The Inner Meaning Of The Ten-Day Worship Of Ganesha.

Ganesha Is The Presiding Deity Over Intelligence And Obstacles

        "Vighneshwara is the deity presiding over the intelligence. He endows devotees  with purity of intellect and power of discrimination between right and wrong and between permanent and the transient. Mundane pleasures are momentary and fleeting. Your aim must be to seek that spiritual bliss which is enduring and unchanging and which transcends the pleasures of earth and heaven." Sai Baba, SS, 10/89, p. 262

       "He is called Vighneshwara, because he is regarded as the presiding deity'over obstacles. As Yama is the presiding deity for births and deaths, the grace ofGanapati removes all obstacles." Sai Baba, SS, 10/89, p. 263

Worship Of Ganesha

       "Ganapati has been described as 'Aprameya', transcendent and all-encompassing. Hence, he can be worshipped in any manner." Sai Baba, SS, 9/97, p. 239

       "The Vinayaka Principle symbolizes health, bliss, peace, wisdom, prosperity and many other things. Unfortunately, this truth is not recognised by most people. People are content to offer some kind of mechanical worship to any odd figure made of clay and add to the pollution around them. What should be offered to God are things which will please him" Sai Baba, SS, 9/97, p. 238

"Shuklaambara-Dharam" Prayer

      "The devout offer worship to Vinayaka with a well known prayer, beginning with the words 'Shuklaambara-dharam' (The one who wears a white garment). Vigneshwara is described as one who is white like the moon, who has four arms (two for giving worldly protection and two for spiritual benediction), who has ever-pleasing countenance and to whom obeisance is offered for removing all obstacles. While the pious used this prayer in a devout spirit, the impious misused the words to distort the meaning and make it a prayer to a quadruped, which is employed for carrying clothes. It is by such misinterpretation that some people have sullied the great culture of Bharat and undermined the faith in God." Sai Baba, SS, 10/96, p. 274

Positive Effects Of Vinayaka Worship

       The Vinayaka Principle protects man from various hurdles in life and ensures peace and security. Hence, on every auspicious occasion Vinayaka is worshipped." Saiiffaba, SS, 10/96, p. 274

     "Students worship Ganesha for success in academic studies and for developing into good scholars." Sai Baba, SS, 9/97, p. 236

       "Students like to worship Ganapati. They pray to Ganesha to confer on them Buddhi (intelligence) and Siddhi (the capacity to realise their aspirations)." Sai Baba, SS, 12/92. p. 224

The Inner Meaning Of The Ten-Day Worship Of Ganesha

       "Realise that you have a conscience that is your guide and consciousness which represents your divinity. Ganapati, who presides over the (ten) senses (five senses of perception and five senses of action), should be your guide in acquiring mastery over the senses. There is an inner meaning in worshipping Ganapati for ten days. The idea is that each day should be dedicated to acquiring control over one of the sense organs (Indriyas). Devotees should realise that control of the senses is quite simple. What is necessary is not to encourage negative feelings when they arise, but to adopt positive attitudes. For instance, Buddha confronted the anger of demon with his love and transformed him" Sai Baba, SS, 9/97, p. 241

 What is the meaning of the name Ganapati? Where are the Ganas? What is their form? When you investigate this, you find that five organs of perception and five organs of action (Jnaanendriyas and Karmendriyas) are the Ganas. The mind is the master of these ten organs. Buddhi (or intellect) is the discriminating faculty above the mind. The ten senses, the mind and intellect together constitute the Ganas.

       In the word' Gana',' Ga' stands for Buddhi (intellect). 'Na' means 'Vijnaana' (higher knowledge or wisdom). Ganapati is the Lord of the intellect and the higher knowledge. The question may be asked: Are the intellect and the higher knowledge present in the external world or are they to be found within man? The answer is that he is present within each human being. There is no need to seek him in the outside world. Ganapati dwells in every human being in the form of intellect and wisdom.

When Ganapati is described as 'Parvati Tanaya' (son of Parvati), who is this Parvati? Parvati signifies 'Prithvi'. Mother Earth. Everyone is a child of Mother Earth. The meaning of 'Parvati Tanaya' (son of Parvati) is that Ganapati, who is the Lord of Ganas, is the son of Parvati, who symbolizes Shakti (Divine Energy)." Sai Baba, SS, 9/97, p. 235