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Part 1: The Origin and Spiritual Significance of Gaṇeśa Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ. Bhakratuṇḍa Mahākāya Sūrya Koṭi Sama Prabha, Nirvighinam Kurume Deva Sarvakāryeṣu Sarvadā. Oṁ Śrī Sarasvatī Namaha. Sarasvatī Namastubhyaṁ Varade Kāmarūpiṇi, Vidyārambhaṁ Kariṣyāmi. Siddhir Bhavatume Ṣaḍā. Oṁ Śrī Guruve Namaḥa. Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu, Guru Devāyi Maheśvara. Guru Sākṣāt, Parabrahma, Tasmai Śrī Guruve Namaḥa. Oṁ Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ, Sarve Santu Nirāmayāḥ. Sarve Bhadrāṇi Paśyantu, Mā Kaścid Duḥkha Bhāgbhavet. Oṁ Asato mā Sadgamaya, Tamaso mā Jyotirgamaya, Mṛtyormā Amṛtaṁ Gamaya. Oṁ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... Oṃ Śāhana Vavatu Śāhana Unaktu Sahaviriam Karavāvahai Tejasvina Vaditamastu Mā Vidhiṣāvahai Oṃ Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ. Hari Oṃ Tat Sat Śrī Parameśvara Paramātmā, Gurujan, Santapuruṣa, Svāmī and Maharṣi, All the Pitṛgaṇ, Devādideva, I bow to all of you. I would like to start today’s Śivaraṇa. Wherever you are, please accept my invitation from Ācārya Rājan Śarma. So I would like to welcome all of you, wherever you are, whether you are here or outside of India, or wherever you are, I would like to welcome you to this session of the Śiva Purāṇa. Please accept my greetings from Ācārya Rajan Śarma. Today, in the Śiva Purāṇa, we are going to explain about the origination of Gaṇeśa. The origin of Gaṇeśa, and also how we can implement the Śiva Purāṇa, and why Gaṇeśa needed to change his head, and what’s the mystery behind it, and what is Gaṇeśa’s spiritual meaning? Then we would like to explain all about it. So before starting, we will do Ganeśa Vajra, and in the Ganeśa, definitely today’s topic is Ganeśa, and we worship Ganeśa, and Ganeśa is the wonderful God who blesses us to remove all the obstacles. He is the energy, he is the God to whom we worship at first. Hari Om. Oṁ Gaurī Putra Viddmahe, Bhigni Nāśāya Dhīmahi, Tanno Ganeśa Pracodayāt, Hari Oṁ Tat Sat. So at the beginning of today’s Śivapurāṇa, we bow our heads to Lord Gaṇeśa and continue today’s Śivapurāṇa. So before entering today’s topic, I would like to tell you that the world’s most popular deity, Lord Gaṇeśa, whose idols are all over the world, and in the world, not only for worship, but also for adornment, we get the idol of Lord Gaṇeśa. Whether it is Australia or America, wherever it is, Gaṇapati Mahārāj, whether it is Sanātani or non-Sanātani, everyone knows. And how Gaṇapati Mahārāj was born, how he was born, and how he got married, why his head was like an elephant, and what is his spiritual effect, everyone knows the story. But what is the importance of Gaṇapati Mahārāj in our present life? And what is the meaning of his many sons? How can we use the message of Gaṇapati Mahārāj in this modern age? How can we bring his message to life? And how can we make Gaṇapati Mahārāj happy, to make life a blessing and to get the four fruits of life? In this topic, in this Śiva Purāṇa, I am going to explain today is the Ganesha. Everyone knows Gaṇeśa, even those who are not related to Hinduism. All those people, are they all aware about Gaṇeśa? That’s why in the world, wherever I go, I find there is Gaṇeśa’s picture, statue, idols, not only for worshiping, just for decoration also. Nowadays, you can find that in the Western world, in a garden there is Gaṇeśa, and then at the entrance there is Gaṇeśa, so there is Gaṇeśa. I’ve got the great value now, and all of human society is widely accepting that. That’s an amazing picture, even then I saw in the curriculum, in one of the schools in Australia, that is not related to Hinduism, but there is an ideal of Gaṇeśa. So that means Gaṇeśa has got wide information around the world. And now, in the Śiva Purāṇa, it takes... It talks about how Gaṇeśa came into this world, and whether Gaṇeśa exists now, or what is the real meaning of Gaṇeśa, and how we can implement Gaṇeśa’s knowledge to elevate our spirituality to remain happy. So first of all, I would like to tell you, do you know Gaṇeśa’s full form? Have you heard this? About no. So Gaṇeśa, obviously, when you talk about God, the first letter is G, and Gaṇeśa also first letter G, so it’s a God, so that’s why God. For G-A, God for you, that never-ending spiritual happiness. Ganesha: N, never; E, ending; S, spiritual; H, happiness. Gaṇeśa for never-ending spiritual happiness. That’s why Ganesha, we pray, and in G-O-D, God also, the G comes first, and Ganesha, when you do the Visarga, then you say that Gaṇa means like a team, a group, and Īśa means God, the group of Gaṇeśa, Īśvara, the lord of the group. Lord of the team, and the team is of the divine goddess and God, God and goddess, and he is the president of all the God and goddess. That’s the Gaṇeśa. Gaṇeśa is the president and team leader. That’s why everywhere you see that before starting any prayer, the Gaṇeśa we worship first. So, that’s why Gaṇeśa is the first God who is worshipped. No matter Brahma, Viṣṇu, Maheś is there. And Shiva is his father, and mother is Pārvatī. But still, Gaṇeśa comes first while you are worshipping. That’s why the first thing, everywhere you can see in the Purāṇas, scriptures, everywhere. Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ. The first thing is Gaṇeśa. The goddess is worshipped first, and then you start. And how does that come? That has been researched as well. Ganesha, when you chant that first thing, that word, that sentence first, it gives the opening, a good opening. That brings good energy for the opening. That’s why there is a Gaṇeśa. Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ. Ganesha is such a word that before you start any work, when someone is very careful and starts by saying "Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ," then to do any work, he gets the real energy. He can easily move forward with the help of energy. That is why Gaṇeśa is the God of Gaṇeśa. And Devaditta Deva’s Adṛkṣya, who is the leader, how should he be leading or inspiring? The one who is the inspirer, who is the one who will move forward, if he is the inspirer, then everyone can go ahead. That means that whoever the leader is, the leader needs to be an inspirer. That inspirer, if you remember first, before opening eyes, "Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ," that is the first mantra. And what is the Gāyatrī mantra of Gaṇeśa? Oṃ Gaurī Putra Bid Mahe Bignanāsa Dhīmahi Tanno Ganeśa Prachodayāt. So every God and Goddess has a variety of the Gāyatrī mantra. And Gaṇeśa is one of the gods, and here is the amazing story. And that story, I have researched how many Purāṇas mention Gaṇeśa. There are more than seven Purāṇas that mention Gaṇeśa’s origination. And that is the Mūḍgana Purāṇa, and Īśkandar Purāṇa, and also Śiva Purāṇa, and then Matsya Purāṇa, so Brahmāṇḍa Vārta Purāṇa, so a variety of Purāṇas explain about Gaṇeśa’s originations. But there are a few slightly different stories. In the Śiva Purāṇa, one thing is talked about the most, which is similar, but that is a little bit added or a little bit reduced in the story in some other Purāṇa. But as we are doing the Śiva Purāṇa now, I would like to talk in detail in the Śiva Purāṇa about how Gaṇeśa originated. Most of you already know, but it is said that Gaṇeśa came from Pārvatī, obviously. Parvati is Himalaya, the daughter of the mountain. And the daughter of the mountain gave birth to Ganesha. And it doesn’t say both. While Pārvatī was staying with her friends, the friends’ names are Jayā and Vijayā. The popular one, that’s her, the very close friend. Parvati’s close friends are Jaya and Vijaya. While she was sitting with Jaya and Vijaya, and Jaya and Vijaya advised Parvati. Normally, close friends advise on anything. Things, and well, Shiva has got many armies, Shiva Gaṇa, and they have got a lot of supporter assistance. But what about us? We don’t have anyone. So when Shiva is going outside, then we don’t have anyone to assist us, help us. Then we must need... Someone to always help us, protect us, and we can do as a gatekeeper as well. We can protect our missions and goals as well, so they advise. And Pārvatī said, "Well, that’s a good idea, actually. I’m thinking about it, so let’s then create." Something, while the good time comes, and while Pārvatī was taking bath with her friends, that time Mahādev arrived, and that was not very much appealed, a feeling, and then, good, that was not sound very good for Pārvatī, and she thought, well, if... I have a gatekeeper so that no one can come while I’m doing some of my private things or my preparation. She thought about things, and she told him, "Well, Mahādeva, can you please go out for a while?" And when Mahādeva went out, she created from her body. It says, like, from her dust of body, she created one beautiful person. And the person has got sarvāṅga sundar. He is a very handsome person. From toes to head, beautiful person. The creation. And definitely, when she wants something, that God wants something comes beautiful. Whatever they want, and the beautiful person, that’s a handsome person, a handsome guy appeared, and he saluted, "Oh, the Māta, thank you very much for bringing. So, can you please order me? What is my..." Duty, what’s my obligation? I’m ready to obey, I’m ready to follow. And Pārvatī said, "Well, you are a wonderful person. I bless you. You are a very powerful person, and you better stay at the gate, and without my permission, you don’t allow anyone to enter." Anyone to enter, and whatever I order, please follow only those things. You don’t listen to anyone, just listen to me. I need someone, that’s why I create you, and you will stay outside, and whenever I call, and without my... Permission, you don’t do anything, just stay outside. So Gaṇeśa Bhagavān, when Pārvatī Jī, Jayā, Vijayā was with his friend, so he thought that there should be someone for us. There is Shivagandha and all of them, but there is no one who can help me. So Jayabhijaya advised, "Hey Mahārāṇī Pārvatī, there should be someone for you." That is why you should create someone. So with the help of his body, Pārvatī jī tested a beautiful son. And he told that son to go and sit in the door. After that, he started to work as a safeguard, a bodyguard from outside at the gate. And whoever wants to enter, he used to ask Pārvatī. And Parvatī, when she gets permission, at that time anyone can enter. Otherwise, he’s a good guard. And in the meantime, Śiva is that Divya Dṛṣṭi. He has got divine eyes. He can see from far away, and that is one of the Kalās. So if you read that Kṛṣṇa’s Kalā also, he has got also 16 Kalā. 16 Kalā, they are the human being. They came as human beings, but they have got a different idea, different color, the art, in a sense, the intellect, that divine knowledge and divine idea. And in the same way, Śiva also just looked and thought, "Oh, there is somebody else," and there... Is something going on, and he wanted to go with his māyā, with his illusion, līlā? And he came with all the ghana, Śiva ghana. Like here also, the many Sant Puruṣa, Mahātmā, Guru, everyone, that goes with many people. Someone is a sand artist, someone is a photographer, someone is a taker, someone is an umbrella holder, someone is like that. There are many Gaṇas, and with a group of people, Śiva came there, and one of the ministers is Nandi. And Nandī also was there, and everyone came. And they want to enter Pārvatī’s