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Part 1: The Beginning Energy of Gaṇeśa and His Marriage Contest In the Śiva Purāṇa, we again take up Gaṇeśa. In an earlier session we spoke of his origination, the manner of praying to him, and the meaning of Gaṇeśa. Although we are now focusing on the Śiva Purāṇa, many Purāṇas contain many stories about him. Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā… Before creating this universe, Brahmā also meditated and worshipped Gaṇeśa. Thus the initial energy—Gaṇeśa, the energy of the beginning—was already present before creation. For reference, the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, chapter 1, verse 15, tells us that Gaṇeśa is one of the gods who abides in Nirguṇa, in invisible forms, and we need to chant his names. That is why he has many names and many forms, each according to his action, duty and obligation. We normally say, “Gaṇeśa Oṃ Gaṇa Dhipāya Namaḥ.” He is the leader of the gaṇas; all the Gaṇeśas are leaders. And he is addressed as Umā Putraya—the son of Umā, that is Pārvatī; Aga Nāsayo; Binākāya; Īśaputraya—the son of Īśvara; Sarva Siddhi Pradaya—he who graces you with completeness in every effort; Eka Dantāya—the one with a single tusk; Īśa Vaktāraya; Mūṣaka Vāhanāya—he whose mount is the mouse; and Kumāra Gurave. Thus he is invoked by many names according to his actions and duties. Gaṇeśa is not only popular; he is an inaugurating and motivating god. He is the energy of the beginning. You can see this even in the Western saying, “Morning shows the day.” Likewise, the first impression is the best impression. That first impression is of Gaṇeśa and his energy. If you make Gaṇeśa happy, if you begin anything with a pure heart, the outcome will be better. Gaṇeśa is also the positive source, the positive energy. Whenever you start anything, if you meditate before beginning, the result is good. Today we hear that before entering the Olympics, athletes also meditate for a moment so that they calm their stress and emotions and can perform better. Even in the White House, they have started a practice at the ministerial level: before taking a decision, they simply meditate—whatever the method—and remain quiet for a couple of minutes. The beginning is the best way to start. That is why Gaṇeśa is the beginning, the energy of the beginning. No matter what name you give, no matter what you say, if the first beginning things carry good energy, they will reach perfection. That is why Brahmā worshipped Gaṇeśa before starting the creation of this universe. Similarly, Mahādeva also worshipped Gaṇeśa before killing the demon Tārakāsura during the Tripurāsura episode, and Viṣṇu did so many times. Scripture tells us that the beginning, the source, is the beginning. Whatever we understand is here. If we are about to start anything, by worshipping Gaṇeśa we bring auspiciousness within ourselves; that will be good. It is said that Lord Gaṇeśa is always worshipped at the beginning. Why? The Śāstra and the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa declare that Gaṇeśa is the same as Brahmā. What is Gaṇeśa? He is the form of Brahmā. And if Gaṇeśa is the form of Brahmā, what did Brahmā do at the beginning of creation? He started by worshipping Lord Gaṇeśa. How do we know Gaṇeśa in today’s society? How do we believe in Gaṇeśa? When you do any work, if for the perfection of that work you become dhyānast, if you do pūjan, the sacred feeling that arises in your mind—that is the feeling of Gaṇeśa. From that feeling you receive the spiritual pūjan. From birth to death, in every undertaking, Gaṇeśjī’s contemplation and meditation exist for this reason. In every Purāṇa, Gaṇeśjī’s birth is described differently. In the Śiva Purāṇa it is said that he was made from the mahal of Pārvatī’s body. In other Purāṇas—the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, the Brahma Purāṇa, and the Skanda Purāṇa—it is told in yet another way: Pārvatījī fashioned Gaṇeśa from bālū on the bank of Gaṅgājī. And his head was that of an elephant. After that, all the Devas were called to bless the child, but Śani Dev did not come. Śanī Dev was entreated repeatedly. When at last he came, Gaṇeśa Bhagavān’s head fell from Śani’s dṛṣṭi. Then Śrī Viṣṇu Bhagavān immediately brought the head of an elephant with his Sudarśana Cakra and attached it. After the head was joined, Gaṇeśa Bhagavān began to speak. And the elephant had been given by Durvāsa Ṛṣi, who said that first of all there will be thirteen pūjās. Mahāprabhujī karatā he kevalam siddhi-buddhi dene vāle Gaṇapati he. Viṣṇu blessed Pārvatī, and Pārvatī received a beautiful, handsome son. But she invited many gods and goddesses to share the blessings, and at that time the god Sūrya did not arrive. She repeatedly invited him. Sunny Deva came very late. When Sunny came, because of his evil eye—the eye of the planet Sunny—the sword fell down. When Gaṇeśa’s sword fell, immediately Viṣṇu went out, found an elephant, and with his Sudarśana Cakra brought the elephant’s head; thus Gaṇeśa became the elephant-headed God. This account belongs to a different Kalpa and a different Purāṇa. Yet, whatever the Purāṇa says, we need to focus on the truth that Gaṇeśa is the beginning energy of the beginning. The first impression is the best impression—that is the moral of the story. Now we enter the chapter that tells how Gaṇeśa is a married person, how he found his spouse, and how the marriage was arranged. We have already spoken of Kārttikeya, Kumārajī. Śiva and Pārvatī’s two sons, Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya, were growing up. As with all parents, they began to worry: when the sons are ready to marry, how will they find suitable spouses, and who will marry first? Pārvatī and Śiva met and talked. Śiva asked Pārvatī, “How are we to arrange their marriages? Both sons are equal to us. Gaṇeśa is very adorable, and Kumāra is also very adorable. Who, then, shall marry first? This is a most difficult question.” Pārvatī said, “Well, Gaṇeśa will marry first,” but Śiva replied, “No, that is not fair. We must devise something; we must create a test to see who will marry first.” And so they decreed: “Whoever makes a circle of this earth—whoever returns first after circumambulating the whole earth—that one shall marry first.” At that moment Gaṇeśa found himself in great difficulty. He has a large belly, and his vehicle is very small. How can he circle the entire earth and come back? Obviously, he would be second. Mahārāj says that Gaṇeśa was in big trouble at first. But you know that Gaṇeśa is the Buddhimān, the very wise one. He generated an idea. He went home, bathed, and made two cushions. He invited his mother and father, Śiva and Pārvatī, and pleaded, “Mom and Dad, please, I would like to worship you first.” Śiva and Pārvatī were seated, and he worshipped them