Fascinating Facts about Ganesa – The Hindu God of Wisdom

 Lord Ganesa, also referred to as Ganapathy or Ganesha, is one of the best-loved gods in Hindu mythology. Being the remover of obstacles and the god of wisdom, strength, and stability, his life is steeped in the history of saints, rishis, and cosmic forces that govern the foundation of Hindu divinity.



The Origin of Ganesa


Ganesa was not the original biological son of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi. Rather, he was an esteemed saint in his former life, born under the Uthiradam nakshatra. His intense faith towards Lord Siva and his rigorous spiritual practices granted him salvation after demise. When his soul reached divine status, he came to be remembered as Aadhi Ganapathy, the original among the Ganapathys, and was proclaimed by Lord Siva as his prime divine son among the cosmic retinue.


Lord Siva himself and Sri Parvathi achieved their godly form very close to 25,000 years ago. Ganapathy joined them some 15,000 years ago, and Lord Murugar, another illustrious rishi, achieved divinity very close to 10,000 years ago. This is clearly indicative that divinity is not inherited but achieved by devotion, discipline, and enlightenment.


The Divine Retinue of Lord Siva


Among the vast spiritual entourage of Lord Siva, various human souls who attained salvation were revered and placed into divine categories. Saints and rishis comprised the first category; kings, devotees, and Easwar title bearers comprised the second; whereas pious warriors comprised the third. A leader was conferred on each group, and the title Ganapathy was derived from the term Gana (powerful soul) and Adhipathi (leader). Ganapathy thereby literally means the leader of powerful eternal souls.


The very first and foremost of these were Aadhi Ganapathy, also referred to as Kailasha Maha Ganapathy. Gradually, a large number of saints and rishis got liberated by praying to either Lord Siva or Aadhi Ganapathy. Their souls also got the Ganapathy title, and for this reason, there are many Ganapathy temples found today in the form of independent shrines as well as within Easwar temples.


Symbolism of the Elephant Head


One of the greatest things about Lord Ganesa is his elephant head, a deep symbol of meaning. Saints and rishis were ordered by Lord Siva to encourage the worship of the elephant-headed form because elephants possess characteristics that humans must balance between spirituality and family life. Elephants dwell in close familial units, are loyal, exhibit stability, and live in harmony with nature. The worship of Ganesa's elephant head leads people to adopt these same principles in life.


Cosmically, the elephant's head emits special energy vibrations. Elephants possess almost 257 billion neurons in their brain, much higher than humans. When devotees look at Ganesa's statue, the cosmic energy of the elephant's head is considered to excite human brain function, improving concentration, stability, and memory power. This is why Ganesa is revered as the god of intellect and remover of mental barriers.


The First God of Worship


Hindu custom commences all ceremonies by invoking Lord Ganesa first. This was started by Lord Siva Himself, who intended to encourage humans to harmonize their celestial pursuit with domestic duties. By starting with Ganesa, the worshiper invokes wisdom, earthiness, and stability—a combination necessary for the achievement of both spiritual and material life.

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