TV Channel

Part 1: The Universal Incarnation: Śrī Gaṇeśa Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śrī Gaṇeśa pāyī mā. Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śrī Gaṇeśa rakṣamā. Good evening to all dear ones here in this hall and around the world who are with us. Today is a very auspicious day, marking the incarnation of a universal figure of worship and authority known as Bhagavān Śrī Gaṇeśa. Billions of people in the world today are worshipping Bhagavān Śrī Gaṇeśa and praying for his mercy. This worship extends beyond humans to include all the ṛṣis, all incarnations, all holy saints, and all fourteen worlds of the endless universe, the Ananta Brahmāṇḍa with its millions of sun systems. Gaṇeśajī is not merely a physical form. For human intellect, understanding, and devotion—what we call emotion or love—we require an object upon which to project our feelings and render our service. Our jñāna indriyas—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin—require color and objects to engage with. Only then can we place our love there. Therefore, in this mortal world, there is a need for that physical form for mortal beings. Across many avatars, ages, yugas, manvantaras, and kalpas, that omniscient, omnipresent one manifests from time to time. As Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad Gītā, "From time to time, I manifest myself." He incarnates through his yoga māyā, his yoga śakti, to protect all the pure souls, the puṇyātmās and dharmātmās, while simultaneously destroying the āsurī śaktis, the devilish negative energies. Whenever an incarnation comes to this earth, they carry different symbols. In one hand they hold blessings, flowers, love; in the other, a weapon like the Sudarśana Cakra, a bow, or, in Gaṇeśa's case, a fast to destroy Āsurīśakti. Devas and Asuras may look the same in body and face, but inside, the energy is different. We cannot judge unless we know the reality. Who are we to judge someone if we do not know? Therefore, incarnations have always come, not only for humans but for the entire earth—for rivers, lakes, ponds, oceans, and all creatures in water, on land, and in the sky. For the sake of the entire creation, to protect life, the incarnation comes. There have been numerous, but according to human memory and the ṛṣis' meditations, we know of 24 incarnations. The 24th is awaited in Kali Yuga, of two kinds: nitya avatāra and nimit avatāra. Nitya avatāras are always present in different parts of the world, while nimit avatāras come for a specific purpose. These holy incarnations are beautiful. The light from their eyes is pure, and their presence is like sandalwood, helping us cross the ocean of ignorance. As Satguru Laya Jhā’s Gurudev brought the boat of satsaṅg. In the Bhagavad Gītā, Arjuna repeatedly tells Kṛṣṇa, "I respect you, I believe and trust you, and I adore you. You are my friend, O Kṛṣṇa, you are my mother." The first is always mother. "You are my mother, my father, my relatives and friends, my wisdom and prosperity. You are my everything, O Lord. But still, my intellect does not accept. Sometimes I have duality. You said you are that and this. Can you show me a little? Show me your reality. I want to know who you are." Kṛṣṇa smiled and said, "My dear Arjuna, do not ask me this." Arjuna insisted, "I would like to know." Kṛṣṇa replied that when you come to know, you will have a heart attack; you will not be able to resist. It is better to know him as he appears, as a human, a friend, a supporter. Arjuna felt that either what Kṛṣṇa said was not true, or he did not want to show him, meaning he did not love him. Arjuna wanted to see the reality, the willpower. Kṛṣṇa then said, "Arjuna, I am the entire universe." Arjuna replied, "Yes, but what should I do with that universe when I do not understand and do not see it? I see you as a very beautiful, active, and intelligent man." Then Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa granted Arjuna Divya Cakṣu, divine vision, and began to manifest his form. Arjuna was sitting as Kṛṣṇa's body began to dissolve, like color in water. Each atom of his body became a sun system, with rivers, oceans, hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, fire, rākṣasas, devas, and incarnations. Arjuna could not speak. He pleaded, "Please, I do not want to see any more of this. Please stop your māyā. O Lord, appear to me as a beautiful human." Kṛṣṇa reappeared and smiled, asking, "Arjuna, are you okay?" Arjuna replied, "I am now okay because I see you as you are now, human." Thus, you never know with which purpose divine incarnations come. Nitya and nimit avatāras do not demonstrate or play with their