The Shri Ganapati Atharvasheersha, one of the most widely-recited stotras among devotees of Bhagavan Ganesh, reveals the nature of this deity as containing all Divine forms within Himself, the embodiment of the ultimate Brahman. In the stotra Ganeshji is said to be the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the universe. He is the manifestation of the three planes of existence: Bhu (earth), Bhuvah (intermediate sphere) and Svah (heavens). The expression ‘Idam Sarvam’ -You alone are all this’ sums it up. Indeed, Bhagavan Ganesh is the all-pervading reality.
Atharva Rishi, the composer of the stotra, in his praises of Bhagavan Ganesh, presents an outline of the Lord’s many attributes, which, in essence, is actually an espousal of the very nature of Brahman. In extolling the many roles of the Lord, the poet says in part:
– You are one without a second.
– You are Agni, Indra, Vaayu, Soorya and Chandramaa.
– You represent the five tattvas or elements (earth, fire ether, air and water),
– You signify the four types of speech (vaikhari:-gross audible sound, madhyama:-mental communication, inaudible sound, pashyanti:-seeing, mental image creation, paraa-vaani:-potential state of sound, that of Divinity).
– You are the primordial sound, Om.
– You are beyond the three states of time (present, past and future), the three gunas or qualities (piety, materialism, inertia) and the three bodies (physical, astral and causal).
– You are beyond the three states of being ( jaagrat-waking, swapnaa- dream, sushupti-deep sleep). You are the state of turiya, state of realisation
– You are joy and consciousness.
These attributes of Bhagavan Ganesh indicate that He is the one and same Brahman and no different from the other forms of Divinity.
Why is Bhagavan Ganesh worshipped first?
To His devotee, Bhagavan Ganesh is that aspect of God that removes all difficulties or problems, overcomes all challenges of life and brings success and fulfillment to all undertakings. He is closely associated with the daily life of His devotee and no auspicious activity can be undertaken without invoking His name. Almost every activity is initiated with chants of ‘Om Shri Ganeshaaya Namah’ or ‘Om Gam Ganapataye Namah’. New beginnings are synonymous with the name of Bhagavan Ganesh. Although the bestowal of this title of ‘Prathameshwar’ (‘first of the deities’) has its origin in scriptural stories, its significance is much more than mere allegory.
From a philosophical standpoint, the worship of Ganeshji grants one ‘vivek’ or the power of discrimination which endows one with the ability to calmly and successfully walk through problems, difficulties and whatever other challenges that may confront him. It also provides one with the ability to distinguish the real from the unreal, right from wrong and the transitory from permanent. With the tool of vivek one is equipped to distinguish the real from the unreal. Eventually, one recognizes the non-duality of his existence and experiences the truth of the Mahavaakyas: ‘Aham Brahm Asmi’- the Lord and I are One.
