Thursday, July 21, 2016

The meaning behind the story of Ganesha

Some time back, a video was doing the rounds where Dr.Zakir Naik, the Indian muslim preacher, narrates (derisively) the Shiva Puranam story of Ganesha & challenges Hindus to prove that Ganesha is God. Unsurprisingly, this irked many Hindus. There were many scholarly rebuttals to this video. However, there is an inner symbolic meaning to the story.

Per Hindu beliefs, when life if formed, the soul (Jivatma) is in the Sahasrara chakra, on top of the head. This is unmoving, unfeeling, without attributes & is the symbol for Shiva. Its counterpart is Shakthi, which gradually moves down from the head and through the spine, lending power to all the senses & organs. Finally, it settles down at the base of the spine as a coiled serpent (Kundalini), which continues to provide the power for material life. After long & difficult meditation, the Kundalini can be awakened, gradually moved up through the Chakras & made to unite with Shiva, ultimately destroying material existence.

In the story, Shakthi removes her dirt & creates Ganesha, her son. Once one of us removes the dirt of restlessness (body & mind), the Kundalini Shakthi is awakened & moves to the first Chakra (right above it), the Muladhara chakra, representing the earth element. Every hymn of Ganesha invokes him as Muladhara.

Let's see the counterpart. Shiva represents the Sahasrara Chakra. The fire of Shiva through the third eye produced Karthikeya, his son. The chakra right below Sahasrara Chakra is the Ajna chakra, located at our third eye, represents knowledge (Jnanam). Karthikeya is referred to in the hymns as Jnana-Panditha (the learned one with knowledge).

Shiva doesn't recognize Ganesha when he sees him first. What does that mean? The true self of every human is the soul. The soul is veiled by Aham (ego), Avidya (ignorance), Manas (mind) & our body. We don't recognize our true self & the divine power & chakras within us.

With Shakthi locked in & guarded by the Muladhara Chakra, all attempts at getting Shakthi (awakening the Kundalini) by all divine forces are thwarted. This indicates the difficulty in awakening the Kundalini Shakthi.

Shiva's Trishula (Trident) represents the three energies: Ida, Pingala & Sushumna Nadi. All these originate in the Muladhara Chakra, the first chakra. This trident cuts of the head of Ganesh (the resistance), revives it (with wisdom) and awakens it. Being the first Chakra, Ganesha is also the first deity.

This Shiva Purana story is deep in symbolism and represents the task of awakening the Kundalini & getting it to the first Muladhara Chakra, to make progress in escaping permanently from the material world. Kundalini Yoga states that every life eventually has to awaken the Kundalini & realize the self. If not in this life, eventually in some subsequent life.

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