place, and the guy there is not... still he doesn’t have a name. No Gaṇeśa now. The beautiful man, then he bowed to Śivājī. Oh, you’re not allowed to go inside without my mother’s permission. And then Mahādev said, "Who are you? You don’t know who I am?" So you’re not allowed to go, no matter who you are. So I need my permission from my mother. This is my obligation. And the Śiva Gaṇa asked, "Well, you have to allow him. He’s the Śiva." And you have to allow, you go to inside. And he said, "No, I don’t want to give without permission." And he contacted Pārvatī that time, and Pārvatī didn’t know he was coming, and she told, she ordered that, "Well, no matter whoever is coming, this time I am taking bath, please stop anyone, whoever this and that." He blocked the Śiva Gaṇas, and they started to fight. But the person, the handsome person, received the blessings from Pārvatī, and he defeated all the Śiva Gaṇas. The situation became terrible, and at that time, Śiva himself arrived there. "Oh, my Śiva Gaṇas, you did not defeat the man. What a powerful person! Who is he? Who is this guy? I must seem to fight him." And then he came. And the request, "You sure that you don’t allow me to go inside? I am Śiva." And he said, "No, whoever you are, because my mother said, ’Block that until he will tell me.’" So, and then that fighting started, and Mahādeva finally, with his triśūla, is... He cut off his head, and after a long fight—not that quickly, then he was a very powerful and brave person—and that message went inside. Pārvatī knows that, "Oh my God, there’s my son, my beautiful son, he was killed by Śiva," and he came. And she came, and then he started to cry, "Oh Śiva, what did you do? This is my son, and I ordered him to block anyone, and he didn’t know you are the father. He didn’t know you are Śiva, so that’s why he’s innocent. Why did you kill him?" Without asking me, "Why did you kill this one?" she started crying, and not only Parvati, but Parvati’s friends and the circle, all of them are unhappy, really unhappy, and they started to cry and then became upset when the half... Of the world is upset, the half world cannot flourish. The half is the feminine, the feminine power, the woman power. All are worried. That means Pārvatī means the female, female energy. So feminine energy, all are disabled, so masculine energy cannot work. In this way, so that’s why Pārvatī worried, and all the people are worried, and the creation again then he stopped. So all gods and God are worried, then. So there is a conflict between Śiva and Pārvatī. So what are we going to do? Somebody needs that mediator then. And that time, everyone goes and asks Parvati, "Oh, Parvati Mātā, can you please forgive Mahādev? He was also innocent; he didn’t know." And she said, "No, well, I didn’t know that because he was my most handsome and my armor-guard son." So he was supposed to ask me before doing these things. And she was so unhappy. And everyone went to convince Pārvatī, but no, "I need my son. Without my son, I cannot be happy." And she was waiting and waiting and... Every god and goddess went to convince her, but no one could convince Pārvatī. Finally, Viṣṇu and all those came and told Pārvatī, "Oh, whatever you want, I’ll convey this message to Mahādeva." He was the mediator at that time, and Pārvatī... Waited there, and well, I want back my son. If you can do that one, I will be happy. And Viṣṇu went to Mahādeva and said, "Mahādeva, please do something." Without your grace, Pārvatī will not be happy. She needs her son back. Please do something. And all the gods and Godhead requested Mahādeva. And it is said that Mahādeva is obviously the blessing person. Whatever he wants, it happens. He again gave rebirth to Kāmadeva also and revived. He got the birth, and similarly, many that you can see, Dakṣa Prajāpati also, and some other guys also. So, some other gods and goddesses as well. That’s why he just needs to appease; he can give the birth. He can make alive even though somebody is already dead. So in that case, Shiva said, "Well then, everyone goes now to the north direction, that there is some great vital meaning." And he ordered to go north direction. Why did he tell not east, not south, not west? Go only north, and... If you get any animals, or any persons, or any beings, please bring the head of the thing, and then we will fix it, so he orders. Mahādev jī got very angry. He said, "Who are you?" They started a fight. While they were fighting, Mahādev jī ordered Śivagaṇa to remove the man from the room. We want to go to Pārvatī’s room, but Śivagaṇa couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t do anything. There was a big fight. The man was Gaṇeśjī. Gaṇeśjī blocked him. Due to blocking, they all fell down. Parvati’s son was very strong, and Mahādevjī came, and Mahādevjī had a long fight. In his hand, Mahādevjī cut his head and killed him. After that, Pārvatījī was very sad, and everyone started crying. And when half of the nature and male nature become sad, then what does the male do? So, what should a man do? So, that’s why a woman’s strength gets weakened. So, men’s strength cannot move forward. That’s why I showed it here. And Mother Pārvatī should remain in sorrow. And later, when everyone requested, Mother Pārvatī should be happy. Otherwise, it will be a disaster. So, after that, she asked. If Ganeshji, Ganeshji, what is it? That he will be alive. If he gets life, then I will be happy. Otherwise, I will not be happy. That’s why she asked. So Mahādev jī went to all the devotees and asked them to bring him back to life. When Gaṇeśa jī will come back to life, Pārvatī will be happy. Otherwise, it is a very sad time. When Pārvatī was happy, what did Mahādev jī do? He said, "Go to Uttar Disha and bring someone from there." Then I will bring him back to life. So, here comes a situation. Everyone knows the story, everyone has heard it, but why did Mahādev send it in the north direction? Why did Mahādev send it in the north direction for Gaṇeśa’s head, for any Jīva’s head? So, there is a little scientific reason for that, and what is Gaṇeśa symbolically? So, we will also tell that in detail. So, because of that, we will get more energy in our spiritual life. Jai Bholī, Gaṇapati Mahārāj Kī Jai. So, after that, it happens that he went to, uh, everyone went to the source, and they’re trying to find some beautiful head, if there is something. But just then, there is coming one elephant who was walking, and the elephant was watching. Oh, this is the beautiful. Animal, but it has got a great head. What we’re going to do? But the Mahādeva order is, "Bring any head, otherwise head needs head." So they thought, "Okay, this is all right," and they cut off the head of the elephant and brought it to Śivajī, and Śiva... Blessed and rejoined, he did the plastic surgery, and he has got an elephant hand. Slowly, he starts, and he starts to smile. The beautiful body down is a human being, and upper is an elephant. It’s amazing, isn’t it? The kids also say, "Oh, such a nice!" That’s... A game, such a nice idea. Good, yeah. So that even though Ganesh’s story, they don’t know in school, that they love Ganesh because he has big, big ears and a long neck, and the body is a beautiful human being. And Ganesh is so happy, Pārvatī also. Happy, but Parvati is still not happy. She has got a lot of conditions. She told, "Well, that is not enough for me, you know. That it’s not fair. He needs to receive some blessings, and that blessing is he needs to be a king. He needs to be a leader." Of all the goddesses, and please bless him. If you bless, I’ll be happy. Before Mahādeva, before Viṣṇu, before Brahmā, he needs to be worshipped, and he deserves that. If you bless that way, and if he becomes the lord of all the team and the team leader. Of the team, then I’ll be happy, then Mahādeva bless. Okay, so then the Gaṇeśa became, from that day, Gaṇeśa, Gaṇapati. Because he became the leader. Gana means team, and Pati is the owner. So he is the president of the team, of the Gaṇeśa. From that day, the naming, the baby naming, that happens, the Gaṇapati, Gaṇeśa. That’s why we said, "Jai Jai Gaṇeśa." So Gaṇeśa Bhagavān, from that day, started, and then he started to work. And he received a lot of blessings from Pārvatī. Gaṇeśa, you will be a wonderful, wise person. And again, that Mahādeva also blessed, "Oh Gaṇeśa, you are blessed, and I bless you. You are the leader, and without your worship, if anyone worships any prayer, any rituals..." Start without your prayer, that will not be fruitful. I bless you, so that’s why from that day everyone started any prayers that start from Gaṇeśa, Gaṇapati. No matter whatever devī devatā you pray, and in pañca devatā also, in the five devatās, that’s in various books written about it and various research have been. Done. And when anyone prays or worships, Gaṇeśa comes first. That’s why, even nowadays, there is a slogan: if you start some business or any project, they say, "Did you do Śrī Gaṇeśa?" It means, like, "Did you open it?" Means Śrī Gaṇeśa Ayanāmā. Did Śrī Gaṇeśa take his name or not? This is what they say. So here is the story that in the Śrī Purāṇa, A lot of research has been done on this: why did Gaṇapati Mahārāj’s head turn into an elephant, and why did he have to go in the direction of the Lord, in the order of Śrī Mahādev? It is like this that here, when Gaṇapati Mahārāj had his head cut, then Pārvatījī’s request was that he should become the head of Gaṇapati Mahārāj every time. And what is the plus of being the head of Gaṇapati Mahāraj? That every time his worship should be done first. And that elephant’s head was put, Ganesha’s head was made. The severed head was gone, but the elephant was found in Uttar Diśā, and Śivagaṇḍha got the same for Śivagaṇḍha. And the elephant’s head was attached. After that, according to Pārvatījī’s proposal, he became the husband of Gaṇeśa. And whoever worships Ārādhanā, that first of all, Gaṇeśa Mahārāja should do it, then he should not go against it. What does this mean? When Gaṇeśa is mentioned, it has energy. You can move forward only when you get that energy. If the leader is weak, then the people will also become weak. Therefore, if the leader is strong, then he can move forward. Why are there rats outside Gaṇeśa? The rat means, research has been done in various universities, and a lot of stories have been made about it. The meaning of a mouse is that how can such a great Gaṇeśa sit on a mouse? A mouse will die, but it is symbolic. That is why we cannot understand any story of the Śāstra directly. No one becomes a scholar by knowing the story. There is only a word-jāla. Śabdajālaṁ mahāraṇyaṁ citra-bhramaṇa-kārakam. Śaṅkarācārya jī says in Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, in the śāstrī śloka. It is said in the book, "śabda jālaṁ mahāraṇyaṁ citra brāhmaṇa kārakam." That means, śabda jālam means the mind keeps on moving and does not let us go near the truth. That is why the truth is, our mind is very flexible. So, the mouse is also flexible. That is why the mouse control, that is, the one who can keep the flexible mind in control, can be the devotee of Gaṇeśa. So Gaṇeśa has got the vehicle. You know the vehicle? What’s Gaṇeśa’s vehicle? Yes, mouse. So why do they have a vehicle, mouse? Why not Mercedes? Why not limousine? Why not BMW? Say, why not some other things? He’s got the big belly, holder person, and long... uh, that’s a nose. How come he can stay on the rat? So that can be died, and it