siddhis; their mere presence works automatically, like the sun shining. The sun does not knock on your door or wake every bird; the sunlight simply comes. The name Gaṇeśa itself signifies this: "Gaṇa" refers to all divine souls, devas, and incandescent goddesses, and "Īśa" means Īśvara, the Lord of lords. There are many stories in the Purāṇas, which are old memories retold. Everyone writes how they feel, much like modern media, which can become like junk mail. It is said that Bhagavān Śiva is the first in every yuga, Svayaṃbhu, he who manifests himself. First is space, the nāda (sound). After nāda is the jyoti (light). After the light appears Śiva, and then different creation begins. Viṣṇu is created by Śiva. Brahmā is created by Śiva. The Viṣṇus reside in the ocean, and it is said a lotus emerged from there, representing the Maṇipūra Cakra. The Maṇipūra Cakra is the center of our life; our life begins from that bindu. We are connected to the mother's body; the entire womb is a universe. That jīvātmā is a Śiva jyoti. That jyoti in the universe symbolizes the mother's womb, and the lotus represents the embryo. Upon the embryo is the ātmā. The creation energy enters again. After the lotus appeared, Śiva said, "Brahmājī, come and take a seat on this beautiful lotus. This is your āsana, your holy seat, and from here you begin the creation." It is not that Brahmā was born from Viṣṇu's navel and the lotus; that is incorrect. Śiva is always accompanied by his divine Śakti. As Kṛṣṇa said, though he is universal, when he takes a physical form, he needs that Śakti, that yoga Māyā. Even Śiva, who manifests from the universe, needs that Śakti. We should not understand Śakti as female and Śiva as male. There is no male or female; there is only energy. There are no dualities in gender. Śakti is the energy that allows you to close your fist and open your palm, that supports your lungs to inhale and exhale, that digests food in your intestine—the prāṇa, the pañca upa prāṇa and pañca prāṇa. That Śakti appears with Śiva. Chetan ke toh ichchhā nahīṁ, aur jad se kush nahīṁ hotā. Bataye, sṛṣṭi kī racanā kaise huī? Cetan ke to icchā nahī. Jad se kush nahī hotā. Consciousness (Chetanya) has no desire, and dead matter (jad) can do nothing. Matter cannot do anything, and consciousness has no desires. Then how did creation begin? Between these two, chetan and jara, the ichā śakti—the willpower, the desire—began, and so Śiva manifests. Now creation begins, life begins. There have been many disappointments. Even Brahmā was disappointed when he created the Saptaṛṣis. So if you face disappointment in something new, do not cry; take it easy. Even Brahmā, Śiva, and Viṣṇu have faced disappointments and had to change themselves to protect, because āsurī śaktis and desires are very active. There is a long story about Śiva and his garland of human skulls. Once Nārada asked Pārvatī, "Do you know why Śiva has this garland around his neck?" She said she did not know, perhaps he liked it—his choice, his problem. Nārada suggested she ask. I will not tell the whole story, but she asked Śiva, and he said, "Better not to ask me." She insisted, "I want to know." He replied, "I want to tell you, but you will again disappoint me." She promised she would not. Śiva then said, "As many skulls as are in my neck, this is yours." "Mine? So you will kill me and put me in this mālā too?" He said, "No, I am not killing anyone. But Pārvatī, so many times you have died, and out of love, truthfulness, memory, and devotion to you, I carry your skull around my neck." Instead of being happy, Pārvatī said, "Terrible! Now there is unnecessarily restlessness and quarreling in the family. Why this injustice? I have to die, and you remain the same." She said, "Because you are immortal and I am immortal, make me immortal too so I do not have to die anymore." The story continues, but I will not tell the next part now. We accept Pārvatī as the mother of Gaṇeśjī, Śiva's son. There is a story told by humans: when Gaṇeśa was born, Śiva was not present. Gaṇeśa grew quickly. When Śiva returned and had not seen Pārvatī, he went to see her in the cave. Parvati had placed Ganesha at the door, saying, "I am bathing, and no one should enter." This story helps people understand, though the philosophical and logical reason is different. Śiva came to enter and go to Parvati, but Gaṇeśa did not let him pass. He asked, "Who are you?" Śiva said, "I am Śiva." Gaṇeśa replied, "And? Who are you? It does not matter who you are. I want to protect my mother. You cannot enter." A fight ensued, and it is said Gaṇeśa's head was chopped off. Yet, the trunk still did not let Śiva enter. Parvati came, and