WHY GANESHAJI HAS AN ELEPHANT'S HEAD ?

According to a Puranic tale, once Parvati was alone in the houseand wanted to take bath. So taking the dirt from her body she created a boy and ordered him. "To keep a watch at the door, and don't allow anybody to enter the palace without my permission. Thus instructing the boy. Mother Parvati went in to take her bath. Meanwhile Lord Shiva too arrived at the scene. He saw a boy sitting at the doorway, but ignoring him he proceded to enter the palace. At that the boy stood up and stopped Lord Shiva and Said, "My mother has instructed me not to allow anybody to enter the palace without her permission. Hence, I will not let you enter the palace. First tell me who are you? Instead of answering, Lor Shiva asked, who are you? Who is your Mother? As no one was eager to answer first so the dispute grew to the point of a fierce battle. Ultimately cutting the head of the boy, Lord Shiva entered the palace. Seeing Him, Parvati asked surprisingly! "How did you enter? Has nobody stopped you?" At that Lord Shiva asked, "Who was that boy? I have cut his head.

Hearing this, mother Parvati began to cry and said, "He was my own son. Now you give him a new lease of life" Lord Shiva then ordered his Ganas to go out and bring the head of any creature they saw first. It was an elephant that the Ganas found first. So they cut its head and brought it to Lord Shiva. Putting the elephant head at the boy's torso, Lord Shiva infused a new lease of life in him. Thus, Ganesha got the head of an elephant and came to be known as Gajanana Ganesha one with an elephant head.

Now, let us see at this incidence logically what could be the purpose of fixing an elephant's head on a boys torso?

This preaches the common people that they should not meddle in others affairs. Such an attempt leads to the loss and nothing more. The softest organ of an organism in his testes. Unlike other animals testes of an elephant are located in the head, which is also known as Gandasthala (temples). It is the softest spot in otherwise hard and huge body of an elephant. Hence, an elephant does not put his head against anything. Thus it preaches the others to do the same. To get this preaching across the people, Lord Ganesha is shown with an Elephant's head.

WHAT DO THE EYES OF AN ELEPHANT TELL ?

All the animals on earth can see the things in right perspective. Elephant is the only animal that lacks this capacity, it can't see the things in right perspective. It sees all the things bigger than itself. All this implies that never take the opponent for granted. Don't go on his size, but regard everyone bigger, better and more virtuous than yourself.

Always see the goings in the world with a microscopic sight, reflect over them and be serious. Thus you will be able to anticipate the crises that may be fall on you.

LONG NOSE (TRUNK)

Everywhere in the world people understand the reputation, by his nose, . Whenever anybody commits a wrong deed, people say that he has cut his nose; i.e. his reputation has gone. A worthy son keeps his family's traditions by all means just to save the nose of his ancestors, Similarily the gentleman who wish to keep their traditions without any obstacle, must always keep in mind the long nose (high reputation) of their ancestors, family and the country. That is, they should not do such petty things that might lead to cutting of their nose. Humans can learn this lesson from the long nose of an elephant. The nature has given the elephant the longest nose, no other animal has a nose longer than an elephants nose. Lord Ganesha is shown with a long nose.

PURPOSE OF LONG EARS

One of many names for Lord Ganesha is Surpakarna, the one with big,flappy ears. A flapper (Surpa) is an indigenous implement to winnow the grains. It removes all the unwanted matter from the grains, Hence it teaches the people that if they wish to live in peace, they should keep their ears as big as Surpa. This world is full of every kind of people, who take to back-bitting and confuse other people by their skill. Hence we should always be alert so as not to change our conduct for the people related to us. Just because of back-bitting, Hence we should keep our ears big so that they can accept only just talks and avoid all the unwanted and unjust gossips.

THE REASON FOR THE PECULIAR TONGUE

Sound has the greatest power in the world. Nothing is more effective than the sound. All the obstacles that crop up in the life are due to the unwanted talks. The reason for showing this type of tongue in Ganesha's idol is that, the people before speaking out about the others, must first take an introspection of oneself. Elephant's tongue is pointed towards its neck instead of outwards, whereas tongue of all other animals, including human beings, keeps on lollying out.

