Ganesha Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is one of the most colorful and widely celebrated festivals in India. It is observed on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) in the month of Bhadrapada each year.

Lord Ganapati, or Ganesha, is associated with the 18th Kakshya and is accompanied by Vishwaksena, Sheshashayana, Kubera, and the Ashwini Devas. Ganesha is the son of Parvati and Parameshwara. He is regarded as the deity of space (Bhootakaasha) and has a mouse (Mooshika) as his vehicle. He holds a modaka (sweet) in his hands. Ganapati should be worshipped as part of Srihari’s divine family and not as the supreme deity.

According to Acharya Madhwa in the Maandookopanishat Bhashya, Ganesha’s elephant face is based on the Shruti. He is a great devotee of Sri Hari in the form of "Vishwambara Murthy," who controls the waking state, and "Taijasa," who controls the dream state of beings. Bhagavan, the Vishnu, is denoted by the sacred syllable "Omkara" and is the instigator and controller of Mahalakshmi. He manifests in four forms within each being. In the waking state, he resides in the right eye. Ganesha has seven limbs, which include four hands, one tusk, and two legs, and 19 faces, with the central face being that of an elephant. On both sides of this central face, there are nine additional faces. Ganesha meditated on this central face of Vishnu, which is why he has the face of an elephant.

Ganapathi Writing the Mahabharata

Ganapati, a recipient of Lord Sri Vedavyasa’s mercy, was asked to write the Mahabharata as Vedavyasa dictated it. The original Mahabharata consisted of 60 lakh granthas (a grantha represents 32 letters). Sri Vedavyasa set aside 30 lakh granthas, making them available only to Chaturmukha Brahma and Vayu.

The remaining 30 lakh granthas were divided as follows:

• 15 lakh granthas were given to Narada Maharshi for teaching the Devas.
• 7.5 lakh granthas were given to sages Asitha and Devalaru for teaching the Pitru Devatas.
• 14 lakh granthas were given to Shukacharya for teaching the Gandharvas.
• The final 1 lakh granthas were made available to King Janamejaya by Sri Vaisampayana.

This final portion of 1 lakh granthas (approximately 8800 shlokas) is the only part now available to us and is said to have been written by Ganapati, not the entire Mahabharata.