The Inner story of Sri Ganesha

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi,

The story goes that Goddess Parvati creates a young boy out of her being, and asks him to stand guard as she takes a bath. The boy follows the command implicitly. When Lord Shiva comes he is prevented by the boy from meeting Goddess Parvati. Lord Shiva reasons, but the boy is unwilling to listen. A terrible fight ensues, at the end of which the boys head is cut off. Goddess Parvati emerges and upon learning of the situation, clarifies the truth. Thereupon, Lord Shiva revitalizes the boy and replaces his head with an elephant head, and thus we have Lord Ganesha, who now understands the truth, and they live happily ever after!

This story of Ganesha is well know, but not well understood. Majority of devotees accept the story form as is; the ignorant make fun of it; the wise, who understand the deeper significance of what the story represents, are the ones who make optimal use of it. Rishis, who composed or rather codified the purans, humanized this story which is full of spiritual significance, to enable humanity to understand it.  On this day while we celebrate this festival, let us understand the inner significance of the occasion to make optimal use of it.

Goddess Parvati, who is Shakti - whose energy is the source of all creation, creates the boy who represents an individual soul - the ego. Her taking a bath and making him stand guard is symbolic of empowering the ego energy of protecting and sustaining her leisure time, her leela. Lord Shiva represents the ultimate truth, the boundless supreme reality. Shiva and Shakti belong together. When Lord Shiva arrives, the boy - Ego, does not recognize him and prevents him from disturbing Shakti from her leisure time. This means that when the higher truth dawns on man, his ego prevents him from disturbing the process of illusion that the individual is engaged in.

This has to be seen from a yogic perspective. Goddess Parvati represents Shakti in form of the sacred Kundalini force residing in the muladhara chakra of a man, that enables the individual to live. According to the yogic science Lord Ganesha is the Lord of the muladhara chakra. Lord Shiva is the highest spiritual truth that dawns on man, that comes home to Shakti, since they belong together. The boy, representing the individual ego in a state of delusion, does his duty from place of ignorance. The fight between Truth and ignorance ensues, represents the spiritual battle that each sadhaka undergoes until Lord Shiva using his trident and slays the Ego /head of the individual. When Shiva and Shakti meet, truth emerges, and Lord Shiva replaces the head of the boy with an elephants head.

The elephants large head is again symbolic of vaster understanding. The boy is now Sri Ganesha, embodiment of wisdom, who acknowledges the reality of Shiva Shakti, as his own source, his father and mother. Since Lord Ganesha resides in the muladhara chakra from where the spiritual journey begins, He is the first to be worshipped, and in that sense he is also a Guru - one who shows light. Lord Ganesha’s awakening happens in the highest spiritual sense, at a cosmic level. Through this process of awakening He becomes aware of all truths that can help any person also awaken. Hence He is blessed to be a vighna vinashaka, remover of obstacles. But does he remove only spiritual obstacles as against the thousands of prayers that humans send him each day to alleviate them from worldly burdens? The desires of the world are also spiritual desires except in a crude and sleeping form. Lord Ganesha removes these obstacles not so that a human can life a happy life in the world for eternity but rather so that having a desire fulfilled man can see that worldly desires cannot give lasting joys as presumed and this encourages man to finally undertake his spiritual journey, the key purpose of his life. 

Today we celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi, ignorant of the Ganesha principle. Many focus on outer show, flouting all rules regarding rupa principles of Ganesha, the materials to be used in making the murti, and complete disregard for water and noise pollution that always accompany this sacred festival. We have come a long way off from the times when devotees would lovingly create small murtis from the clay at the river bank and at the end of the festival depot the clay back into the river. 

So what does Ganesha chaturthi symbolise in simple terms? Just as on a dark cloudy day the sun may suddenly shine through parted clouds and illuminate the whole earth; similarly on this sacred occasion energy of Ganesha becomes available to humanity a thousand fold from normal times. A human, pursuing ultimate success in his evolution, can “attune” with this energy  of Sri Ganesha by sincere inner Sadhana and seek aid in removal of obstacles and blessings at all levels of existence.

Om Eka-dantaya Vidmahe,

Vakratundaya Dheemahi,

Tanoh Dantih Prachodayat.

