Why Srī Gaṇēsh is easily appeased?

1. Mission and special features

1.1 Vanquisher of obstacles (Vighnaharta)

On account of this attribute, He is worshipped before commencing any function right from a folk dance for entertainment to a wedding and all rituals including house-warming (gruhapravesh).

1.2 One who eliminates distress caused by distressing energies

30% of people in society and 50% of good seekers are afflicted by distressing energies. An individual experiences physical or psychological distress due to distressing energies or he constantly encounters some or the other obstacle in his life. Distressing energies pose obstacles even in the spiritual practice of seekers and take the benefit of the spiritual practice of seekers. From this it is evident how necessary it is for everyone to give preference to overcome distress due to distressing energies. Information about how distress due to distressing energies like possession, black magic (karani), etc. can be overcome by repeating (chanting) the Name of Gaṇapati is given in the holy text 'Remedies to overcome distressing energies' yet to be published by Sanatan Sanstha.

Sanatan Sanstha is an organisation undertaking the mission for the sake of society (samashṭi), that is propagating Righteousness (Dharma) in society. Just as Sanatan wants to 'reinstate the Divine kingdom', the distressing energies want to 'establish a demoniacal kingdom'. Hence presently distressing energies are posing obstacles in the spiritual practice undertaken by Sanatan's seekers as well as in the mission of propagating Righteousness, on a large scale. Sanatan's seekers undertake collective repetition (chanting) of 'Om Gang Ganapataye namaha' and 'Om namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya' aloud thrice each alternately as suggested by God during meditation in order to alleviate this collective distress faster. They are also benefited by it. This illustrates that Gaṇapati has the potential to overcome the distress caused to society.

1.3 One who augments the vital energy (Prāṇa-shakti)

Various body functions in man occur due to various types of energies. (Information about these various energies is given in 'Science of Spirituality : Chapter 35 - Prāṇāyam'.) The basic energy of all these energies is the vital energy. Repetition (chanting) of the Name of Gaṇapati augments the vital energy in our body.

1.4 Presiding deity of knowledge (Vidyapati)

Maharashi Ved Vyas and Ganesh

Refer: 'Meaning of Vidyapati'. 'There is an ancient custom of writing, 'Srī Ganeshaya namaha, Srī Saraswatyai namaha, Srī Gurubhyo namaha', that is obeisance to Srī Gaṇēsh , Deity Saraswatī and the Guru, before beginning any writing, for example a letter. Why is this order followed? Knowledge of any subject is first acquired through the intellect and Gaṇapati is the bestower of intellect. Hence 'Srī Gaṇēshaya namaha' is written first. Deity Saraswatī's mission is to put into words the knowledge acquired through the intellect. Saraswatī is called "abhinav vagvilasini", the deity of development of speech by Sant Dnyānēshwar and "shabda mul vagdevata", the deity of the origin of words by Sant Samarth Ramdasswami. Hence, Deity Saraswatī is second in the order. Since the Guru is the medium of acquisition of knowledge and its transcription into words, He is third in the order.'

Vyās Maharshi wanted an intelligent writer to write the Mahābhārat. So He prayed to Diety Gaṇapati to undertake this task

.5 One who converts the language of sound (nād-bhāshā) into the language of light (prakāsh-bhāshā) and vice

versa

First repeat (chant) the Names - Brahma, Vishnu, Mahēsh and Gaṇapati for one or two minutes each and if you see light, assess whether it is faint or bright. Only then read further.

There were 42 seekers at a spiritual meeting (satsang) conducted by the Sanstha. The spiritual experiences obtained by them when doing the above experiment are given in the table below. The average spiritual level of the seekers was 35%. During a spiritual meeting, at times the spiritual level of seekers can even rise up to 40% to 50%. The spiritual level of an average person is 20% while that of one who has attained the Final Liberation (Moksha) is 100%. If average individuals perform the same experiment, they do not perceive anything. Hence everyone does not get spiritual experiences in such experiments. Only those who have attained a spiritual level of more than 35% through spiritual practice and are able to perceive something from the spiritual dimension can perceive this.

Spiritual Experiences
Name of which deity?	Those seeing faint light	Those seeing bright light	Total number of those seeing light	Those unable to see light	Total
1. Brahma	7	4	11	31	42
2. Vishnu	8	1	9	33	42
3. Mahēsh	7	3	10	32	42
4. Gaṇapati	8	12	20	22	42

From the above table, one will realise that a greater number of seekers got the spiritual experience of seeing light by repeating (chanting) the Name of Gaṇapati than with the Names of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahēsh. This will also clarify why Deity Gaṇapati is referred to as one who converts the language of sound into that of light.

Since Deity Gaṇapati can comprehend the language of sound which we speak, He is a Deity who is easily appeased. Gaṇapati is the Deity who converts the language of sound into that of light and vice versa. Most of the other Deities can understand only the language of light. Some examples with regard to this are given in the table ahead.

Ability to comprehend
the language of light (%) Ability to comprehend
the language of sound (%)

Deity
1. Brahma	98	2
2. Vishnu	80	20
3. Mahēsh	80	20
4. Divine Energy (Shakti)	70	30
5. Gaṇapati	60	40

1.6 One granting an embodied soul (jīva) the permission to take birth

Mahā (the embodied soul taking birth) is born with the permission of Deity Gaṇapati.

