Prologue§
Pūrvaraṅga§
पूर्वरङ्ग§
IN OUR INTERNET AGE THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON the web on the Deity Lord Gaṇeśa. A search on Google for “Gaṇeśa” produces 169 million results. As an example, the Wikipedia article on Him begins with: “Gaṇeśa, also known as Gaṇapati, Vinayaka or by numerous other names, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Thailand, Bali (Indonesia), Bangladesh and Nepal. Hindu denominations worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Gaṇeśa is widely diffused and extends to Jains and Buddhists.”§
With so much information available, what then is the unique position of my guru’s book Loving Gaṇeśa in this sea of information? Google “Ganesha as a real being,” and the answer is self-evident: 225 references are given and they are nearly all quotes from this book. Though it is a central truth among most Hindus, the idea of Gaṇeśa as a real being is seldom found in written form, and nowhere so boldly. Thus, from a contemporary publishing perspective, this insight is unique to this book and Gurudeva’s other writings. Gurudeva presents this idea in his introduction: “In modern times in the Kali Yuga (which commenced about the time mothers began relinquishing their stri dharma and, Gaṇeśa admonishes, it is the pure mothers of the world who will herald the next Sat Yuga), there are a great many liberal Hindus and/or Western-influenced Hindus who don’t think of Gaṇeśa as a real being. To them He is a symbol, a superstition, a way of explaining philosophy to children and the uneducated. But this has not been my experience of our loving Lord. I have seen Him with my own eye. He has come to me in visions several times and convinced my lower mind of His reality. The living, loving reality of our benevolent God is the premise of the book that you hold in your hands. Believe it, for it is true.” After introducing this key idea, Gurudeva extends it further in explaining that you, the reader, can also contact Lord Gaṇeśa through your prayers. He then gives specific step-by-step suggestions for doing so.§
In the introduction and in chapter seven, Gurudeva shares his unique approach to the chakras—the nerve plexuses or centers of force and consciousness located within the inner bodies of man. The seven principal chakras can be seen psychically as colorful, multi-petaled wheels or lotuses. They are situated along the spinal cord from the base to the cranial chamber. Additionally, seven chakras exist below the spine. They are seats of instinctive consciousness. In presenting the chakras, the common approach is to focus on experiencing the higher chakras: in the throat, divine love, and in the head, divine sight and illumination. Gurudeva, however, starts by focusing on closing off the lower seven chakras and shows us how the worship of Lord Gaṇeśa can help us accomplish this. Through His worship, we can rise above fear and lust, raging anger, retaliatory jealousy, prolonged mental confusion, selfishness, absence of conscience and (in the lowest chakra) murder and malice.§
A third unique contribution from Gurudeva is the concept of Gaṇeśa’s five powers, or shaktis, which are presented in chapter three. In this system, each power is built upon being successful in living the previous one. These powers constitute five progressive focuses that are the basis for manifesting the fullness of religion within the family:§
1. love and harmony within the family§
2. feelings of amity extended to relatives, neigh_bors and friends§
3. this same love extended to all persons one has dealings with in the external world: business associates, a casual merchant and the public at large§
4. the love of culture and all that it brings, religious formalities and the respect and appreciation of discipline§
5. the wonderful feelings obtained by the outpouring of love of this God§
I trust you will enjoy reading Gurudeva’s unique contribution to the vast lore on Lord Gaṇeśa.§
Love and blessings to you from this and inner worlds,§
163rd Jagadāchārya of the Nandinātha§
Sampradāya’s Kailāsa Paramparā§
Guru Mahāsannidhānam§
Kauai Aadheenam, Hawaii, USA§
