Why do we?

Why do we chant Ganesha’s name before beginning of any work?

We live in the world of middle dimensions; we see limited spectrum of light, we hear limited spectrum of sound, we feel limited range of touch etc. Our effort is also finite/limited! So how to take any task to its completion? By adding the infinite/un-limited i.e. the source of all, one can be sure that the task would reach to its completion.

Ganesha is known as ‘Vighna Harta’ (remover of obstacles), for this reason before starting any work, to make it a success ‘Shri Ganeshaya Nama’ is chanted. There is another democratic aspect to it. Ganesha is also known as ‘Gana-dhisha’, he is the leader of Gana/Group of people. He protects his group and also rules the group. He is also Ishwar of all good qualities (Guna-Dhish). 

He has all the good attributes; Intelligence, valour, patience, selflessness, firmness, strength, leadership, kindness, dynamism etc. to lead the group. He is the source of all those attributes required by Ishwar to take any form (living/non-living beings), he is considered as the Aadya-pranav (source of all). 

If we rotate the Om-kara (pranav, its believed that when Ishwar created this world, the first sound was Om-kara) to left by 90 degrees it looks like Ganesha’s face. He is the source of all beginning hence his name is chanted when any new work is started.

Ganesha is the ‘Adhisthaatri-Devata’ of ‘Muladhara chakra’. As per ‘Raja-Yoga’, invoking ‘Kundalini’ is the beginning of the journey towards ‘Para-brahman’ or ‘Sahastrar-Chakra’ where yogis have seen (through the eyes of knowledge) the ‘Purush’ described in Upanishadas.

- Sarang Akotkar