Ganesha

Ganesha. श्री गणेशाय नम :

Things we know and do not know about Ganesha.

பிள்ளையார்  - அறிந்ததும்  அறியாததும் .

Before we start any new venture or anything in day to day life, we are in the habit of praying to Lord Ganesha. His other name is Vighneshwara  विघ्नेश्वर | विघ्न means obstacle.  He is the Lord of all obstacles.  विघ्नानां  ईश्वर:  He has overall control of all the obstacles in the world.  Here He can work in two ways.  One is to playfully create an obstacle, and the other important one is to remove any obstacles which are created by anyone else.  Ganesha or Pillaiyar is normally portrayed as a playful child who is also very powerful, brilliant, and the epitome of wisdom.  He is capable of sanctioning his devotees whatever they want, playfully and effortlessly.  His eyes will always be smiling!  He can give a mischievous look but still smile!

Here he shows that it is important to smile with one's eyes! Only when the smile reaches the eyes the smile is complete! Otherwise, it will only be a plastic smile!  So lesson number one is when we smile, we should put our heart behind the smile to reach the eyes and make the recipient comfortable and happy!
This, Ganesha teaches by practical demonstration without talking!

The next lesson also is demonstrated without talking!  Let us recall the face of Lord Ganesha.  He is portrayed as an elephant-faced God. Baby elephants look lovely and mischievous!  Even when they walk, there is a grace about their gait. The special and important point to be noted about an elephant is that it does not show its mouth to anyone unnecessarily as other animals do! The elephant's mouth is naturally and always covered by its beautiful Trunk! In Tamil, this is what we say:

பெரியவர்களிடம்  பேசும்போது மரியாதையாக பேச வேண்டும் . அதை சைகையால்  எப்படி காண்பிப்பது என்றால்  " கை கட்டி வாய் பொத்தி  நின்று பேசவேண்டும். பிள்ளையார் இதை செய்து காண்பிக்கிறார்.

தும்பிக்கை  ஆண்டவன் is one of the names given to Ganesha.  The trunk is called Thumbikkai, and it is considered as a hand as in the word thumbi kai -  Kai means hand. He always closes his mouth with his hand! Even while eating, the elephant takes the food by hand and puts inside the mouth instead of opening the mouth widely for others to see! Only man eats the food, taking it by hand and putting it in his mouth, and among animals, only the elephant does this. No other animal can do this. At all other times, the elephant closes its mouth by hand, which is considered a symbol of respect to others!

We should learn from the above that we should not open our mouth unnecessarily and use it sparingly, whether it is to talk or to eat!  One organ was given two functions, namely, Talk and Eat. Do both of these 50-50  to be healthy and respected. We can keep both the body and mind healthy by this habit and avoid unnecessary controversy! . This is lesson number Two.

The third lesson again is shown by Pillaiyar through his face. Elephants have huge ears.  The huge ears denote that by both ears, one should hear and listen more.  Two ears for one function, namely श्रवणं, which occupies the first place in the nine types of Bhakti/devotion. नवविध  भक्ति |  By hearing and listening, one can develop patience and understanding, which is a healthy trend and an essential factor in life.  So, in short, without talking, Ganesha teaches us to talk less and listen more.

All these are shown by demonstration and not by words! Like his Father Lord Shiva, who in the form of Dakshinamurthy  ( दक्षिणामूर्ति ) taught his disciples as a Mouna guru मौन गुरु  (a silent teacher), the son also followed suit by silent teaching!

So let us pray to Lord Ganesha and try to achieve what He taught and remove all obstacles in whatever venture we want to enter.

For more slokas and how He justifies his name as Vighneshwara with two short stories, wait for the next post!

Hanuman

श्री राम जयं |                                    Hanuman.

ஸ்ரீ ராம ஜெயம் |

बुद्धिर् बलं यशो धैर्यं निर्भयत्वं अरोगता | अजाड्यं वाक्पटुत्वं च हनुमत् स्मरणात् भवेत् ||

This is a beautiful sloka in Sanskrit about the most important eight qualities of Hanuman.  Whoever prays sincerely to Hanuman, why pray? Even if one thinks of Hanuman, they will develop all these qualities. The moment you pray to Hanuman, the eight qualities mentioned in the sloka, namely, Buddhi, Balam Yashas, dhairyam, Nirbhayatvam, Arogataa, ajaadyam, Vakpatuthvam, are sanctioned immediately!

