Wish you all a very auspicious Ganesha Chaturthi

Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryeshu Sarvada
​O Lord Ganesha, mighty and radiant like millions of suns, remove all obstacles from our endeavours, always.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the divine appearance of Lord Ganesha, the beloved son of Mata Parvati and Lord Shiva, the remover of obstacles, the guardian of sacred spaces and the giver of wisdom and auspicious beginnings.

How Mata Parvati Gave Life to Ganesha

Mata Parvati wished to bathe without being disturbed. She created a beautiful child from the fragrant turmeric paste or sacred substance from her own body. Through her divine power, she infused the form with prana, the vital life force, an act resembling Prana Pratishtha, through which a sacred form becomes a living presence. She named the child Ganesha and lovingly accepted him as her son.

Ganesha and Chandra: When Pride Met a Curse

Another well-known legend explains why devotees traditionally avoid looking at the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi.

One night, Lord Ganesha was returning home after enjoying a generous feast. His vehicle, the little mouse Mushaka, was startled by a snake and stumbled. Ganesha fell, and the sweets he was carrying scattered. Calmly, he gathered them and tied the snake around his waist.

Watching from the sky, Chandra Deva, the Moon, laughed at Ganesha’s appearance.

Chandra was proud of his beauty and radiance. Ganesha cursed him, declaring that anyone who looked at the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi would suffer mithya dosha: false allegations, misunderstanding or damage to one’s reputation.

For this reason, we avoid seeing the Moon on the night of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi.

When Lord Krishna Was Accused of Stealing

It is said that even Lord Shri Krishna once saw the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi and subsequently became the victim of a grave false accusation. A magnificent jewel called the Syamantaka Mani belonged to Satrajit, a devotee of Surya Deva. The jewel was believed to produce gold and bring prosperity when kept by a righteous person.

Lord Krishna advised Satrajit that such a powerful jewel would be better entrusted to King Ugrasena for the welfare of the kingdom. Satrajit, however, misunderstood Krishna’s intentions and kept the jewel.

Later, Satrajit’s brother Prasena wore the Syamantaka Mani while hunting. In the forest, he was killed by a lion. The lion was then defeated by Jambavan, the mighty bear-king of the Ramayana, who took the jewel to his cave and gave it to his child as a plaything.

When Prasena did not return, suspicion fell upon Shri Krishna. People accused him of killing Prasena and stealing the Syamantaka Mani.

Though completely innocent, Krishna was tainted by the false allegation, fulfilling the effect associated with seeing the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Namaste,

Amit Garg​
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