TEETH OF AN ELEPHANT

An elephant has two kinds of teeth - one to chew and another to show. It teaches that one to chew and another to show.Means that one must adopt dual behaviour in his life. One an intimate behaviour with the gentlemen and another superficial behaviour with crooked persons, People must take this lesson from the teeth of an elephant.

THE REASON FOR LOWER HUMAN - LIKE PART

Every part of the Lord Ganesha is a lesson. The lower part of Ganesha's body is human like, whereas only the head is elephant-like. Why is it so? It is universally accepted that all the other animals than humans have emotionless heart. Only the humans have such a heart that beats with emotion. Human heart is the only organ on earth that generates good or bad feelings for others. To teach this lesson, Ganeshaji is shown with a human torso, and an elephant's head. His human-like torso teaches that one must have the feelings of love, affection and well being for the others. And the elephant like head teaches that one must observe all kinds of caution.

WHY GANESHAJI HAS LARGE BELLY

Of the many names for Ganesha one is Lambodra, that means one with large or big belly. Literally it means that one who can easily digest every secret is Lambodara, while one who can't digest even a little gossip is short bellied. Thus, Ganeshaji has large belly as well as big ears, Hence he is capable of hearing every kind of talk and also to digest them as well. Thus besides having an acute hearing, one must have the capacity to digest the secrets also. He should not indulge in cross-talking and back-biting.

MEANING OF MOUSE AS VEHICLE

Mouse (Mooshaka) is the vehicle of Lord Ganesha. Mouse is seemingly a small, negligible animal. But it is very enterprising despite its small size. It is always engaged in some kind of work. Hence it is said in Niti :

UDYAMAM SAHASAM DHAIRYAM

BUDDHIH SHAKTIH PARAKRAMAH |

SHEDTE YATRAVARTANTE TOTRADEVA SAHAYAKRIT||

Meaning : Gods too become helpful in the ventures that involve entrepreneurship, courage, patience, intelligence, capacity and powers.

Thus, though a mouse lacks in strength and intelligence, yet it keeps on trying to dig out even mountains with its small teeth. It may not know the futility of its efforts, but it does not give up efforts. It thus teaches that human being must remain in constant action with microscopic view.

Reflecting these figures, imagine that if Lord Ganesha, be considered as a creation of a skilled artist, then how skilled mother Parvati would be, who gave all the teaching with just one of her creations, These teachings should be adopted by every wise person.

Riddhi and Siddhi with Ganeshaji

Lord Ganesha has two wives - Riddhi & Siddhi. It implies that all the Riddhi and Siddhi (knowledge and perfections) of the world kiss those who adopts all the virtues of Lord Ganesha in his life. It also means that whoever wishes to gain knowledge and perfections, he must make Lord Ganesh his ideal and follow his virtures in life. Only then can he gain knowledge and perfections. Thus, one must adopt the teachings of Lord Ganesha.

TWELVE NAMES OF GANESH - THE REMOVER OF OBSTACLES

All those who want the obstacles removed and receive auspicious fruits, must remember the twelve names of Lord Ganesh.

SUMUKHASHCHAIKADANTASHCHA KAPILOGAJA KARNAKAH |

LAMBODARASHCHA VIKATOVIDHNANASHO VINAYAKAH||

DHUMAKETURGANADHYAKSHO BHALCHANDRO GAJANANAH|

DVADASHAITANI NAMANI YAH PATHECHCHHRIGUYADAPI||

VIDYARAMBHE VIVAHE -CHA PARVESHE NIGRAME TATHA|

SANGRAME SANKATE CHAIVA VIDHNASTASYA NA JAYETE||

Meaning : 1) Sumukha, 2) Ekadanta, 3) Kapila, 4) Gajakarna, 5) Lambodara, 6) Vikath, 7) Vidhnanashaka, 8) Vinayaka, 9) Dhumraketu, 10) Ganadhayaksha, 11) Bhalchandra, 12) Gajanana. These are the twelve names of Lord Ganesh whoever recites or hears these twelve names at the beginning of education, marriage, journey, or war or at the time of crises, never faces any obstacle in any of his works.