Prayer Time
Hinduism is full of prayers and sacred utterances that may include a sound, a syllable, a word or groups of them. Regular chanting of the mantra is part of worship and meditation in several religions including Hinduism and Buddhism.
A Shloka is a traditional category of verse line developed from Vedic Anustubh. It is the basis for Indian epic verse, the shloka is treated as a couplet. Stotra, on the other hand, is a hymn addressed to god. It can be a prayer, a description, or a conversation and may not follow rigid rules of composition.
Our Scriptures are full of such sacred utterances and we begin a series on popular slokas and compositions from this issue. We will begin with the Ganesha Pancharatnam.
The Ganesha Pancharatnam was composed by the great saint Adi Sankaracharya. He established the shanmathas or six sects of Hinduism namely Ganapatyam, Shaktham, Kaumaram, Shaivam, Vaishnavam and Sauram. Ganapathi worship is popular all over India and Lord Ganesh is revered as the primeval God.
Mudakaraatha Modakam Sada Vimukti Saadhakam
Kalaadharaavatamsakam Vilasiloka Rakshakam
Anaaya Kaika Naayakam Vinasitebha Daityakam
Nataasubhasu Naashakam Namaami Tham Vinaayakam.
Natetaraati Bheekaram Navoditaarka Bhaasvaram
Namat Suraari Nirjanam Nataadhi Kaapa Duddharam
Suresvaram Nidheesvaram Gajesvaram Ganeshvaram
Mahesvaram Samaasraye Paraatparam Nirantaram.
Samasta Loka Samkaram Nirasta Daitya Kunjaram
Daredarodaram Varam Vare Bhavaktra Maksharam
Krupaakaram Kshamaakaram Mudaakaram Yasaskaram
Manaskaram Namaskrutaam Namaskaromi Bhaasvaram.
Akimchanaarti Marjanam Chirantanokti Bhaajanam
Puraari Poorva Nandanam Suraari Garva Charvanam
Prapancha Naasha Bheeshanam Dhananjayaadi Bhushanam
Kapola Daana Vaaranam Bhajaey Puraana Vaaranam.
Nitaantikaanta Dantakaanti Mantakaanta Kaatmajam
Achintya Rupa Mantaheena Mantaraaya Krintanam
Hrudantarey Nirantaram Vasantameva Yoginam
Tameka Danta Meva Tam Vichintayaami Santatam.
Maha Ganesa Pancha Rathna Maadharena Yo Anvaham,
Prajalpathi Prabhathake Hrudhi Smaran Ganeswaram,
Arogadhamadhosadham Susahitheem Suputhratham,
Samahithayurshta Bhoothi Mapyupaithi Sochiraath.
Festival Time
Festivals are occasions when the rigor of chanting hymns and prayers are increased. It gives us a chance to spend our time thinking of the various deities associated with that particular festival.
Worship of god Ganesh on the fourth day after full moon of every month is known as Sankashti or Sankatahara Chaturthi. But the grandest and most elaborate of them is observed during the Hindu month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) and is known as Ganesha Chaturthi, also known as 'Vinayak Chaturthi' or 'Vinayaka Chavithi' and is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. In the western India state of Maharashtra, it lasts for 10 days, ending on the day of 'Ananta Chaturdashi'. Ganesha is worshipped with durva grass and modaks or sweet dumplings are offered as Prasad. Hibiscus or the red shoe flower is used to adorn him. On a practical level, it is the seasonal flower of the Bhadrapad month of the monsoons, hence our ancients have advocated this particular flower.
What it Angaaraka Ganesh Chathurthi?
The fourth thithi of each moon phase is known as Chathurthi. Chathur = four. 24 to 25 Chathurthis occur each year. When the Chathurthi thithi occurs on a Tuesday, it’s known as Angaaraka Chathurthi in recognition of Sri Angaaraka, the Vaara(weekly- Mars-Chevvaai-Mangal) devata for Tuesday who performed special pooja for Lord Ganesh.
Temple Time
‘Ashtavinayak’ is ‘Eight Ganesha’. Lord Ganesha is propitiated for removing obstacles, and bringing intelligence and prosperity to his devotees. In the western state of Maharashtra, Ganesha is the most revered amongst all Hindu deities. The eight major pilgrimage centers of Lord Ganesha, collectively known as Ashtavinayak, are present in this state. There are separate meanings and legends attached to each of these temples. The idol features of the eight Ganeshas also bear different symbolic interpretations. Pilgrimage to Ashtavinayaks hold special significance in Hindu religion as most of these temples are described as 'Swayambhu' – the one created by nature rather than man made.
Pilgrimage to Ashtavinayak is carried out in a sequential manner. However, it should always begin and end with Moreshwar temple at Morgaon. The sequence starts with Mayureshwar (Moreshwar)and then it proceeds towards Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Thevur, Lenyandri, Ozar, Ranjangaon and finally it ends after revisiting Mayureshwar.
