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When people prepare and request Lord Śiva and Pārvatī to perform a ceremony for God Gaṇeśa, many think Gaṇeśa is the son of Śiva and Pārvatī. The answer is both yes and no. If he is truly their son, how did he come to exist before their marriage? Pārvatī is still risen. The true meaning of Gaṇeśa is different: "Gaṇ" and "Īśa". "Gaṇ" refers to all principles, all goddesses, the different tattvas (elements of reality). "Īśa" is Īśvara, God. The governing principle which guides all the tattvas, all constellations—everything is turned by His power. That particular power is known as Gaṇeśa. Consider one person. In the office, they call him the boss. At a sports club, they call him a friend. In other clubs, they call him a member. At home, they call him father. His grandchildren call him grandfather, his mother calls him her son, and his wife calls him husband. Similarly, the one person has different functions, different places, different kinds of duty, and different positions. Every position must be recognized. The mother has the right to call him her son. The wife has the right to call him her husband. The children have the right to call him father, and friends have the right to call him friend. Society has the right to call him a member, and in the office he has the right to be a manager or boss. Everywhere he has different functions, and he should fulfill that kind of function, that dharma. So Gaṇeśa is that principle of God which is remembered first. Anything you do, you should first remember that One. When you proceed systematically, you must go through the system. The giver of the law is also bound by the law. The giver of the law should not break the law. So if you say there is only one God, that is true, but in different contexts you need to call upon Him in different ways. Otherwise, everything will get mixed up. Therefore, Gaṇeśa is the God who should be remembered first. It does not matter what you are doing or beginning to do. First you should say, "Śrī Gaṇeśa, I am Aham." My adoration to Śrī Gaṇeśa is called Mānasik Pūjā, a mental ceremony. He is the remover of obstacles, the giver of happiness, and he is very great. Thus, Gaṇeśa is a great symbol. He also has very nice things with him. He always has nice, big laddus. He gives you prasāda, big laddus. So Gaṇeśajī is both Ādi (the beginning) and Anādi (without beginning). Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Summer seminar