I am now aware of the single tusked One

And meditate upon the Lord with the curved tusk 

May the Tusked One illuminate me.

SIMPLIFYING MEDITATION

I have written 3 blogs on meditation previously (links below), assuming they will address everything a first timer needs to know about how to meditate. I get many questions on Quora and Fb asking me about meditation. When I send them these 3 links, I find there are still questions at the most basic level. Conversation with a few helped me see that they are sincere yet utterly untuned to this idea. So I wondered if the idea of meditation could be broken down further. Here goes -

Painting - Akash Bhisikar

I read the Autobiography of a Yogi when I was about 16. Reading about yogis who stepped back from the world so that they could meditate for upto 18 hours a day, I was inspired to meditate. But it was not easy. I knew there was no ways I could go deep into meditation immediately and I  recall how I would pep-talk myself to sit in the inner darkness for only 5 mins. 

When I closed my eyes and glimpsed into the darkness and nothingness, my mind would come storming with a flood of restless complaints and I would somehow force myself to retain the “meditative” state for 5 mins. When the 5 mins ended, I would open my eyes and breathe restlessly as if I did not have any oxygen during meditation. So back then, the struggle was just to enter the doorway of meditation by sitting quiet in the apparent darkness, not knowing what to do. It took me about 6 months of consistent practise to get use to the idea and then move ahead to deal with the other challenges awaiting me.

Let's understand the above with an example. Meditation is like entering a new world. Imagine travelling to a new country. We don’t know anything about it and are obviously clueless and yet there are many things there to make us feel at home. The humans there may be different but they still are humans like us; eat, sleep, walk and talk like us.. the sky above is the same, the food, though different is often made of familiar vegetables. They have houses and beds to sleep on just like us though of a different style. So there are many things that we can relate with.

But meditation is entering a whole new world and all you see is darkness. Nothing else. Nothing for the mind to relate with. A whole new realm of existence.

Looking back, I see that my struggle then was not against the darkness, but my own mind. My mind which had dominated my being for incarnations, was not willing to do what I expected it to. This is the struggle most people have. Even if they close their eyes and sit, their minds, which thrives in doing something, pops up and asks - what am I suppose to do now? And so the most common question asked is - “What do you really do in meditation?”

Here’s what you need to understand. Meditation is a process that will lead you to an uncharted territory where the role of the mind is not as much as the role of your conscious awareness. You are less of a doer and more of a witness. “Witness what??” you may think.. “Its all dark out there!”

Have you ever stayed out in the bright sun for so long that when you enter your own room, all you see is darkness? It takes a good 30 seconds sometimes to adjust your eyes to the light inside the room. It is the same with meditation. You have lived in the outer world through your senses for not just the years in your current life, but many previous incarnations. When you go within, to your own inner world, naturally you see darkness, because in the inner world you need inner eyes, inner ears, inner senses and they are all asleep. The mind has been dominating the show, regaling your senses with  outer panorama. You never needed the inner senses and so they fell asleep, much like a physical part which if you do not use much, grows weak. 

So what do we do? ….. ‘do?’

Darkness is only a phase of transition from the outer world to the inner world.

Like the stages in our human growth, there are stages in our inner growth as well. So initially we must get use to the darkness and inner silence. This requires you to silence and still the mind. This is where 99% of the meditators struggle. The mind scoffs at the idea of doing “Nothing” and sitting in “futile silence”. But this sitting in silence is not nothing. 

Before cooking tandoori paneer, we marinate the paneer in the spices for many hours, so that the paneer takes on the flavour of the spices as its own. So also, when the restless mind is kept in the silent darkness within, it is like marinating the mind in silence and stillness. When silence and stillness permeates our being, the inherent inner intuitive faculties slowly begin waking up. Now this is a preciously important step and takes a good amount of time, so one must have utmost patience and perseverance. My Guruji said “Do not be like a person who sows a seed and digs it everyday to see how much it has grown. Be like a wise farmer who patiently waters and nourishes the seed and waits for its stems to shoot out. He further nurtures the sapling until it grows into a plant and then a tree bearing fruits. Remember - sincere meditation Always bears fruits." So meditation is not a fast-food type, quick fix exercise. This is a game of long innings and therein lies its challenge, grace and beauty and the key is patience and perseverance.