will be baked sandwich if gonna sit on the rat above the... if he’s riding rat, so how? Come, it is so. That’s why many stories give only the symbolic indication. Our mind is like, you know, like a mouse. It goes here, here... And there is never rest. The mouse also never rests. If you see the mouse, it always goes here and there, and it is doing everything, day and night going. So, in the same way, our mind also is very active. So that is in the Bhagavad... Gītā, Arjuna also said that the mind is very flickery, so that’s it’s going on here, unstable. And who can control the instability? That is the yogī, that is the bhakta of Gaṇeśa. And Gaṇeśa is the person who can control mind. If you control mind... You will have the power. If you cannot control, you cannot have power. This is only symbolic. That’s why we need to understand every indication. Gaṇeśa sits on the mouse; that means Gaṇeśa can defeat all the instability, all the... Anxiety, all the fear, all the stress of mind, whatever negativity becomes, that’s why Gaṇapati, Ganeśa, is a wise, the wise person. He will focus. It is saying in a philosophy that a wise person always creates the philosophy for the new. Generation, and he brings the new idea for the new generation. The moderate person always follows the good philosophy, and the inferior person just backbites. He talks about what other people do. He doesn’t have new things to give other people, just... oh. Part 2: The Vehicle of the Gods and the Focus of the Mind He is the one who did this. That is the person. He is not particularly good or bad, but what is he doing? He is always engaged in gossip because he lacks new ideas; he does not have a great mind. Gaṇeśa controls all such minds. He is a wonderful person. For example, if you fill a balloon with water and make many holes in it, the water will leak everywhere without any force or current. But if you make only one hole, the water comes out strongly with a great current. Similarly, if you go outside with a magnifying glass and want to ignite a cigarette or incense with it, if the glass is not focused, it won't catch fire even in an hour. But if you concentrate the sunlight strongly, fire comes in a second. The mind works the same way; if you focus on something, you will achieve it. If you go to the hospital and a doctor needs to take your blood, he says, "Take a deep breath," and then he takes the blood. What is the connection between breathing and blood? There is none. But he wants to distract your mind. If you watch the needle, you will feel more pain. With deep breathing, your mind focuses on the breath and you will not feel the pain in the same way. If you focus on something in your life, you will forget everything else and will not feel pain. If your mind is a restless "monkey mind," you remember your house, mortgage, bills, career, job, health, family tensions, children's tensions, and other worldly troubles. There are so many tensions that we never find happiness. People become stressed and start biting their nails, which is another symptom of stress. I hope you are not biting yours, but many people do. When stressed, they don't know what they are doing, but they later see all their nails are gone. This is a symptom of a restless mind. Symbolically, the goddess is the defeater of the mind. That is why the goddess is wise. There is a mystery in Hindu gods and goddesses within Sanātana Dharma. All gods and goddesses have a vehicle, and they are all animals. Look at Śiva, the great being we discuss in the Śiva Purāṇa. He rides a bull. Why doesn't he have a Puṣpaka Vimāna or any other vehicle? He can create anything. Why does he ride a simple bull? Durgā rides a tiger. Why doesn't she have any other animal or vehicle? Why does she need to ride a tiger? Viṣṇu's vehicle is Garuḍa, the king of birds. Why does he have Garuḍa? It is said that every human being has two qualities: one animal quality and one divine quality. If you can get rid of the animal quality, you become God. All these gods and goddesses have gotten rid of their animal qualities. No matter what situation arises, they do not act like an animal. That is why they have defeated the animal within. It is said that Durgā represents this. A woman is normally the most powerful, most dangerous, and also the most supportive person. Even a rabbi says that. This means she got rid of arrogance and violence. She became Durgā. She does not have that sort of craziness and always maintains her mind. She rides above her senses and emotions. That is why she became Durgā. Similarly, Mahādeva (Śiva) is free from it. The minute an opportunity arises, a human being often succumbs to the animal within. You see news of thieves, robbery, cheating, rape, and abuse. So many things happen, even with so-called intellectuals. They cannot give up the animal quality. When the opportunity comes, they become an animal. But Śiva is free from it. No matter what opportunity comes, he always maintains his divinity. If you found a million dollars in an unattended bag outside, you might not care if you are free from animal instincts. But if you have the animal idea, you would go with hammers to take it. Those who can defeat the animal quality will follow the godly quality. That is why, in all of Sanātana Dharma, all gods and goddesses have different types of vehicles. We need to understand it in that way. The goddess (likely referring to Gaṇeśa's consort or another deity) also has a rat as her vehicle, so we need to understand it similarly. If you fill a bag with water and make a small hole, the force of the water increases. But if you make a bigger hole, the force decreases. In this way, our mind is also very flexible. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad Gītā that the mind is flexible. It means the nature of the mind is also flexible. The one who can control the flexible mind becomes Gaṇeśa. That is why the mouse (his vehicle) is very flexible. The one who controls it is Gaṇeśa. In our Hindu Śāstra, you can see examples of Devī-Devatā everywhere. In the examples, there is Nandī of Śivajī and Garuḍa of Viṣṇu. Because Garuḍa and the bull of Śivajī are all animals. Those who are free from the mind of animals, animal life, and animal worry consider themselves as Devatā. In our human being, there are elements of animals as well as of Devatā. When animal elements come, then theft, violence, murder—everything comes. When the opportunity is given, even great men and agreed-upon people engage in wrong business and do wrong things. So it means the nature of the animal is hidden inside. The one who rises above the nature of the animal is God. So what is God? Some have Vāhana Nandī, some have Garuḍa, some have a tiger (Śer). It means that Vāhana signifies they have risen above that thing, that Chitta (consciousness). That is why you see big people in the world, but there is news of violence and theft from them. Humans are the most dangerous animals in the world. "Jñāna vṛtti ko nikal sakta hai, wohī manuṣya hai, wohī bhāgavata tattva hai. Wohī nikalne ke liye hamāre śāstro me ye sāre dekha hai. Katha to ham sun lete hai, lekin katha ke amṛt bāṇī me jo kya chhipā huā hai, vohī cīj ko anusandhān karke nikāl ke, āj ke duniyā me nahī̃ puchtā tak lekar ānā hī hamāre kartavya pe hai. Nahī̃ to hamāre ye sīdhī kathā kathā batāyeṅge to ye kathā sun liyā bhī hai, nahī̃ puchtā koī bhī isko nahī̃ mān payeṅge." So, here is Gaṇeśa. The Śiva Purāṇa talks about how we can worship Gaṇeśa. How can we worship Gaṇeśa? It says Gaṇeśa can be worshipped with dūrvā. You know dūrvā grass? Dūrvā grass is a type of grass that always extends. It is said that this species of grass never finishes from era to era. Dinosaurs came and disappeared, many flora and fauna, trees, and games disappear, but this plant remains. From Satya Yuga, Tretā Yuga, Dvāpara Yuga to Kali Yuga, it is always there. The plant has a long history and extends its branches quickly. If you plant it somewhere else in a flower pot or anywhere, you don't need to water it or add fertilizer. It sustains and spreads itself. That is the nature of this plant. Not only that, it has a great quality. If you make a juice of dūrvā with pāpītā (papaya) and watermelon, it gives fertility power. For those who want to have a baby or have problems with children, making juice from papaya, watermelon, and dūrvā increases sperm and helps in having a baby. That is what Āyurveda says. Theoretically, this is a very medicinal plant. Our ṛṣis attached it to God so that people can use it generation after generation and get the benefit. Otherwise, if you just say "dūrvā is a medicine," people might forget. But if you connect it with Gaṇeśa, they will bring it and offer it. Because of the prasāda, we are going to eat it, and sometimes we do eat it. That is the tradition, but there is another story behind it. This is why Gaṇeśa is worshipped with dūrvā and why he likes it. Different Purāṇas have different stories, but here the Śiva Purāṇa talks only of offering dūrvā without saying why. The Skanda Purāṇa says dūrvā is offered and there is a story behind it, as mentioned before. Gaṇeśa was invited to dinner. At whose house? Kubera's house. Kubera wanted to show off and invited Śrī Pārvatī to dinner. At the dinner, Gaṇeśa ate everything. He finished it all as part of his Līlā. Finally, Kubera ran away and worshipped Gaṇeśa. But Gaṇeśa was still eating. He went to a poor person's place who had nothing. Gaṇeśa asked, "Do you have any food? I am in great trouble. I have to feed Gaṇeśa." The poor person said, "The Gaṇeśa you cannot feed. If you give him any rice, rice pudding, or desserts, Gaṇeśa will be satisfied with only one thing. I am poor, but Gaṇeśa is always satisfied with me." That is one mystery formula. Gaṇeśa said, "Oh, can you please tell me that formula? I want to feed Gaṇeśa." That formula is dūrvā. If you give a little dūrvā grass to Gaṇeśa, he will be happy. The poor person gave a bunch of dūrvā grass to Gaṇeśa, and Gaṇeśa was very happy. That is why the tradition of offering dūrvā comes from this. Wherever you worship Gaṇeśa, offer dūrvā. With a mantra, it is better. "Karṇāt parohanti eva na durve pratano śāstre na sate na ca." You can offer dūrvā with some mantra; it is much better. If you don't have a specific mantra like "Om Dūrvāṃ Samar Pāyāmī Iti Gaṇeśa Samar Pāyāmī," whatever mantras you know, you can offer. Just remember: "Bhavahi Devavidyate." It is said that if you are worshipping God or any deities and you don't know a mantra, don't worry. God does not want a mantra. A mantra is better for your practice, but still, "Bhavahi Devavidyate." The Devatā, the divine God, is in your feelings. If you don't have feelings, no matter how much you chant, if your mind is elsewhere, it is nothing. Nowadays, what is happening? "Oh, Nārāyaṇa Nāma, oh Gaṇeśa Nāma." By the way, what do you make for breakfast? "Oh, Nārāyaṇa Nāma." "Nārāyaṇa Nāma, please make the car ready." "Nārāyaṇa Nāma, Nārāyaṇa Nāma." There is no mind in the prayer. Better than that is to not have the mind in prayer at all if it is not focused. But properly, if you know, that's fine. If you don't know, also don't worry. The feelings give that. That's why people ask me, "In Europe, you have to chant in English. No one understands God's mantra in Saṃskṛt. How can you make peace with God?" Well, God does not need any language. He is sarva-jñānī, sarva-kālika. He can understand any language, the language of the heart. He doesn't need verbal language. He understands