Vinayaka Chaturthi

Vinayaka Chaturthi:

The occasion of birthday of Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival. It is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada (August-September). Starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 19 August and 15 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi.

Cultural Beliefs:

• Lord Ganesha is believed to fulfill the wishes and dreams of all those who pray to him sincerely. He has long been associated with commerce and merchants pay homage to him every day. If an Indian business or bank fails, all the images of Ganesha in the offices will be turned upside down, signifying bad luck. In households, it's common for small offerings of money, flowers and food to be placed before the image of Ganesh. These tokens please him and He brings more prosperity, wealth and peace to the family.
• In the rainy season i.e. in the month of sravanam and bhadrapadam, vinakaya chaturdi falls in the rainy season. In shukla paksha the moon will be small and not visible. If people see the moon then there is a belief that people of that place are sinners and rains are not proper.
• Ganesha idols should be made only of clay. There are also references from puranas that ganapathi was created from turmeric.
• There is also an old belief that man came from soil and goes to soil, so some people perform Ganesh chaturdi for 3 days in which they believe that day1 as birth (idol made from soil),day 2 as life(idol will be decorated and prayers are offered) and day 3 as death(immersion of idol). Depending upon people belief it will be celebrated for 3 or 6 or 9 or even 12 days.
• On the vinkaya chavithi day if you look at the moon in the night the read or listen the theft of Syamantak Mani which is described in the Srimad Bhagawatham also recite this mantra to relieve from the effect of Chandra darshan

      Sinha prasenmavadheet sinho jambavataa hatah. 

      Sukumarak ma rodeestav hyesh syamantakah.

Secret behind Vinakaya Birth: 

Goddess parvathi created vinakaya idol of bathing powder and turmeric from her body (Nalugu Pindi). She gave a life made her loyal son and asked to guard outside while taking bath.Lord Shiva entered home and asked the strange boy to give way for him to enter house. Vinakaya strictly told not to enter the house. Lord Shiva became furious and ordered his army to kill him but they all failed. Then Lord Shiva thought of finding fight himself and killed Vinakaya by severing his head. Goddess parvathi came to know and she decides to destroy the creation then Lord Brahma pleased her.

Goddess parvati then gave two conditions that Vinakaya should be worshipped before the other gods and he should be given life. Lord Shiva then ordered his army to get the head of a creature who sleeps facing north. They returned with the head of an elephant. Shiva placed the head on to the body and gave life and declared him as his son and he will be called as Lord Ganesha(leader of all ganas).

  

Interesting Facts:

• Ganeshini :Ganeshini is the feminine form of Lord Ganesha. In Tamil Nadu, Vigneshwari is considered as a Shaktiand called as” Sree Vanja Kalpalatha Maha Ganapathi. The form of this ganesha will be the same of the head of an elephant but the rest of the body will be in the form of a woman.The people troubled by disease, marriage, accidents should pray to this form of Ganapathi. Ganeshini is a mixture of Lord Shiva and the Goddess gives her more power.
• Vidya Ganapathi:Vinayaka is also called as Vidya Ganapathi. Students will worship Lord Ganesha to excel in studies as he is the god for true knowledge. Also the entire life of a man is a continuous process of learning. Also the term vidyarthi (seeker of knowledge) tells he is the one who pursues knowledge.
• Symbolically Indian map resembles ganesha face.
• Steam cooked food is offered as Prasada to ganesha as these preparations are entirely made of steam. Rice flour, sesame seeds and jiggery are prepared as balls and cooked on steam.
• Chandra Darshanam: In the month of Bhadrapada on the vinakaya chaturdi day, the sun and moon are in the angles to each other that the moon light will gall on the earth with negative charges so they will tell not to expose to moon light. So it is advised not to see the moon.

Symbolism of Ganesha:

• Big Head: Think greatly
• Large Stomach: represents his great capacity to digest all good and bad in life.
• Short Legs: symbolize tolerance power.
• Large Ears: imply listening devotees.
• Small Eyes: imply having high concentration power.
• Mouse as Vehicle: represents a deity of control over desires.
• Large Forehead: develops great intelligence
• One Tusk: retains good and throws away bad.
• Long Trunk: represents high efficiency and adaptability.
• Prasadam: You can achieve what you want.

Benefits:

This festival has got more importance from the point of science. For Ganesha Puja one should do the pooja with the leaves and flowers of twenty-one different plants, trees and shrubs called as “Ekavimshati Patra Puja”.These 21 leaves are having medicinal values.