As you grow within, different challenges arise. The mind eventually gets comfortable with the inner darkness and begins to bring outer thoughts into the inner world. So one will notice that when you are meditating, much of your time is spent thinking of some mundane thoughts or issues. This becomes stronger when we are facing challenging issues in outer life. Those thoughts intrude and takeover our inner space. Recognising this helps us to grow further by cultivating inner discipline to manage unwanted thoughts and get detached from them. We learn the virtue of being in now and to be true to ourselves in the moment. This also teaches us to work along with the universe, recognising and accepting the universal intelligence all around us and relinquishing the control the mind wants to exercise in every situation. In this way evolution takes place in the inner world at every stage.

Just like when going abroad, it is wonderful to have a local host who knows everything about the new place and can give you access to any part of the new world, similarly blessed are those who have a inner host who is the master of the inner world, - a Guru, whose grace can take you to the pinnacles of human consciousness. But true Guru’s are rare to find and equally rare are worthy disciples. The teachings of a Guru are like a detailed map which will help negotiate the inner pathways of awareness, and a Guru’s primary objective is to help you enter and rise in higher states of consciousness, until you meet the  highest version of your Self. 

But this does not mean you stall you journey until a Guru comes along. Begin meditation sincerely. 

Your sincerity and perseverance will attract the right teacher at the right time.

Those who are not willing to make the effort but wait for a Guru to make it easy for themselves, either don’t grow at all or worse often find a lesser teacher who may be more of an obstruction than help. Remember any sincere efforts put in your meditation will bear fruits.

Similar Posts :

1. Understanding Meditation -1 

2. Understanding Meditation - 2

3. Understanding Meditation - 3

An Atheist meets God

A few days back I had a conversation with a family friend, who I haven't met in a very long time. She had read a blog I had written, and called to discuss an issue which she felt I could throw some light on. I listened to what she said and at the end asked her if I could share this interesting conversation with others in a blog form, without revealing any names. She consented. 

Presenting it here from her perspective.

I am an atheist. My family members are god loving people, but they are open enough to allow me my perspective. As luck would have it, I got married into a family which was even more devoted, as was my husband. My husband is a very gentle soul. Despite his busy career, he is a practising vaishnavaite and takes his spiritual duties seriously. I asked him once - why he agreed to marry me? Taking a deep breath, he replied that no one told him that I was an atheist, or else he would have escaped his fate. Then he begins laughing. Thats his sense of humour.

Like all couples we have our differences over little things. Sometimes things go out of hand. Sometimes they cross a limit. Usually at such times I take the lead and the feminist fire in me does all the talking. He, on the other hand goes silent after a certain point, and will continue doing his work acting as if the fight didn’t happen, but I can tell that it is affecting him.

Somewhere in the last week of March we had one such fight and I, as usual, give him a piece of my mind and after a certain point he went quiet. Usually we step out to go do our work and by the time we return things simmer down a bit. Since we were in a lockdown period, and in each others space, there was no respite. 

A few nights after our fight, I had a dream. I saw a huge figure of the diety Narsimha, who my husband worships. He wordlessly asked me - why I fight N****(my husband) and why do I pain him? I am at a loss and do not know how to reply, and He disappears. I woke up; it was around 5 in the morning, so I went back to sleep. 

Again, in normal circumstances I would have stepped out for work and would have forgotten this dream. The next day I was sitting in  my balcony when from nowhere the memory of this dream came to me with a force and drew my attention to a few remarkable  things that had skipped my attention before.

In theory I know that Narsimha is the avatar of Lord Vishnu. I would have dismissed his presence in my dream as just another dream or just another creation of the subconscious. I have seen some photos of this deity; there’s a small one in our home mandir. But the deity I saw in my dream was different. For one he was alive and vivid in a literal sense. His presence was detailed in a way that I was previously unaware of. I can dismiss the remarkable image I saw, but am unable to dismiss the presence I felt - tangibly powerful, radiant and divine. His form seemed to be composed of glowing light. 

