Today is the first day of Ganesha Mahotsava - the big festival honoring & celebrating birthday of the elephant-headed god Ganapat! He is said to be present on earth during these days. Wishing all a beautiful Ganesha Chaturthi, and let us remember the profound significance that Lord Ganesha symbolizes:

Ganesha is Ganapati, the Lord of ganas, or groups of atoms (molecules). He is the energy, or Shakti, that keeps this manifest creation together. Without this, the universe as we know it would not exist. To make sure that every substance (dravya) fucntions according to its respective quality (guna), there needs to be a force that upholds this balance and maintains it - this is Ganapati. And because this force has to be so huge, to take care of this whole creation, the symbol of the elephant was chosen: the biggest animal!

Another beautiful symbolism of the elephant is the fact that in an elephant, the organs of perception (jnanendriya) and the organs of action (karmendriya) come together: the trunk is used to grab, as well as to smell! A beautiful symbol of how the Shakti or energy that Ganesha represents is a combination of Jnana Shakti and Kriya Shakti moving together - the ability of understanding/knowing and the ability to act are aligned to each other.

In our body, the Ganesha Tattva, or energy, is located at the base of the spine: the muladhara cakra. It is the kundalini shakti. And that is also why Ganesha is shown holding a noose (pasha) and a goad (ankusha) - the goad is a symbol for that which awakens the energy, and the noose is a symbol for the control over it, giving it the proper direction. Because if this energy is awakened and not properly directed or channelized, it can be dangerous also. And a way to invoke this energy, to awaken it, is through mantras... the mantra (which is symbolized by the mouse that is the vehicle of Ganesha) becomes the way to move this energy, to awaken it!

And this is just a glimpse of the beautiful and profound symbolism of this happy elephant-headed boy, who loves to eat sweets!

The whole universe is nothing but groups of atoms, groups of qualities, of energy. Gana means group and a group cannot exist without a lord. Ganesha was born from the unmanifest transcendental consciousness called Shiva. Just as when atoms bond, matter comes into existence; so when all the fragmented aspects of human consciousness bond, Divinity happens effortlessly and that is the birth of Ganesha from Shiva. ~~ Sri Sri

See other posts related to Ganesha -

Ganesha (Ganpati) Sahasranama
108 Names of Lord Ganesha
Shri Ganesh (Ganpati) Arti
Ganesha Mantra Stuti

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”
“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car.
The sand is everything else. The small stuff.”
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.
Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

Its easy to joke on a Sardar, but It's too difficult to be a Sardar".

I was standing at jalandhar station when my attention went towards a Sikh youth standing near me wearing a Black turban having a long beard and wearing a kirpan over his shirt.

After a while, one local train arrived, which was totally packed. The Sikh youth tried to alight the train but failed to do so. Just then a voice was heard from the back coach 'Sardarji Barah Baj gaye' (Sir it's 12 o'clock!)

The Sikh youth looked over at that voice maker who was a young Mischievous type of person and instead of showing any anger made a smile towards him.

The smile made was so enigmatic that it seemed as if some type of truth lies behind it. Not able to resist my temptation, I walked towards him and asked why did he smile at that person who teased him.

The Sikh youth replied, 'He was not teasing me but was asking for my Help'. I was surprised with these words and he told me that there was a big history behind that which one should know. I was eager to know the History and the Sikh youth narrated:

During 17th Century, when Hindustan was ruled by Mughals, all the Hindu people were humiliated and were treated like animals. Mughals treated the Hindu women as there own property and were forcing all Hindus to accept Islam and even used to kill the people if they were refusing to accept.That time, our ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadarji came forward, in response to a request of some Kashmir Pandits to fight against all these cruel activities.

Guruji told the Mughal emperor that if he could succeed in converting him to Islam, all the Hindus would accept the same. But, if he failed, he should stop all those activities. The Mughal emperor happily agreed to that but even after lots of torture to Guruji and his fellow members he failed to convert him to Islam and Guruji along with his other four fellow members, were tortured and sacrificed their lives in Chandni Chowk. Since the Mughals were unable to convert them to Islam they were assassinated.

Thus Guruji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion.

Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of another religion?
This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar", shield of India. For the sake of whom he had sacrificed his life, none of them came forward to lift his body, fearing that they would also be assassinated.

Seeing this incident our 10th Guruji, Sri Guru Gobind Singhji (Son of Guru Teg Bahadarji) founder of khalsa made a resolution that he would convert his followers to such human beings who would not be able to hide themselves and could be easily located in thousands. At the start, the Sikhs were very few in numbers as they were fighting against the Mughal emperors. At that time, Nadir Shah raided Delhi in the year 1739 and looted Hindustan and was carrying lot of Hindustan treasures and nearly 2200 Hindu women along with him. The news spread like a fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's Kafila on the same midnight. He did so and rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely sent to their homes.

It didn't happen only once but thereafter whenever any Abdaalis or Iranis had attacked and looted Hindustan and were trying to carry the treasures and Hindu women along with them for selling them in Abdal markets, the Sikh army although fewer in numbers but were brave hearted and attacked them at midnight, 12 O'clock and rescued women.

After that time when there occurred a similar incidence, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack the raider's at Midnight, 12 O'clock. Nowadays, these "smart people" and some Sikh enemies who are afraid of Sikhs, have spread these words that at 12 O'clock, the Sikhs go out of their senses. This historic fact was the reason which made me smile over that person as I thought that his Mother or Sister would be in trouble and wants my help and was reminding me by saying off 'Sardarji Barah Baj Gaye'.