Gauri is the universal mother. Puja for Gauri is respecting creation -Prakriti, environment. Shri Ganeshji is the first enlightened being. Respect for Ganeshji is a commitment to learn and teach spirituality. This month (September) we are celebrating the Shri Ganesha festival. Mother Parvati was taking bath in Kailas. She wanted someone to guard the entrance for her bathing place. She created a child out of mud from her body and instructed the boy not to allow anyone inside. The boy faithfully followed the orders of the mother. He didn’t even allow Shivji to enter. Angry Shivji cut the neck of the child. Mother Parvati was very upset seeing the dead body of the child. She got angry. To pacify her Shivji joined the head of the elephant and gave life to the boy once again. Now he is called “Ganesha”. The story may appear very strange. But it is pregnant with spiritual Truths.
Shivji is the Father. Shiva is pure consciousness. Parvathi – means the daughter of the mountain. She represents the matter. Everything in the universe is born out of the union of Shiva and Parvati – Shiva and Shakti –consciousness and energy (matter). Mother Parvati creates the child out of the mud. The child cannot recognize the father – consciousness. This is the state of all human beings. We are born out of mud – earth element in nature. Mother Parvati – the energy gives life to all human beings. But born out of mud, our minds are tuned to form only. We cannot recognize the consciousness – which is our Father. We can only recognize the matter – the mother. We are identified with the body-mind complex made out of matter. We become sons/daughters of the mother forgetting the Father – our consciousness. Shivji as consciousness cuts the head of the child and transplants with an elephant head. This is the symbolism used in Puranas to indicate that the total thought process is changed – cutting the head and giving a new head. The new thought process can only come through the wisdom – Jnana. Shivji represents the Sadguru in this process of changing the thought process. Now Ganeshji is able to recognize his father Shivji – The Consciousness. Thus Ganeshji represents the first enlightened being.
All symbols associated with Ganeshji represent the blissful state of a Jnani – enlightened being. Small eyes represent sharp observation. Big head represents wisdom. Big ears represent the ability to listen carefully. The big belly represents blissful nature. The vehicle mouse represents the ego. Shri Ganeshji’s form is the representation of the state of Enlightened Being in a beautiful pictorial way. Ganesha means the Gana+Isha – master of Sense organs. Only a wise one, enlightened one is the master of sense organs. Shri Ganeshji is to be worshipped first be‐ fore performing any auspicious activity. No wonder our ancestors keep reminding us the purpose of life is enlightenment and liberation. Before performing any action they remind us of the state of an enlightened being and motivate us to work towards our liberation.
– Shri Prabhuji