with Pañcopacāra and Ṣoḍaśopacāra, honoring them as Divinity itself. Then he performed a parikramā—not just once, but seven times. Pradakṣiṇā means moving from the south direction. Prabhu Dīp Karatā Mahāprabhujī Dīp Karatā He Kevalam. He said, “Oh, my father and mother, I have made this circle seven times. Seven is completion: just as there are seven days—Sunday, Monday, Tuesday… and the seventh day completes one week. Likewise, the Saptarṣi are seven. That is an accomplishment. Therefore I did it seven times.” Śiva said, “Well, you worshipped us and did seven rounds. Now what do you wish? You still have to go and circle the universe. So do you expect to marry?” Gaṇeśa answered, “Yes, I would like to marry. You must declare me the first.” Śiva objected, “No, this is not fair. It is a trick.” And he pressed Gaṇeśa to explain. Gaṇeśa replied, “You gave the instruction: whoever makes a circle shall win. Now, you yourself have taught that one’s mother and father are the greatest pilgrimage, greater than the universe, greater than anything. You told that one day, if a person makes a circle—just one time—that is completion. If the Veda’s wisdom is false, then so be it. But if you claim it is true, then you must now declare: I am the first. I must receive the chance to marry first.” Pārvatī was overjoyed. “Oh, my very wise son, thank you for saying that. I was so worried about you.” Gaṇeśī ke to bahut samasyā meṁ thī. The one who goes around the earth and returns was to marry first. But what did Kārttikeya do? He set off to circle the world. But Gaṇeśa had a different idea. He went home, bathed, and walked seven times around Śiva and Pārvatī. After the rounds, Śivjī asked, “Have you been spared from going around the earth?” And Gaṇeśa replied: “Prabhu, you have declared in the Vedas that whoever circumambulates their mother and father, whoever honors their mother and father as a pilgrimage and bows to them—for them is the greatest gain, the greatest pilgrimage. For a son, for a daughter, mother and father themselves are that. So you yourself have said this. If you say that this statement of the Vedas is false, then disown that portion, call it false. Otherwise you must make me the winner, for without mother and father no one becomes great in the world; there is no pilgrimage, no vow, no religion, no world.” To āp ne to batāyā thā, Gaṇeś jī batāne lage aur Śiv jī kyā kare, vo bāt to sahī thī. Ek samay meṁ batāyā thā to Śiv jī ne bhī manjūr kiyā. Pārvatī baut khuś ho gaī ki, achchhā betā, āpne baut buddhimān akāl nikālā. A small seed becomes a large tree. The intellect is also small at first. When Gaṇeśa presented his reasoning, Śiva could not refuse, for it was written in the Vedas: Mātṛdevo bhava, Pitṛdevo bhava, Ācāryadevo bhava. The first objects of reverence are the mother and the father; the first things are the greatest. Before beginning anything, you offer salutation to the mother, salutation to the father, salutation to the Guru. That is the formula. If Śiva said no, it would mean the Veda does not speak truth. Thus a conflict arose, and Śiva had to accept. He said, “Well, then you win. Congratulations. You have won the bet; you have shown the greatest idea. You are the master of ideas.” So Gaṇeśa is the idea master. Ideas work better than anything. Wherever you go, if you have an idea, that idea can create wonders. An idea may be very small, but it can succeed in a magnificent way. Look at the banyan tree in India—the largest tree—yet its seed is tiny. Plant that tiny seed, and the tree grows immense. In the same way, wisdom may be small, but it can become the greatest thing. That is why truth is also so small, yet it manifests in the grandest manner. Yoga, too, is a small path: just two syllables, yet through yoga you can behold Brahma; through yoga you can attain liberation and wondrous things. So the idea is wonderful, and without an idea we cannot go anywhere. God also exists in truth. You may have heard of the philosopher Nietzsche—you must have heard of him. What did he say? Throughout his life he wrote that God does not exist, that God has died. He constantly proclaimed, “God does not exist. We are existing now. If there is a God, He must come and speak; He must declare what is good and what is wrong. Therefore He does not exist.” That was his principle. But when he died, on his marble tomb in the cemetery someone wrote: “Nietzsche is dead,” said God. Before, Nietzsche used to write, “God is dead, Nietzsche said.” There was a proverb. And in his final resting place, somebody wrote, “Now Nietzsche is dead,” and God said. This means that God exists forever; we are merely coming and going. The energy remains forever; we are only temporary. Mahāprabhujī Karatā, Mahāprabhujī Karatā He Kevalam. The mother and father are the great persons. Mātā Pitā kyā hai? Ghar ke sabse baṛe hai. Gaṇeśa Bhagavān batāte haiṅ ki bhagavān ke ūpar haiṅ mātā-pitā. Mātṛ Devo Bhava, Pitṛ Devo Bhava, Ācārya Devo Bhava. In our scripture it is written: the greatest are mother and father, and after them come the gurus. Isile kyā hai ke koī bhī kām karne se pahale, āp mātā pitā kā āśīrvād lekar calo, to sabse badiyā rahegā. Mata kabhī kumātā nahī̃ ho saktī hai, putra kumātā ho saktā hai. Putra kuputra ho saktā hai, lekin mātā nahī̃ ho saktī hai. Isīlie pitā bhī nahī̃ ho saktā hai. Mātā-pitā hai kyā hai? Sarvardhī tīrtha, sab tīrthoṅ kā bhī tīrtha hai. Mātā-pitā the Śaṅkarācārya, he told that mother cannot be wrong anytime. But children can be wrong, so mother cannot be a Kumātā. Mother can never be bad for her children, though children may be bad. That is why mother is great. That is why we always say, “Mātṛ Devo Bhava.” Mother is the greatest. And that is why, in our philosophy, wherever you are born, that land is your motherland, Mother Earth. We say Bhārat Mātā, Nepal Mātā, but we never say “Australian Mummy” or “European Mummy.” This tradition we must carry: wherever you come from, that is also the birthplace, that too is your mother. That is why Sītā emerged from the earth—the meaning is that the mother is this very land. We came from this earth and we exist through it. Dharatī Mātā: we come from the earth, we live on the grains of the earth, the water of the earth, the sap of the earth. Part 2: Honoring the Source: The Wisdom of Gaṇeśa on Parents, Right Action, and Success We are living with this, so the one who helps us to live is God; the one who gives to us is God. The earth is also our mother, and that is why the parents are the eldest. In that regard, as Vivekānanda Jī has said, the mother is God, the father is God, the teacher is God, and after that, the poor are God. Serve the poor too. When the poor are happy, the parents will be happy, and then your child will also be happy. That is why Vivekānanda, one of the great saints, told us, “First Mātṛ Devo Bhava, then Pitṛ Devo Bhava, Ācārya Devo Bhava, and Daridra Devo Bhava.” Daridra is the poor person. If you go to a poor village, do not begin by telling them about religion or truth—what this is or what that is. First give them food. If you give food, they become happy; the body starts to function. Then you can speak, and then you can talk about morality, truth, and eternal truth. That is why he added that last phrase: Mātṛ Devo Bhava, Pitṛ Devo Bhava, Ācārya Devo Bhava, and then Daridra Devo Bhava. So first of all, you need to feed. Feeding is worship for every person. There was a story: a person was very hungry. He had been starving for two days, yet he was deeply religious and truthful, enduring starvation without food. A pathik, a passerby traveler, asked him, “Do you want something?” He replied, “Yes, I have been hungry for two days. I haven’t eaten anything. Can you please give me something?” The traveler gave him some food. In the meantime, another man passed by and said, “Can you give me food, please? I am hungry. I have been starving for seven days, and you have been starving for only two days. I have been starving for seven days. Look at how great this hunger is, how deep this hunger is.” And the man gave for seven days. He was hungry for seven days. So that is the first thing: we need to feed. We need to fulfill. We need to satisfy the hunger. That means share your things with the poor people. Share your things first, before preaching. Give them food, because that was what the scriptures taught. Purījī, Purījī... Whoever you give to, you will receive. And that is why in this world, the first thing to do is to give to others. By giving to others, you get what you give. You keep getting what you give. Jai Bholē Gaṇeśa Bhagavān Kī. Jai Bhole. So now we have a little song about Gaṇeśa: Gaurī Gaṇeśa Umā Gaṇeśa, Gaurī Gaṇeśa Umā Gaṇeśa, Pārvatī Nandana Śrī Gaṇeśa, Gaurī Gaṇeśa Umā Gaṇeśa, Pārvatī Nandana Śrī Gaṇeśa, Pārvatī Nandana Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śaraṇaṁ Gaṇeśa, Śaraṇaṁ Gaṇeśa,... Śaraṇam Gaṇeśa, Śivānanda Nāgarapati Gaṇeśa, Śivānanda Nāgarapati Gaṇeśa, Gaurī Gaṇeśa, Umā Gaṇeśa, Gaurī Gaṇeśa, Umā Gaṇeśa, Pārvatī Nandana Śrī Gaṇeśa, Pārvatī Nandana Śrī Gaṇeśa, Śaraṇam Gaṇeśa, Śaraṇam Gaṇeśa,... Śaraṇam Gaṇeśa. Śrī Ādhyāśakti Gaṇeśa Bhagavān Kī. Oṃkāra Rūpa Śrī Gaṇeśa Bhagavān Kī. When Lord Gaṇeśa was given a proposal by Śiva and Pārvatī, he won with his intellect. Now the time for marriage has come, and preparations are being made for the wedding. Śiva and Pārvatī are going to fulfill the work of their intelligent son—who is intelligent, above the senses, above tranquility, patient, wise, and intelligent. Gaṇeśa ko śādī ke lie tayyārī ho rahā hai, lekin udhar Kārtikeya parikramā meṁ vyasta hai. Pṛthvī kā parikramā kartā rahtā hai. To parikramā ke kartē haiṁ? Pradakṣiṇā ke kartē haiṁ? Dakṣiṇ se kartē haiṁ ki paścim ko taraf? Kyōṁki jaisā sūrya ātā hai. From the east to the south, and from the south to the west it goes. In this way, according to the rules and order of the Earth, we also constantly... what is it? The greatest mothers, the greatest seats of power, we perform their circumambulation. So with their blessings, the work is done. The way shown by Gaṇeśa Bhagavān is very good for us in this society because we grow up and we don’t remember our parents that much. For every son, for every daughter in today’s society, it is a very old, traditional truth. It is still knowledge‑based; it is knowledge‑based. If all of us follow this, there will be peace in every home. Abhī to kyā hai, to Western world me abh kahī̃ bhī nursing home me mātā-pitā ko, vṛddhāśram me mātā-pitā ko rakh dete hai. Aur vṛddhāśram me garīb ke mātā-pitā nahī̃, jyādā karke dhanī ke mātā-pitā hote hai. Dhan to kamāyā, aur āpne sukh bhī kamāyā. Kamāyā, lekin jab tak mātā pitā sukhī nahī̃ hai, bhāī, is janam mẽ to āp mauj mastī kar pāyeṅge, lekin janam janam to bachā hai, phir puṇya ke phal bhogne ke liye to bachā hai, us samay mẽ āp ko phir kyā ho jāyegā. To us samay meṁ kyā hogā, to āp samajh lījiye. I am talking about the lesson that Gaṇeśa gives us for modern society. Mahāprabhujī says, “Karata Mahāprabhujī, Karata He Kevalam.” They are keeping that whoever is a richer person, the mom and dad remain there. But here we have got Mātṛ Ṛṇa, Pitṛ Ṛṇa, Deva Ṛṇa, Ṛṣi Ṛṇa. We have got three debts. When we are born, we have got three dates. We have got three loans. We have to pay. Among the three loans, the mātṛ ṛṇa, the parents’ loan, is important. After that, the debt—whatever we have gotten from this universe—we have to pay. And Ṛṣi Ṛṇa, whatever knowledge we have gotten from the Vedas, from the Purāṇas, from everywhere, from the Guru, from the teacher, from the master—that is how we have to pay off. Whatever I am speaking, that is not my word; it has been given by my mother and father. When I could not talk even a single word, my mom taught me how to say hello, how to say goodbye, how to say namaste, everything. So you also, whatever you are speaking now, that is not your word; it was passed down from your mom and dad. And whatever knowledge you said, “I know,” and whatever you are aware of, that also had its source in that mom and dad. And how to keep your step on this earth, that was also taught by your mom and dad. And how come you say, “This is mine, and I know that. I know better than Mom and Dad”? No, they are the source. No matter the river, whatever river is big, the origin is great; the origination is great. The water comes from the origin. If the origin point is dirty, then the whole river is dirty. That is why the origin is important. And Mātṛ Devo Bhava, Pitṛ Devo Bhava. So it is saying: “Mana changā to loṭā meṃ Gaṅgā, mana meṃ changā ho to vahī tīrtha hai.” Loṭā meṃ hotā hai, isīlie āpko kahī̃ jānā nahī̃ paḍegā. Ghar kī Mā̃ ro rahī hai, ghar kī Kālī Mā̃ ro rahī hai. Bāhar kī Kālī Mā̃ ke liye saṛī kharīd kar ke dekh kar kyā fāydā hai? Kālī Mātā ke temple meṁ āp julrī caṛhāoge, kyā fāidā hai? Kālī Mātā ko dūdh caṛhāoge, phūl caṛhāoge, phal caṛhāoge. Ghar kī mātā kyā hai? Ki ro rahī hai. Uskā kyā fāidā hai? Ghar kī mātā jimedārī meṁ ek unke liye net nahī̃ hai, mosquito bite kar rahā hai, macchar unko kāṭ rahā hai, lekin ek āpne jhuldanī kharīd. Nahī̃ kyā hai, to marne ke bād meṁ Brāhmaṇ ko jhul dene se kyā fāidā hai? Isliye sabse pahle, to charity begins from home, ghar se śurū’āt hotā hai. The tradition starts from home. If your mom is crying, you cannot donate anything to your mom while she is living; after death, you can write in her name, or the memory, or a statue. That doesn’t work. That is why it is the first thing while she is living here. We are going to worship Kālī at the Kālī temple. We pay a lot of money and donations, fruits and sweets. But what about our mom? The mom is there crying, and the Ghar Kī Kālī, Ghar Ke Kālī Māiyā, ro rahī hai. Bāhar