How should the Ganesh Pujan be done for gaining maximum benefit?

 
Shrī Ganēsh

1. Performing ritualistic worship of Shrī Ganēsh in the beginning of religious ritual

It is customary to begin every religious ritual with ritualistic worship of Shrī Ganēsh. In this ritual, a small mound of unbroken rice is kept instead of the idol of Shrī Ganēsh and betel nut is kept on it. In the regions like the western coast, coconut is kept instead of the betel nut. Shrī Ganēsh is invoked in the betel nut or the coconut. At that time following mantra is recited:

ॐ भूर्भुव: स्‍व: ऋद्घिबुद्घिसहितं सांगं सपरिवारं सायुधं सशक्‍तिकं महागणपतिम्‌ आवाहयामि ।

Meaning: O Shrī Ganēsh, I invoke You to come along with the Deities of supernatural powers (Riddhi-Siddhi), Your entire family, all weapons, Energy and with all valour.

With the recitation of this mantra, Shrī Ganēsh is invoked and His ritualistic worship is done with sixteen substances(Shodashopachar-pūjā). Then prayer is offered to Shrī Ganēsh:

वक्रतुण्‍ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ ।
निर्विघ्‍नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ।।

Meaning: O Lord, who has a crooked trunk, a huge body, who is endowed with the radiance of a million suns, may all my tasks be always free of obstacles.

The betel nut in which Shrī Ganēsh was invoked is immersed after the completion of the ritual.

2. Why is the worship of Shrī Ganēsh beneficial for all?

Shrī Ganēsh is associated with the frequencies of desire associated with the Absolute Earth (Pruthvī) and Ether(Āpa) Elements. That is why ritualistic worship of Shrī Ganēsh is beneficial both for men and women. It helps in conserving the Sattva-guṇa in the body and there is an enhancement in the thoughts about spiritual practice (sādhanā).

3. Righteous actions to be done during the period of Shrī Ganēsh festival

• Make a rangoli daily in the courtyard and in front of the Shrī Ganēsh idol which attracts the Gaṇēsh principle.

• Do ritualistic worship of the Shrī Ganēsh idol everyday in the morning and evening.

• After the ritualistic worship, offer Āratī to Shrī Ganēsh with spiritual emotion along with all the family members.

Instead of singing many Āratīs, sing selective Āratī. But sing with the spiritual emotion (bhāv) that Shrī Ganēsh is actually sitting in front of oneself. As far as possible do not speak to one another while offering Āratī. Pray together after Āratī. After praying, chant together for sometime

• 1. After the ritualistic worship, offer Āratī to Shrī Ganēsh with bhāv along with all the family members.

• 2. Sing the Āratī in a melodious and soft voice.

• 3. Clap and play the cymbals gently for generation of sound (nāda).

• In the evening after offering Āratī once again, sit with all the family members and chant ‘Om Gang Gaṇapataye Namaha’.

• During the period of Shrī Ganēsh festival do maximum sādhanā and absorb the Chaitanya present in the environment.

As compared to the superior Deities, the Ganēsh frequencies remain active on Earth in a greater proportion. That is why the Ganēsh frequencies convey the prayers of the Jivas residing on the Earth to the superior Deities. For a person to reach out to the superior Deities sādhanā and high proportion of bhāv is required.

 
Chant of Shrī Ganēsh

4. Spiritual experience obtained by doing ritualistic worship of Shrī Ganēsh as per the Family tradition

By ritualistically worshipping the Shrī Ganēsh idol for one and half days as per the observance peculiar to family (Kuladharma) and the Family tradition (Kulachar), having the experience that the idol of Shrī Ganēsh is in bliss too: As per the guidance of H.H. Dr. Athavale, a Saint of a high spiritual level, I started following the observances peculiar to our family (Kuladharma) and the family tradition (Kulachar). In our family, the idols of Shrī Ganēsh and Gouri are immersed together on the seventh day. In 2006 we worshipped the Shrī Ganēsh idol only for one and a half days. At that time I experienced that the idol of Shrī Ganēsh is in bliss too. - Mrs. Sandhya Dongre, Maharashtra

During the period of Gaṇēsh festival, the Gaṇēsh principle is active in a greater proportion. That is the reason why the devotees of Shrī Ganēsh get various spiritual experiences. The spiritual experience of Sandhya Dongre is an example of this.

5. Benefits of worshipping Shrī Ganēsh on Shrī Ganēsh Chaturthi

• Worshipper's physical and mental stress reduces.

• The intellect of the worshipper sharpens

• The intellect of the worshipper becomes steady and the subconscious mind calm.

• The Raja-Tama in the worshipper is destroyed.

• If the worshipper suffers from the distress of negative energies, it is eliminated.

• The vital energy of the worshipper increases and there is increase in his work efficiency also.

• The Ādnyā-chakra of the worshipper is activated.

• The subtle body of the worshipper is purified.

• The worshipper can get spiritual experience of Divine touch.

So the ritualistic worship of Shrī Ganēsh, chanting His Name etc. should be done with spiritual emotion on 

Shrī Ganēsh Chaturthi. Vrat of Shrī Ganēsh Chaturthi is also advised during the period of Shrī Ganēsh festival.

6. Shrī Ganēsh Chaturthi and shauchashaucha

If a woman among the family delivers a baby and there is ashaucha associated with a birth or the ashauchaassociated with someone’s death during the period of Shrī Ganēsh Chaturthi, the religious rites like ritualistic worship etc. should be done through a vrat-representative. The vrat-representative could be any one – sister, disciple, priest or a companion. By doing this, the vrat will not break.

7. Important worship of Shrī Ganēsh as per the Time

Various religious actions to be performed during Shrī Ganēsh festival and the benefits available from them:

From the above table one can understand that one gets 30% benefit from the act of preventing the denigration of Shrī Ganēsh. Here a question can arise in our mind, who will denigrate Shrī Ganēsh during the period of Shrī Ganēsh festival? However, it is a matter of regret that such incidents are taking place regularly.

The Deities are disrespected in various ways. They are insulted through the mediums of lectures, books, plays etc. The Deities are used as a model for the advertisements of commercial products. All these denigrating incidents happen in respect to Shrī Ganēsh in higher proportion. For example:

• In one instance, Shrī Ganēsh has been created using various parts of a computer.

• In a Marathi play ‘Ganapati Bappa Moraya’, many jokes have been cracked on Shrī Ganēsh.

• In a fashion show, there is a picture of Shrī Ganēsh on the dress of a model.

An example of a weird kind of denigration of Shrī Ganēsh: In one state, an idol of Shrī Ganēsh is placed in front of the house of those who do not worship Him on Shrī Ganēsh Chaturthi day. This is inappropriate as one who does not have any reverence for the Deity will not worship the Deity and it will remain unattended.

Due to ignorance about religious scriptures, during Shrī Ganēsh festival the idols of Shrī Ganēsh are made mostly in weird forms, shapes and using Raja-Tama objects. Will we attain the grace of Shrī Ganēsh by doing so? In such circumstances, preventing the denigrations becomes an important worship as per the Time.

Faith is the very foundation of the worship of Deities. The denigration of Deities affects faith. Hence denigrating the Deities in this manner is harm to Dharma. Prevention of the harm to Dharma is itself abiding by Righteousness, that is, Dharmapalan as per the Time. Hence, Ganēsh devotees should be alert to the disrespect of Shrī Ganēsh, should educate the society on this and try to prevent the harm to Dharma. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has launched a campaign to prevent the denigration of Deities. Everyone can participate in the Samiti’s campaign.

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