BIDDING FAREWELL TO GANESHA WITH REVERENCE AND LOVE

BIDDING FAREWELL TO GANESHA WITH REVERENCE AND LOVE

(Compilation by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville TN, September 2018)

The concept of Ganesh Chaturthi is that Ganesha comes to the home of his devotees on Ganesh Chaturthi day. He brings auspiciousness, hope, success and happiness to all homes. During his brief stay, He removes all obstacles. While returning He takes with him all problems and unhappiness.

In simple symbolic worship,  Ganesha is made with vermilion, turmeric, flour or are-ca-nut and betel tied with a sacred thread all being  natural elements  or out of riverbed clay and the deity is invoked in the artifact. These go back to nature when invoked deity is withdrawn by visarjan, being biodegradable. Our Sastras have made the task of making a biodegradable Ganesha Murti simple.   Making Gauri idol for immersion is not simple.  Gauri festival just precedes Ganesh Chaturthi. A Kannada proverb jokes: “Gauri maadalu helidare Ganesanna madibitta—When I asked him to make Gauri he made Ganesha!

Puranas say Vinayaka and Skanda are not born through the union of Siva and Uma.  Vinayaka was made to appear when Uma prepared a turmeric paste form of him applied to her body as a paste for Mangala snanam.   Life was infused to it temporarily by her divine powers for the specific task of guarding her privacy. Siva replaced this guard with a powerful Gajanana that is   a celestial being with human body and elephant head.   To  substantiate this event  a story was spun around by puranas and the replaced Gajanana was named  Vigjhnaraja by Siva and people were asked to worship him to overcome obstacles!

Vinayaka is worshiped as Dvai-mathura, (with two mothers Uma and Ganga) and also as Uchishta Ganapati, the most sacred form in which he is worshiped. How do we understand them? Those who worshiped Uma more than Siva called this    turmeric--based Ganesha  as Umasuta. In Brahman’s creation all Ganas were elephant headed and were also assigned the duties of sentinels as can be confirmed by the ritualistic practices in Tirupati where Gajanana is called Vishvakasena and is the sentinel of Lord Venkatesvara along with Garuda.

It is reasonable and logical to assume Uma also created the sentinel in the form of Turmeric- Gajanana, infused life into it, to fit into the norms of Lord’s creation of Ganas. It is also reasonable to assume that Lord Siva withdrew this Turmeric- Ganesha and handed over to Ganga who absolved that Turmeric-Ganesha and the Ganesha emerged bout of her proceeded to Kailasa. Symbolically we do this invoking Mother Ganges and others in the water and immersing the bio- degradable Ganesha. Again those who venerate more Uma as Shakti and say “Siva without Sakti is Sava or (Corpse)” attach greater importance to the scum and worn out skins from divine Devis body and call that Ganesha form as Uchchishtha Ganapati who also got dissolved in Ganga and re-emerged as Siddhi Ganapati and proceeded to Kailasa.  Vighnaraja Ganapati that Siva got substituted is worshiped as Isvaraputra Gajanana.  Thus they make a distinction  between Umasuta and Isvara putra!  Kalidasa brought them together as “jagatah pitarah” world parents! You can see how Ganesha is a  very complex deity but  real devotees do not worry  for all these  and feel He is Brahman Himself and raise  their prayers with Vedic Mantra of Indra  “Ganaanatva ganapatigam havamahe”, and feels He is  Vishnu  and offer prayeers “suklambharadharam Vishnum” etc.

The Ganesha whom Siva gave to Parvati was quite naughty indulged in over eating, getting angry at Moon for laughing at him, playing with a mouse all the time, using  Nagaraja as Yajnopavita, because he broke his tight sacred threads because of the bulging stomach due to over eating and being  lazy   broke his tusk to write   Mahabharata etc.  Thus it looks this naughty and short tempered Ganesha was in the habit of breaking his trunk several times but Siva as expert surgeon replaced it with stand-by tusks as ekadantam, dvidantam, tridantam, chturdantam chaturbhujam etc.,   as prayed in Ashtaka of   Prabhasa Vinayaka in Skanda  Purana.  Prabhasa Kshetra is the home for famous Jyotirlinga who always keeps a watch on Prbhasa-Vinayaka. This temple  withstood all the on-slaught of Muslim invaders (Somnath).  You know also mystical Airavata that emerged out of Ksheerasagara had four tusks and more than one head.  So Gajaanana is also visualized in different forms. It is this that Sanakara glorifies as Anekadantam.    Chaturbuja makes the   Ganesha   superhuman like Vishnu!