ke mandir meṃ caḍhā ke kyā karoge? To isī lie ghar se hī śurūāt karo śānti ke. And that is why Gaṇeśa Bhagavān tells us the importance of parents for our modern society. So parents are important. Many reciters also said: no matter if there are very great saints or enlightened persons, they always remember Māta-Pitā. So there is no one greater than Māta-Pitā. The first word they taught you. First things: how to eat, how to speak, how to see, how to move—everything they have given. If you asked something to your mom when you were young, thousands of times if you asked, she would reply. But now, if Mom asks a couple of things and you are angry, “Oh no, you don’t know, you are old‑fashioned,” you say that. So honoring a mother means, if you don’t have a mother, the mother who ever protected you, who ever brought you up, who ever helped you, that is also a mother. That is why we always say Durgā Mātā, Sarasvatī Mātā, or Lakṣmī Mātā—because they have given us so many things in this universe. Jai Bālīye Mātājī Kī, Jai Mātṛ Devo Bhava, Pitṛ Devo Bhava Ha. At this time, the goddess is ready for marriage, and they are arranging it. You know, Pārvatī found out about the two girls. At that time, it was alright to marry two. The goddess is ready to be married. Kartikeya, the younger son, was moving around, but Gaṇeśa is there, ready for marriage, and he prepared. There are two ladies, beautiful ladies, Hṛddhi and Siddhi. What is the name? Hṛddhi and Siddhi. They are ready for marriage to Gaṇeśa, and Gaṇeśa is also so happy because of wisdom; wisely, he thinks he doesn’t need to move. And that is why it is said that in this world, 90% of people follow only 10%. 10% of people enjoy their idea. And 90% of people, they follow them, they work hard, they pay more. But 10% enjoy all the time, because of the idea. In the same way, success: if you do business or anything, if you have a good idea, you can make your career in a better way. So little effort, more money. And if you have more money, you can survive easily, and you can pay your time for meditation, yoga, spiritual sādhanā; you can do it. Otherwise, we have to do everything repeatedly, all the time. So that is why we need money, but wise money, not from cheating, not from anything, but the idea is great. You know that in India there is always a trick, and many people want to trick. But the idea needs to be for dharma, not for any other purpose. One day, what happened is, in India, if you have traveled by train, there is a lot of crowd in the local train, especially. You need to jump in the train, and many people are there. Thousands and thousands of people are traveling on the train. There were two tricky guys, and they wanted to travel easily and happily. When the train stopped, they entered, and they took out two snakes from their pocket and threw them on the train. “Oh, look at this snake! Look at this snake!” And everyone ran away. “Oh, snake, snake, danger, snake, danger, danger, danger!” Everyone was gone, and that was actually a fake snake. The snake was not real; it was a fake snake. Mahāprabhujī kī karatā, Mahāprabhujī kī karatā he kevalam. And where we arrived, the guy said, “Well, they found a snake on the train, and the last part they left here, and the train is already gone.” So they were there—so that trick doesn’t work. So they remain there; the train has already gone. That is the same thing: if you do a negative trick to gain something in a false way, you do not achieve. But the idea for a good purpose is alright. The idea is always good for a good person, good things. But for cheating, for other things, that idea is just for dhokā. And if you give good happiness, then happiness will be received. Is bāt kyā hai ki, jo acche karm ke liye āp ṭrik karoge, dharm ke liye ṭrik karoge, to dharm acchā rahegā. So here also, Gaṇeśa’s trick was for a good reason. There was no harm to anyone. And Hṛddhi Siddhi were ready, and they arranged the time, and they married. Many gods and goddesses came to give blessings to Gaṇeśa. Jai Bhūliyā Gaṇeśa Bhagavān Kī Jai. So Gaṇeśa Bhagavān is there, and from that day, Gaṇeśa remains with Siddhi and Buddhi. And Hṛddhi Siddhi means prosperity and perfection. Prosperity and fulfillment. That is why Ganesha, if you ask, he will get the prosperity, because the prosperity is in his hand—in his court. That is why if you ask, “What are riddhi and siddhi?” They are the siddhi of work, or success in work. Gaṇeśa Bhagavān ko khuś banāoge, to unke to patnī haiṁ riddhi siddhi, to āśīrvād de deṅge. Phir riddhi siddhi ke sāth meṁ śādī ho gayā unko, aur Pārvatī jī ne to do laḍkī ṭhik kī thī, us samay meṁ Bhagavān ke liye, to Gaṇeśa Bhagavān ne riddhi siddhi ke sāth kar liyā. So when you listen to the story, the story characters may be Gaṇeśa, Śiva, Pārvatī, Ṛddhi, Siddhi. But when you go into the significance of the spiritual meaning, that good energy brings you completeness and success. What is the modern definition of success? The modern definition of success is continuation and dedication, and it is called success. Not only the aim, but the continuation. If you allocate time, success also comes. If you make an equation, first you need to have an aim, willpower, plus time; it is called success. And that is why you will get success. If you want to become a great, enlightened person, but you are not investing time, if you only have desire, then desire does not bring you there. Desire does not cross the river. You need to row the boat. In the same way, if you want to achieve success, you definitely pray to God. And when you pray to God, then you find success. That energy gives you success. First, you need to bring it. If you want to win the lotto, first you need to buy tickets. If you don’t buy tickets and, “Oh God, give me lotto, give me lotto,” then how come he will give? First, you need to make steps. That is why if you start a word, God will complete it. If you start the journey, God will complete it. So that is the theory in Gaṇeśa also. Gaṇeśa Bhagavān kyā hai ki āp śurūāt karo to vo pūrā kar deṅge. Riddhi Siddhi unke hāth meṁ hai, isīlie koī bhī cīz hai ki āpko śurū’at karnī cāhiye. Āp binā śurū’at kare, to kaisā hogā? Āp ciṭṭhī kharīdogē? To āpne ciṭṭhī kharīdī nahī̃ hai. Bhagavān se āp bolte rahogē, “Mere lie ciṭṭhī par jīte, mere lie paisā ā jāye,” to kaisā ā jāyegā? Isīlie you need to make the first step first. Every journey, the long, long journey, millions of miles journey, starts from the first step. So start your first step; that is half your success. So Gaṇeśa meditation is always wise, and that motivates us, speaks to us to make us wise rather than just putting in effort. Meditation also brings wisdom. Wise means you think about it. Some people said, “Why do we have to meditate? If we meditate, that half an hour is not wasted. In half an hour, you can earn money—that’s many