Invoke The Vighna Vinashak Ganesh Within

If we observe every part of  Ganesh’s body, every aspect teaches us the right way to live; it also teaches how to inculcate spiritual wisdom in our daily life:

1. The large forehead signifies wisdom and a broad intellect. When we study the spiritual knowledge imparted by the Supreme Father and inculcate it in our every thought, word and action, we invoke our wisdom.
2. His face is large but eyes are tiny. Anyone with a wise intellect exhibits farsightedness. When we try to see an object that is at a distance, our eyes automatically become smaller. It teaches us to foresee the future consequence of every karma – everything that we think, speak and do. 
3. A small mouth is a reminder for us to speak less and each word should be a blessing for ourselves and others.
4. Broad ears remind us to listen more. The ears are shaped like sieves (filters); which implies that we must consume only that which is good in every person and situation. Imbibing pure information keeps the mind clean. We need to make our ears like sieve – and listen only to pure content, positives, goodness about other people. 
5. Ganesh is shown to have two tusks, but one of them is broken and hence he is referred as ‘Ek-dant’ as one tusk is broken. What does this symbolise? One tusk implies no dualities. It teaches us to remain stable in appreciation and criticism; in good and bad times; in success and failure. But today our life is full of dualities on the basis of age, religion, gender, caste, profession, seniority. Wherever there is body consciousness and ego, there will be duality. God gives us the knowledge that each of us is an equal soul. This finishes duality. When this wisdom enters our life, duality gets finished. 
6. The trunk is powerful enough to uproot trees and soft enough to lovingly pick a child. This means we need to be soft and strong emotionally. We need to balance love and law while discharging our responsibilities. When we inculcate spirituality and become soul conscious, we will be very soft, very loving and at the same time, very powerful. At times we believe spirituality makes us weak and that by being simple and straightforward, we get deceived. That is not true. Spirituality brings a perfect balance of softness and power, of love and law. This balance is depicted by the trunk.
7. The large stomach represents the power to accommodate and retain matters within the self. Ganesh ji is the only deity who is shown with a big stomach. It teaches us that we should not talk about people’s weaknesses or about their problems. Today if somebody spreads gossip, we say, “His stomach just cannot retain information.” The large stomach also signifies the power to accept people having different Sanskars. 
8. Ganesh ji is shown to have four shoulders/arms, each of them holding beautiful objects of significance. 

• • An axe is held in one hand. The knowledge we get from God, it is an axe of wisdom. Using that axe we need to cut out our vices, negativity and past wrong Karmic accounts. Even if consequences of a past Karmic account comes up, our present thoughts and behaviours (wisdom) will settle the account and finish it. 

• • A rope is shown in his second hand. Rope is symbolic of remaining tied to discipline of a pure lifestyle. Inculcation of knowledge is possible only with discipline and self-control. Such discipline enables right thoughts, right words, right actions, right diet, and fair means of earning money. 

• • The third hand is shown giving blessings. If we look at our life today, throughout the day we want something from people. If not anything else, we want love, respect, trust, acknowledgement, appreciation. But Ganesh ji’s hand is depicted as giving, teaching us also to keep giving. We need to keep giving blessings to everyone, no matter who they are and what they do. He/she will exhibit their sanskars, do their karmas, but from our side they should get only pure thoughts, pure words and blessings.

• • The fourth hand is shown holding a Modak (a sweet dish), representing success as a result of hard work. But he is never shown eating it. He only keeps it in his hand. This teaches us to achieve success but not to take credit for it. It also signifies that it takes constant attention and a certain amount of effort to inculcate spirituality in life. Modak also symbolises unity and co-operation since all 5 fingers are needed to make a modak. This means when we get success, we should not consume appreciation or become egoistic. The biggest of egos is the ego of wisdom. 

9. Ganesh ji is always shown seated with one leg folded and the other facing down, with only the toe touching the ground. This teaches us that we need to be with everyone and do everything, sustain beautiful relationships, but at the same time remain emotionally detached. Nothing should influence our state of mind; looking at the sanskars of all around us we should not give up our spiritual principles. Ganesh ji is shown sitting with one leg touching the ground and other folded. It is also a reminder for us to remain grounded and humble. 
10. Even after inculcating all these principles and radiating so much divinity in life, a mouse is shown to be  Ganesh ji’s consort (vehicle). A mouse typically nibbles constantly. This is symbolic of our sense organs. Throughout the day we are speaking, eating, watching or listening to what is not right for us. This means, just like a mouse, we have lost control over our sense organs. A mouse is symbolic of us being a slave to our sense organs. 

Secondly, a mouse can enter our homes even through an extremely tiny hole. Likewise our vices, weaknesses and distractions come into our life without our awareness. When a mouse is about to bite someone, it first creates an anaesthetic effect on our body so we don’t realise the mouse bite immediately. Likewise, when our vices and distractions attack us, we don’t even realise their harm immediately. But the pain starts much later. When we broaden our wisdom, develop farsightedness, we use ears to listen only pure information, we speak less, speak soft, speak powerful words, we keep things to ourselves, we walk the path of discipline of wisdom, we finish our vices using the axe of wisdom, we bless everybody, we remain humble and not become egoistic; when we do all this, we will gain victory over our sense organs and vices. The one who wins over his mind automatically wins over his world. This is why  Ganesh ji is shown sitting on top of the mouse. The mouse is subservient to him (below him).

11. Riddhi and Siddhi are depicted sitting on either side of  Ganesh ji. They are said to be his wives. This signifies that when we imbibe his qualities, prosperity and success will always be on our side. We will not need not struggle or chase after prosperity and success. 

There is another beautiful story in which Ganesh ji and his brother were once asked to go around the universe. His brother Karthikey ji started to walk around the whole world. But  Ganesh ji just went around his parents once. This reminds us that today we are working hard for happiness, health, relationships, and career. But if we connect to our Supreme Parent God, then our every karma will be accurate. Happiness, health, harmony in relationships, success and a beautiful world will come naturally. 

Thus  Ganesh ji teaches us to lead a life like him. Any one who does all these things is said to be Vighna- Vinashaka (Destroyer of obstacles); obstacles cannot enter his life, they get destroyed even before entering. Such people will be so powerful that they don’t just destroy the obstacles in their life, but also destroy the sorrow in others’ life and bestow them with happiness. When we start experiencing and expressing the divine qualities as symbolised by  Ganesh ji in our every thought, word and action, our obstacles get destroyed. We enjoy a life filled with divinity and prosperity.