September 19 2012

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Ganesha Worlds Most Worshiped God

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TALKS FROM MORNING SATSANG ON SEPTEMBER 19 2012 AT TIRUVANNAMALAI ASHRAM, INDIA On the great festival day of Ganesh Chaturthi, Paramahamsa Nithyananda (Swamijii) speaks on Hinduism’s most beloved God. He comments that Ganesha is more like a household family member than a deity. Sometimes the rituals and rules of temple worship can create distance between devotees and God, but in Ganesha’s case there is no such problem. Everyone is equally welcome at His temples; and He is accepted by worshippers in every sampradaya.

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Ganesha, World's Most worshipped God

Sadaashiva samarambham

Jnana sambandacharya madhyamaam

asmadaacharya paryantaam

vande Guru paramparaam

Ganesha, beloved of all hinds. Understand, Ganesha more like a house-hold member of hindu family, than a god. Because he does not carry anything related to the, seriousness of god. but he can create the sacredness in all of us. Embodiment of pranava, omkara sound. He is the first god, in the hindu tradition. His very shape shows he is a happy person. Not bothered about nirahara samyama, not bothered about any other things. Living blissfully, happily eating whatever devotes give, above all, beyond the red tape of agamas.

Sometime, the agamas become red tapism. Stopping us, making us feel 'distanced' from the divine. This happened in me, before going to Ramakrishna mission, I had the darshan of Sri Ramakrishna in my dream, in the visions. I used to feel so close with Sriramakrishna. I just know he is mine I am his' But when I went to the Ramakrishna mission, when I took up the responsibility of pujari, there is so much of rules and restrictions "Don't stand here, Don't sit there, Don't touch this, don't touch that"

With so much of restrictions, I really felt I lost the closeness with Sriramakrishna. Sometimes, the agamas which is created, which was supposed to help you, to feel the deeper connection with the deity or guru or god, creates certain distance. But, when I settled with that system, then I saw, the distance also disappeared, and the system was also flowing properly and the feeling connection was growing, getting built. Anyhow, Ganesha is not bound by any of this agamic, red tapism, bureaucracy. Ganesha temples are the only temples where there is no caste system. Anybody can be a priest. In shiva temples, Iyengars cannot be priests. Even if you are a brahmin, if you are from iyengar family, you can't be a priest. In vishnu temples, even if you are a brahmin, if you are from Iyer sub sect, you can't be a priest. In the saiva siddhanta temples, even if you are a brahmin, if you are iyengar or iyer, you can't be a priest. You have to be only a desigar. Only that sub-sect can be a priest. But Ganesha does not have any restrictions. Not only that, he is the largest worshipped god in the world. Because no other religion has so many gods and there is no hindu who will not worship Ganesha, even if they are vaishnavites they start their rituals with Ganesha. They may not accept shiva or Shaivism but they accept Ganesha.

In hinduism, there are seven Sampradayas.

--> Worshippers of Ganesha

--> Worshipers of Vishnu

--> Worshippers of shiva

--> Worshipers of Devi

--> Worshipers of Surya

--> Worshippers of Subramanya

--> Worshipers of their Gurus

No one god is accepted by all 7 sampradayas other than Ganesha. All seven sampradayas, has to start their rituals with Ganesha worship.

Souras - Worshipping Surya. They don't need to accept Shiva or Vishnu. And in their worship, you will not find place for Shiva or Vishnu.

Shivites - You will not find any place for vishnu in their worship system.

In vaishnavites, you will not find any place for shiva in their worship system. The vaishnavites are said to have a bell in their ears. If they see somebody chanting "shiva shiva", they will ring the bell fast so that the mantra does not enter into their eyes.

Same way, shivites, They are said to never cross any vishnu cities or where the vishnu temples exist. Because they should not get influenced it seems. Anyhow!

Shaktas, put shiva at the feet of Devi. They don't worship any other deities.