dollars.” In one hour, you can earn that much. In American standard, in Australia there is $17 per hour. In some other countries, maybe it is different. So while you are wasting time, maybe you can create more. But you know that if you keep cutting vegetables or anything with a knife the whole day, then what will happen? After a certain time, it starts to slow. And if you sharpen it and cut again, then that will be better. That is sharpening. So the mind is also sharpened while you meditate. That means you need a break. In the break, you need to make a sharpening, you need to revitalize, re‑energize, regenerate your mind. That is a retreat, the same thing. You are busy with daily life: cooking, waking up, going to college, university, or work, the same daily routine. But in a retreat, you energize. You came into this universe. You came into this retreat, this holy place. That energizes. That is the beauty of the pilgrimage. That is why you will not find God, maybe, here. But your mind will be ready to find God because of this sort of retreat and pilgrimage. And Gaṇeśa has got the Hṛddhi Siddhi. Part 3: The Divine Tales of Gaṇeśa: Family Life, the Four Fruits, and the Modaka Prize Hṛddhi bhe siddhi bhe. Hṛddhi siddhi. Gaṇeśa was married to Ṛddhi and Siddhi, and they began to live happily. After marriage, what happens? Children come. Ṛddhi and Siddhi gave birth to two sons, named Śubha and Lāva. Śubha means auspiciousness, and Lāva means benefit or gaining. So, Ṛddhi gave Śubha, and Siddhi gave Lāva. When we worship Gaṇeśa, who is accompanied by Ṛddhi, Siddhi, Śubha, and Lāva, we are seeking that benefit and auspiciousness. Gaṇeśa will bestow auspiciousness upon you. The mantra is: “Siddhi Ke Sād Ke Sād... Ke Oṁ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ Siddhi Buddhi Sahitāya Śrī Gaṁ Gaṇā Dīpatāya Namo Namaḥ.” In this mantra, four fruits are being granted: Dharma, Artha, Kāma, and Mokṣa. These are the four fruits for which the world fights, for which our duty becomes a duty. By bringing human life, Gaṇeśa achieves all this. So you will receive the four; the mantra says Gaṇeśa provides four fruits: Ṛddhi and Siddhi, but the four fruits specifically are Dharma, Artha, Kāma, Mokṣa. That is the major goal of this human life: dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. Not merely dharma, not merely kāma or material gain; the ultimate goal is liberation. Yet often we indulge only in artha or kāma. If you progress with dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa, that is good. This circle of dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa is the very framework of Sanātana Dharma and human life. In human life, pursuing dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa is fine. But if we become entangled in artha—earning, wealth, greed, work, and household chores—then we cannot move towards mokṣa. However, Gaṇādhipati grants all four. We pray: “Ṛddhi, Buddhi, Sahitāya, Namaḥ.” So, Ṛddhi and Siddhi were married, and they gave birth to Śubha and Lāva, two sons. After this, one day, Kumāra jī (Kārtikeya) was traveling—perhaps to the Kumbha Melā or on pilgrimage. He heard the news: “Gaṇeśa is already married, and he even has children.” He was surprised and became upset. When people are upset, what do they normally do? Some might break things—the television or the sofa. But Kumāra was not that arrogant. Instead, he said, “Well, I was supposed to be first. It’s not fair. I traveled all around the earth, all the way around that circle. How come I am not first?” Then everyone said, “Oh, no, no, it already happened. Gaṇeśa has great wisdom, and that wisdom worked through him, and he got married.” So Kumāra was not happy. What happened was that Gaṇeśa jī got married and had children, and Kumāra jī had gone on a journey. Now, when Gaṇeśa jī returned, Kumāra thought, “What will I do? When he comes home, I will get very angry. I will fight with our parents and say, ‘Now I will leave the house and go; you only sit.’” He started talking like this: “My marriage was supposed to happen first.” At that time, the parents explained a lot and said, “Hey Kumāra, don’t be so stubborn. You did your part, but Gaṇeśa Bhagavān is very intelligent. He performed the program of mother and father.” No one was happier than the mother and father; his interpretation was good. Yet Kumāra jī was not very happy. Despite being stopped by his parents, Śiva and Śivā, he did not stop and went towards Krauñca Parvata (Kroñch Parbat). Which mountain? Krauñca. He went towards Krauñca Parvata. From that day, Śivaputra, Swāmī Kārtikeya Kumāra, became famous. He became a saint. He said, “Well, if there is no luck to get married, then what will happen? Then I will go and become a saint. I will always maintain Brahmacarya, celibacy.” So he left the house. Pārvatī said, “No, no...” He never got married. He always remained a saint. In his story, he did not get a chance, and he gave up married life. If we look deeper, there are two ways of life. You can get married and still achieve Dharma, Artha, Kāma, Mokṣa, or you need not marry; you can maintain celibacy. There is a choice. Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. You can choose anything. If you regret, thinking, “Oh, I am not a sādhu or a saint. How can I be liberated?” don’t worry. Gaṇeśa proved that one can live as a householder and attain liberation. And if you are a saint, wondering, “I am not a gṛhastha; a gṛhastha cannot marry,” Kumāra is the example. So both paths lead to happiness. That is why, from that day, he is called Kārtikeya, Īskandar. He declared, “I want to be a brahmacārī, a saint.” From that day, people started calling him Kumār—meaning unmarried, virgin. Kumāra remained in the crowns of mountains, like Krauñca Parvata, and he appears only one day a year. People can see him only on that one day. According to the lunar calendar, this day is in Kārtika, the seventh month. The months are: Baisākha, Jyeṣṭha, Āṣāḍha, Śrāvaṇa, Bhādra, Mārgaśīrṣa; then Bhādra, Kārtika, and Mārgaśīrṣa—also Aśvin and Kārtik. So Kārtika is the seventh month. In Kārtika, under the Kṛttikā Nakṣatra (the constellation Kṛttikā), during the full moon, Kārtikeya arrives. That is why a big festival is held in Kārtikeya temples on that day. In India, there is the Kārttikeya Utsav or Kumāra Utsav, celebrating when he left home for penance and went to Krauñca Parvata. After that, he is seen in the world only one day, at that specific time: the Kārtika full moon with Kṛttikā Nakṣatra. Thus, Kumāra became a saint, while Gaṇeśa started his family life. Gaṇeśa has sons; whoever worships him receives blessings. The day of Gaṇeśa we celebrate is Gaṇeśa Caturthī, which falls in Bhādra, the fifth month of the lunar calendar. In Bhādra, on the Śukla Pakṣa Caturthī (the fourth day of the bright fortnight), we celebrate Gaṇeśa