Lord Ganesha: Remover of Obstacles and Lord of New Beginnings

In the Hindu tradition, before any significant undertaking -- a journey, a business venture, a wedding, a new home, a study of scripture -- one first invokes Ganesha. Every aspect of his iconography carries philosophical and psychological significance.

The Birth of Ganesha

The most beloved account from the Shiva Purana: Parvati created a boy to guard her door. When Shiva returned, the boy refused entry. Shiva, not knowing this was his wife's creation, struck off the boy's head. To restore the boy to life, Shiva sent attendants to bring the head of the first creature found sleeping facing north. An elephant's head was brought; Shiva placed it on the boy's body and declared him his own son -- to be worshipped first before all other deities.

The Symbolism of His Form

The Elephant Head represents mahat buddhi -- the great intelligence, the cosmic mind.

The Large Ears represent the ability to listen carefully and discriminate the essential from the inessential.

The Trunk combines power (it can uproot trees) and sensitivity (it can pick up a needle) -- strength and fine discrimination working together.

The Single Tusk -- broken to write the Mahabharata -- represents the willingness to sacrifice completeness in service of higher purpose, and one-pointedness of mind.

The Large Belly can contain the entire universe -- the capacity to digest all of life's experiences with equanimity.

The Mouse Vehicle (Vahana) -- Mooshika represents the restless mind. Ganesha rides the mouse: consciousness is the master of the mind.

The Modaka held in one hand represents the bliss of Self-realization.

Practical Devotion

Ganesha puja is among the most accessible of Hindu devotions. A simple offering of a red hibiscus flower, a modaka sweet, and the chanting of Om Gam Ganapataye Namah is sufficient.

Ganesha is ultimately a reminder: the greatest obstacle is the unexamined mind. The greatest remover of obstacles is consciousness itself -- clear, focused, and wisely directed.