I emphasise this because these ideas are alien to my thought process. So if dreams are a reflection of our reality, I am sure I have nothing in my life which would lend itself as ingredients to create such a powerful idea in my mind.  And yet in the dream I accepted him as divine simply because I could experience his divinity; a fierce yet benign energy emitting from him. Even now when I am awake, if I were to describe him honestly, I would have to say that it was divine, there is no other way to describe it. 

Over the days, another aspect of this dream began bothering me. My husband is deeply devoted, but I have never heard him speak about god or Krishna in a personal manner. He speaks reverentially but keeps them on a devotional pedestal. However in the dream I recall how the deity Narsimha refers to N**** as his own, as his parent would or best friend would speak protectively on his behalf. It seemed like he belonged more to him than to me. 

I was surprised to feel a tinge of jealousy. Let’s say that there is a God. If God has made everyone, then we are all his creation, his children and logically we are all equal to him. But in the dream I found the deity speaking on his behalf and asking me why I pained him. To be fair, my husband is a sweet person and I do get mean sometimes, but I was troubled as to why the deity was speaking on his behalf. Why wasn’t he speaking on my behalf as well (though I am an atheist)? Was he being partial to my husband because he worships him and I don’t? 

I spent most of April thinking about this. I thought of sharing my dream with my husband, but a gut feeling told me that I could not share this with anyone close to me lest they begin entertaining ideas and that don’t intend to commit to. I often though of dismissing the whole thing. But if I am to be honest with myself then I cannot ignore what I experienced. What power could orchestrate such a powerful presence in my most personal space? Yet I did not feel intruded upon.

I wanted to share this with someone to get a feedback. So I called you. What do you make of this?

I told her that my ideas on this should not matter, because she had done very well to be honest with herself and to go as deep as she did, accept and face what she saw rather than ignore it. The only advice I could give was asking her to consider sharing it with her husband and see what he says, given that he was also a part of the dream. 

As we were saying our goodbyes, I asked her what would she say now if I ask her - “Is there a God?”. She was quiet for a bit and then said “Previously my answer would be a hard no… but now I would say - Maybe there is”.

The Real Religion and Evil

Long time ago, 3 people living in 3 different continents, set out in search of the ocean. No one had ever seen an ocean and many thought it didn’t exist. Most people scorned and scoffed at the idea, making fun of those who spoke of an ocean existing. But these 3 left in search. The journey was difficult with many hardships and setbacks, through mountains and deserts and plains they travelled, often losing hope but setting out again with the dawning sun.

Then one day it was there. The vast beautiful ocean. They looked in awe, overwhelmed and thrilled at finally finding what they had sought for so long. But something troubled them deep within. They thought of those left behind and how ignorant they were about the ocean. So out of love for them, the 3 decided to go back and carry a little bit of the ocean water with them. They searched for something to carry it in. 

The first found a beautiful green color triangular shaped glass container. Delighted, he used it to carry the ocean water with him.

The second found a white squarish glass container and carried the ocean water in it.

The third found a beautiful blue circular glass container and carried the ocean in it, travelling back to reveal to their societies the truth of the ocean.

When they reached home, they saw that most people didn’t care about them or the water.. they were too busy living and enjoying life; too much in a comfort zone to be bothered or disturbed. So the 3 of them searched for suitable people to who they could share the knowledge of existence of the ocean. They found some people who were sincerely curious to know about the Ocean. To such ones, the travelers revealed all truths and secrets of the way to the ocean and then one day they showed them the ocean water in the containers and allows some to taste and touch it to experience a part of what the ocean is.

In time the 3 travellers were on the verge of death and they told their followers that they should tell their world about ocean; that the ocean he mentioned was the real ocean. Above all his path was the real path to the ocean.

When the travellers die, their followers go into the world and reveal their truth. Many are more likely to believe them now that the travellers are dead. Many follow him to repent for their ignorance and they accept the truth of the ocean with immense zeal. The students emphasise how they tasted the water and how it was in a certain color and shape. How the only path to the ocean is the one the traveller took and how any one claims of a different path to the ocean is false and that those people are wrong and are defying the reality. In time the students also die. Now the society has many followers, but the knowledge of the ocean has undergone certain transformation and loss of translation going from one to another. The water has long evaporated.. the containers now broken and lost with a rare little piece found here and there with some sincere follower. 

