Ganesh Chathurthi (Contd)

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Symbolism in Ganesha's form

The form of Lord Ganesha rides a mouse which means His vanquishment over egoism. His elephant head and the mouse in His form explains Him as the creator of all creatures big and small. He is the Lord of wisdom, as the elephant is considered as wise among animals. His very form itself portrays the process of evolution from mouse to an elephant to man and to ultimately the formless divinity hidden within His form. The 'Ankusha' in His hand symbolises His ruler ship over the world. His feet represents 'knowledge' and 'action'. His elephant head is the very from of the 'Om' symbol.

Spiritual Significance Of Ganesha Worship

Swami Chinmayananda says that 'Om' the primal sound is the term used to denote the unknown in the spiritual field as 'x' used in Mathematics. Lord Ganesha embodies the 'Om', primal unknown, energy or the divine, the realization of which leads to eternal bliss. Hence He is the embodiment of bliss. He is further the presiding deity of the 'Muladhara Chakra', one of the energy centre of the body where the force of Kundalini resides.

He is considered the foremost among the celibates or the Brahmacharins. He extends further from literally being a celibate or a Brahmacharin by being the very 'Brahman' or the supreme reality. Hence He is the bestower of the supreme wisdom that leads one to the supreme reality. The Ganapathi Upanishad thus identifies Ganesha with the supreme self. His two powers are the Kundalini and the Vallabaha, the power of love.

Hence let us seek refuge in the Lord to remove all obstacles in one's material as well as spiritual growth.