the whole drama unfolded. Pārvatī wanted her son to be alive again, but Gaṇeśa's head had disappeared into the universe with one nāda: "ma." Mother will ever be mother. Mātā bhavati nāku mātā. A mother can never be a bad mother, except if she is mentally ill. Part 2: The Primacy of Gaṇeśa But Pārvatī, you cannot imagine. Now Śiva had to act, so Śiva called his Gaṇa, his devotees, and instructed them: "Bring me a child whose mother has just given birth, but she has turned to the other side, leaving the child lying behind her." Every mother, regardless of whether she is an animal or a human, turns towards her baby. All babies lie on the mother's lap, on the stomach side of the mother. Only the elephant mother turns away. So, the elephant mother was lying on one side, and the baby was lying on the other. She turned her body and squished it. Thus, they brought the head of that elephant and placed it upon Gaṇeśa, and Gaṇeśa became alive again. Whether it happened exactly like this or not, whether we believe it or not, the tales are as such. Yet, there is a sense within them. Modern scientists are struggling with and performing cloning. I may trust that cloning began at that time. Śiva did the cloning. And not only during Gaṇeśa's time; he performed cloning for them. The father of Śakti—this is in the Mahāśiva Purāṇa; you should see it and you will see. Regardless, Gaṇeśa is declared as that principle, that God who should be remembered first. Once, even Śiva came into trouble because he began to do something new and did not remember Gaṇeśa, and Śiva failed. He could not be successful. And once, it is said that before Śiva's marriage to Pārvatī, when Gaṇeśa was born, Pārvatī was not yet born. So which Gaṇeśa was that? When Śiva attended the wedding of Bīḍāśakti, at that time, the first pūjā they performed was to Gaṇeśa. And ages and ages had passed after Gaṇeśa was born. So, which Gaṇeśa was that, Dr. Śītal Sāhib? Kis Gaṇeśa kī pūjā kī thī? Similarly, when he went to Pārvatī's wedding to marry her, and he did not invite Gaṇeśa... Gaṇeśa had a strong army of mice, many, many mice. So what they did was: he sent his billions of mice, and they dug the ground all around, so Śiva's chariot could not proceed. There were holes; everywhere were holes. Śiva asked, "What is this?" Brahmā said, "Sadāśiva, you have forgotten what Gaṇeśa is and who he can be. Gaṇeśa is higher than you. Invite him; he will remove all obstacles, or you will miss your wedding." So Śivjī invited Gaṇeśa, and immediately the road was made right. Thus, gaṇa are our senses, Īśvara is our ātmā, jīva is our Śiva. And the mother is that universal consciousness within us. Gaṇeśa is the foundation. He is the foundation of the entire universe. Mūla. Therefore, his position is at the Mūlādhāra Cakra. His Mūlaprakṛti is in Gaṇeśa's hands. Hence, "Gaṃ Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ" in the Mūlādhāra Cakra. The Mūlādhāra Cakra is not, in the way we think, a lower cakra. It is not a lower cakra. It is a foundation. Entire human consciousness depends on that Mūla, on the Mūlādhāra cakra. It is the basis of all human intellect, abilities, and everything. This house stands only because of a solid foundation. And this foundation is Gaṇeśa. Therefore, we say that for any new thing you begin—opening a new shop, buying a car, an earth-breaking ceremony, a foundation ceremony, a wedding, and everything—first you must remember to invite Gaṇeśa. In the foundation, when we lay a foundation stone where you dig the foundation for a house, we place three things below. First, we put Gaṇeśjī, a symbolic Gaṇeśjī: a nut, supārī, what we call the muskat nut. Muskāt nut? Second, Nāg Nāginī, the male and female snake, a cobra made of silver. It is all still symbolic. Third, we put a grass root. Grass root means what we call the grass root project. This signifies that just as this grass root will grow and grow, so too will your family be healthy, happy, and your generations will grow. Otherwise, the generation will stop there. There are many such symbolic things in every religion; there are blessings, ceremonies for the grass of the earth-breaking ceremony, foundation stones, and so on. I was in Wellington, New Zealand, at the beginning of this year. There is a very large cathedral whose foundation stone was laid by Queen Elizabeth. This year, on her Diamond Jubilee, they held a function. They invited me and said, "This is the cathedral where she laid the foundation stone." So yes, even now, in our modern life, we often do not believe. We want to buy land and say that in six months, or five months, or three months, we want a house and to move in. As quickly as you move