Wisdom of Ganesha - Sasi Krishnasamy
Ganesha, also called Vinayaka and Ganapati, is a son of Shiva and Parvati. He is regarded to be a god of wisdom, and the remover of all obstacles. Several texts advocate his veneration before any other deity in rituals.Lord Ganesha is regarded as the god of wisdom, knowledge and prosperity. Hindus believe that He helps remove all obstacles in one's path. The festival is most popular in the state of Maharashtra in India and is celebrated with zest and vigor. Customs dictate the number of days a Ganesha idol can be kept at home. A lot of religious activities take place during the tenth and last day of the festival. Devotees submerge idols of the famed god in water bodies such as a river or an ocean. While submerging the idol, prayers and slogans are uttered earnestly requesting the Ganesha to return as early as possible next year. People believe firmly in their hearts that the idol carries along with it all the problems that the people bear while being submerged.
Legend says that goddess Parvati created
Ganesha from the sandalwood dough which she would use while bathing. She then infused life into the mould and set him to guard the door while she went in to bathe. Whe her husband, lord Shiva returned, Ganesha did not allow him to enter. In his fit of rage lord Shiva beheaded Ganesha. When Parvati came to know about the incident, she asked Shiva to revive her son. In order to pacify the grief of his wife, Shiva replaced her son's head with that of an elephant, and thus the elephant head god Ganesha was born.