the language of the heart. He always understands intention. So, what is your intention? Always give attention. God always wants to see the intention. That's why, whatever language you have, don't worry. If you don't know, just say in your language, "Oh Goddess, I would like to offer this dūrvā. Please take it. I don't have..." Any mantra you can say so the goddess can accept? He said, "Oh, tell me in Sanskrit what you want to say." He will not say that to you. So that's why the goddess always needs that bhāva, your feelings. If you know the feelings, that's good. Feelings are fine. That is why it is said in the story of Sabarī and Rāma. Sabarī was an illiterate person with no mantras, but she could appease Rāma, and Rāma came to her. She had great devotion, even though she offered leftover or pre-tested fruits, half-eaten food. Rāma was so happy because there was involvement with devotion. Always remember that. What you are doing with devotion is the great thing. There is one story. There was a sādhu who always worshipped, prayed early in the morning, gave good fruits to God, and chanted the whole day, keeping a mic to make everyone listen. A weaver passed by the road and thought, "Oh, such a great person! He's chanting all the time, such a nice devotee." But in the town across the river, there was a brothel where prostitution was happening. There, they could also listen to the sādhu chanting mantras. The people working there, the brothers and ladies, thought, "Oh my God, he's doing such nice things. We are in hell. We are doing such naughty things we're not supposed to do in our life. The sādhu is great, chanting every day. What a devotee he is." Their mind was always on God. "Oh, my God. Maybe we get a chance. We are not supposed to do these things. We might chant God's names." They were always remembering those things. But the sādhu was there chanting, "Om Namah Śivāya," and thinking, "How many times do I need to chant? Look at them. They are enjoying. They have a car. So many people are coming and going. Beautiful, handsome people come, and they are earning money also. I have no money. I always have to ask somebody, 'Please donate, donate...' How many times? It's nothing. It's not good business. I think I need to change my career." So he was doing one thing but thinking another. They were doing something but thinking of God. One day, a big earthquake came and both died—the sādhu when his building collapsed, and the prostitutes when their building collapsed. What happened then? From heaven, the Śiva Gaṇa came and took the ladies to Śiva Loka. The Yamadūta came from hell and took the sādhu to Yamaloka. In the middle of the junction, they met each other. The sādhu started to cry, "Oh well, they did prostitution all their life. They are supposed to go to hell. And I always worshipped God. I am supposed to go to heaven. How come that? Maybe you made a mistake. Please check your computer, check your account details properly." The Yamadūta said, "No, no... It's already checked. We never make mistakes. We double confirm, and we came here. Even though you were worshipping there, your mind was always there. 'Mine is there' means you were worshipping those things, not God. No matter what you do, they were doing that out of compulsion, but their mind was here. So that's how God always takes your intention, not what you're doing, what you're waiting for, or what you say. That's why you are liable to go to hell. Okay, thank you. Goodbye." So they went to heaven. That is one story you can read in many scriptures in different versions. My guru and teachers, and other places, I have heard that many times. That's why what you do is important, but your intention is important. God always checks your intention. He does not check your color, caste, group, nationality, or language. That's why it is very important. Bhagavān tests your intentions every time. He does not check what you are doing. That is why, here also, Bhagavān has come up with the idea of offering dūrvā. When dūrvā and papaya are made into juice together, it increases the power of growth and child production. That is why, in the story of Kubera, Gaṇeśa fed everyone, but Gaṇeśa did not die of hunger. He did not die of hunger. What do you give to God? It is good if you give it with devotion. There is no need for any specific language in devotion. You can give it in any language. God sees the mind and feelings. He does not see the external action alone. So, that is why another story comes. There was a sage sitting on the shore of the sea. The sage used to do dhyāna, pūjā, and pāṭha with a lot of noise. There was a temple on the shore of the river. They used to sit there and do sādhu pūjā. But one day the sage started thinking, "What am I doing? I don't have money to spend." But new people used to come who had money, so he used to think about that. People used to say he is a very pure sādhu, a sādhu who keeps doing dharma, but his mind was here while his body was there. So he does one thing and has another in his mind. One day, an earthquake came, a lot of mountains fell, and both the sage and the people in the brothel died. What happened then? The people from the veśyālaya (brothel) went to heaven, and the Yamadūta took the sādhu to hell. On the way, they met. The sādhu cursed a lot, saying, "I have worshipped all my life; why are you taking me to hell?" The Yamadūta said, "No, no, you were worshipping, but your mind was in the veśyālaya. And the one who was in the veśyālaya, where was his mind? It was in the devotion of God. That's why you have to go to hell, and there is no place for you in heaven." That's the story. That's why if we do anything with devotion, then God becomes happy. Gaṇapati Mahārāj, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara—Gaṇeśa worships God for a few days. So now chant: "Gaṇeśa Jai, Gaṇeśa Jai, Gaṇeśa... Deva Jai Gaṇeśa Jai Gaṇeśa Deva Jai Gaṇeśa Jai Gaṇeśa... Deva Māta Jākī Pārvati Pita Mahādeva, Māta Jākī Pārvati Pita Mahādeva. Ek Dant Dayā Bant, Cār Bhujādhārī, Māthī Sindūr Soye, Mosekī Savārī. Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa... Deva Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa Deva. Māta Jākī Pārvatī, Pitā Mahādeva. Māta Jākī Pārvatī, Pitā Mahādeva. Phool chade, pān chade, aur chade mevā. Laḍḍūon kā bhog lage, sant kare sevā. Laḍḍūon kā bhog lage, sant kare sevā. Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa Deva. Māta Jākī Pārvatī, Pitā Mahādeva. Andhan ko ānkh detā, koḍhin ko kāyā. Andhan ko ānkh detā, koḍhin ko kāyā. Bhajan ko putra detā, nirdhan ko māyā. Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa Deva. Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa Deva. Māta Jākī Pārvati, Pitā Mahādeva. Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa Deva. Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa, Jai Gaṇeśa Deva. Māta Jākī Pārvati, Pitā Mahādeva. Māta Jākī Pārvati, Pitā Mahādeva." You have to worship Gaṇeśa from the heart. So, what is Pūjā? It is 55, 1050, 1650? What does Pūjā mean? Spiritual elevation. You should worship Gaṇeśa’s character, not the picture. Embody the character. Rāmcaritmānas Siddhārth Dās Jī writes, "God is not worshipped in the picture, but in the character." That’s why people in the world are more focused on pictures and idols. God lacks the character to come up. That’s why Kabīr says, worship the character. Open your eyes, blind eyes. That’s why there are eyes, but we are blind. So open your eyes, not for the picture, but for the character. You are standing in front of a mirror, but in the mirror you don't see the picture, but the character. So how many times have you stood in front of the mirror? There, you only see the picture. You come in front of beauty, but the character is not seen in the mirror. So what is the reason? Improve the character, not the picture. If the picture is not there, then decorate the character. That is the spiritual meaning of it. Now, the Śiva Purāṇa talks about how to worship Gaṇeśa. In it, Brahmā is telling Nārada. Nārada is the son of Brahmā, and Brahmā is talking. Nārada is asking. He has a lot of questions and queries about Gaṇeśa, and Brahmā, the initiator who knows everything, is telling the knowledge to Nārada. So the knowledge is passing down from grandfather to father, father to son and daughter, like this, from generation to generation. Here Brahmā said, "Well, to worship Gaṇeśa, you can do three types of prayer." One is Pañcopacāra (pañca pāchār), offering prayer with five ingredients. The second is ten ingredients, Daśopacāra (daśo pāchar). And third is Ṣoḍaśopacāra, offering sixteen items. According to your time availability and access, if you are away and don't have anything, don't have a full basket of pūjā sāmagrī, don't worry. Gaṇeśa is easy to appease with five items as well. What are the five items? First is water. Water is mostly available; God has given it. So for bathing and offering water, and padyam, candanam, puṣpam. That means in padyam (water for washing feet), then you can offer with pañcāmṛta and also holy water or Gaṅgā water. And flowers—everywhere you have flowers, you can offer them. And also candana, tīkā, sindūr. Sindūr is a favorite. It talks about why sindūr is popular for Gaṇeśa. The Śiva Purāṇa doesn't tell why Gaṇeśa likes sindūr, but some other scriptures I read in many places say sindūr also has a story about why he wants it. Sindūr is red, especially red sindūr, and red sindūr gives courage. A leader always wants courage; a leader needs courage. If you remember Hitler—he was not of good fame—but he had one trick: how to lead people. He used to remember the names of thousands of his soldiers by heart and call them, "Oh, Peter, oh Jim, oh Brat." When somebody takes your name, it means somebody is paying close attention. So concentration is one of the wonderful qualities of a leader. Also, sindūr, the red color in color therapy, gives confidence. In astrology also, if your planet Sun is weak or your planet Mars is weak, you have weak willpower and no confidence. That's why some people are great but confused and lack confidence. At that time, they need a remedy from the sun, a red remedy like vermilion (sindūr) powder, red color therapy, and red sapphire. Even a red pen or a red piece of clothing is better for confidence. Even here, if you go for an interview, people advise, "Please take something red with you." It activates your brain and gives some power. That's color therapy. And hence, for Gaṇeśa, it is significant. Part 3: The Significance of Offerings in Gaṇeśa Worship He is the leader of the gaṇa, the team leader, and he always needs encouragement. If the leader is weak, then nothing can happen. Consider the Gorkhas from Nepal. The British always recruited Gorkha people because they are brave, a tradition of bravery that continues from British times until now. Every year, thousands of Nepalese young men go to Britain for the army; even in India, the Gorkha is popular. This means leadership always needs to be strong, no matter what. That is why, in battle, it is said worldwide that the Gorkha armies stand second to none. Even Hitler said, "I can defeat all armies except the Gorkhas." So, Gorkhas represent bravery. Bravery is needed for an army leader. In the same way, the sindūra, the color therapy, the red therapy, instills bravery. The Purāṇas say different things. Once, Brahmā produced red boys who were intelligent, and finally, he is connected with Gaṇeśa. The story goes like that. But