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