The Celestial Beings Accompanying Lord Ganesh-Part 1
June 6, 2007
Lord Ganesh is considered to be foremost amongst celibates. This is believed by his devotees from the southern parts of India while the northern counterparts have a different view. As a child Lord Ganesh was once playing with a cat. He pulled its tail and rolled it on the ground. Later, tired of this game, He decided to spend time with His mother, Parvati. He found her covered in dirt and with bruises.
Surprised, He asked, “What happened, Mother?”
“Remember the cat you were playing with… that was me. I am the Divine power that is exists in all beings.” Lord Ganesh realised that all women are extensions of His mother and decided never to marry. Another interpretation is that His devotion towards His mother is the reason why He is considered as a celibate bachelor. To Him, she was the most beautiful and a perfect woman. He vowed that He could marry the girl who would match up to His mother’s beauty and divine qualities.It is said that Lord Ganesh was unable to find a suitable mate because of His unique appearance. This bothered Him and He summoned the rats to burrow deep holes in the path of any God who were on their way to get married. The potholes made the journey of the grooms and their marriage processions extremely difficult. Frustrated, they went to Lord Brahma to complain.
Lord Brahma created two beautiful girls Riddhi (Abundance. Opulence, Wealth) and Siddhi / Buddhi (Intellectual and Spiritual Prowess) and they were married to Him. With His two consorts, He had sons Shubha (Auspiciousness) and Labha (Profit) and a daughter named Santoshi (Goddess of Satisfaction / Contentment).The Shiva Purana states that King Prajapati had two daughters – Riddhi and Siddhi. He approached Shiva and Parvati for the marriage of his girls to Lord Ganesh and Lord Kartikeyan / Karthikeyan (Lord Ganesh’s younger brother). But both these girls wished that Lord Ganesh should be their husband and so they were married. It is said that if one has Riddhi but doesn’t have Siddhi / Buddhi then it is worthless. Possessing only Siddhi without Riddhi is also futile. Lord Ganesh bestows both these blessings to His ardent devotees. If we delve into ourselves we will realize that we are all Ganapatis (Gana is our body made of the Pancha-Mahabhuta (Five elements), Pati stands for master or owner). Thus He shows us the way to achieve both intellect and wealth to enjoy a rewarding life.
Kolabou is also considered to be Lord Ganesh’s wife. She makes her presence known during the festival of Durga Puja which is popularly celebrated in the eastern parts of India. She (Kola- Banana, Bou- Bride) is a banana plant draped in a traditional sari, adorned with vermilion and a garland of flowers. Kolabou in reality has no relationship with Lord Ganesh but as she is placed next to Him during the festival, people refer her as His wife. The scriptures call her Nabapatrika. The goddess came into being when there was no idol worship. The farmers worshipped Mother Nature in this form for a prosperous harvest.
©Nayna, 2007. All Rights Reserved.
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2 Responses to “The Celestial Beings Accompanying Lord Ganesh-Part 1”
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Will Vinayak speak to me and will be mine forever, will I get him back in my life.
Hello Jayadevi,
Earnest devotion without the want and desire for material comforts can lead to unimaginable events. Keep the faith.