The eight temples of the Ashtavinayak Yatra that are to be visited in sequence are -
1. Mayureshwar Temple at Morgaon
2. Siddhivinayak Temple at Siddhatek
3. Ballaleshwar Temple at Pali
4. Varadavinayak Temple at Mahad
5. Chintamani Temple at Theur
6. Girijatmaj Temple at Lenyadri
7. Vighnahar Temple at Ozar
8. Mahaganapati Temple at Ranjangaon
All the eight temples find mention in the Ganesha and the Mudgala Puranas.
To know more log onto http://www.indianscriptures.com/sacred-places/ashtvinayak
The KarpagaVinayakar Temple- Pillaiyarpatti
The KarpagaVinayakar Temple- Pillaiyarpatti, Thiruppatthur in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu was built by the Pandyas. It is a cave temple and is more than 2500 years old. Lord Ganesha is hailed as Vinayakar here. The idol is carved out from a rock. The main shrine is a cave and the idol is about 6 feet high. There is no provision to go around the idol in a traditional pradakshina. The idol is always covered in gold except when abhishekas are done to the idol. A Shiva idol is also carved out of rock in the cave. A unique feature of the idol of Lord Ganesh is that the trunk is curved at the right side and he can be seen with two arms.
Ganapatya Saints
Morya Gosavi a saint who is believed to have lived somewhere between the 13th and 17th century is a famous saint of Ganapatya order. He is said to have built the famous Ganesha temple in Chinchwad. He lived for a long time in Moregaon which is one of the ashta vinayak centres.
The Tamil saint Avvaiyar was also a great devotee of Ganesha.
Hymns
Ganesha Dwaadasha Nama shloka
This hymn contains 12 names of Lord Ganesha and is believed to have been recited by Sage Narada to please Lord Ganesha.
Pranamya Shirasa Devam Gauriputram Vinaayakam
Bhakataavaasam Smarenityam Aayush Kaamartha Siddhaye
Salutations to the Lord, the son of Gauri, who resides deep in the heart of the devotees, blessing them always with good health and prosperity
Prathamam Vakratundam Cha Ekadantam Dwiteeyakam
Thriteeyam Krishna Pingaaksham Gajavaktram Chaturthakam
Here commences the beginning of twelve names.
The Lord with the curved trunk; Second -the one with only one tusk, Third- the one with dark eyes,
Fourth- the one with a huge personality
Lambodaram Panchamaam Cha Shashtam Vikatameva Cha
Saptamam Vighnaraajam Dhoomravarnam Tathaashtamam
Fifth- the one with a massive stomach. Sixth- the one with a huge body, Seven- the remover of obstacles ,Eighth- the one with smoke gray color
Navamam Phaalachandram Cha Dasamam Tu Vinaayakam
Ekaadasam Ganapatim Dvaadasam Tu Gajaananam
Ninth- the one with moon on the forehead, Tenth- the foremost leader,
Eleventh-the leader of the ganas, Twelfth - the one with elephant face
Dvaadasaitaani Naamaani Trisandhyam Yah Pathernnarah
Na Cha Vighna Bhayam Tasya Sarva Siddhikaram Prabho
If a person remembers these twelve names of Lord Ganesha, three times in a day, he will then have all his obstacles and fear removed and will attain success.
2. Ekadantam MahaakaayamTaptakaajnchana sannibham
Lambodaram VishaalakshamVande Ham Gananaayakam
Oh lord who is one tusked, with a golden colored body. You have a large pot like belly, beautiful eyes. I bow to you the leader of ganas.
Om gam ganapathi namaha
Ganesh Gayatri Mantra
Aum Ekadantaya Vidmahe Vakratundaya Dheemahi
Tanno Danti Prachodayat
Info Time
Trishund Ganpati
The narrow lanes of Somvar peth in Pune are home to this Ganpati temple which was built between 1754- 1770 AD. Constructed by Bhimjigiri Gosavi, the Trishund Ganpati temple boasts of being the only temple in Pune built in stone masonry. The Trishund Ganpati temple is dedicated to a form of Lord Ganesh with three trunks.
Trinethra Ganesh- Ranthambhore (Rajasthan)
Atop Ranthambhore’s historic 1000-year-old fort is a unique temple of Trinetra Ganesh, the three-eyed god in a slab of bright orange. People send their first wedding invitation to the deity here. Lord Ganesh receives 10 kilogram of mail from devotees across India and the globe. Folklore has it that the first wedding invitation that Ganesh received was the marriage invite of Lord Krishna and Rukmini in the Dwapara Yuga. Wondering what happens to all the wedding invitations. They are sent for recycling and Prasad is offered on the recycled paper.
Content Team,