Power of Lord Ganesha and Vinayaka Chavithi Celebration

OM GAM GANAPATHAYE NAMAHA

The Story of Ganesh Chaturthi is very famous in Indian people. There are many small and interesting stories which is also known as katha, related to lord Ganesha’s life and their activities.

Once upon a time Goddess Parvati was taking bath. While bathing she created Ganesha of mud and placed him at the entrance of the house then she instructed him to keep guard that home. She told him not to allow anyone while she was taking bath. After some time when lord Shiva was returning to the home. He was quite thirsty and was stopped by Ganesha at the gate of the house. Then lord Shiva was annoyed with Ganesha behaviour and hence cut off Ganesha’s head.

When Parvati came to know of this, she was being so sad. To console her, Shiva ordered his servants to cut off and bring to Him the head of any creature that might be sleeping with its head facing in the north. The followers went on their mission and found only an elephant in north position. The sacrifice was thus made and the elephant's head was brought to Shiva.

Lord Shiva fixed the elephant’s head onto the body of Ganesha. Lord Shiva made his son worthy of worship at the beginning of all undertakings, marriages, expeditions, studies etc. He said that the annual worship of Ganesha should take place on the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.

Without the Grace of lord Ganesha and His help nothing what so ever can be achieved. No action can be undertaken without His support.

Ganesh's blessings are invoked at most religious ceremonies as he is the god who can remove all obstacles to success. He bestows wisdom, good fortune and prosperity and ‘helps’ preventing natural calamities.

Ganesh Chaturthi, marking his birthday, is celebrated in his honour, chiefly in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In Mumbai alone, thousands of Ganesh idols are commissioned collectively by social, cultural and commercial organisations.

This festival is so popular that preparations begin months in advance. Chaturthi is the last of the eleven days dedicated to the elephant-headed god, when thousands of processions converge on the shores of lakes, ponds, and sea beaches to immerse the holy idols in the sea. Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad and Chowpatty beach in Mumbai are principal places where the idols are immersed at the end of the festival. The immersion of the idols takes place amidst the chanting of "Ganesh Maharaj Ki Jai!" and "Ganapati Bappa Morya". The festival ends with pleas to Ganesh to return ‘early’ the next year.

Mushikavaahana modaka hastha,
Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra,
Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra,
Vighna vinaayaka paada namasthe”

Meaning of the above Sanskrit Sloka:

“O Lord Vinayaka! the remover of all obstacles, the son of Lord Shiva, with a form which is very short, with mouse as Thy vehicle, with sweet pudding in hand, with wide ears and long hanging trunk, I prostrate at Thy lotus-like Feet!"

Vinayaka Chaviti (Ganesh Chaturthi) - Parvati's Curse On The Moon

Ganesh is very fond of sweet pudding or balls of rice flour with a sweet core. On one of his birthdays, he was going around accepting the offerings of sweet puddings. Having eaten a good number of these, he set out moving on his mouse late in the night. The mouse saw a snake in the dark and got startled - dropping Ganesh in the process. Ganesh's stomach burst open, leading to his death. The moon, observing all this, burst out laughing.

Parvati was distraught once again and cursed that whoever saw the moon at all would be subject to false accusations. Brahma brought Ganesh back to life.

All the gods pray to Parvati to withdraw the curse given to moon, then she limits the effects of the curse to the Vinayaka Chaviti day only and then also who ever worships Vinayaka will not be troubled even by sighting the moon. Hence all the people in order to escape from the curse of Parvati are worshipping Vinayaka without fail. It is said the Lord Vinayaka has two wives by name Siddhi and Buddhi and had two sons by them named Skhemudu and Labhudu.