At long last, Siva was pleased with the personal sacrifice of Ganesha employing his broken tusk for the noble task of writing Mahabharata and so accepted Him as Ekadanta, an exception to the Rule, though  mutilated forms are not worshiped in temples; but Siva has blessed it and so we accept it with no questioning!  You know there are temples in India that are discarded just because the Vigrahas in its wall-panels are mutilated losing a limb! But Vishnu has kept his sentinel well under control as Vishvaksena whom Tamils call as Tubikkai Azhvar or Trunk-Azhvar. It is probable Saivism has the concept of many sentinels needed by the troublesome society and hence there are many-forms of Ganesha as enumerated in Moudgila Purana of which Siva favored Ekadantathat as the most popular. You know similarly 16008 wives of Krishna with   whom He carried on a peaceful life at the same time with  his 16008 similar forms as confirmed by Narada!

Ganesha’s Birth as well as his immersion in water has great religious significance. The 10-day long Ganesh Chaturthi celebration this year ended on September 23, when devotees   immersed Ganesha’s idol, signifying the departure of his physical form.  Since Shri Ganapati is invited again, it is important that He should be given a farewell (immersed) with equal honor.

Lord Ganesh is supposed to bring luck, considered as the harbinger of luck, victory and success. On the 11th day, devotees immerse his idol in water, as it is believed that this is when he leaves their houses for Mount Kailasa, taking all the ill luck of his disciples with himself.

There are no specific Ganesh Visarjan mantras in Maharashtra. The only chant that is done is Ganapati Bappa Moriya...Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya (come back soon to bless us - this part is chanted mainly in Maharashtra. American Temples usually follow Maharashtra where Visarjan ceremony is glorified as a community puja encouraged by Bala Ganghadar Tilak. Hindu Americans prefer it as a community worship as many may not have a puja room at home or may not know how to observe it properly.

The word Morya refers to a famous devotee of Lord Ganesha in the fourteenth century called Morya Gosavi, originally from village called Shaligram in Karnataka where his devotion was looked upon as madness!! He later travelled and settled in Chinchvad, near Pune and invoked the Lord with severe penance. He attained siddhi (special powers and blessings) at Shree Chintamani and his son built the temple to commemorate the event. It is said that Moryaji also performed penances at Siddhi Vinayak in Ahmedabad and in Moreshwar/Mayureshwar at Moregoan where he also built the temple. Maharashtrians here woe a debt to Kannadigas who brought Ganesha worship to the fore-front. Kannadigas also bid farewell to Ganesha with the    lovely lyrics: "ಗಣೇಶ ಬಂದ, ಹೊಟ್ಟೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಗಂಧ, ಕಾಯಿ ಕಡುಬು ತಿಂದ , ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಕೆರೇಲಿ ಬಿದ್ದ , ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕೆರೇಲಿ ಎದ್ದ”  Ganesha banda, hotte mele gandha.  kayi kadubu tinda,  chikka kereli bidda, dodda kereli edda—Ganesha came, smeared  his stomach with sandal paste,  ate  the sweet cake, fell down  in a small tank  got up from the huge lake (manas sarovar and Kailas). In fact every  language has such lovely lyrics, if we search for it!

Here,  American temples have a vital role to play:  Bring the right concept of the Worship through their news media like Aaradhana and prescribe proper code of practice for ceremonies like Visarjan that are not covered by Aagama Sastras.  American Temples are    obligated  to educate and guide the young minds in Bal Vihar Classes, Vedic Heritage Classes, Sunday Schools etc.,  on such festivals and rituals if not in Vedanta Class for the matured.

