How
to Receive Sri Ganesha's Blessings
A Message from Amma
Children,
when Sri Ganesha is worshipped with faith and devotion, especially
on Ganesh Chaturthi, he removes the obstacles from our path and grants
us so many spiritual boons. All our karma is destroyed, so that we
can proceed smoothly on the spiritual path. There are many different
forms of Sri Ganesha, and many ways to worship him. Each type of
puja will give slightly different blessings.
For example, worshipping a silver
Ganesha grants us long life. Worshipping a green jade (marakata)
Ganesha fulfills our noble wishes and grants us a rich inner life,
a divine intellect, wisdom and even moksha. When we worship a jade
Ganesha, he takes care of our financial debts. Worshipping a crystal
(sphatika) Ganesha is wonderful for enhancing harmony between the
wife and husband. All disharmony is removed and one progresses smoothly
on the path of peace, devotion, and good spiritual development. The
following guidelines will help you to attune with Sri Ganesha and
receive his powerful blessings.
Guidelines for Ganesh Chaturthi
The day before Ganesh Chaturthi, clean the area
where you normally do your puja or meditation. On Ganesh Chaturthi
(September 3), wake up in the early hours of the morning, preferably before
dawn, and take a head bath (shower and wash the hair). Put on new clothes,
or at least clothes that have been freshly washed.
If you have a murti, or figurine, of Sri Ganesha, place it on a metal
puja plate. If you don't have a puja plate, you can use a new, unused
aluminum baking tray or a new, unused paper plate. If you only have
a picture of Ganesha, you can put the plate in front of the picture,
and make your offerings onto the plate. If you don't have any Ganesha
image, but you have a Sri Chakra, you can offer your worship to the
Sri Chakra itself.
Light a ghee lamp and offer two or three
sticks of incense to Sri Ganesha. You can also offer some naivedyam,
or food. Bananas, milk, jaggery, coconut, sugarcane, or sweet pongal
can be offered. If you know it, you may sing Sri
Ganesha Pratah Smaranam.
Worship
with Sri Ganesha Ekakshara Mantra
A
very simple puja is to chant the mantra “Om gam ganapataye
namaha” 108 times while making offerings to your Ganesha murti.
There are many different offerings you can use, like akshatas, fresh
green grass blades, red sandalwood paste, red flower petals, or vibhuti.
To make akshatas, take a cup of raw white rice grains and add a little
turmeric or saffron. Mix with a few drops of water until the rice
is stained a lovely golden color. If you use red sandalwood paste,
you can keep it in a small puja vessel and pour a spoonful of the
paste over Sri Ganesha with each mantra. If this is done, mountains
of troubles, difficulties and dangers will simply melt away, and
all noble desires will be fulfilled.
If
Sri Ganesha is worshipped with vibhuti while chanting "Om gam
ganapataye namaha," all the negative effects of the nine planets
will be completely destroyed. Even the troubles caused by Saturn
will be removed. Wearing that sacred ash on the forehead will eliminate
all diseases and grant good health. If you offer vibhuti, it must
be fresh vibhuti, not the blessed vibhuti that you have received.
If an
emerald idol of Sri Ganesha is worshipped with auspicious green grass
blades, this will ensure victory in all important activities and
endeavors. New business endeavors will be successful, diseases can
be cured, and all negativity will be destroyed. Not many will have
the opportunity to worship an emerald Ganesha, but the emerald-green
jade Ganesha is a good substitute for true emerald.
Worship
with Sri Ganesha Ashtottara Sata Namavali
A
slightly more difficult way to worship Sri Ganesha involves the chanting
of his 108 most auspicious names, or "Sri
Ganesha Ashtottara Sata Namavali." If Sri Ganesha's 108
Names are recited while offering red flowers, all the eight types
of troubles and difficulties can be overcome. If
the 108 names are chanted while offering red hibiscus flowers, povery
is completely destroyed and wealth and prosperity will increase greatly.
Finally,
Offer Harati to Sri Ganesha
At the conclusion of your puja,
you can offer harati with five ghee flames, or a single ghee or camphor
flame. The offered food and flowers or grass blades have now been
tremendously blessed and energized by Sri Ganesha's divine vibrations.
The food should be eaten by family, friends, or pets. Offered flowers
or grass blades can be touched to one's eyes and sahasrara and then
placed in a clean, pure place outdoors. This will give peace and
healing to Mother Nature. Offered vibhuti or sandalwood paste can
be saved and applied to the third eye daily.
It is said in the Vedas that "Paropakarartham idam sariram"--the
real purpose for this body is to help others. By worshipping Sri Ganesha
on this holy day, our bodies become like pure channels for the grace
of Lord Ganesha to enter into and bless the entire world. Let us all
worship Sri Ganesha this Ganesh Chaturthi and attain his most loving
blessings!
Hari Om Tat Sat
Resources
for Learning or Practice
Lokah
Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
May
All Beings Be Happy
Om
Shantih Shantih Shantihi
May
the Whole World Be in Peace