here, the sindūra is a favorite, and it is said to be like a fruit. Then, there is pañcopacāra: you can offer water, you can offer pañcāmṛta. If not pañcāmṛta, then holy water, and you can find flowers everywhere. You can offer fruits, and you can offer candana tilaka. Why fruits? To Gaṇeśa, the fruits represent karma. If you do good deeds, you will have good karma—good fruits. If you do bad things, it is bad karma. So, that fruit is an indication of your karmic outcomes. That is why Gaṇeśa is worshipped among the Pañcopāsakas. The fruits are important. Not only Gaṇeśa, but every goddess can be worshipped with fruit and food; that is in the mantra. If you do the prayer to Gaṇeśa, phalacāru means the fruits of four: dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. Dharma is duty; artha is the blessing of prosperity; kāma is desire, mentality, and prosperity; and mokṣa is liberation, salvation. These are the four goals, the puruṣārthas, that Sanātana Dharma upholds. The goddess can be offered grains; the food indicates this as well. These are the four karmic rules. Similarly, why do we give flowers? That has been researched. The Śivapurāṇa does not talk about it, but I would like to talk about the research, whatever spirituality they are doing. The fruits and the flowers are also a guru. The flower is a guru. If you can take lessons, you will have many lessons from many people—even from a dog, even from a mosquito, even from flies. They can be your guru. The flower is said to be one of the vital gurus, the true guru, because the flower is temporary. It has a very short life, and the shortest part of its short life is its beauty. That is why we do not offer a stone. We choose a flower because a stone can remain forever, or for a longer time, but the flower goes quickly. Look at this: you gave this flower this morning, you garlanded me, but in a couple of hours, it goes down, and tomorrow, it will be like dry grass. That is why it has a very short life. In human beings also, there is a very short life, and the short-lived thing is beauty. So, offering a flower always reminds us: "Oh, I am offering this flower, and I am also the flower of this universe one day. I have to go like this." It reminds you of the impermanence of life. That is why the flower offering every time. The flower is also the most beautiful creation of this universe. That is why a flower. What are the five pañcopacāra? Water, pañcāmṛta, sindūra, fruits, and flowers. So, we can offer these. If you do not have anything, if you go to a tīrtha, a goddess, you can worship. Pārvatījī worshipped just with sand. If you do not have anything, then just say, "Namo namaḥ." And it says, what will happen if you want to start something? You are in a bus, you are driving, you are trained, you are in a car. It says you do not need even those five things. You do not need even a mantra? You do not need to chant if you do not like, but you can remember. That is saying "manasā parikalpya" in Sanskrit, which means, "I will worship you mentally." Just remember Gaṇeśa is there, you are offering the holy water, you are offering the tilaka, you are offering the fruits and flowers, and you are just bathing and giving the incense. Just remember. That is why it is said that it is not necessary. Also, if you do not have, it does not mean you always do that. That is mental prayer. If there is a lack of prayer materials, you can do mental prayer, which is called a mantra as well. So, it is a mental prayer. You can do it. In the daśopacāra, how can you do it? There are ten types of ingredients you can offer. Then you can eat the laḍḍū, yes, modaka laḍḍū, the ball of sweet. You can also give coins, money. You can also offer incense and perfume. You can also offer dūrvā grass. If you have more availability, then you can do ṣoḍaśopacāra—sixteen offerings. That is perfect. Why sixteen? It is like the sixteen kalās, like Kṛṣṇa has sixteen intentions. So, sixteen is the number to indicate that you want to attain the character of Gaṇeśa. Worshipping God is not about appeasing; you want to imitate the qualities of God. That is why: do not just worship the picture and statue, but worship and try to bring those qualities into your mind and heart. That is why it is said that many saints, many enlightened people, said that first you need to play with a statue, you need to worship a statue. But later on, when you are spiritually evolved, then you can mentally uplift your spiritual power and then you can worship. For example, if somebody gives you a gift now, like small toys, toys of a small car, or any toys for a man or trays, anything. You will not enjoy them now, but you could have enjoyed those toys when you were kids, is it not? If somebody gave you a gift, a small toy car, you would enjoy, "Oh, look at this car, beautiful tiny car." You could spend hours with that. Now, if somebody gives toys, "Oh, what can I do? Those are kids' things." It is the same thing: when you spiritually uplift, then you will not have to indulge with the saguṇa; you will go to the nirguṇa. In the saguṇa, you always go and pray and offer this and that, but in your mind, nothing. So, that is not the way of spiritual upliftment. See, the Purāṇa also tells us to concentrate on the character of God, not the picture of God. The picture is not important; the image is not important. Yes, it is important for those who want to go through the saguṇa first, but later on, if you are already elevated, then you can uplift. That is yogī dhāraṇā. Parampadā. Duniya dhabe mandira. Yogī dhabe parampadā. This means that other people, those who stand in the long queue at the temple, still have a lot of sorrow and pain. But the yogī meditates there and will find everything inside. So, the yogī dwells in parampada. Parampada means the supreme God's lotus feet. That is the great master's position that we can attain. Here also, Śrī Praṇā talks about how to worship Gaṇeśa. The obvious variety of the stages of prayer that you can offer are pañcopacāra, daśopacāra, and ṣoḍaśopacāra, and mānasika prayers, so that you can do this Gaṇeśa worship. And also, it says that from that time, people started to worship Gaṇeśa, and Gaṇeśa is one of the protectors. What is the scientific reason to pray to Gaṇeśa? Obviously, there is a vibrational mantra activation. When you say "Gaṇeśa," that phonetically gives the vibration that starts something. If there is some blocking energy, it will go away. Like if you throw a stone in water, what will happen? If the pond is dirty, the wave makes it clear. In the same way, you are throwing the flower in water, and the water makes the wave, and the waves make it clear, and you will have clear water over there. So, in that way, that is a vibrational activation. Science also says that praying to Gaṇeśa is good, chanting the Gaṇeśa mantra first is good. Now, can you chant a couple of times? Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ together. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. ... Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Feel the vibration while you chant. That creates amazing vibrational energy. That energy reflects the auspiciousness to start anything, any beginning. But the proper chanting is not "gaṇapata e," it is "ya." "Ya" makes us phonetically bend our head. Gaṇapataye. "Ya" means you need to bend, that means bowing towards the statue. Not "Gaṇapata e," not "Gaṇapata e," but "Gaṇapataye." In the same way, every verse is designed to bow your head. The design of that phonetic symbol bends your head towards your heart center, which shows it is connecting with and activating your throat center. That is the mantra's scientific meaning, why we chant "Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ." For worshipping God, in Śivapurāṇa, all kinds of remedies have been told: daśopacāra, pañcopacāra, and ṣoḍaśopacāra. Pañcopacāra, we worship with five things, so we know, but why do we offer fruits? Why do we offer flowers? Why do we offer water? What is the reason for that? If we offer it knowingly, then it is more beneficial. So, when we offer water, it means that water—what happens in water? In water, the divine energy is released from our mind and brain. That is why water, especially water from the Gaṅgā, is pure water. So, it is not only about taking a bath with it; it also removes the emotions from our mind and brain. So, by doing this, you bring fruits. The meaning of fruit is that our karma is fruit. If you do good deeds, you will get good fruits. If you do bad deeds, you will get bad fruits. So, fruits are there. That is why fruits are there in four parts and mantras. What is a flower? A flower is also a guru. A flower comes in the morning and dies in the evening. It is lost. So, if a flower has a small life, then a small life is the beauty of a flower. And while planting flowers, a person gets to know, "I am also going to die one day." So, he gets to know that, and that is why he plants flowers. In this way, you have the solution for everything. So now, this is of 550, and in 1050 and 650, you will sit in the ashram of kuśa grass. What is the meaning of kuśa? Kuśa is a kind of medicinal plant, kuśa grass. What is there in it? It is more important than ether. That is why we worship ether by keeping it there, so that you do not catch the earth power in your devotion. That is why, before pūjā, we make a ring of kuśa grass and sit in kuśāsana. The meaning of sitting in kuśāsana is that the earth power should not disturb us. We should disconnect and get into complete devotion. Why do we put the ring finger in this way? So that it connects directly with our brain, so that our mind does not get disturbed, so that it gets into complete devotion. That is why science is being researched in this. So now, for the new book, for the new generation, we will take this knowledge with the Qur'ān and the book in all the new books. So, in all places, everyone can take advantage of this. Jai Bhūliyā Gaṇeśa Bhagavān Kī Jai. There is an incident: when in Australia, about the cross, in a spiritual session, it was told. After that, whether Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, or Christians, everyone started to keep kuśa in their houses. Whoever keeps kuśa in their house, that thunderstone, which gets away from the chāṭāṅga, because it works as a radiation. So, by doing this, everything is told. Here in the Śiva Purāṇa, how will we do the worship of Gaṇeśa Bhagavān? The method of śūr-śūr-pācār is told. In this, we will move ahead. Now, the turn goes for the daśopacāra. Here, daśopacāra in Śiva Purāṇa talks about how we can worship Gaṇeśa in daśopacāra. In daśopacāra, with kuśa grass—you know kuśa grass? A kind of grass that looks like a long, green leaf, but very thin. That is called kuśa grass. You need to sit on a cushion of kuśa grass. You need to wear a ring on your ring finger before starting prayer. And you can put that kuśa grass in water before you sing. You need to put some kuśa grass in it. What is the meaning there? If ancestors are doing it just for nothing, needlessly, is there some meaning? Definitely. It has great research in Āyurveda. According to Āyurveda, if you sit above the kuśāsana, then you will disconnect from the earthing power and your devotion will be continuous towards God. So, when you sit, that is the non-conductor. It will disconnect the earthing energy. Also, if you wear the ring on your ring finger, from the ring finger the nerves go directly to our brain, and when