The visarjan ritual begins with the Uttara-anga puja which involves offering five items, namely deepa (oil lamps), pushpa (flowers), dhoopa (incense), gandha (fragrance) and naivedya (food) to Ganapati. Uttaraanga puja starts with an invocation prayer:

Mushikavaahana modaka hastha | Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra |
Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra |  Vighna vinaayaka paada namasthe ||

O Vinayaka! The remover of all obstacles, the son of Lord Shiva, with a form which is very short, with mouse as Thy vehicle, with sweet pudding in hand, with wide ears and long hanging trunk, I prostrate at Thy lotus-like Feet!

After this, all members of the household gather to perform the Aarti and sprinkle akshata or sacred saffron rice upon the lord. The Murti of Ganesha is then lifted from its seat and carried to the threshold where it is turned to face the house and placed on the floor.  A spoonful of curd is poured into Ganesh's outstretched palm because Hindus especially Maharashtrians believe that any guest who receives curd and rice is sure to visit again.  People   then circumambulate Ganesha Murti after which it is led for immersion.   Some water is also sprinkled on the person performing the Visarjana. Before the Visarjan one should remove all garlands and other decorations on Ganesha; collect them in a newspaper or paper bag. 

This should not be thrown in the river or water body. It Should buried  in the soil in  appropriate spot given by authorities or should be deposited in a pit in one's compound.

The visarjan mantra is as follows:

Yantu Deva-Ganah Sarve, Pujaamaadaya Maamakam।

Ishta-Kaama-Samriddhyartham, Punaraagamanaaya Cha॥

May Sri Ganesha with all his retinues   accept my humble worship for the fulfillment of my desires and prosperity for all and to come back again next year and grace us with their presence!

Asking pardon from Sri Ganesha for any omission or commission in performing the worship and also any mistake committed due to ignorance physically, mentally and in reciting mantras one should leave the place without looking back at the water source.  

Aavaahanam na jaanaami tavacharanam | Poojaam chaiva na jaanaami kshmasa Ganesvara

Anyathaa saranam naasti tvameva saranam mama |Tasmaat kaarunyabhaavean rakshsva Vighnesvara

Gatam paapam gatam duhkham gatam daaridrya meva cha | Aagataa sukha sampattih punyascha tava darsaanaat |

Mantraheenam kriyaaheenam bhaktiheenam Surewsvara | Yat poojitam mayaa deva paripurnam tadastu me

Yadkshar padabhrashtam maatraaheenam cha yad bhavet |Tat sarvam kshamyataam deva praseeda Paramesvara ||

It is also customary to take a bath after and     then go to puja room,  offer customary worship and Aarati to Ganesha as concluding part of 10 days’ ceremony.

Since the Idol is ritualistically worshiped during the Shri Ganesh festival, the Chaitanya in the Idol can increase as per the intensity of spiritual emotion of the devotees. Due to Chaitanya in the Idols of Shri Ganapati on immersion it purifies the water. With the flowing water, this Chaitanya reaches far and wide and many people benefit from it. This water evaporates too; hence, it makes the atmosphere sattvik.

Gowri Habba is a Hindu festivals dedicated to Goddess Gowri an incarnation of Goddess Parvati. It is a significant festival in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and it is observed a day before Ganesh Chaturthi.

Goddess Gowri, a very fair complexion incarnation of Goddess Parvati, is worshipped on the day of Gowri Habba and women observe Swarna Gowri Vratha to seek blessings of Goddess Gowri for happy married life.

It is believed that on this day, Goddess Gowri comes to home like any other married woman comes to her parents' house. The next day Lord Ganesha, her son, comes as if to take her back to Mount Kailasha. The same festival is known as Hartalika Teej in Maharashtra and the other North Indian states.

Visarjan ceremony  for Gowri idols made out of eco-friendly materials or  river-bed  clay preferably  and are also  immersed in running  water a day prior to Ganesha visarjanam. It is   believed Ganesha follows his mother next day for the family meet in Kailasa with Lord Siva and his brother Lord Subhramnya as well as his retinues. From there they will take care of the world and come back again the next year.