in, as quickly you will move out. So, the grass root and Nāg Nāginī represent time, the call, the time situations. But grace is solid to keep your foundation solid. Therefore, those who have psychic problems should accept Gaṇeśa as their iṣṭa devatā to gain intellect, because Gaṇeśa is known as the intellect person. No one is so buddhisālī; buddhisālī is Gaṇeśa. And after Gaṇeśa is Hanumānjī, so we say, "Let's do Śrī Gaṇeśa." Śrī means wealth, Śrī means happiness, Śrī means prosperity, Śrī means harmony, Śrī means Divine Mother, Śrī means Lakṣmī. So, Śrī, Gaṇeśa, Lakṣmī, and Gaṇeśa is Vighneśvara. Gaṇeśa's name is Vighneśvara. Vighna means troubles, and Īśvara means the Lord. The remover of troubles is Gaṇeśa. For opening ceremonies or anything you begin—even when you buy new shoes—before you put your feet in your new shoes, first say "Śrī Gaṇeśa," and then your shoes will give you solid and sure steps when you walk. Do not think they are just shoes; they are very important, especially nowadays when you buy high-heeled shoes and walk like this. Similarly, there are certain things. Now, regarding Rudrākṣa, the kind of Rudrākṣa mālās. There is a special bead which has eight lines on it that is dedicated to Gaṇeśjī. Do you know that? Yes? Six and eight. I think I have only six. I have to get eight. Thank you. I also have Ganeshji here, you see. Here, Gaṇeśajī, always in my heart. Ganeshji said, "Where should I sit?" I said, "In my heart." So he is always inside. Yes? It protects your heart, protects your energy, and protects from the negative attacks of energies. So, always, Rudrākṣa automatically represents Śiva, Śakti, and Gaṇeśa. And there is one Rudrākṣa representing Śiva, called the one Mukhi Rudrākṣa. There are two: one is round, which is very rare. They exist, but are very rare to get—forget it. And whoever gets it asks for thousands of euros, thousands and thousands of euros. But Holy Gurujī said, "One mukhī means always speak the same thing, no hypocrisy, one mukha." So there is a second one, the mukha Rudrākṣa, that also belongs to Śiva. The round one is Śiva, and the half-moon, that is the crown of Śiva. You know Śiva's picture; he has a half-moon, a crescent moon, and that is the embodiment of Śiva. And a new moon to see and have darśana. In Hinduism and in Islam, the new moon, moon darśana, has a great, great meaning. They fast for the night, or for one month, to see the new moon again. They open their roja, during which they are fasting. They do not even take water. These 24 hours, they perform tapasyā. Very few people do like this, but those who truly follow the instructions of the Holy Qur'ān follow this; they perform spiritual sādhanā. It has a meaning in it. It is not what we call Abha Glauben. It has a sense. And that represents Śiva, and that Rudrākṣa, when you have it, represents Śiva and Gaṇeśa together, and that is always in your heart. So, Gaṇeśjī, there are many, many stories. There is one story I want to tell you once more. Bhagavān Vedavyāsa, Vedavyāsa was known as Trikāla Darśī—past, present, and future: what was in ages and ages in the past, what is going on now around us, and what will be tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, in 100 years, 200 years, and so on. That is called Trikāla Darśī. Tri means three. Kāla means time. Darśī means the knower who can see, the draṣṭā. The Vedas were brought by Brahmā, the four Vedas, and there were thousands or millions of mantras. Slowly, slowly, they were lost because human memory was failing. At that time, teaching was only verbal, from master to disciples, so the Śruti Smṛti became the Śruti, the Śrota, and Śrota guṇa: the memory, the speaker, and the listeners. That which listens, keeps in memory, and speaks further. But slowly, slowly, human memory is getting less and less and less. In the last three decades, human memory has lost, I think, about 60%. In the last three decades, since the telephone came, since the computer came and everything, all our telephone numbers we write on the computer; we do not know them. Sometimes, we do not even know our own numbers. Is there someone sitting here who knows 51 telephone numbers of friends? Just 51. How will you remember about 200 or 300,000 mantras? The last one who had a brilliant memory was Swami Vivekānanda. Vivekānanda could read a thousand pages in one night, and after one month, he could tell on which page number what was written. That was a memory. We are empty, filled with calcified, fecal matter. So Vedavyāsa Jī wanted to write the Vedas, but he could not write. He had to speak, so he was searching for someone who could write for him. No one was capable of writing what