1.7 Worshipped by all sects

A sect is 'one which considers only its Deity of worship (Upāsyadēvtā) to be supreme and believes that the Deity alone is responsible for the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe; it does not believe in other Deities'. Despite the existence of several sects, every sect performs the ritualistic worship of Srī Gaṇēsh. The Shaiva sect considers Deity Gaṇapatito be the son of Deity Shiva and His main attendant (gan) whereas in the Vaishṇav sect He has various forms like Aniruddha, Vasudev, etc. The Shakti (Divine Energy) sect is of two types - Dakshinmargi and Vamamargi, both of which worship Srī Gaṇēsh. In this sect, Srī Gaṇēsh is portrayed along with His consort as Shakti-Gaṇapati or Lakshmī-Gaṇapati as well as worshipped in the feminine form too. Srī Gaṇēsh is worshipped by the Jain sect too. Charumati, the daughter of Emperor Ashok who professed Buddhism, built a Srī Gaṇēsh temple in Nepal. Literature on Srī Gaṇēsh mentions that the idol of Srī Gaṇēsh installed in that temple, popularly known as 'Heramb', is seated on a throne and has five heads and ten arms.

1.8 Deity praised by saints

Although saints following different paths of spiritual practice may worship various Deities yet all of them have earnestly prayed to and sung the praises of Srī Gaṇēsh . Srī Gaṇēsh is highly venerable to all saints. Marathi literature authored by saints has described the worldly and spiritual nature of Srī Gaṇēsh in a beautiful manner. The great saint, Sant Dnyānēshwar has offered His humble obeisance unto Srī Gaṇēsh , 'O Srī Gaṇēsh , You alone enlighten our intellect (implied meaning).' Sant Ēknāth has offered obeisance unto Srī Gaṇēsh at the very beginning in His commentary on the holy text, Bhagvat, 'Though the universe has originated from the Omkar, God you existed even before. You are the master of knowledge in Vēds, Vēdānt and different sciences in the universe. Of all those worthy of salutation, you are the Supreme.You are the master of all and everything lies within you (implied meaning).' It is said that Sant Tukaram Mahārāj had invited Deity Viththal and Srī Gaṇēsh for a meal, both at the same time. Sant Namdev has said, 'O Lambodar, (another name of Srī Gaṇēsh ) with your trunk, you vanquish all obstacles (implied meaning).' Sant Tulsidas too has sung praises of Srī Gaṇēsh at the commencement of His 'Ramacharitamanas'.

1.9 Expert in music and dance

Omkar is the manifestation of Brahman in the form of sound. Srī Gaṇēsh is also referred to as 'Srī Gaṇēsh whose form is of the nature of Omkar.' Numerous verses in the Shriganesh Varadstotra clearly illustrate the relationship of Srī Gaṇēsh with music. The devotional songs (abhang) composed by Sant Dnyānēshwar , Sant Namdev, Samarth Ramdasswami and others also illustrate the close relationship of Srī Gaṇēsh with music. One also comes across idols of Srī Gaṇēsh in dance postures. This idol of Deity Gaṇapati has a golden complexion with eight arms and His left leg rests on a lotus while the right leg is in mid-air. Sant Madhva has sung praises of the treasure of dance postures possessed by Srī Gaṇēsh ,'O Srī Gaṇēsh , You are the vanquisher of all obstacles, the compassionate One, the One praised in all the three worlds and the Master of dance and music (implied meaning).' The poet Moropant has excellently portrayed the beautiful and attractive form of Srī Gaṇēsh through his masterly and imaginative exposition of words while narrating that the dance performed by Srī Gaṇēsh puts to shame even celestial singers (Gandharva) and celestial dancers (apsara).

1.10 Principle, ability and manifest energy

Principle : 70% (Isham = 100%)
Ability : Creation 10%, sustenance 70% and dissolution 20%
Manifest energy : 10%

2. Retinue

2.1 Family members

According to the Purāṇs, Deity Shiva is the father, Deity Pārvatī the mother and Skand is the brother of Gaṇapati. Deity Shiva and Deity Pārvatī are His parents implies that the Srī Gaṇēsh frequencies are generated by the confluence of the radiant (Tēj ) frequencies of Deity Shiva and Meenākshī.

2.2 Vehicle (vahan)

The word vahan (वाहन) is derived from the root, vru-vaha (वृ-वह) which means, to transport. The vehicle of Deities changes according to their mission. The vehicle mostly used by Gaṇapati is the rat. But He has other vehicles as well. A (आ) + vahan (वाहन) = avahan (आवाहन) which means, to invoke. A Deity does not manifest itself without invocation, that is without an invitation. (However, if a devotee is in distress then it rushes to his rescue even without invocation.) Thus when a Deity is invoked to carry out a mission, the vehicle should complement that mission, for instance, a lion for a battle. The vehicle of Heramb Gaṇapati is the lion while that of Mayureshvar Gaṇapati is the peacock. The table below gives the vehicle and special features of the idols of Srī Gaṇēsh according to the Yug (era). (Detailed information on vehicles of deities is given in 'Science of Spirituality : Vol. 7 - Supreme God, God, Incarnations and Deities'.)

Reference: 'Gaṇapati', Published by Sanatan Sanstha

Top

Why is Ganapati with the right Sided trunk not commonly worshipped?

What is the implied meaning of the many Names of Lord Ganapati?

Where will you find Swayambhu Ganapati and Mahaganapati?