Ganesha, the Universal God

Nature is arguably Man’s original Guru. Seemingly insignificant coincidences in

Nature thus also serve to reveal some truth. This year, by the medium of the coincident
occurrence of Ganesh Chaturthi and Ramzan Eid, Nature has revealed that the one Almighty
looks at all creatures with parity.

To understand the parity of Lord Ganesha, let us carefully look at His impossibly
chimerical form and understand minimally, what this form intends to reveal.

Elephants never forget. Hence, to say the least, the Lord’s head is suggestive of
elephantine memory, the most important ingredient of intelligence. Logic too flows from
memory. Businessmen, students and all others will very well appreciate the value of this
attribute.

Next, for a moment, let us look at His huge ears, silently swishing in the air. Aren’t
they suggestive of developing in us, the fine art of listening? Most of us get irritated when
someone interrupts our talk, particularly when we are trying to make a point. However, are
we ourselves free from this defect? Ganesha is asking us to correct this major fault within
most of us.

The Lord’s big tummy is something that depicts effortless success. Ganesha says that
such success would come naturally to those that possess the above two elephantine qualities.

All of us, irrespective of caste creed or religion would certainly like all this to come
our way. But how is this attained?

It is His mouse that tells the rest of the tale. He is Ganesha’s physically impossible
vehicle. If the elephant head depicts certain attributes that would be instrumental in
contributing to one’s natural and effortless success, then the mouse verily depicts the
wavering mind that, being subservient to bodily senses, is constantly in fear and doubt.

Such a mind always gnaws at success by obstructing right thought and right action.
Ganesha wants His devotee to master this mouse-like, wavering, doubting mind, also known
as manas and let the higher aspect of intellect known as pratibha come to the fore, which at
her (its) highest level is that intelligence which is comprised of the complete knowledge of
the innumerable and inexorable laws of Nature.

Today, Empirical Science has proved that matter and energy are inter-convertible. It
would not be difficult for empiricists to agree with the Yogis who have long since stated that
the entire creation is simply a play of different forces, all being different forms of the one
universal Mother Power or Shakti. In the sentient and living creation, this Shakti is known as
Prana-Shakti.

Yoga shows us the way to knowledge beyond empiricism. Towards this, all Yoga
paths deal with the internal evolution of the individualised Prana-Shakti which progressively
raises the aspirant’s consciousness.

There is one Yoga path known as Siddha Mahayoga which consists of learning an
extremely easy practice that directly leads the mind into the very living energy that runs it.
 When this living energy, absorbs the mind into Herself, she becomes temporarily free
from the burden and requirements of the bodily senses which in fact, are outlets for
reconciling one’s accumulated karma.

In Mahayoga, Shakti having apparently reached the point of return corresponding to a

similar point in the universal cycle of creation, operation and dissolution, therefore begins
Her homeward journey so to say. In the process she internally neutralizes various mutually
opposing potentialities hidden at different levels of consciousness.

The tendencies of manas, conditioned by the demands of ego, maybe over several
births are slowly dissolved in this Universal Mother Energy. Over some time, the mouse is
under control.

This gives rise to the manifestation of the Ganesha within us, along with all that He
represents.