Vedavyāsa's wisdom would dictate. So Gaṇeśa Jī came. He went to Bhagavān Gaṇeśa. Bhagavān Gaṇeśa said, "Okay, Vedavyāsa, you are a great ṛṣi, a trikāla-darśī. I respect you, and I do not dare to refuse your request. I will write, but I have one condition," Gaṇeśī said, "only on one condition can I write for you." Vedavyāsa Jī said, "Yes." Gaṇeśī said, "I will not give you even one second to overthink. You have to speak constantly, and I will write." Vedavyāsa Jī said, "No problem." Then Vedavyāsa Jī said, "But Gaṇeśī, I also have my condition." He said, "What?" "I will dictate for days, for years, but I do not want you to ask me one question." No questions back. You do not make mistakes. He said, "All right, we agree. When should we begin?" So Gaṇeśa said, "Immediately." So then bring the pen and pencil. Gaṇeśa broke his tooth and began to write. That is how the Vedas were written. For us, these are fairy tales, but there was definitely some sense in it. It was a different, symbolic thing. So Gaṇeśjī, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, all ṛṣis, candras, siddhas—all first celebrate, remember Śrī Gaṇeśa. Today is the incarnation day of Śrī Gaṇeśa. In this yuga, in this last Satyuga till now, these yugas, and then who knows how it will be? So Gaṇeśa jī is everywhere. Put a little picture on your door. When someone comes into your house and sees Gaṇeśa, automatically bad thoughts go away. Put one in your shop—not for selling Gaṇeśa, but with adoration, with an altar—and it will remove negative energy. Hṛddhi and Siddhi, prosperity and wisdom. He blesses us with this. So, people, mostly all business people have Gaṇeśa in their house. It does not matter if they are Indian. Even if he or she does not believe in God, you go into their house, and there is a beautiful altar, and Gaṇeśa is the first there. And on Diwali day, they also put Gaṇeśa there with a pencil to write Ṛddhi Siddhi on it. So Gaṇeśajī is the giver of blessings, the giver of buddhi for students. Gaṇeśajī is very important, Gaṇeśa and Saraswatī. Hṛti and Siddhi are the faithful ones of Gaṇeśa. Shubha and Labha: Shubha is good, and Labha is benefit. They are also Gaṇeśa's left and right hands. One in all, and all in one. Therefore, Bhagavān Gaṇeśa, it does not matter how you draw him, he is always beautiful. Finally, his picture is so beautiful. But do not buy those postcards and send them to someone who has no respect for them. They will read Gaṇeśa's postcard and then may throw it away. Do not make prints of Gaṇeśa's picture on your letterhead, because you never know where they will throw it. This is a very bad habit of people, to make divine pictures just on paper and send them here and there. So do not do this. If you get a Gaṇeśa picture postcard, put it somewhere like a bookmark. In the morning when you get up, you should first say, "Śrī Gaṇeśa." And when we write any letter, first we write "Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ, Śrī Rām." It is very good. And all bhajans—who is writing? The writer of the bhajan, the first bhajan is about Gaṇeśī, and then other bhajans. The Holy Gurujī also writes in his bhajan, the first bhajan: "Padhāro mere Gaṇapatī Devā, Gurūn kā pālak, pālak mārī yahī ārajā, pālak mārī yahī ārajā, rākho charan mein dāsā, padhāro mere Gaṇapatī Devā, Gurūn kā." O Lord Gaṇeśa, please come, bless me, let me be thy servant, give me place, a shelter in your holy lotus feet. So Gaṇeśajī, and Gaṇeśajī does not ask you for anything; he is very happy. I wish you all the best and the blessings of Śrī Gaṇeśajī. Of course, it is your decision if you want a Rudrākṣa or have pictures or a statue or something, but keep it with adoration. As much as you adore, that much he loves you. If you throw it somewhere and only bring it out on his birthday for a ceremony, and then put it away again somewhere else, then Gaṇeśa says, "You are selfish." Gaṇeśa is a very intelligent person, so you cannot make anything with him. Therefore, if, then yes. So Gaṇeśa is everywhere; in every atom is his presence. And all adore him because he represents the entire universe. Even Śiva cannot do anything without adoring Gaṇeśa. Śrī Gaṇeśa Bhagavānkī. Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa Paimā. Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śrī Gaṇeśa Rakṣamā. Shrī Gaṇeśa Shrī, Shrī Gaṇeśa Pāyī Mā, Shrī Gaṇeśa Shrī, Shrī Gaṇeśa Rakṣamā, Shrī Gaṇeśa Shrī, Shrī Gaṇeśa Pāyī Mā, Shrī Gaṇeśa Shrī, Shrī Gaṇeśa Rakṣamā. Śrī Gajānanda Bhagavān, Dev Puruṣa Mahādeva, Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Mādhav Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān, Satya Sanātana Dharma, Śānti, Śānti, Śānti.