they go to the brain, your mind will not be that much disturbed. That is why, always in marriage, wedding also, we put this ring on the ring finger. Also, if you do your fingers like this, and if you connect your thumb to thumb, and bend down the middle finger and touch your ring finger and little finger, you can remove this finger easily. You can remove the middle finger easily, but this finger you cannot remove. This one you can even remove, but your ring finger cannot separate. Can you? No. Look at this. If you cannot, try. We will try and break. So, that is the connectivity. So, you can wear the kuśa ring on your ring finger before prayer with the mantra. Similarly, there is kuśa, which is why we are putting it in the water. If you put it in the water, the juice of the kuśa will help purity. If you have joint problems, if you have arthritis, if you put regularly kuśa grass in a curry vegetable, that makes bones strong. If you have teeth aching problems also, that also helps. That is in Burma; that is a recent Āyurvedic research that I can refer to, a book as well, Āyurveda. If you read the Bhagavat books, in Burma they breed the kuśa grass and they make the tea that is called lemongrass tea; you might already know. And the lemongrass tea also, if you put lemongrass regularly in your curry, in tea, and in other places, then you will have strong bones. That is why you, and the many sages and yogīs, they have strong bones, and till late they can meditate. So, that is why kuśa is important. Not only that. Then, when we had a talk in Australia, one spiritual talk, and at that time, we explained about the value of kuśa grass. From that, not only Hindus, but all Christians and all Muslims, they wanted to take, "Can you give us, can you provide us some kuśa grass, please?" They asked me, and they are now keeping it at home. So, that is not only for Hindus, not for Sanātana only. It is good for everyone. The sun is for everyone, the air for everyone, the water for everyone. So, it is not distinguished by any color, caste, group, or nationality. That is why, if you have kuśa grass, the dry kuśa grass in your home, the thunderstorm does not come. It radiates to the other side, and the thunderstorm goes away. That is why, in ancient times, the yogīs, ṛṣis, and munis used to meditate under a kuśa grass roof. The roof was made of kuśa grass. So, if anyone puts kuśa grass just at your entrance, above the entrance, any negativity will be blocked, and its radius—that is why kuśa grass. Also, in the Veda—not in Śiva Purāṇa, but I read that in other Purāṇa—that kuśa is best cut in the Bhādra months. Bhādra, according to the lunar cycle, comes in August. On the new moon day in August, Bhādra Kṛṣṇa Aṣṭamī, then in August, on the new moon day, the dark day, if you cut the kuśa grass, that kuśa is mature at that time. That is mature power. At that time, you just only one time—many people go and just pick up the kuśa anytime; that is not good. Just that only one day they cut the kuśa grass, bring it to your home, and use it from time to time. That is the process it shows in Āyurveda. So, it has medicinal value and spiritual value. You will be benefited in both ways. So, anyone can use that one. So, you can make that kuśa grass as well. Again, the Swamiji, and we are talking about in Australia, we can supply kuśa grass, kuśa grass cushion to everyone, and that is very popular because people need it. And it will be for the welfare of the people and also for the good of everyone. So, kuśa grass is wonderful. Similarly, here, we offer pañcāmṛta. Here also, see, the Purāṇa talks about the process of worshipping with pañcāmṛta. You might already know the meaning also. Pañcāmṛta: in pañcāmṛta, how many things are there? Five. What are they? Yes, wonderful. That is ghee, yogurt, milk, honey, and sugar, or good, special jaggery—the sugar, yes, raw sugar. So, that comes. Three things from the cow, you know, the cow: three things. Milk from cow, yogurt from cow, and yes, the milk and yogurt and ghee—three things from cow. The cow has amazing medicinal value. Cow milk, you know that calcium and so many things come in it, that makes your bones strong, your heart, your bones, makes them stronger. Similarly, ghee increases your reproduction capacity. Yogurt, obviously, gives mental peace. It kills unnecessary bacteria inside. And sugar, that makes a sweetener, and also it makes the nectar when you mix it. Five things make nectar. In our body also, five elements, and it activates. That is why every time the offering, God means, in the name of offering, you need to drink that wine. And drinking means that nectar; you will have a chance, any devotees, anyone can have a chance to improve their health and also well-being. Also, they improve devotion. That is why pañcāmṛta is used. So, pañcāmṛta, ghee, and you can offer the fruits, flowers, and that is a wonderful idea. That is why, before eating anything after completing pūjā, prayer, then you need to sip pañcāmṛta. The first thing you need to do is cleansing. Have you heard that many people, when you have some problem, that if you eat rice directly, many people died because the rice is stuck here? They do not have the saliva to pass down the rice that is stocked near this breathing pipe, and then many people died. I think you already experienced that, as it happens sometimes as well. If you take a fast longer, if you have a long time, there is a big gap of fasting, and directly you get some meal, and then you start munching, and then that you can eat, then that will be the science of death. So, that is why before eating you just need to do three times ācamana—water. Important, is it not? Three times ācamana is you sip water three times before having meals, with the mantra, whatever prayer you say. Three times sipping is like that: your enzymes, saliva, are ready to swallow any foods, and prasāda also. Before eating any prasāda, fruits, or halwa or anything, also you need to sip. Pañcāmṛta makes the way clear. Now the king is coming, okay? Make your street clear. The Pañcāmṛta says so. That is why the way will be clear, and you can eat anything. So, pūjā. First, say, what is it that when we do pūjā, three times, what all do we have to climb? 550, 1050, and 650. We do pūjā from three levels. If you do not have any pūjā material in front of you, then you also do pūjā in a mental way. If you know how to do pūjā in a mental way, then you can say with a mantra, "Ahaṁ manasā parikalpya pūjāṁ kariṣye." You can say like this. If you do not know the mantra, then it is okay. Bhagavān is the source of feelings. Bhagavān is not the source of things. You, O Bhagavān, I do pūjā with this, do not be happy. So, the importance of kuśa grass is that, why do we plant kuśa? Our bones get strong from kuśa, and there are no cracks in the house. So, there is a way to keep kuśa in the house, and put kuśa in the water, and put kuśa in the curry and vegetables and eat. Then your teeth and the teeth are falling and the bones are weakening and there is a disease of the mouth, it gets cured. There are five things in pañcāmṛta. Why do we offer pañcāmṛta? Because it is made of cow's milk, curd, sugar, and curd, it becomes like amṛta. You can offer amṛta to God and drink it. That is why it becomes amṛta tulya. The reason why we offer everything in pūjā is because of science. If we tell the world the reason, people can do it in such a way that Sanātana Dharma is such a superstitious Dharma, and this is not the complete and correct Dharma. This is made for the well-being of every person and human community. That is why the importance of pañcāmṛta was also mentioned. The importance of kuśa grass was also mentioned. The importance of flowers was also mentioned. The importance of fruits was also mentioned. Now, come, why do we light incense in the pūjā? Here, Śiva Purāṇa says—why am I saying it now? We are in Rudra Saṁhitā in Śivapurāṇa, and we are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. We are talking about how to worship Lord Gaṇeśa. In the same way, there are so many things, but I want to summarize it. It says to offer incense as well. So, incense we offer to every god and goddess, but in the name of Śivapurāṇa, that we might know what is the meaning. Obviously, incense is a kind of healing thing, so healing environment. In the Western world, house cleansing or cleansing ceremony happens with smoke. They move the smoke, the white sage and lavender. They put charcoal and they make the cleansing. The Native Americans do the same thing. In Australia also, the Aboriginal, the native people, they also do the same thing in any ceremony. Even in a street, if they want to inaugurate anything, the first thing they need to do is burn some grass, some specific grass. They sprinkle the water, and they may purify the place. In the same way, before starting prayer, the environment might be polluted, the environment is not appealing, and that might affect your mind as well. That is why incense: when you burn incense, that creates smoke, and that beautiful, fragrant smoke makes the environment cleansing, and we cannot see. As I mentioned yesterday, we cannot see anything in this environment, but there are so many bacteria, so much dust, electronics, or vibes, so many things. But with the smoke, that makes clarity and also gives beauty, purification. That is why, always at the altar, in your altar or shrine, any place, in a temple, you can see the smoke. Even in healing nowadays, many healings are there in that healing. When you do that spiritual healing also, the singing bowl and some smokes, that happens. There was research, and in the research, that man can be healed. That is one sickness, I forget the name now. That sickness can go easily with smoke. If somebody lies down and just in the middle, at the bottom, you increase the smoke, then the smoke can heal. So, that is why. God has made this opportunity for both God and for worship. This is an opportunity. So, smoke makes cleansing, and water is also emotion. Part 4: The True Ornament: Wisdom, Charity, and the Essence of Worship Water also cleanses our emotions and purifies us. And the five nectars (Pañcāmṛt)—when the ocean (samudra) was churned, at that time, Viṣṇu disguised himself and distributed the Amṛt. If you wish to attain that Amṛt, that supreme wisdom, that is why we offer this Pañcāmṛt. We offer flowers, we offer incense, and that is also Dakṣiṇā. So, Dakṣiṇā means... money, rupees. Why do we give Dakṣiṇā to God? Dakṣiṇā means dānam (donation). What happens with donation? You get rid of bad karma. That is why it is said in the scriptures: "Hastasya bhūṣaṇaṁ dānaṁ, satyaṁ kaṇṭhasya bhūṣaṇaṁ, śrotasya bhūṣaṇaṁ śāstraṁ, bhūṣaṇāyaṁ prayojanam." See, hastasya bhūṣaṇaṁ dānaṁ: the ornament of the hand is to donate. Donate, brother. That is the ornament of the hand. Wearing big, long gold chains does not truly adorn the hand. What suits the hand is to donate. Kanthasya bhūṣaṇam satyam: the ornament of the throat is truth. Speak the truth, to speak truthfully is the ornament of your throat. Because wearing a necklace, wearing large garlands around your neck, that is not your true ornament. That is for showing people. Therefore, those who run after showing off to people, who chase after people's praise, move away from the feet of God. For them, that spiritual journey (adhyātmik yātrā) does not become successful. Śrotasya bhūṣaṇam śāstram: By wearing jewellery on your ears, by wearing top rings or piercing