Thus life goes on. Now people travel from one continent to the other. They exchange goods and exchange ideas. One time one person states that they know about the ocean which is the real ocean.. it is green in color and triangular in shape. The other person says you are wrong - We know the real ocean and its white in color and square in shape. The 3rd says you are both wrong - the real ocean is known only to us and anyone else who dares to say the ocean is any different and the path to it any different is pure evil because he is destroying truth. At first this topic is a debate.. it heats up into an argument.. soon fights break out.. on one occasion a few people are killed.. and before long wars break out over this. Each side thinks they are being loyal and honouring the traveller who they now love and respect and whose words they are trying to protect. However no one, instead of fighting the other, ever makes the effort of following the travellers words and journey themselves to the ocean. They are happy fighting and in this way many years pass. The wars have stopped, life has progressed, but the inner fight and animosity remains as years pass by which shows up every now and then to demonstrate its ugliness amidst portions of peaceful life.

The above is the reality of our world today -

The 3 travellers are the Masters who journeyed into spiritual depths and found the Ocean - God. Each travelled his own spiritual way to Him and each did find Him. But He is infinite. They choose to understand and represent Him coloured from their point of view.. one had green color, one had white and one had blue.. and they used words differently to convey the truth of His existence. One truth form is triangular, one squares and one circular. The traveller shared it with their disciples, they helped them experience a bit of God as well, and the disciples with such experience get the faith and genuine strength to preach His truth. spread it in the world. They also teach that theirs is the only way, and any other way is false. 

When followers of the Master meet, each claims to know God and His being the only way, and their path the only path,, and how their book says - green color vs white color vs blue color.. and how the reality of God is triangular or squarish or circular.. debates lead to arguments and conflicts, and soon wars like crusades and jihads are fought.

Everyone is willing to fight in the name of God, but no one ever thinks of following the Masters path to find God. If they did so they would find that there is but one God and there are different pathways to Him. We have fought wars in the past, we may have progressed and now try to live together, though with traces of hatred and distrust in the hearts of many.

Thus is our reality!

Religions are many, God is One! - Sai Sathya Sai Baba

God is One, though the paths to Him are many. Countless are the ways in which He can be described. - Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

An Invitation to an Inner Journey

What if you got a secret map to a magical exotic place where mysteries of the past lay buried along with mans most desired treasures. Wouldn’t it be exciting to undertake that adventure? That’s what we love about Indiana Jones movies, right?

But what if you could undertake such a journey sitting at home....in the Inner world.. the adventure referred to as Meditation. 

Some people are wary of the idea of meditation.. ‘too difficult’ they think.
Just as magical places are always hidden deep and far in remote parts of the earth, so also the magical places in meditation are hidden deep and far within. This is why most early birds who try to meditate, struggle and fail and are utterly put off. They reject it because they are absolutely unable to understand it. But their giving up is only their loss.. the adventure still lies to be explored.

Why is meditation such a tough mystery.. why are only some people able to make it through?

The answer is simple.. we know it only too well. In Patanjali’s 8 step guide most ignore the first 2 steps - Yama and Niyama - the do’s and dont’s. These are steps we have to follow to purify ourselves by accumulating merit/ punya that is the inner fuel we need to travel ahead. This Punya can be earned by following higher values of living. Such values are taught to us time and again in form of divine teachings by great saints across time - Love all, serve all, Help ever, Hurt never, the Ten Commandments of Moses, love thy neighbour and so on. But we don’t think much of these teachings, we rather take them with a pinch of salt. Know why? 

In the human world the secrets of the path to the magical place are hidden/encoded in complex and often difficult theories. So also the secrets of the path to the divine world are similarly coded but in extremely Simple language. Most teachings the great Ones give us look too simple; whereas we are looking for the exciting and complex, to get us interested.

