Lord Ganesh is the deity closest to physical creation. He is the swami of Riddhi and Siddhi. Riddhi is the force that bestows physical success – wealth, prosperity and fame. Siddhi is what leads to development of higher senses for manifestation of thought and speech, helping one achieve what he desires faster. Majority spends their life chasing Riddhi and Siddhi, but then, this is just the first step, the beginning…

Ganesh was born of the dirt of Mata Adi Shakti as she took bath, indicating that all the Riddhi and Siddhi in creation are nothing but a spec of dirt of the phenomenal force of the Mother. They are Maya, that which is unreal and temporary and bound to leave, yet majority of us pine for them forgetting the temporary nature of these forces. Hence ‘Ganesh’- the ish (lord) of ganas (masses).

Ganesha manifested at a time when impurities started creeping into the society. In due course of time as the worldly desires took precedence over spiritual pursuits for ordinary men, different mantras and sadhnas were prescribed to invoke different aspects of Ganesha, to fulfill specific desires in the realm of the physical, the grossest layer of creation.

Uchchhishta Ganapati is invoked through specific mantras as a giver of boons, as a protector of motherland or to develop mastery over the five senses. Heramba is the five headed form of Ganapati, golden in colour and riding a lion. This ten-armed deity is invoked for fearlessness and to defeat ones enemies. Mahaganapati form corresponds to wealth and pleasures, the bestower of bliss. The red-golden Balaganapati is called upon for good health and bright future. Haridra Ganapati with his turmeric complexion and yellow vestments is the harbinger of prosperity and protection.

These sadhnas are extremely potent. They are given according one’s individual requirement and capacity by the Guru and never taught en masse. When the Guru gives the mantra, blessings follow but then it’s imperative to balance out that karma, since every action has an equal and opposite reaction, every pleasure has a pain attached to it, for which Guru shows the way.

Guru guides the practitioner on which mantra to be practiced, for how long, the correct uchharan and bhaav and practices to complement the sadhna. At the completion of the mantra sadhna, a yagya is performed for the siddhi of mantra. One of the safest mantras to practice for manifestation of the shakti of Ganesha is ‘gama ganpataye namah’ but this too has to be channelized by the Guru for the desired effects. Ganesh Chaturthi is the night of Ganesh, the night of siddhi mantra and mantra diksha under the sanidhya of a Guru.

Yogi Ashwini is the Guiding Light of Dhyan Ashram and can be reached at www.dhyanfoundation.com