Happy Ganesha Chatruthi 2021

 

Mushikavaahana modaka hastha,

Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra,

Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra,

Vighna vinaayaka paada namasthe

“SALUTATIONS to Lord Ganesha who is Brahman Himself, who is the Supreme Lord, who is the energy of Lord Siva, who is the source of all bliss, and who is the bestower of all virtuous qualities and success in all undertakings.”

Ganesha Chaturthi is a day on which Lord Ganesha makes his presence known on earth for all his devotees; the day is also termed Vinayaka Chaturthi. It is observed in the calendar month of Bhadrapada, starting on the Shukla Chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon) which comes sometime between 20th of August and 15th of September. An important part of the festival is the immersion of the Ganesha statue into tanks, wells and ponds.

Swami Shivananda Recommends:

”On Ganesha Chaturthi, meditate on the stories connected with Lord Ganesha early in the morning, during the Brahmamuhurta period. Then, after taking a bath, go to the temple and do the prayers of Lord Ganesha. Offer Him some coconut and sweet pudding. Pray with faith and devotion that He may remove all the obstacles that you experience on the spiritual path. Worship Him at home, too. Have an image of Lord Ganesha in your house. Feel His Presence in it.

Don’t forget DO NOT LOOK AT THE MOON on this day; remember that it behaved unbecomingly towards the Lord. This really means avoid the company of all those who have no faith in God, and who deride God, your Guru or your religion—from this very day. Take fresh spiritual resolves and pray to Lord Ganesha for inner spiritual strength to attain success in all your undertakings.”

Story about not looking at the moon

There is a legend associated with Ganesha Chaturthi, from the Skanda Puranam. Lord Ganesha was once invited for a feast in Chandraloka (the Moon’s abode). Ganesha being fond of sweets, ate laddus till his stomach bloated, so much so that as he got up to walk after the meal, he could not balance himself because of his huge stomach and he slipped and fell. His stomach burst and all the laddus came rolling out. Seeing this, the Moon was highly amused and burst out laughing. Ganesha got angry and cursed the Moon that it would vanish from the Universe.

Because of the Moon’s disappearance, the whole world began to wane. The gods asked Lord Siva to get Ganesha to revoke his curse. The Moon also apologised for his misbehaviour. Finally, Ganesha modified his curse saying that the Moon would be invisible only on one day of the month and would be partially seen on Ganesha Chaturthi. He also added that anyone who looked at the moon on Ganesha Chaturthi would face a false charge. This is the reason why, even today, it is considered inauspicious to look at the moon on Ganesha Chathurthi.

 

Vakratunda Mahakaya Stotram

Om Gam Ganapathaye Namaha ||

Vakratunda Mahakaya Surya koti Samaprabha |

Nirvighnam Kurumedeva Sarva Karyeshu Sarvada ||

Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha is a Prayer to Lord Ganesha, to remove obstacles and bless one with success. Lord Ganesha is prayed to at the beginning of all works as He is the deity who removes obstacles.

"O Lord with Curved Trunk, One with huge body, one with the radiance of a Crore Suns

Please make all my actions Free from troubles"

Vakratunda: Curved/ Twisted Trunk; Vakra=Curved; Tunda=Trunk

Mahakaya = Huge Body; Maha=Great; Kaya=body

SuryaKoti = Crore Suns; Surya=Sun; Koti=Crore (10 million)

Samaprabha = Equal in Radiance; Sama=equal; Prabha=Radiance

Nirvighna = Without Obstacles; Nir=without; Vighna=Trouble

Kuru = (Please) Do

Me: My

Deva = Lord/ God

Sarva = all

Karyeshu = Actions; Karya=Actions

Sarvada = All the time; Sarva = All

Soma Pradosham, March 2, 2015 -- Arunachaleswarar Temple

Hinduism propounds the idea that the (nine) Navagrahas (of which Chandra is one) are 'markers of influence' -- living energies which put out waves which affect our awareness by seizing our consciousness when we come under their influence. Reports of psychics and seers agree that Grahas cause a direct energy influence upon the energy bodies and minds of all life on earth. The nine planets (Navagrahas) are transmitters of Universal, archetypal energy and the qualities of each planet helps maintain the overall balance of polarities in the solar system. 

Lord Shiva wears on his head the crescent of the fifth-day moon. Placed near his fiery third eye this shows the power of Soma, the sacrificial offering, which is the representative of Moon and signifies that Shiva possesses the power of procreation co-existent with that of destruction. Chandra has the following associations: the colour white, gender female, metal silver, gemstones; pearl and moonstone, element water, direction north-west, season Winter, body part blood, food rice, taste salt, day Monday, guna Sattwa. The sun is the indicator of the soul and the moon is the vehicle of the mind that receives the light of the soul. Even though all the Navagrahas are represented at Arunachala, the moon with its particular association with Lord Shiva (Chandrasekhara) has an extraordinary influence. 

The first Pradosham of March 2015 was celebrated on a Monday, so imbibed many of the particular qualities of Lord Shiva’s association with the moon. To find out in more detail the significance of Soma Pradosham, please go to an earlier posting on Arunachala Grace at this link here. 

Nandi abhishekham

Aarti -- Nandi, Arunachachaleswarar Temple March 2, 2015

Walking perimeter of Siva Sannidhi, March Soma Pradosham

To read about a legend of Moonlight go to this link here.

And read the below to find:-

How the Moon fell in love with the Sun

Eons ago, when the Moon and the Sun were still young, they never saw one another. The Moon would look upon the world and see creation change and grow, till one-day man was brought forth. The Moon would hear man talking about the Great Sun and all he did for them. He brought warmth to them, helped the crops grow and was their protector by day as in the night; evil things would prey upon them. This hurt the Moon terribly and for the first time, she turned her back to the world and man. When the Great Sun heard what man had done, he was angry. He said to the world, "You fools. Don’t you know how fortunate you are to have her in the night? She is your light, your guide and the protector of the night. She gives you, every night, all her light and protection she can. She is a heavenly body, the most beautiful of us all and you shun her. Now you wonder why she has turned her back on you? I should do the same!" 

Man, fearing the turning of the Great Sun, begged the Moon to return to them. "Oh, Great Moon, whose light and protection you grant on us, please return and guide us once more. We are bowed low in your Grace and Love. Please Great Moon, return and save us from the wrath of the Great Sun. We have shamed him in the way we have treated you and he will turn from us, as you have done. Please Great Moon, return!" 

The Great Moon, having heard the call of the world and what the Great Sun had done, began a slow turn to the world. Unsure if she wanted to trust the world again. But as she turned, she would hear more about what the Sun had done and said. Her heart grew warm with his words and longed to see him. In simple words, she was falling in love with the Great Sun. She moved through the night, faster. Trying to see him, her love! Till at last, when the day and the night over lapped, she saw him. The Great Sun turned to her and smiled. He was so please to see her. 

"Great Moon", he said. "You have come at last! I have longed to see you." The Great Sun spread his warmth to the Great Moon and embraced her. His warmth filled her and caressed her. Slowly they came together, their first true embrace. From that day forward, when the Great Moon and the Great Sun would come together, we, the world, would call it an eclipse. For their love would shadow the earth in darkness and allow us to see true love!