That ability to draw on those experiences and knowledge in order to find a solution, is the blessing of Shree Ganesh.
Symbolism of Shree Ganesh
Ashutosh Maharaj, (Pundit in Training), SWAHA Hindu College
I wish to remind all of the symbolic meaning of a few of the main characteristics of Bhagavan Ganapati. He is Gajamukh, the elephant-faced Lord. The large elephant’s head symbolizes the increase in knowledge and wisdom. As students, this is what we all want for ourselves, as we learn new concepts and ideas in school. The large ears encourage us to listen more attentively and internalize all that is positive and worth hearing. An elephant covers its ears whenever it hears any unpleasant or upsetting sound. Likewise, we should not listen to friends who gossip about others. The small mouth reminds us that the wise man speaks when he has something to say, while others speak to say something. The small eyes of the elephant remind us that focus and concentration are necessary if we wish to be successful in life.
He is Vakratunda, the Lord with the curved trunk, which represents the power of discrimination between good and evil, or vivek. It is that which helps us to distinguish between the real and unreal. He is Ekadanta, the Lord with one tusk. The single tusk indicates that through the worship of Lord Ganesh, we will be able to choose between the pairs of opposites, good and bad, right and wrong. With his blessings we are able to make the right choices in life and ensure our success and happiness. May Lord Ganesh bless us and our families. Jai Ganesh!