cards, it does not suit your ears. To suit your ears, you should listen to the scriptures, you must listen to the scriptures. You go far away. You are a very educated student, and you are more attracted to external things than the scriptures, so your ears are not adorned. So, by doing this... śrotasya bhūṣaṇaṁ satyaṁ kaṇṭhasthaṁ bhūṣaṇaṁ... what is the purpose of ornaments (bhūṣaṇāya kiṁ kā prayojanam)? All the external jewellery, what is its purpose? It is just for show. After death, it is nothing. There is a bracelet of gold and a bracelet of iron. The hand has a chain; what will happen with the chain? Nothing will happen. Therefore, what is it? By giving charity (dān), one attains merit (puṇya) from God, in Mother Bhārat. What did Bhīṣma used to do? Whenever sin (pāp) occurred, whenever some bad deed happened due to his prowess, then he used to go and perform charity (dhan puṇya). He attains freedom through wealth. What is there to give wealth? There is nothing to take. What is there to take from a brāhmaṇa, a swāmī, a yogī, a sādhu? Whatever wealth you take, give that wealth to someone who is sad. That is why Paramātmā gives to you. So, the one who gives is the Devatā. That is why if you wish to become a Devatā, if you wish to take the qualities of a Devatā, then you must also give. You are just running around to take. You are running here and there. You will give so much money there. You will get Dakṣiṇā there. If your mind is in the south (dakṣiṇa), if your mind is in attaining, then how will you attain the Bhagavatam? This is a priceless life. The mind and the brain are running after wealth. We need wealth too, but wealth is not the only thing. You worship Lord Viṣṇu. Lakṣmī will automatically come to meet you. And you run ahead to attain the Bhāgavatam. Dharma Rakṣati Rakṣitaḥ: Dharma protects the protector. If you move ahead for Dharma, then money will automatically come. Dharma will only protect you. But if you run after wealth, you will not get dharma. So what is dharma? You will not get dharma. You will not get dharma. When there is dharma, then wealth automatically comes. But we are not after any dharma. We are not after dharma. That is why the world is sad, sad, sad. So what is wealth? It is searching here and there in the sky. It is moving. So you see that an old man of 60 years, Prabhupāda, with a little bit in the direction of a stick, the world went away. Today the world is full of, see, this is the extent of the temple. Vivekānanda went empty-handed; the world is full of the dharma. So you see, this yoga in daily life has ashrams in every place. So what does it mean? That if you follow the dharma, then nothing happens. If you follow the dharma, then the dharma comes automatically. We have lived for dharma, not for the dharma. It shows, like in the Śiva Purāṇa, how we can offer dakṣiṇā, what’s the value of dakṣiṇā? Yes, so that is the donation, and why do we have to offer the money? Is God greedy? We are worshiping, we are saying that Lakṣmī is the owner of property, prosperity, but you are giving ten cents. So, will she take that ten cents? She is already rich. So, why do we have to offer? That’s not for God; that’s for you. That will help you, generosity. That will help to give, a giving nature. If you give, you will be given. So if we only take, then there will be snatching. That’s why giving is receiving. The best happiness comes from giving. So that’s the... In the Mahābhārata, if you still read the Mahābhārata story, there is a wonderful character, Karṇa. And Karṇa, if he... Did he have any faults? If he had some faults, he used to go to find out the poor people or the knowledgeable persons, and he used to donate to finish off the karma. So it’s a process of cleansing karmas, and it cultivates a giving nature. Also, in your family, if you teach your kids, "Oh, give to poor people or support the poor people," then you will develop that culture. You can develop the culture, and that’s why, later on, the suicide will be... [prevented]. Happy, and that helps to share the influence structure in the world. There is a fight because of the influence structure because that is the issue. Research shows that the world’s one-third, the 30%, 70% prosperity is in America and Europe. And whatever ice cream they eat, they can be, the medicine, they can be twice the medicine expenditure that comes for India, Nepal, or Asia. Whatever they spend on ice cream, and whatever they spend for the beauty parlor, that can be used for security and water supply in Asia. So the thousands of that, the expenditure is going for nothing. And then, even in Australia, there’s a yearly... that’s millions and trillions of dollars. Food goes to the ocean because of the 'best by' expiry. So if you share this in time, the people can share. In United Canada, in other places, people are starving without food, but we are throwing into the oceans millions, billions of dollars’ worth of food because of the "best by" expiry. We don’t eat that. We don’t even drink milk if that milk is only for... [it] expires on Sunday evening. We will throw it out on Sunday. Why? Because in two days, milk comes in. So why should we have to bother? So look at this there and here, the milk. If they find, "Oh my God," they will keep it in Nepal. Uh, the government. Uh, the government disposed of the rice during the earthquake time because that was expired. This, uh, that’s a date expired in Nepal. Expired means like more than six months or seven months. But when the government put it in the disposal bin, everyone jumped in there and took that rice. In a minute, the rice was finished. So that was hunger there. So the problem here in society is the equal distribution of infrastructure. And that is what happens: the donation nature, giving nature, or sharing nature gives happiness to everyone. So that’s why giving God money is not for opposing only. God is increasing your habit that you give. So in any religion, if you read in that, the Bible also, whatever you own, that 10% you need to donate. And if you read the Qur’ān also, and Bible or Tripiṭaka also, same thing. And here also in the Veda, it says like you need to do dāna before your death. Dāna means that whatever you own, you need to give 10 percent, more than 10 percent, to the poor people, to the world, for happiness. But that, that some of the people... have a misconception, and the dust that means that they just do, uh, some of the ten coins to one rich brāhmaṇa. Giving to a rich brāhmaṇa is not your dharma, because he already reached. He takes money from everywhere, and he’s already a celebrity. Give it to the poor people who are in real need, and you will get the blessings. And in Jyotiṣa also, it says like if you have a bad karma or bad effect of influence, then feed at least 108 poor people, and if many people bless you, and... the blessings, the vibe will help you. Increasing donation natures is, uh, this one. And, uh, it is saying that in some scripture that means, like, the jewelry of hand is giving, not the bangles, not the expensive, uh, golden chain. So if you donate, that’s your... jewelry for your neck is speaking truth, sticking with truth. Your jewelry is not the necklace and ear, not the ring. That listening, the knowledge, wisdom is yours. That is the jewelry you are now wearing, that of the wisdom. Is your, so the material worldly jewelry is just creating the ego, and so on, and that is snatching the money. So accumulating money also, it is saying that that’s a kind of sin. So that’s why you need to distribute it. That’s why many santas, many gurus, they do, they spend for the welfare of society’s welfare, and that nature’s giving. Nature is saying here and there, "There was a guy, he always wants to take, but he doesn’t want to give." And in the name of, if he listened that, "Oh, give me," he just wants to twist his head. And he, if somebody takes this, he will wake up even though he was deep sleeping. So that was his habit. And one day he fell in a well, in a deep pond, and people went there. Oh, he was struggling inside the pond. We need to take him out, and many people said, "Well, okay, I’ll give you, give your hand, please give your hand. We’ll, we’ll want to take you." And he just listened to the word "give," and he never gave his hand, and his body is... struggling, struggling. He doesn’t have the habit of giving, so he was struggling there. Everyone is asking, "Oh, give your hand," but he was not giving. And there was one wise man, and he told, "Well, take this, my hand. Okay, take, take my hand." And he held the hand, and he came out for rescue. That means, like, if you want to be rescued, then give. So, giving—if you give, you will be given. So that’s the moral thing. That’s why we offer dakṣiṇā, not for God. God is already rich. You don’t need your—He’s not greedy for your ten cents, five dollars, or two euros, or one euro, or two rupees? For God, there is no shortage of money. God has been given a dakṣiṇā in the pūjā. He doesn’t have money from Lakṣmī. This is not for you. When we give money, then our habit of giving donations is lost. When the habit of giving donations is lost, then giving and taking are achieved. That’s why, what is it? That giving and taking. It is written in Bhagavān Pūjā, in Sīpurāṇa, in Śodas and Prachār. Why? What to do? That is why I am explaining. That giving and taking. What does it mean to give money? If you want to give, then give to the poor. Don’t give to the rich. What is the donation? Give it to the poor who need it the most, who need it the most. Give it to him. There was a man who didn’t know how to give; he knew how to take. One day, he fell in the well. Everyone started saying, "Give me your hand, I will take you out of the well." But he never gave up. He kept swimming in the well, but another wise man came. He held his hand and came out of the well. So, it is necessary to give for salvation. That’s why in our dharma-śāstra, we have made the rites of ten donations. In ten donations, there are land donations, gold donations; all are donations. So, what is it? By doing those donations, you get rid of bad karma. And to whom do you donate? It is the Satpuruṣa who has to do it. Either he has to go to the world of knowledge and donate it to the world, or he has to give it to the poor. Do not donate to the rich. The rich will do mischief, will drink alcohol, will do this, will do that. What will you do by donating to him? So that’s why you utilize your dāna for good things. And the second thing is that now it has been investigated that in the importance of dāna, whatever you earn in your life, you keep it for tomorrow. What will happen tomorrow? Tomorrow you will fall sick. But whatever you earn in life, what happens to it? It disappears. Because only 70% of you will remain here, and only 30% of you will be able to live. There is one story that’s about a giving nature, from China. This is a story from China. If you read, there’s a very popular Chinese story. There was a guy, and he is a very good businessman, successful. And he used to keep a servant in his home. But he doesn’t have the habit to pay the salary on time. And he used to sometimes skip, sometimes not give, sometimes cheat. He used to do that, but he had one servant, and he was there, and his wife, only three people. And he owned a lot of money, a lot of money. And one day, what happened is... But he gave time for money, not for health, not for spiritual practice, not for peace, not for stress management, and not for peace. Then one day, a heart attack, and he died. And later on, what happened is the servant and his widow wife was... There, and one day they decided, "Okay, the husband is dead. Now, I think I want to marry my servant. He’s very handsome. Anyway, I cannot live alone." And she married, and when she married, the servant became the owner of that property, and one... One day, he stood in front of that owner’s picture. "Oh, wonder! Thank you very much. Now, now I come to know why you are skipping my salary, why you are not giving my salary in time. I understand that you are saving for me." Now I became a wonder. Thank you very much. So that’s why, one day, whatever you own might be misused by somebody. So that’s why, whatever you want now, give it to somebody who is very poor. Give it somewhere that is really, really useful. So that’s why it happens. That in in... Research shows, nowadays in the current research shows that whatever the people own in this world, they only enjoy 30 percent of their earning. 