Dear Swami Sevekaris All,

Here's welcoming the Vakratund Mayakaya on the 27th of this Month!! Wish you all a very happy
Ganeshotsav. Hope to hear from you all with many more postings, from different kendras and seva
centres...ranjitt khomne

:: GANESH CHATURTHI:: This year, Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of Shree Ganesh, the God of
Wisdom, falls on Sun Aug 27, the 3rd day of the bright fortnight of Hindu month Bhadrapada.
Beautifully sculpted clay idols of Ganesh are worshipped by individuals and the public alike. The
festival was revived by Lokmanya Tilak to spread the message of freedom struggle. On this day,
lakhs in Maharashtra install clay idols of Ganeshji in their homes. He is offered pujan and prasad
until Sudha 14, Anant Chaturthi, the 10th day, when the idol is released into a lake, river or the sea
amidst great festivity. The cries of Ganpatti Bappa Morya rent the air.

THE PURANIC STORY GOES LIKE THIS:: Once upon a time, Goddess Parvati, while bathing,
created Ganesh out of the dust on Her Body and told Him to gaurd the entrance of the house. Lord
Shiva was returning home and was stopped by Shree Ganesh at the gate. Angered, Shivji cut off the
head of Shree Ganesh. The Goddess was shocked and sad to know this.<BR>To console her, Shivji
ordered His servants to cut off and bring to Him the head of any creature that might be sleeping
with its head facing North. Servants managed to get an elephant head. The Lord then joined the
elephant head onto the body of Shree Ganesh. To make up the loss, Shivji ruled that Ganesh would
be worshipped by all at the beginning of all beneficial undertakings.

HERE ARE SOME GANESH MANTRAS::

Ganesh Gayatri Mantra# Om Ekdantaya Vidmahe, Vakratundaya Dhimahi, Tanno Danti

Prachodayat. This Ganesh Gayatri mantra praises the lord with the single tusk and prays for
liberation through spiritual knowledge and wisdom.

Ganesh Mantra# Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha, Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva
Karaye Shu Sarvada. It means, Oh, the lord with a large body, a curved trunk, the one with the
brilliance of a million suns, please make all my work free of obstacles, always.

Ganesh Mantra# Om Gam Ganapatayae Namaha. This mantra from the Ganapati Upanishad
salutes Shree Ganesh and is chanted at the beginning of everything, be it the start of a journey or a
new business or any and every ritual in the pujas.

SOME OF GANESH FASTS OR VRATS:: Sankashti Chaturthi# To seek the blessings of Shree
Ganesh regarding a particular problem, Ganesh Bhakts fast on the 4th day of second fortnight of
every month. The Ganesh Atharvashirsham is recited while an abhishek of milk or water is
performed on the idol of Shree Ganesh. Devotees fast the whole day and break the fast only at night.

2 Sankashti Chaturthi 1.2# In the evening, devotees take bath and worship Shree Ganesh again. The
Ganesh idol is offered chandan or ashtagandh, flowers, dhoop, deep, 21 durvas, a type of grass and
naivedyam. The puja is complete after recital of Atharvasheersham followed by an arti of Shree
Ganesh. Devotees end the fast at night and have their regular meal.

3 Ganesh Chaturthi#This is the 4th day of Hindu month Bhadrapad and is celebrated as the
birthday of Shree Ganesh. In Maharashtra, Ganesh idols are worshipped at lakhs of houses with
much fanfare. Devotees keep a fast for the whole day and end it after Ganesh Pujan in the evening.
Til Ka Laddoo, a round sweet made of sesame, flour and sugar, gajak, rewari or sweets made of
jaggery and nuts are relished at the time of breaking the fast.

4 Angaraki Chaturthi#Angaraki Chaturthi is the Sankashti or the 4th day of the second fortnight of a
Hindu month which falls on a Tuesday. Devotees keep a fast the whole day and end it at night after
Ganesh Pujan. Shree Ganesh is offered chandan, flowers, dhoop, deep, 21 durva, a type of grass and
naivedyam. The fast is kept to get rid of certain problems plaguing the devotees.

Shree Ganesh Katha::

Birth of Shree Ganesh 1.1# Shree Ganesh, the elephantheaded son of Shree Shankar and Devi
Parvati is one of the most popularly worshipped forms of divinity as a remover of obstacles. He
signifies good luck. Legend states that Devi Parvati created Ganesh out of the dirt from her body and
asked her to guard her home while she went for a bath. Ganesh even stopped Shree Shankar from
entering his own home and an angry Shiva severed his head.

1.2# When Shiva learnt that Ganesh was the creation of Parvati, he repented the act and decided
that he would go and search for a head for Ganesh. It was decided that whoever was sighted first, its
head would be fitted to Ganesh. An elephant was sighted and its head was fitted to Ganesh.

Shree Ganesh Katha 2# Legend says that once Shree Ganesh was riding the mooshak, the mice on
his way to Divya Kailash. At some point, the mice skid and Ganesh fell and broke his tooth.
Chandrama who was watching this laughed at Ganesh. An angry Ganesh then threw the snake
around his waist at the moon and cursed him that he would wax and wane every 15 days and anyone
who looks at the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi would incur bad luck.

Ganesh Katha 3.1 #Ravan, the demon king of Lanka, was an ardent devotee of Shree Shiva. He
reached mount Kailash and did tapasya. When the Bhagwan was pleased, he asked Ravan to ask a
blessing. Ravan said, his Lanka should never be destroyed. Shree Shiva gave him an Aathma Lingam
saying that he return to Lanka on foot without ever putting the Lingam down. If he were to put the
Lingam down, the Lingam would remain firmly at that spot.

3.2# Devtas, worried that Ravan will become invincible if he manages to take the Lingam to Lanka,
requested Ganesh to help out. Ravan was on his way to Lanka but as eventide fell, he wanted to
perform his sandhya puja ritual but did not know what to do since he could not put the Lingam on
earth. Suddenly he saw Ganesh around and requested him to help. Fine, said Ganesh.

3.3 # However, Ganesh warned that if tired, he would call out for Ravan thrice and if he did not
come back, he would put down the Lingam. Ravan went for his sandhya and soon Ganesh called for
him. Once, twice, thrice. Ravan could not rush back and Ganesh kept the Lingam down.

3.4# Despite his 20 hands, Ravan could not lift the Lingam. Instead it became slightly like the ear of
cow. Hence, the place where it got fixed on earth is called Gokarna and the Lingam whom even
Mahabali Ravan could not move is called Mahabaleshwar. The devtas thus succeeded in preventing
Lanka from becoming impregnable. Ravan was later killed by Shree Ram and his righteous brother
Bibhishan then became the King of Lanka.

>>>
Ranjitt Khomne
shreeswamisamarthcharanarpanmastu