Caturthī. On Gaṇeśa Caturthī, people all over the world celebrate. But every fifteen days, Śiva and Pārvatī come into this universe—on the new moon and full moon. They represent yin and yang, the north and south poles, nature, sky, earth, north direction, south direction. This is the magnetic balance by which the universe runs. Jai Bhole! Gaṇeśa Bhagavān kī jai! Now, how did Gaṇeśa get to eat the laddū? Why did Lord Gaṇeśa receive the laddū? The devatās did a great deal of hard work and made a laddū of Amṛta (nectar). The purpose of making this Amṛta laddū was that whoever returns first from the Tīrtha (pilgrimage) would receive it. So what did Gaṇeśa Bhagavān do? Because he has more intellect than anyone—he has the same intellect as his mother and father—he used his wisdom. He got the laddū of Amṛta. The laddū symbolizes reward, and all the deities kept watching Gaṇeśa Bhagavān. That is why Gaṇeśa is called Modaka Priya, meaning he enjoys the sweet laddū, the modaka. “Pramodamānandam Dadatīti Modaka”—Gaṇeśa Bhagavān is the one who gives happiness. That is why he obtained the laddū. The key is: the greatest idea is to use intelligence (yukti). If you use intelligence in your work, you will do very well. As it says in the Bhagavad Gītā, conquer the mind, not the world; you cannot conquer the world. “Mana eva manuṣyāṇāṁ kāraṇaṁ bandhamokṣayoḥ”—the mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation. Victory is through the mind, defeat is through the mind. “Man ke jīte jīt, man ke hāre hār.” Therefore, conquer the mind; do not rush about in the external world. Because whatever you are, you must remain within your own limits. You can buy expensive shoes, but you cannot wear them on your head; shoes are meant for the feet. No matter how costly the shoes, they will never go on your head. So, instead, buy a hat—it is even cheaper—because it goes on your head. The point is, first purify the mind. Through purity of mind, victory is achieved in everything. So, I would like to explain how Gaṇeśa obtained the laddū and why we offer laddū. The laddū is not merely a sweet fruit; it is a gift, a present, a prize. Once, all the gods gathered and discovered the amṛta, the nectar. When they found the nectar, they made a bowl of it, a laddū of nectar. Everyone wanted that laddū, because whoever ate it could survive longer, enjoy life, remain happy—it is the source of happiness and enjoyment. All the goddesses discussed, “Who will eat it?” Everyone claimed, “That’s mine!” They boasted of being the greatest in their respective sectors. There was a great debate. Meanwhile, Gaṇeśa was also there. He thought he didn’t have a chance, because he is a big-bellied person with a long trunk, not very active physically. Perhaps he would do yoga—Rāja Yoga, not Haṭha Yoga. So he decided to use a trick. Tricks always work, don’t they? “Mātā pitā ke pās meṁ jāke, mātā pitā ko tīrtha samajhke, unko parikramā kar liyā”—he approached his mother and father, considering them the greatest pilgrimage, and circumambulated them. Then he came back and said, “I have become first; all pilgrimages are ahead of me.” He declared, “What pilgrimage is greater than mother and father?” Thus, he won the laddū, his reward. All the deities just watched. From that day, the laddū was in his hand. That is why it is said, “Modaka Priya Pramodamānandam Dadatīti Modaka”—he got the laddū that gave him joy. The same trick was employed: the laddū was ready as a prize for the first to return from the Tīrtha. He realized there is no greater Tīrtha, no greater temple, no greater sādhanā than making mother and father happy. He circled his parents and won the modaka laddū. That is why it is a modaka, the source of enjoyment. The laddū is not just a symbol; it is the source of pleasure, eternity, truth, and achievement. As Abraham Lincoln said, there is no color of achievement; anyone can attain it. In modern society, it is still happening: if you have effort and courage, you will get the prize. I would like to add an example: who was the first to conquer Mount Everest? Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa from Nepal. They conquered it. But when they were asked how they succeeded, they said, “We did not climb Mount Everest; we conquered our mind, our heart, our courage. Many people climb Everest but fail. We had the faith, we conquered our mind, and that’s why we became winners.” As the saying goes, “Man ke jīte jīt, man ke hāre hār.” If your mind is weak, nothing matters. You can see in India or anywhere, a huge elephant is tied with a small rope. It could easily break free, but it doesn’t. Why? Because its mind is weak. From childhood, when the elephant was small, it was tied with a strong chain that it could not break, and it was beaten. It was trained to believe it cannot break free. When it grows big, it still thinks it cannot do it, so it remains tied. That is a mental problem. Gaṇeśa always teaches that you have to be strong in mind. You can conquer, you can win. That is the message of Gaṇeśa. He went to his mother and father, moved around them, and received the prize. Thus, he is Modaka Priya. When the journalists asked the Everest climbers, “Why didn’t you get the victory over Sagaramāthā?” they said, “We didn’t win over Sagara Matha; we won over ourselves, over our mind. Because victory of the mind is the greatest victory.” Look at that elephant—so big yet tied with a tiny rope. Since childhood, its mind has been filled with the idea of defeat. Similarly, we too are defeated in life because of this. In the world, in society, there is a huge crowd, but humanity is lacking; there are many friends and brothers, but true friends are very rare. Houses are built very big, but contentment has become very small. Everyone wears a watch, but no one has time. Everyone has become rich, with great expenses, but health is missing—there is wealth but no dharma, family but no harmony. Without purity of mind, without practice and discipline, nothing works. Expensive clothes mean nothing if you have no time. That is why there are so many people but no real friends; on Facebook, there are countless friends and friend requests, but that is all false. Mahāprabhujī says, “He Kevalam.” Now another section about Gaṇeśa: why he has one tooth, Ekadanta. Yes, Ekadanta. Why does he have one tooth? There are different stories in different Purāṇas. Ekadanta signifies non-duality (Advaita), the one omnipresent reality. But in the Purāṇas, such as the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa and the Kārttikeya Purāṇa, there is a story that Gaṇeśa was not only wise but also a very good fighter. If you have heard, Parāśara Ṛṣi and Gaṇeśa had a great friendship, and also enemies... Part 4: The Symbolism of Lord Gaṇeśa: One Tusk, Modaka, and Sindūr When he has difficulties, Gaṇeśa goes to fight. And if you know about