Sno	Mantra	Patram(Leaf)	Scientific Name	Use
1	Sumukahaya Namah	Machee,Soochee	Imperata Cylindrica	Purifies the surroundings.
2	Ganaathipaaya namah	Brahati	Carissa Carandas	Boon to women in the post-delivery period.
3	Uma putraaya namah	Vilva	Aegel Marmelos	Removes the impurities and purifies water and all  areas which are congested like Garbhaalaya .Juice of these leaves if applied  to the body just before taking bath removes bad smellon the skin
4	Gajaananaaya Namah	Durvayugmam	Cynodon Dacry	cures many skin diseases and also staple food for cattle.
5	Harasoonave namah	Duttura	Stramonium	removes the poisonous effect of scorpion sting, dog bite, rat bite, centipede bite and gives immediate relief to the suffering person.
6	Lambodaraaya namah	Badari or jujube	Zizyphus jujuba	The leaves are good fodder for cows and make them yield more milk Songsters use these leaves for maintaining a clear melodious voice.
7	Guhaagrajaaya namah	Apaamaargapatram	Achyrantus Aspera	The juices of these leaves cure many poisonous bites and wounds. It is used in the preparation of Zambuk ointment.
8	Gajakarnaaya namah	Tulasi	Ocimum Sanctim	Purifies air,water, surroundings and protects our health.Mainly used in the Shiva puja and Vishnu Puja.People who eats these leaves daily can conquer passion.
9	Ekadantaaya namah	Chootapatram	Azadaracta indica	Used as festoons to decorate the houses at  festival times and auspicious functions. Throat related dieseases are cured.also the cuckoo's tone is  sweet due to the eating of the new-born mango leaves.
10	Vikataaya namah	Karaveera	Thevetia Nerifolium	karaveeradi Thailam from the leaves protects the hair from lice.The nuts  from this are poisonous.
11	Bhinnadantaaya namah	Vishnukraanta	Evolvulus Alsinoides	As per theTaitreya Upanishad this herb juice improves memorizing power.
12	Vatave namah	Daadimi(pomergranate)	Punica Granata	Leaves and nuts are used orally to cure dysentery and to  protects pregnant women from abortion.
13	Sarveswaraaya namah	Devadaaru	Cedrus Deodara	The smell of this will preventsmosquitoes and dangerous insects coming into the house.
14	Phalachndraaaya namah	Maruvaka	Origanum Vulgara	leaves retain the fragrance for many days even after becoming dry and  can cure diseases of the heart.
15	Herambaaya namah	Sindhuvaara	Vitex Nergunda	This is is used in the preparation of many medicines including antipoisonous drugs and the juice cleanses the eyes
16	Shoorpakarnaaya namah	Jaajee	Myristica Fragrams	This is used as a spice and cure indigestion
17	Suraagrajaya namah	Gandalee		used as a  external application in skin diseases.
18	Ibhavaktraaya namah	Shamee	Prosopis Spicigera	The juice of its leaves can  remove the hair.
19	Vinaayakaya namah	Aswatthapatram	Ficus Religioso	Its leaves are good food for goats and elephants. The bark is used in the preparation od many medicines.
20	Surasevitaaya namah	Arjuna	Morinda Tinctoria	Used in the medicines for heart diseases, wounds and septics. Arjunarishta, a fmaous tonic is prepared with these leaves.
21	Kapilaaya namah	Arkapatram	Calotrophis Procera	The leaves of this shrub yield contains a white milky juice which is a  medicine for the poison of scorpion,  rat etc.,Also cures wounds and ulcers on external application

All the above mentioned leaves will be available in Bhadrapaada ( August-September) and the proper time, to gather all these leaves and preserve them for medicines.

  

Scientific Reasons:

• Ganesha idols made out of natural clay are worshiped with 21 herbs and leaves during the Ganesh Chaviti.  Water born diseases are generally spread during this season due to heavy rains and floods.
•  After the Ganesha festival, the worshiped Ganesha idols along with pooja leaves (Pathra) are immersed (Nimajjana) in water (rivers/canals/lakes/sea). It is believed that these leaves when they are thrown in huge quantity into water, helps in purifying the water due to their medicinal properties.
• Ganesha idols made of natural clay, when immersed in water; they get dissolved very easily in water and cleanse the water without causing pollution. This also develops immunity and resistance to fight with bacteria.
• In Ayurvedha the steam cooked food will have natural curative properties. Jaggery is a remedy for various ailments, til seeds to purify the arteries help to improve the vision. So the food offerings to Ganesha have health giving properties and the items cooked in steam are easy to digest. In some of the Super Specialty Hospital, steam cooked idles are offered to heart patients after surgery.
• Ganesha idols should be made only of clay as the pure spiritual particles of Ganesha will get attracted to towards an idol made of mud and can be immersed properly. Mud can be dissolved easily in water, forms a layer below and does not sink into earth for a long time and have a great effect on the health of living beings and environment. This represents the cycle of creation and dissolution in Nature.