How to use Ganesha’s presence in real life
In our lives we encounter questions every day. Questions that bog us down and make us feel how to overcome problems and lead a happy life. Lord Ganesha’s ideologies are not esoteric and can be implemented easily if we go by his example.
In his physical form, Lord Ganesha is pot-bellied and has large ears but he has used his stomach to gobble demons and all the food that the arrogant Kubera served. He has large ears and an elephant’s trunk, but he uses the ears to listen to the woes of the world and the trunk to remove obstacles. He uses a humble mouse as his vehicle to travel around the world but the humble mouse can carry the mighty Lord. These ideologies help us deduce that in life all of us will have limitations. Limitations may not just pertain to what we are born with but also the situation life puts us in. It is solely up to us to use them to our advantage.
Lord Ganesha is the God of wisdom. He exhibits other qualities like prosperity, wealth, and knowledge too. But the reason he is primarily known to be the one with the most wisdom is that a man may have intelligence and wealth, but without wisdom, he wouldn’t know how to direct the two into something fruitful. Lord Ganesha had the wisdom to write what was dictated to him by sage Vyas. He also had the wisdom to break his own tusk and write the Mahabharata, when his pen broke. The text is considered to be one of the holiest texts in Hindu literature. The noteworthy aspect of this attribute exhibited by Lord Ganesha is that it is important to finish what one commits oneself to. We might leave a task in the middle and not mind that it is unfinished if we face a hurdle. If we overcome the fear we may achieve something that is beneficial to us in the long run.
Lord of the “Ganas”, a destroyer of arrogance, vanity, and other inner demons, remover of obstacles, he represents wealth and propagates spirituality. This encourages us to attain the balance between spiritual growth and material desires. The desire for wealth and prosperity is not evil, but having no purpose for it for others, who live around us, makes it useless.
Being on the most powerful Hindu deities he is perhaps the most approachable God. Due to his countenance and his lessons, it becomes easy for everyone to understand and feel secure about embracing his faith. Though Ganesha’s lessons are tough to implement the nature in which they have been preached by Lord Ganesha makes it easy for us to understand them.
GanaNayaka Ashtakam
GanaNayaka Ashtakam is the eight-part Stotram (hymn or verse) of Lord Ganesha. This Ashtakam is used for invoking Lord Ganesha.
Ekadantam Mahaakaayam Taptakaajnchana sannibham
LambodaraM VishaalaaxaM Vande Ham GaNanaayakam
You are one tusked, have a massive, enormous, and hot-golden-colored body. You have a large pot like belly, beautiful eyes and I bow to you the leader of Ganas (followers of Lord Shiva)
Mounji Krishnajeenadharam NaagaYagnopaveethanam
Bhalendu Sakalam Moulim, Vande Ham Gananayakam
The one who is victorious and has the color of his body as Krishna varnam (smoke-hued) and who uses the snake as yagnopaveet (janeu; a holy thread that is tied around the belly). The one who has a waxing moon on his head, I bow to you the leader of the ganas.
Chitraratna Vichitragam Chitrmaalaa Vibhushitham
Kamarupadharam Devam, Vande Ham Gananayakam
The one who makes a picture-perfect pose, who has a garland adorning around his neck, and who takes the form of Kama Roop (the form which is immensely attractive), I bow to you the leader of ganas.
Gajavaktam SuraSreshtam, Karnachamara Bhushitham
Pasamkusadharam Devam, Vande Ham Gananayakam
The one who has a face of an elephant and still considered the best, who is beautifully adorned with karnchamra (cowrie, which is used as an ornament for the ear of an elephant), and who holds Pashan and Kusha (weapons used in war), I bow to the leader of the ganas.
Mushikootham maaruhya Devasura Mahaahavey
Yooddukamam Mahaaveeram, Vande Ham Gananayakam
The one who uses mushika (mouse) as his chariot, the one who is prayed by everyone and the one who is a mahaveer (extremely brave), I bow to that Lord Ganesha.
Yaksha Kinnera Gandharva, Siddi Vidhyadharay Sadha
Stutyamanam MahaaBhaahum, Vande Ham Gananayakam
The one to whom yaksha, kinnera, and gandharva (semi-Gods) pray, who is the one who has the vidya (teachings) to acquire Siddhi (opulence), whose stuti (prayers) people sing by heart and who has strong arms, I bow to the leader of the ganas.
Ambika Hryudayanandham, Matrubhihi Pariveshtitham
BhaktaPriyam Madhoonmatham, Vande Ham Gananayakam
The one who is dear to the mother, who is always at mother’s service, who is dear to his devotees and who ends the wars, I bow to the leader of the ganas.