When we practice meditation deeply we realise that the inner world is a lybrynth of subtle inner pathways - first of seeming nothingness and over a period of time - of the subtle world of light known as the astral world. Do you know that when you sleep or rather when your body is sleeping, your awareness becomes dormant, but it exists or dwells in the subtle world. All our dreams occur at the astral level.

Those who have meditated deep and long can access the light kingdoms of the higher astral worlds known as lokas . These lokas are like the 5 star hotels of our world,where only few can afford to go. The currency here is merit. Just like you find celebrities and famous people in many 5 star hotels, similarly many higher beings of repute are found or reside in such lokas.

On a personal level astral world is also the dimension where exists our thoughts, emotions and deep inner feelings . When we go deep often we find our past memories emerge suddenly in full force because they are lying buried there. ( These may be mostly painful events which we buried within, in the past, cause of our inability to deal with it. They are a barrier crossing which we can move ahead in our journey. ) Compassion, forgiveness and gratitude - are the keys to move ahead. 

Meditating deeper still, a sincere yogi can ascend to the vaster almost infinite- causal world, the world of ideas, awareness ~ consciousness. Finally the inner journey of meditation can take us to the Supremest place of Enlightement, where we are awaken to the Ultimate Truth of our Self. Needless to say that this can be achieved with deep, unwavering, disciplined effort over a great period of ones lifetime.

Here’s an interesting info -
When someone tries to meditate sincerely and real hard, but is getting nowhere - what he may not realise is that He is at the moment in the same place as advanced meditators are... except just like blind people cannot see our world, but they are here.. similarly those sincere mediators are in the higher world, but cannot see it (perceive it).. Sadly many of them give up. 

So how does one get eyes (of subtle perception)? Again the secret lies in practicing virtues that raise our purity and reawaken are inherent divinity. Just like in a video game, we need to collect coins to build a castle, similarly in this game we need to collect the merit of purity to fuel our journey and equip us with inner eyes, inner ears , inner perceptions. Some people who have nearly enough of this merit sometimes see hazy lights in meditation. When a person has more than enough of such merit, then while meditating deep he may suddenly pierce the veil and glimpse the divine light of the higher worlds. This is a level of enlightenment. 

Do you know that there are humans who literally co exist in outer and inner worlds. We know them as sages or saints. When you go and seek help from certain sages they will close their eyes and go into the inner world from where they get to perceive the roots of all problems from the higher perspective and come up with solutions for the same. The greater the sage the clearer the inner sight. 

The reason that this kind of inner secret is being shared now is - its time for humanity to move higher. Our current world is undergoing changes.. rather rapidly. Corona is one of the transformative parts of it. Humans can escape Corona’s reach by raising their consciousness higher. It is really that simple (while still using practical discipline in the outer world). One need not fear it but rather raise themselves to a higher frequency of existence.
Such events are sent to break the ages old mold that has grown and has bound us to this material world. These events are like a sharp chisel, hurting but shaping. 

Now some may dismiss the above truths as mere mental ideas with no substance. But the proof is in the tasting. If any of them were to try sincerely they would prove its validity to themselves. But since the discipline required is of a very high order, most are not willing or not capable of putting the necessary effort, they find it convenient to invalidate it. But you should know that there are many across earth at any given point of time who travel the inner world. They are unconcerned about what these people think as such ignorance is suitable to them. Ignorance is nature’s organic checkpost to prevent the unworthy or those not ready from venturing into the higher regions. When such people through personal efforts inform and enlighten themselves fully, then new vistas of existence unlock themselves and make their presence felt to help that soul further his journey.

Your current isolation is a good opportunity to make efforts to becomes aware of yourself. Try meditation. Some of you will be surprised how easily you take to it.

In the beginning you can take any general type of meditation- Jyoti meditation, Aum Meditation. Take any one which enables you to plunge in the translucent pool of silence and float in alive stillness and active nothingness. . Your Patience and persistence is the key - Shradhha Saburi.

Side Note : 

Shraddha and saburi seem like the key teaching of Shirdi Sai, but He could teach us much more.. This is not represent His highest teaching. He taught us this only because we were lacking even in such basic understanding which we needed first to move ahead in our path of evolution. When we follow and succeed in it, these great Ones come visit us in our inner world to take us further ahead on the path with higher teachings.