Paraśurāma, Paraśurāma is also Śivajī’s disciple, Śivajī’s bhakta. Pārśurāma bodh baḍā the, kyōṅki vo Pārasmaṇī lekar calte the Pārśur, jo hai kī Siṁhanāth karke. To usī samay meṁ kyā hai ki ek bār bodh badā lanāyī hoā. To āpne to jān liyā, Gaṇeśa kyoṁ modaka priya hai, kyoṁ laḍḍū caḍhāte hai. Isse karke Gaṇeśa Bhagavān ko kyoṁ ek dantā hai, kyoṁ ek dantā bolte hai, kyoṁ dānt ek hī hai unkā, kyoṁ do nahīṁ hai. First of all, it is a sign that there is only one God in the world. There is only one form of God, so due to his work, the name may be different, but the God of the Bhāgavata is the same. So there is a lot in the same form. There is a part of God in all human beings, in all their lives, and there is a part of God in all living beings, so it is the same truth that there is only one God. But here there are many stories in the Purāṇas. Paraśurāma was a very brave man, and once he had a fight with Gaṇeśa. During the fight, Gaṇeśa defeated Paraśurāma with the sound of an elephant. After defeating Paraśurāma, there was a huge vajra, and Śivajī gave it to him. Then Śivajī attacked the vajra, and Gaṇeśa thought, “What else will he do to the vajra?” So at that time, there was a fight between Paraśurāma and Gaṇeśa. Gaṇeśa is very brave, and Paraśurāma also was a brave person. He did it 21 times—he defeated all the Kṣatriyas in this world. 21 times. 21 times Paraśurāma defeated the Kṣatriyas. He was very powerful. He always holds the Paraśurāma, the axe, the divine axe that was given by God. And he is always holding it, and he is a very, very brave person, Paraśurāma. And Gaṇeśa was once confronted by Paraśurāma. They were fighting. While they were fighting, Pārśurāma brought the big Vajra that was given, that was blessed by Śiva. And Śiva—Paraśurāma was one of the great disciples of Śivajī. At that time, Paraśurāma received that vajra. And when they are fighting, Gaṇeśa lifts Pārśurāma and throws him away. He threw him away, and Paraśurāma was fearless. Later on, he prayed to Śivajī, and Śivajī gave him the divine Vajra. He threw the Vajra towards Gaṇeśa. And Gaṇeśa thought, “Well, I can defeat everything, but this is from my father, Śivajī—what can I do?” So, if I don’t stop it, that will kill me. If I stop it, something else may happen. The Vajra comes, and Gaṇeśa, being wise, did not say no, did not fight back, but blocked the Vajra with his one tooth. So that is why one tooth fell—because of the Vajra. He was protected, he respected the Vajra, the divine weapon, but he lost one tooth. That is why he remains Ekadaṇṭa. “Ekadaṇṭa Ayyabid Mahe, Gaurī Putra”—so Gaurīputra is always Ekadanta. That was the story in the Purāṇa. And, as we mentioned in the morning, that is why he has the mouse. Why is Gaṇeśa Jī carrying a mouse? Because the mouse keeps on cutting. It has to be cut. Anyone can see that it cuts grains, clothes, and ropes. So what is its indication? Gaṇeśa is the one who can steady the mind. So even the chanchal (restless) mouse—our mind is like a chanchal mouse. Our mind is restless; it thinks here and there, but Gaṇeśa is the one who can keep it steady. That is why we call Lord Gaṇeśa the husband of a mouse. And the second meaning is that the mouse bites, cutting the bonds of rebirth and death. So what happens is that we take birth after birth, entering the sorrow of the world. But with the blessings of Lord Gaṇeśa, we are freed from the cycle of birth, death, and sorrow. The mouse always cuts ropes and everything. That chain is the chain of birth and death. Always we have that chain, and if you appease the goddess, then the chain will be cut off. So Moosaka is also a chain cutter, and he is always good for everything. Therefore, it is always auspicious to worship Gaṇeśa; he is the initiation, the vibration of beginning. That is why he is the gatekeeper. You can see around the world many places they always keep Gaṇeśa, no matter if they know the story or not. It looks unique also, and Gaṇeśa is there. And why does Gaṇeśa have big ears? Just as in India there is a basket used to clear up rice or any other junk in the home, so his big ears act as a cleanser, a life cleanser. It is like a vacuum. Your ear always cleans the dust and everything, and that cleans out the bad karmas. That is why Gaṇeśa has big ears. Big ears always help, and he is always tricky, always humble, always respectful. And when you have respect—respect started from Gaṇeśa. What did Lord Gaṇeśa do? He did the service of mother and father, the first service, the first devotion, the first tīrtha. So if the first tīrtha, the first devotion, does not come into the mind, then we will not become true devotees of Lord Gaṇeśa. There was a person who was just about to fly. While boarding was announced and there was still time, he thought, “While we are waiting, I’ll buy a packet of chips.” He started to eat chips. A lady came and sat beside him. He became very angry, thinking, “Without asking, she’s having my potato chips!” He was consumed with negativity, not enjoying his chips, his mind fixed on “What sort of naughty lady is that?”—he was not even courteous. Later, when boarding was called again, he discovered a new chips packet in his suitcase. That was the packet the lady had bought; he had been eating her chips. She was happily sharing, saying nothing, so generous. Yet the man’s mind remained very restless. This shows: be in the present and enjoy, be humble. Humble generation begins at home. Gaṇeśa started from the point of origin. Mom and Dad—Ghar Kā Tīrth, Sabse Baṛā Tīrth. Mātā, Pitā, Sabse Baḍā Devatā. So what we learn from Lord Gaṇeśa is: “Mātṛi Devo Bhavaḥ, Pitṛi Devo Bhavaḥ.” Māta-Pitā se baḍkar, duniyā me tīrtha, deva, ādi-deva, koī nahī hai. Pahle ghar ko, māiyā ko khuśī banāo, bhai. To uske bād me bāhar kī māiyā ko khuśī aur bāhar kāli, jagadambā, durgā, sab kī pūjā kar sakte hain. So from there we can learn from the Purāṇas why Lord Gaṇeśa Jī got one danta. Mahāprabhudīp Karatā, Mahāprabhudīp Karatā... Purījī, Siddha Purījī, Siddha... Purījī, satya bhī galat ho jātā hai. Is liye man ko śuddhatā sabse baṛā śuddhatā. Bhāgavad Gītā mein bhī vahī hai, manaiḥ manuṣyāṇāṁ kāraṇaṁ bandhamokṣayoḥ. Bandhan parne kā man hai. Is liye yahā takke abhī ye kathā raṭā hai. Hum phir bhajan mein jāte haiṁ. Ek bhajan ke bād mein phir vāpas āte haiṁ. Jai Bholē Bhagavān Śivījī Kī, Brahmā Viṣṇu Maheśvara Kī. Now we have a small bhajan; let us enjoy the music. You can clap, memorize, and enjoy the divine energy. We will have a little more story—many stories, actually—but we are close to concluding. Now we ask: why is Gaṇeśa receiving adoration? Why does he love sindūr, red vermilion? And again, there is a story: how Gaṇeśa became one with Bhagavān, how he became modaka-priya, how he became dūrvā-priya. Now we come to the point: how sindūr is a great offering for Gaṇeśa. Shindur se kyā lenā denā