If Hanumanji can sanction these to his devotees who pray, how much more of such qualities he must have!. To know about these, one should read or at least listen to Sundarakanda in Ramayana.

நினைத்த மாத்திரத்தில் மேற்கண்ட எட்டு முக்கியமான குணங்களையும் அருளிசெய்பவர் ஹனுமான் . நினைப்பவர்களுக்கே அருள் செய்பவர் என்றால் அருளுபவருக்கு எவ்வளவு இருக்கும்?  இதை  சற்று புரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்றால் சுந்தரகாண்டம்  கொஞ்சமாவது படிக்க வேண்டும் .அல்லது கேட்கவாவது வேண்டும் !

With such ease Hanuman can do anything is proved beyond doubt in Sundarakandam. Before entering the ocean of Ramayanam/Sundarakandam, let us analyze some of these qualities, as mentioned in verse.

Buddhi is intelligence, Balam is strength, yashas is fame, dhairyam is valor, Nirbhayatvam is fearlessness,  arogata is good health, ajaadyam is briskness, vaakpatutvam is oratory skills.

We can divide these 8 into two categories: In the first group, we can classify Budhi, Balam, vakpatutvam, and dhairyam, which help develop the other four in the second group nirbhayatvam, arogata, ajaadyam, and yashas.

புத்தி என்பது அறிவு . அறிவாற்றல் இருந்தால்  மந்த புத்தி  அல்லது  சோம்பேறித்தனம்  இருக்க முடியாது . இரண்டும்  ஒன்றுக்கொன்று  நேரெதிர் .

அதனால் அவர் அறிவைக்கொடுத்து  சோம்பலை களைவார் !

அடுத்து  பலம் . பலம் இருந்தால் நோய் நொடி  நெருங்கமுடியாது

அதனால் பலத்தை கொடுத்து ஆரோக்யத்தை  அருளுவார் !

மூன்றாவதாக  வாக்படுத்வம்  என்றால் பேச்சாற்றல் . இந்த திறமை  தானே புகழுக்கு இடம் கொடுக்கும் .

அதனால்  அழகிய பேச்சாற்றல் திறமையை கொடுத்து  புகழையும் அளிப்பார் !

நான்காவதாக தைரியம் . தைர்யம் என்றால் வீரம். ஒரு வீரனுக்குரிய பயமின்மை  என்பது முக்கியமான குணம்.  எந்த ஒரு போராட்டத்திலும் தைர்யம் இருந்தால்தான் எதிர்த்து நிற்க முடியும் !  வாழ்க்கையே  ஒரு போராட்டம்தானே! அதை எதிர் கொள்ளும் திறந்தான் தைர்யம் ! அதற்கு பயந்தால் முடியுமா ?

அதனால் தைர்யத்தை  கொடுத்து பயத்தை நீக்குவார் !

Buddhi/Intelligence will remove dullness or laziness. So by giving buddhi, He removes Ajaadyam.
Balam is strength/good health.  If a person has good health and is strong, his immunity system is good, and as such, the diseases cannot attack him easily. So by giving Balam, He gives immunity and removes disease!
Vaakpatuthvam means oratorial skill.  An excellent talented speaker with a mind can attract a lot of audiences and become popular.  Because he becomes popular, he becomes well-liked and becomes famous!  So here, Hanuman sanctions vakpatuthvam and thus gives fame!
Lastly, the fourth, but not the least, is Dhairyam/strong willpower/valor, which helps one face any battle confidently. Once a battle is faced, half the battle is won already! Dhairyam drives away fear! So the person becomes fearless because Hanuman sanctions Dhairyam.  Hence the person becomes self-confident.

Life is full of battles that we have to face day by day. To face it confidently and successfully and become victorious, pray Hanumanji.

So when you pray to Hanuman,  you ask for four, and he will give you eight! Two in one offer are made in this world for material things. What you need in life, to face it boldly, are these qualities which He will give you in abundance!

யாரிடம் எதெது இருக்கிறதோ அதைத்தானே கொடுக்க முடியும் ? இந்த எட்டு குணங்களும் ஹனுமானிடம் நிறைந்து இருப்பதால் அவர் குறை இன்றி வாரி வழங்குவார் !

We will see in the next post how he used all these talents with reference to Sundarakandam.