But whether you are a shaktha, shaiva, vaishnava soura, gaumara or kartabaja, (Kartabaja means

the guru worshippers - people who worship their own guru as incarnation of God). Actually Nithyananda sampradaya will fall under the kartabajas only. You guys are guru worshippers. Basically, you believe your own Guru is an incarnation of God. So you guys are the Guru sampradayas. Kartabaja sampradayas - sampradayigars. Basically vedantis are Guru worshippers. So, what ever sampradaya you may belong to, but you have to start your worship with Ganesha, Ganesha puja. Ganesha, is the most beloved of the whole hindu tradition and who does not create the red tapism of agamas between disciples, devotees followers and himself. Easy to approach, Can be worshipped through any medium, You don't need to even have a big stone deity installed as per agamas. Just cow dung, a piece of cow dung, keep it and say "Ganapathaye namaha", He is there. Thats the beauty of Ganesha. His form is the ultimate. His name is the ultimate. His leelas, most beautiful simple leelas. The very form itself is so friendly. The elephant which almost every human being likes, Even though it looks so huge, it can be domesticated so easily and can be your beautiful friend. He Carries the elephant face which represents the "Omkara". He represents the great philosophy, carries the angusha. Angusha represents the power of 'Unclutching'. Paasha represents the ability to distance yourself from the emotions. And the broken tusk represents the sacrifice and spontaneity. And the modaka represents, if you have all these three qualities, your life will be sweet. He is the embodiment of intelligence and innocence together. Son of Shakthi and life given by Mahadeva. Actually even with Subramanya, there was no involvement of devi. It was just from shiva, other than his sphere, there is no Devi component in Subramanya. Devi gave that sphere to him but in Ganesha, Ganesha was made out of the body perfume of Devi and killed and life was given back by Mahadeva. So Ganesha carries both the elements of shiva and Shakthi. He is the ultimate boon giver. He is pleased just by a coconut. From the time, I remember myself, all my examinations are written by Ganesha only. All you need to give is a coconut. And still, he is the sweet heart of hindu children, especially the exam going children. and a powerful divine being my life- spiritual life has started with Ganesha.

Ganesha eating the food is the first experience happened in my life. And I can say, that is the reason my spiritual journey was successful. And it has unfolded with all its glory, beauty and the spiritual depth. So, here I have today, for all of you to have darshan of Ganesha who ate the food, and inaugurated my spiritual life and initiated my spiritual life. You will be having today, puja for Ganesha, for this deity also. Ganesha is the deity, easy to worship, easy to relate with. You are supposed to start your spiritual life with him. By his grace and. Whether it is Vyasa, the first master or the Most recent master, Ramana Maharshi, all of them have to start with Ganesha. whether they are going to sing a stotra or give a teaching, anything! - or spiritual sutras.. Even if they have to teach enlightenment science which says there is no God in form, God is formlessness, they have to start with Ganesha. Even if they are going to express the message - God is Nirguna brahman, First they say , "Let me bow down to Ganesha to express these great truths properly". Whether it is Vyasa, or Ramana Maharshi, first to last, everyone most ancient to most recent, they have to start with Ganesha. Vyasa starts with Ganesha purana and every book with the remembrance of Ganesha and upanishads, vedas starts with the beautiful upanishad called "Ganapathi Atharva seshopanishad". Get all the auspiciousness and blessings in your life from Ganesha. He is the lord of all the ashramites in kailash. He is the incharge of ashramites. Please understand, all the ashramites in kailash are called "Ganas".

There are 4 levels in Kailash.

--> Saalokya muktha

--> Saameepya muktha

--> Saarupya muktha

--> Saayujya muktha

All saalokya mukthas and saameepya mukthas are called "Ganas".

All saarupya mukthas are called Muni and Rishis.

All saayujya mukthas does not have separate individual identity . They disappear into mahadeva. So, all saayujya mukthas are called Mahadeva - Shiva. So, the ganas, all saalokya and saameepya mukthas. These two are called Ganas. Ganesha is in-charge of all of them. That is why he is called Ganesha - Lord of Ganas. He is responsible for all the ashramites in Kailaasa. and he attends to all their needs. He takes care of all of them, including Parvathi. All house keeping needs are supplied by Ganesha. Other than shiva, of course, Munis and Rishis - they don't come under Ganesha. They come directly under Dakshina Murthy. Munishwara! But all the ganas live under Ganesha. He is responsible for taking care of them. In Kailash, each one takes up some responsibility. Munis and Rishis, even though they come directly under Dakshinamurthy, Nandi takes care of them. Thats why all Munis and Rishis are Nandinada Sampradayis. But all others come under Ganesha. Ganesha is the deity easy to worship, easy to relate with. You are supposed to start your spiritual life with him by his grace.