VAKRA TUNDA MAHAAKAYAA SURYA KOTISHA SAMAPRABHA

NIRVIGHNAM KURU ME DEVA

SARVAKAARYESHU SARVADAA


(Oh, Lord, with a twisted trunk and a huge might body, who lustre is equivalent to that of a crores of Suns, (whose intelligence always outshines crores of Suns) I pray to thee, O lord, always remove all obstacles from the good actions I perform.)

One of the sweet dishes prepared during this festival is Modak

Modak is a ritual sweet dish, specially prepared on the day of Ganeshchaturthi which lasts for 10 days. For all these ten days, every day a special sweet dish is prepared in offering to the god and then distributed as `prasad' to the members of the family and friends. Ganeshchaturthi is the first day on which Modaks are prepared. All the same, they can be prepared any day as sweet dish for the family.

Following is the recipe for preparing this recipe.

Ingredients

100 gms. almonds
100 gms. pistachios
200 gms. sugar
1kg. powdered sugar
1 kg. khoya
4 drops of rose essence.

Method

1. Put the khoya in a big and deep metal plate.
2. Add the powdered sugar and drops of essence of rose.
3. Mix together and knead together to make a soft dough.
4. Without blanching the almonds and pistachios, chop them into small bits.
5. Rub them and husk them.
6. Mix 200 gms. sugar in the chopped bits.
7. Lightly grease the palms, take out a small lump from the prepared dough of khoya, roll it in between the palms and shape into a ball.
8. Make a hollow in the middle of the ball and place about a teaspoonful of the almond-pistachios mixture.
9. Carefully pull up the sides and gather them at the top, giving it a conical shape.
10. When ready the modak should resemble a fresh fig, thus make all the modaks.

Shree Ganesha Aarti (in the forum) and Bandana (in the pic)

JAI GANESHA JAI GANESHA JAI GANESHA DEVAA
MAATAA JAAKII PAARVATII, PITAA MAHAADEVAA
EKA DANTA DAYAAVANTA, CAARA BHUJAA DHAARII
MAATHE SINDUURA SOHAI, MUUSE KII SAVAARI
JAI GANESHAA...

Salutation to you, O Lord Ganesha, born of Parvati, the daughter of the Mountain King, Himalayan and the great Lord Shiva. O Lord of compassion, you have a single tusk, four arms, a bright mark of vermilion on your forehead and for conveyance the mouse. Glory, glory, all glory.....

ANDHANA KO AANKHA DETA
KORHINA KO KAAYAA
BAANJHANA KO PUTRA DETA
NIRDHANA KO MAAYAA
JAI GANESHAA...

You bestow vision on the blind, chastened bodies on the leprous, sons on barren women and wealth on the impecunious. Glory, glory, all glory...

PAANA CARHE, PHUULA CARHE
AURA CARHE MEVAA
LADDUANA KO BHOGA LAGE
SAMITA KAREN SEVAA
JAI GANESHA...

People offer you betel leaves, blossoms, dry fruits and laddus, while throngs of saints and seers attend on you. Glory, glory, all glory...

Story of God Ganesh

Lord Ganesha
Lord Ganesh is the elephant-headed God, with one tusk. The legend of how he got his elephant head and one tusk is a fascinating one.

One day Parvati, Shiva’s beloved wife, instructed Shiva’s attendant Nandi not to let anyone in while she was taking a bath. A little later Shiva arrived wishing to enter. Nandi was in a dilemma as how to stop his master. Shiva entered Parvati was not ready to receive him. She was upset and wondered why Nandi had not obeyed her command. She complained to Shiva but Shiva did not take the matter too seriously. He was amused to hear that Parvati had asked Nandi to stop him from entering his own home. Parvati was annoyed. She shared her feelings with her friends. They teased Parvati by saying that she had no attendant of her own. They all considered Shiva their true master.

One of Parvati’s friends came up with the idea to create a person who would owe his first ganesh02.jpg (40643 bytes)allegiance to Parvati and not to Shiva. So Parvati gathered the saffron paste (used at the time of bathing), from her own body and created a boy. The boy was handsome and strong. She gave the boy life and hugged him dearly.

"You are my son, my very own son, I do not have anyone elseto call my very own" said Parvati. Then Parvati gave the boy a staff and asked him to guard the door, "Do not to allow any one to enter without my permission."