70 percent of earning they will leave here. So that’s why you said, "Oh, I don’t want to go to yoga," or, "I don’t want to go to a retreat because..." A lot of money? Better I... I want to make this or use this one or do somewhere else, but later on, that money remains here. You cannot enjoy it, you cannot utilize it somewhere else. So, China... There was a story in China. There was a rich businessman in China. He used to work hard every day to pay his servant’s salary. Every month, when the time came to pay the servant’s salary, he used to work hard. At that time, he died because he didn’t give himself time for his health. And after his death, the servant and his wife got married. And he prayed to the servant in front of his picture, "Till today, you have not given me a tana." So I understand now, because you have done this sin for me. So now the one who was saved, I became the owner. Thank you, Lord, you have saved me. So it was like that. So the moral of the story is that whatever we earn in life, we should donate it for the truth. So now we are in the conclusion of this Śiva Purāṇa, Chapter 11, Rudra Saṁhitā, and it says that if you pray with that 16, that always worshipping means it is uplifting your energy, uplifting your energy, and towards spirituality. So that’s why many people are worshiping God every day, and many people are chanting and praying. You can see that in the morning, before sunrise, some of the people finish all the Bhagavad-gītā’s 700 verses. But when you meet... They are arrogant. They are still the normal person. They want to fight. They don’t want to wait. They look like a very great saint, but still they want to fight. If they are sitting in line for a food queue and are one minute late, they want to... First, they have got impatience. So, God never says that you just repeat and repeat and repeat. No, you need to bring in your life, bringing and keeping the Vedas, keeping the wisdom in your home. That doesn’t work, the theory, the principles, if you... keep it in your wardrobe. It doesn’t work. So that works if you bring in your mind. So that’s why it is saying that here also the prayer is increasing your spiritual evolution, recharging. Recharging yourself. In our mind, so many things come, and you do āratī, you do meditation, evening meditation, and day meditation. That’s why it’s keeping and going and keeping. Maintaining your life is the purification of your life and worshipping. That’s why the prayer we can do, but we need to uplift everything here. And from that time, everyone started to worship Gaṇeśa, and Gaṇeśa is so happy. Whatever Śiva started, Śiva also worshipped. And there is an amazing story here that in the Śiva Purāṇa talks, that Śiva blessed the goddess to worship first. Śiva came first, Pārvatī came first, and they married first, and the goddess came, isn’t it? If that is so, the son always comes later, or after marriage, but in Rāmcaritmānas, when Śiva and Pārvatī are getting married, they worship the goddess. How come they will have already had an affair, and they have got a son? How come that happens? That was a research, so that means that... Many people in Australia, also, they asked me, "Well, you said that after marriage, Gaṇeśa came, but in Rāmcaritmānas, you taught me that Śiva and Pārvatī, before married, they worship Gaṇeśa. So, is that tradition in that time also?" They have got that without marriage also, living together relationships exist. So they asked, "No, that means is the energy?" They worship energy. The goddess was always there, the first integration. Only the form came time to time in this. Long ago, it’s not possible. The goddess comes only one area? 3,000 yugas or 7,000 yugas? She was always there, the energy, the starting energy. Only to convince people, they need to make this, all those stories here and there. So we need to... make in your mind that Gaṇeśa is there already, so, and after that, everyone and the Gaṇeśa is started to prayer. Gaṇeśa have got, there is a various meaning: why he has got belly, why he wants to, the laddū, and the long mouth and ear, and. Wisdom, and you might ask, "That is in the Gaṇeśa?" There is a... we are going to conclude this session, but still, there’s one important thing: that if you are, like, going in Europe, America, everywhere, nowadays in India, wherever, they might ask one... The thing is, if Śiva cut off the elephant’s head and then brought it to Gaṇeśa, isn’t it unjust to the elephant? It’s not violence, so is it not, is it the fair thing? This is not what we are talking about with non-violence, and it’s not, why is it not violence? That comes, but this is the story showing that only indication. That’s what this, that we need to, in his story, that we need to search the meaning, that indication. So indication that is going, that it’s not that in reality he cut off the elephant and brings, but that’s the thing. The boy was really arrogant, very stubborn. He doesn’t allow—he did not ask, "What’s your identity? Who you are?" Just block. He just wait, uh, he just block the jaw, and the Śiva came in. Shiva is the light of knowledge. When the knowledge comes, his head is changed and changed like an elephant. The elephant is wise, so that’s why he finishes that ignorance. He finishes the darkness of mind, so that’s why when you get the knowledge... You will become the known person when you meditate. The awakeness comes, reality comes, and you change mind. That’s some change of mind. It’s not the physically slaughtering, and then that, where is the seizures and the blood? Who supplied blood? That was... not read across that time, and who will make the stitch in operation? So that’s the indication. In modern times, we need to understand it differently, and that is the significance we can understand in that way. It’s not violence, it’s a changing. In the same way, in Rāma, that Rāma went to the jungle, and Ahalyā was the wife of Gautama Ṛṣi, and Gautama Ṛṣi’s wife had an adulterous affair with Indra, and when he knew that, he gave the curse, and Ahalyā became a stone. When Rāma went and he tossed the stone, she became the beautiful angel. How come it happened? How can that nowadays modern people can believe it? What’s the significance of this story? That the significance is... That Rama is the knowledge, Vivek, wisdom, and the stone is when you are stubborn, when you want to do something, you don’t know what is good or bad. That time, when the buddhi comes, when the wisdom comes, you will have the clarity, and you will be free like an angel. So that’s the significance. And here also the same thing. So he changed, Śiva changed the mind, and Gaṇeśa became always wise. It’s like an elephant. The elephant is wise. He is always vegetarian. And even though that elephant is big, he’s very careful to move his feet. He doesn’t cross any animal. And he always maintains the purity, and so in that way, the elephant has got some big ears, meaning like he can hear, he can listen from far away. That is also the art of listening. And the long neck means the sensible capacity; he can sense from far away. So those are the things. That is why Lord Gaṇeśa has a long head, and Lord... Shiva has cut Ganesha’s head and put it on an elephant. Some people say that this is a crime. Killing an elephant is also a crime. Isn’t it a sin to cut off the head of an animal to save your son? I am also asked this question in the Western world. Role, but it means that truthfully, the elephant did not come with a lion. Ganesha, who was standing at Parvati’s door, was a little bit of a forceful man. He did not ask without asking. So when Lord Śiva said, it is a sign of knowledge, a sign of truth. When the truth came, he made the untruth go away. He made his mind, his ignorance go away. Just like the purity in the elephant’s mind, he applied the same thing. That is why this happened for Gaṇeśa Bhagavān’s purity. We are now, if we understand this in a different way in the modern world, then this will be the importance of the Śiva Purāṇa. So this is the origin of Gaṇeśa, the worship of Gaṇeśa, the meaning of Gaṇeśa, the worship of Gaṇeśa, and the description of 105 and 165, which Śivājī himself has done, that in chapter 19, I have talked about this today in the coming session, and the beautiful marriage of Gaṇeśa. So, this is the wonderful story we explained about how Gaṇeśa originated, what is the meaning of Gaṇeśa, how we worship, what is the significance of Gaṇeśa, and why he is worshipped first. And later on, now, we will like to explain about Gaṇeśa’s marriage and Kārttikeya’s celibacy and all those things. And this is wonderful, that in this pilgrimage spot we are listening to this Śivapurāṇa, and we are wearing the jewelry of the ear, wisdom. So that’s why a yogī always has less jewelry; the wisdom is the jewelry for our ear. So we continue, and Śivapurāṇa rules continuously. Attend the Śivapurāṇa and listen less, think more. So that’s why you have a long gap from 11 to 4 o’clock, and you think about it and then try to utilize it in your mind. Hari Om Tat Sat. Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidaṁ Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate. Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya. Pūrṇa Mevāvaśiṣyate. Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ. Hari Om. Yanmāyā Vakti Yuktena Patrampuṣpam Phalam Jalam, Niveditam Chanāyāvdedhyam Tad Gṛihānu Kām Payā. Au Ānām Na Jānāmi Na Jānāmi Tabar Chanam, Pūjā Chaib Na Jānāmi Chhamāśwa Parameśwarī. Mantra hīnaṁ kriyā hīnaṁ bhakti hīnaṁ Janārdanaṁ, yat pūjitaṁ mayā deva paripūrṇaṁ tad astu me. Anyathā śaraṇaṁ nāsti to mevaṁ śaraṇaṁ amma. Tas māt kāruṇya bhāvena rakṣa māṁ parameśvara. Kāracāracanaṁ kṣitaṁ vā karmajaṁ kāyajaṁ vā śramaṇāyanajaṁ vā mānasaṁ vā pāradaṁ. Vihitam vihitam vā sarame tatakṣyam śva... Jai Jai Karuṇābde Śrī Mahādeva Śambho Hari Hi Om. Jai Bholē Brahmā Viśvamaheśvarī kī Jai. Jai Bholē Alakhpurī Siddhapīṭa Padamprā kī. Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān kī Jai Bholē. Mādhavānanda Mahārāj kī Jai Bhole. Vishwagurujī Maheśvarānanda Svāmījī kī Jai! Jai Bhole Satya Sanātana Dharma kī! Jai Bhole Brahmā Viṣṇu Maheśvara kī! Satya Sanātana Dharma kī! Jai Bhole Bhārata Bhūmi kī! Jai Bhole Āpne Karma Bhūmi kī! Brahmā Viṣṇu... Maheśvara kī sakala bhakta jana kī Veda Purāṇa kī Vyāsa Bhagavān kī Gaṇapati Mahārāja kī. Om bolo, Har Har Mahādeva, Har Har Mahādeva, Har Har Mahādeva. Hari Om Tat Sat. Om bhavatu sabba maṅgalam, bhavatu sabba maṅgalam...