SarvaVignaharam Devam SarvaVigna Vivarjetham
Sarvasiddi Pradhataaram, Vande Ham Gananayakam
The Lord who takes all our problems, who diminished all the obstacles and problems coming our way and the one who gives all types of Siddhi (opulence), I bow to the leader of the ganas.
GanAshtakam Idham Punyam Yah Pateth Satatham Narah
Siddyanthi Sarva kaaryaani, Vidhayaavan Dhanavaan Bhaveth
This GanAshtakam gives the virtue to those who read it with Bhakti (devotion), this Ashtakam proves beneficial to those who read it and make the person intelligent and wealthy.
Iti Sri GanaNayAshtakam Lord Ganesha’s Stotra
Stotra or Stuti is the verses that devotees sing to please Gods and Goddesses. They may be in two lines or can extend to many paragraphs. Stotra mainly is in Sanskrit Language but can be in the local language or Hindi too. One of the Ganesh Stotras that devotees sing in order to please Lord Ganesha is as follows:
Om Pranamya Sirasa devam Gauri Puthram Vinayakam
Bhaktavasam Smarennithyam Ayuh Kamartha Siddaye ! (1)
I pray to the Vinayak, who is the son of Gauri bowing my head down. The one who resides in the hearts of his followers. He is the one whom everyone remembers. He is the one who gives the boon of longevity and the remover of obstacles.
Prathamam Vakrathundam cha Ekadantham Dvithiyakam
Thrithiyam Krishna Pingaaksham Gajavakthram Chathurthakam (2)
The first name is Vakratunda; whose proboscis is twirled. The second name is Ekdant; deity with one tooth. The third is Krishna Pingaaksham; one who has red-colored eyes. The fourth name is Gajah Vakthram; the one who is like an elephant.
Lambodaram Panchamam cha Shashtam Vikatameva cha
Saptamam Vighna Rajam cha Dhoomravarnam thathashtakam (3)
The fifth name is Lambodar; one with a potbelly. The sixth name is Vikatmeva; the one and only who removes all our problems. The seventh name is Vighna Rajam; the one who removes all the obstacles from the paths of his devotees. The eighth name is Dhoomravarnam; one who is of smoke-hued color.
Navamam Bhala Chandram cha Dasamam thu Vinayakam
Ekadasam Ganapathim Dwadasam thu Gajananam !! (4)
The ninth name of Lord Ganesha is Bhala Chandra; who has a crescent moon on his crown. The tenth name is Vinaykam; the one who is endowed with all features of a leader. The eleventh name is Ganapathi; the one who is the leader of all ganas (follower of Shiva). The twelfth name is Gajanan; the one who has the head of an elephant.
Dwadasaithani Namaani Thri Sandhyam Yah Pathennarah
Na cha Vighna Bhayam thasya Sarva Siddhi karim Prabho! (5)
The devotee who praises Lord Ganesha by reciting these twelve names of him twice a day will never face any problems in his entire life. No fear can frighten him and he will experience every good thing in his life. Lord Ganesha will bestow him with Siddhi
(opulence).
Vidyarthi Labhate Vidyam Dhanarthi Labhate Dhanam
Puthrarthi Labhate Putraam Mokshaarthi Labhate Gatim (6)
Students will get the benefits in studies, the poor will be benefitted from money and wealth, people who are longing for a child will be bestowed with children, and those who want moksha (peace) will get the peace of the soul.
Japeth Ganapthi Stotram Shadbhirmaasai Phalam Labheth,
Samvatsarena Siddhim cha Labhate Naathra Samsayaha ! (7)
If anyone wants to see the fruitful results of this shloka (prayer), then one should recite this shloka continuously for ten months and can experience the results. He will be bestowed with every kind of opulence, prosperity, wisdom, and knowledge.
Ashtabhyo Brahmanebhyash cha Likhitwa yah Samarpayeth
Thasya Vidya bhavetsarva Ganeshasya Prasadathaha !! (8)
Eight priests of ultimate intelligence have written this stotra and have dedicated it to Lord Ganesha. The one who recites this shloka with concentration and devotion will be benefited from the prasaadam (deity’s blessing) of knowledge.
Ithi Sri Narada Purane Sankashta Nashana Ganapathi Sthothram Sampoornam.
This stotra can be found in the Naarada Puran (holy Hindu scripture). Narada Purana claims the stotra to be the one who finishes off all the sankat (problems and worries) of one’s life. Ganesha’s stotra which wards off all evils from one’s lives is completed.
Shree Ganeshay Namah!
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