We are all geared up to celebrate Ganesh Festival. Devotees are enthusiastically flocking to bring home idols of Lord Ganesha on Ganesh Chaturthi. While we celebrate this grand ten-days festival, can we set aside some time to understand the purpose behind this celebration?
The story of how Lord Ganesha was born is known to all. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Ganesha is a bridge between devotees and God. We need to first understand Lord Ganesha to be able to cross this bridge.
There are eight famous shrines of Lord Ganesha scattered across Maharashtra, popularly known as the Ashtavinayaka. There is a custom of doing a pilgrimage of these eight shrines. If one understands what Lord Ganesha symbolizes, then one can experience the same fulfillment of this pilgrimage even without undertaking the journey. Without this understanding, even if one does visit these shrines any number of times, one would still lead a life in illusion.
So, what is this illusion? It is the grandest illusion that we all live in—that we are this body, this limited personality, this separate individual. We believe whatever is inside the skin as I and everything outside as other. This false belief leads to Ashtamaya — the eightfold illusion of I, me, mine, you, yours, they, them and their. The truth is that we are not the body and hence whatever is associated with the body cannot be us. There is only one underlying reality of who-we-truly-are; the multiplicity that we feel is all an illusion. Mythological stories depict demons as crafters of illusion; but this pluralistic world that we experience around us is the ultimate illusion!
There are many popular stories of Lord Ganesha that narrate how He killed various demons. With these stories, Lord Ganesha came to be popularly known by various names. For example, in one of the stories, He vanquishes the demon called Vighnasur. Hence, He is called Vighnaharta—the one who eradicates hurdles from our lives.
In yet another story, it is said that Lord Shiva was battling the demons. During this battle, when He was unable to kill a particular demon, Lord Ganesha was called upon to help Him. This demon symbolizes our judgmental mind.
The judgmental mind is nothing less than a demon that keeps comparing, judging, labeling, causing sorrow, confusion and unrest. This comparing and judging mind is made of three aspects.
- Our unending desires: There are so many desires that we hold onto. No sooner one desire is fulfilled, than we are all set to fulfil another one. It is a never-ending story, where fulfillment is not possible.
- Beliefs: Our mind is filled with all kinds of beliefs. For example, eating a particular food or performing a particular ritual on a given day would please or displease a deity. One should not wear particular kind of clothes; one should not cut their hair or nails on Saturdays, and so on. But beyond these superficial beliefs is the ultimate myth that we are this body.
- Tendencies: Our mind is driven by tendencies like anger, boredom, comparison, depression, ego, fear, greed, guilt, hatred, ill-will, jealousy, etc.
The more we get entangled in the vicious cycle of beliefs, desires, and tendencies, the more we move away from our peaceful state of being. We get trapped in the web of stress and sorrow. Lord Ganesha killing the demons symbolizes the eradication of these defilements of the mind, reinstating a life filled with joy, love, and peace.
Lord Shiva is the symbol of pure consciousness, which gets shrouded by the judgmental mind, just like clouds shroud the sun causing darkness. When beliefs, desires, and tendencies are removed from the mind, pure consciousness shines forth in the awareness of who-we-truly-are.
During this Ganeshotsav, let us resolve to let go off the tendencies of the mind and pray for the wellbeing of all. Let us set aside the desires of the mind and fulfill the will of God. Let us cast away our age-old beliefs and live in the pure essence of our true nature. Let us awaken Lord Ganesha within us!
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