In a country like USA it is not possible to find a well or river or may not be allowed to do Visarjan indiscriminately. Hence Visarjan is done in a tank filled with water and the contents are discharged to the earth in the garden.  But before immersion the tank water is sanctified invoking all sacred river waters as is done in Kalasa worship.

 Mumbai artist Dattadri Kothur creates eco-friendly Ganpati idols that are made from red soil and fertilizers, and contain plant seeds. At the end of the 10-day festival, the idols undergo a symbolic immersion. Instead of being immersed in a water body, the idol is placed in an accompanying pot and watered until it dissolves. Thanks to the okra or Tulsi seeds sown in the pot, the idol grows back as a plant.

Story connected with Ganesha Visarjan

Shiva and his family lived happily on the Himalayas. One day Paarvathi wanted to visit her father down on earth. She took Shiva's permission and started her journey. Since the journey was long, Shiva sent Nandi along on whom she rode.

Many days passed and she didn't return. This worried Shiva. Ganesha asked his father not to worry. He took it upon himself to get his mother home. So he set out on his mouse and reached where Paarvathi was.

When he reached the earth, his grandparents and maternal uncles and aunts on earth were elated. They celebrated this occasion, cooked a lot of food for him and fed him. Ganesha lived there with Paarvathi for some days before finally returning to their abode in the Himalayas.

The visarjan/ immersion is to symbolize Ganesha's return  from Earth with Paarvathi.  This also explains bringing home Gauri one day prior to Ganesha.

It was (Late) Sri Balgangadhar Tilak, a renowned freedom fighter, who with a view of bringing disintegrated Hindus into a single platform, initiated installing, performing puja and finally performing visarjan of Ganapati Idols in Pune  bringing the concept of “Sanghacchdvam samvadadvam” of mass worship with one mind collectively, a path shown   by our Rishis. Later this became a nationwide festival every year.

Sangacchadhvam sam vadadhvam sam vo manaamsi jaanataam/ devaa bhaagam yathaa purve sanjanaana upaasate // (X-191-20)

Come together! Speak together! Let our minds be all of one accord like the divines that sat   together in the past in harmony to worship.

[All people should live with one mind without enmity and this can be achieved only by the divine grace says the mantra]

The month of August is characterized by rains, and by the eventual rise of water levels in rivers. One problem then for all to see, was of this overflowing water washing the fertile sands away to the seas leaving the river-banks less fertile with each passing year. Thus came in the thought of clay that is the idol made of clay. To save the soil’s fertility, our ancestors realized the need for using clay as friendly sealant. Clay has a property of absorbing water. Used in rivers/water bodies, it holds back a considerable amount. To further its efficacy the same clay if treated with turmeric, Tulsi and other herbs also helps in nurturing aquatic plants and animals. This may not be significant  and effective. But the thought behind it is important. Here I am reminded of a Kannada proverb “anila bhhakti maralu seve” --The devotion of squirrel and service of the sand. In Ramayana a squirrel watching Nala and his team building the bridge Sethu wanted to help too. So it took a dip in the waters rolled on the sand and used that sand to seal the joints in the bridge by rerolling and shaking off over joints! What a noble thought!

The Visarjan ceremony represents the concept of Samasara, or the cycle of birth death and rebirth. This fate befalls all living creatures including humans as life is fleeting and once the soul departs from our body, the corporeal form then perishes and returns to the natural elements, only to be reconstituted in another body in the subsequent life cycle. Similarly, once the presiding deity departs from the Murti, its physical manifestation is then returned to nature, only to be reanimated the following year. The imbibed spirit however remains in the hearts of the devotees and enriches their lives.  The purpose of such ceremonies is to replenish our spiritual thoughts and to remind us that material wealth is transitory and is of no use to the soul. The process of visarjan teaches us detachment and to realize that our own body, which we cherish and pamper will one day be reduced to base elements.