A little later Shiva arrived and wondered who the boy could be and why was he there. His attendants did not know either. As Shiva approached the door, the boy stopped him. Shiva tried to explain to the boy that he was Parvati’s husband and he had the right to enter without asking any one. The boy said without hesitation, "Halt, no one enters these halls without my mother’s permission." When Shiva ignored him, the boy hit him with his staff. Shiva was furious. He tried to fight the young boy to realize that he was no ordinary boy. Shiva asked his attendants to capture the boy but single-handedly, the boy defeated all of them.

News reached Parvati through her friends and she thought, "Shiva is after all my husband." But she instantly argued, "But why should he try to force himself in without giving respect to the my privacy?" So she firmly conveyed her feelings to her friend, and she took the message to the boy, "Parvati has given definite instruction as not to allow any one to enter the palace. The boy declared, "I am the son of Parvati. I will give my life to carry out my mother’s orders. No one can enter the palace without my mother’s permission."

The messenger returned to Shiva and humbly informed him what the boy had said. Shiva’s pride was hurt. Shiva was so angry that he sent his entire army to capture the boy. Parvati called for her other powers, Kali and Durga. She asked them to stand beside her son. Shiva’s army lost the battle and the attendants ran for their lives. Shiva then called Vishnu to join him in defeating the small boy. This was not a fair fight. While the boy was engaged in fighting with Vishnu, Shiva threw his Trident and beheaded the boy. After the head rolled off, Shiva realized his mistake.

ganesh03.jpg (57038 bytes)When Parvati heard of the unfair fight she decided to destroy the world. Brahma humbly approached Parvati, seeking for mercy to save the world. Parvati agreed on two conditions, "My son must regain his life and he shall be worshipped before any of the other gods." By that time Shiva had calmed down and apologized for his rash behavior. He agreed to bring the boy back to life. He asked Brahma to go North and bring the head of the first creature that crossed his path. Brahma left with his party and soon brought back the head of a strong elephant. The head was then fitted to the body of the boy and Brahma sprinkled water on it. The boy came to life with an elephant’s head on his shoulder. Parvati embraced her son with joy. She then turned to Brahma to fulfill her second condition. Indra and the other gods brought Shiva to Parvati. Shiva apologized for his arrogance and declared "Hence on, this valiant boy will be my son. He will be respected as any other God and will be worshipped before any other God. He will be called Ganesh, the chief of my Ganas or attendants, and also Vigneshwar, the remover of all obstacles.

Shiva and Parvati once again began to live happily in their abode at mount Kailash.

Many years later, Shiva was taking a nap when Ganesh was guarding him. At that moment Parashuram, the Brahmin warrior, came to see Shiva. Much to his dismay he was stopped by Ganesh. Parashuram was unwilling to take orders from anyone. As a result, a big fight ensued. Finally, Parashuram threw his powerful ax towards Ganesh. Ganesh stopped the ax with his tusk which broke. Thus Ganesh lost one of his tusks and began to be known as Eka-danta, or "One Toothed."

Today before any venture is undertaken, it is Ganesh who is invoked and whose blessings are sought...

Ganesh Symbolism (in the pic) and 108 Names of God Ganesha (in the forum)