hai, Bhagavān Gaṇeś ko isīlie ab yahāṁ pe ā jātā hai. Ek samay kī bāt hai, kī Brahmā jī ne ek bacche ko ajanmāyā. O bacche kyā hai, kī Bhoj Lāl thā, aur o śindūr barṇā kā thā bacche. Aur śindūr barṇā kā bacche kyā hai, kī har dam kyā kartā thā? Kī boltā rahtā thā, kī “Hey Pitā, maiṁ kahāṁ jāke rahūṁ?” From childhood, he had a demonic nature. He went to Kedāra to live. So with great difficulty, Śivajī, Brahmā, and Viṣṇu were watching him because, from the beginning, he was one of those children who were going to destroy the world. He was asking, “Where should I go and stay?” because there is a place for the real man to live, but he was asking for that. So at that time Brahmā said, “Now you can stay where you want to stay.” He thought, “I will stay where I want to stay, so what if I kill someone?” So then why does Gaṇeśa love, why does he adore the sindūr, the red, the vermilion? Because one day, in one Kalpa—there are many Kalpas, many ages, many times—what happened was this: Brahmā, the creator, created one tiny boy. The boy was red in color, his eyes red, his whole body red. He was not a god; he was a demon. At that time, the demon asked Brahmā, “O Brahmā, please give me a boon.” And Brahmā blessed him: “Well, wherever you go, whomever you capture, whomever you hug, that person will die and come under your control—except the son of Umā.” Except the son of Pārvatī, Gaṇeśa; no one else would come to the rescue. So, except for Umā Putra, he was blessed that way. The boy asked Brahmā, “Well, can I go to Śiva?” And he went, just for a try. He thought, “If I grab Śiva, he will be under my control.” But Śiva said, “Well, I am the person who always remains in symmetry. If you hold me, you will be in symmetry, so better not to hold.” Then he was convinced and went to Viṣṇu. He asked, “Vishnu, can I hug you?” Vishnu said, “Well, I’m not young enough; you are a very young boy, so go find some other place.” Then he came to the earth and started to hug everyone. Wherever he hugged, that person came under his control, and he began to misuse his power. He is the one who later brought about Gaṇeśa’s intervention. Mahāprabhujīp Karatā Mahāprabhujīp Karatā The king’s name is Varenda, and Pushpikā was the queen’s name. And from Pushpikā, the boy came and they exchanged. Later on, Gaṇeśa came down to the earth. When he came, the boy, Sindhurasura, was doing many notorious things here and there. People were fearful; all the sādhus and saints were unhappy. At that time, Gaṇeśa was growing up day by day. This shows that whenever demons misuse power, there is always some formula, always a root. In this universe, wherever there is a problem, there is a solution as well. So always think about the solution, never panic in any situation, and follow good character. Siddha Purījī, Siddha Purījī,... Siddha Purījī Mahāprabhujīdīp Karatā Mahāprabhujīdīp Karatā... Siddha ke janma ke bāre mein, kyā ho gayā ki, vahāṁ pe Umā putra bhī janma ho chukā thā, aur Umā putra thodā sā kuru pīṭhe, kyoṅki Tulasī ke śrāpa se Gaṇeśa Bhagavān kā peṭ baṛā thā, āp logoṁ ko mālūm hogā. Because Gaṇeśa has a big belly—that was a curse by Tulasī. That is why when you worship Gaṇeśa, you don’t offer Tulasī patra, Tulasī dal; you offer dūrvā. That was a curse from Tulasī, which comes later. If I get time, I’ll explain definitely. But now, when the demon Sindhurasura started to fight, Gaṇeśa came and began to fight. Sindhurasura was defeated, and Gaṇeśa took a bath with his blood; that is why Gaṇeśa loves the blood—Gaṇeśa loves sindūr, red sindūr. It is not actual blood, but sindūr; the demon’s blood became that. That is also mentioned in one stage of the Purāṇa. But anyway, it signifies victory and honor. The red color honors victory. You can see the flag is red; it is the color of fire, the color of bravery. And when we receive the tikkā on our Ājñā Cakra—honoring. Mahāprabhujīp Karatā Mahāprabhujīp Karatā He Kevalam Mahāprabhujīp Karatā He Kevalam Mahāprabhujīp Karatā He Kevalam... Ghar ke devatā sabse baṛe devatā. The parents, mother and father, are one of the most important pilgrimages and most adorable; start anything from home. That is Gaṇeśa’s lesson. And now we will have the chanting. Everyone can stand up, and we will have Bholā Bābā’s dance, Bholā Bābā’s stretching. Enjoy the rhythm and sound: Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya... Bolo, Bolo, Bholē... Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya. Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya... Bhole Bhole... Śiva Śiva... Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya... Om Mahādevāya Śiva Śiva... Bholē Bholē... Om Namaḥ Śivāya Pārvati Patāē, Om Namaḥ Śivāya, Om Namaḥ Śivāya, Om Namaḥ Śivāya... No one knows when life will end. So this is a beautiful time. We are in a beautiful, auspicious place, clothed in the presence of God and Guru. Many saints, yogīs, and mahāpuruṣas have meditated here, come and gone for thousands of years. Still the energy remains in this Siprā River, in this Kumbha Melā. So let us sing one more time happily, placing our minds with Śivajī, indulging with Śivajī. Kumbha Melā Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya... Bhole Bhole Bhole, Om Namaḥ Śivāya, Bhole Bhole Bhole, Om Namaḥ Śivāya Vināyaka Hastāya, Jaṭā Dhārāya, Ekākṣarūpāya, Sanātanāya Pina Kaharāya, Jaṭā Dhārāya, Yakṣa Rūpāya, Sanātanāya. Digambaráya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Debyeya Debyeya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya Pinnaka Hastāya Sanātanāya. Bholē Bholē... Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya... Sanātānāya Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya... Bhola Bhola... Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya... Bhola Bhola... Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya Bhola Bhola... Namaḥ Śivāya Bhola Bhola... Namaḥ Śivāya Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya Har Har Mahāde Jai Jai... Hari Om. Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidaṁ Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate. Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate. Hariḥ Om. Yanmayā Bhakti Kṛtena Patraṁ Puṣpaṁ Phalaṁ Jalam. Niveditaṁ Janayivedyaṁ Tadgṛhāṇu Kṛpāyā. Avaṇam nājānāmi, nājānāmi tavārchanam, pūjā chaiva nājānāmi, kṣamasva parameśvari. Hari Om. Anyathā śaraṇam nāsti, tvaṁ eva śaraṇam mama, tasmāt kāruṇya-bhāvena, rakṣasva parameśvara. Kaiṅāvācā manasendriyeruvā buddhyātmānavād kharo meṣakālaṁ parāśvai nārāyaṇāmī hariyaṁ śrī parameśvarāya nārāyaṇāmoha Ya Mīlā Pradhāna Maṇitakāryasmeta Padmāsana Sarasvatī bhavati niṣeṣṭhā jādiyapar. Kharo Meśakālam Parāśvai Nārāyaṇami Samarapiyami Āj kī ānandagī, bhūlī umāpati mahādev kī. Oṁ har har mahādev, har har mahādev, har har mahādev. Hari oṁ tatsat. Oṁ bhavatu sabba maṅgalam, bhavatu sabba maṅgalam, bhavatu sabba maṅgalam. Hari oṁ tatsat.