1.
Akhuratha : One who has Mouse as His Charioteer
2.
Alampata : Ever Eternal Lord
3.
Amit :Incomparable Lord
4.
Anantachidrupamayam :Infinite and Consciousness Personified
5.
Avaneesh :Lord of the whole World
6.
Avighna :Remover of Obstacles
7.
Balaganapati : Beloved and Lovable Child
8.
Bhalchandra : Moon-Crested Lord
9.
Bheema :Huge and Gigantic
10.
Bhupati :Lord of the Gods
11.
Bhuvanpati :God of the Gods
12.
Buddhinath :God of Wisdom
13.
Buddhipriya : Knowledge Bestower
14.
Buddhividhata : God of Knowledge
15.
Chaturbhuj : One who has Four Arms
16.
Devadeva : Lord! of All Lords
17.
Devantakanashakarin : Destroyer of Evils and Asuras
18.
Devavrata : One who accepts all Penances
19.
Devendrashika : Protector of All Gods
20.
Dharmik : One who gives Charity
21.
Dhoomravarna :Smoke-Hued Lord
22.
Durja : Invincible Lord
23.
Dvaimatura : One who has two Mothers
24.
Ekaakshara : He of the Single Syllable
25.
Ekadanta : Single-Tusked Lord
26.
Ekadrishta : Single-Tusked Lord
27.
Eshanputra : Lord Shiva's Son
28.
Gadadhara : One who has The Mace as His Weapon
29.
Gajakarna : One who has Eyes like an Elephant
30.
Gajanana : Elephant-Faced Lord
31.
Gajananeti : Elephant-Faced Lord
32.
Gajavakra : Trunk of The Elephant
33.
Gajavaktra : One who has Mouth like an Elephant
34.
Ganadhakshya : Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
35.
Ganadhyakshina : Leader of All The Celestial Bodies
36.
Ganapati : Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
37.
Gaurisuta : The Son of Gauri (Parvati)
38.
Gunina : One who is The Master of All Virtues
39.
Haridra : One who is Golden Coloured
40.
Heramba : Mother's Beloved Son
41.
Kapila : Yellowish-Brown Coloured
42.
Kaveesha : Master of Poets
43.
Krti : Lord of Music
44.
Kripalu : Merciful Lord
45.
Krishapingaksha : Yellowish-Brown Eyed
46.
Kshamakaram : The Place of Forgiveness
47.
Kshipra : One who is easy to Appease
48.
Lambakarna : Large-Eared Lord
49.
Lambodara : The Huge Bellied Lord
50.
Mahabala : Enormously Strong Lord
51.
Mahaganapati : Omnipotent and Supreme Lord
52.
Maheshwaram : Lord of The Universe
53.
Mangalamurti : All Auspicious Lord
54.
Manomay : Winner of Hearts
55.
Mrityuanjaya : Conqueror of Death
56.
Mundakarama : Abode of Happiness
57.
Muktidaya : Bestower of Eternal Bliss
58.
Musikvahana : One who has Mouse as His Charioteer
59.
Nadapratithishta :One who Appreciates and Loves Music
60.
Namasthetu : Vanquisher of All Evils and Vices and Sins
61.
Nandana : Lord Shiva's Son
62.
Nideeshwaram : Giver of Wealth and Treasures
63.
Omkara :One who has the Form Of OM
64.
Pitambara :One who has Yellow-Coloured Body
65.
Pramoda :Lord of All Abodes
66.
Prathameshwara :First Among All
67.
Purush : The Omnipotent Personality
68.
Rakta : One who has Red-Coloured Body
69.
Rudrapriya :Beloved Of Lord Shiva
70.
Sarvadevatman :Acceptor of All Celestial Offerings
71.
Sarvasiddhanta : Bestower of Skills and Wisdom
72.
Sarvatman :Protector of The Universe
73.
Shambhavi : The Son of Parvati
74.
Shashivarnam : One who has a Moon like Complexion
75.
Shoorpakarna :Large-Eared Lord
76.
Shuban :All Auspicious Lord
77.
Shubhagunakanan : One who is The Master of All Virtues
78.
Shweta : One who is as Pure as the White Colour
79.
Siddhidhata : Bestower of Success and Accomplishments
80.
Siddhipriya : Bestower of Wishes and Boons
81.
Siddhivinayaka : Bestower of Success
82.
Skandapurvaja : Elder Brother of Skand (Lord Kartik)
83.
Sumukha : Auspicious Face
84.
Sureshwaram :Lord of All Lords
85.
Swaroop : Lover of Beauty
86.
Tarun : Ageless
87.
Uddanda : Nemesis of Evils and Vices
88.
Umaputra : The Son of Goddess Uma (Parvati)
89.
Vakratunda : Curved Trunk Lord
90.
Varaganapati : Bestower of Boons
91.
Varaprada : Granter of Wishes and Boons
92.
Varadavinayaka : Bestower of Success
93.
Veeraganapati : Heroic Lord
94.
Vidyavaridhi : God of Wisdom
95.
Vighnahara : Remover of Obstacles
96.
Vignaharta : Demolisher of Obstacles
97.
Vighnaraja : Lord of All Hindrances
98.
Vighnarajendra : Lord of All Obstacles
99.
Vighnavinashanaya : Destroyer of All Obstacles and Impediments
100. Vigneshwara: Lord of All Obstacles
101. Vikat : Huge and Gigantic
102. Vinayaka : Lord of All
103. Vishwamukha : Master of The Universe
104. Vishwaraja : King of The World
105. Yagnakaya : Acceptor of All Sacred and Sacrificial Offerings
106. Yashaskaram :Bestower of Fame and Fortune
107. Yashvasin : Beloved and Ever Popular Lord
108. Yogadhipa : The Lord of Meditation

I would like to wish everyone (especially our site readers) a happy Ganesh Chaturthi and may God fulfill all of our wishes and keep the peace on the our blue planet............God Bless All....................