The Moon Punished-Understanding The Divinity Behind Lord Ganesh’s Actions
June 22, 2008
Many of us are aware that Lord Ganesh has cursed the moon. The following narration will clear your mind and the clouds that hover around our thoughts and covers up pure brillance of devotion.
Lord Ganesh was once returning from a feast, riding His mouse, when a snake crossed their path. The terrified mouse startled the Lord and He fell. His overstuffed stomach burst open and its contents spilled out. The sight looked hilarious and the moon laughed uncontrollably. Quickly, our Lord caught the snake and tied it around His stomach. Then He threw His tusk at moon and cursed him.
“From now on you will never shine this brightly again.”
Darkness prevailed, creating chaos in heaven and on earth. The gods decided that it was time to intervene and humbly requested Lord Ganesh to take back His curse. Our ever forgiving Lord agreed, but the moon would not gleam as brightly on all nights as he did before. Instead he would wax and wane from one bright to a dark fortnight alternately. Thus we see the various phases of the moon and enjoy full moon and new moon nights.
Another legend explains that on His birthday, mother Parvati had prepared twenty-one varieties of food for her beloved son. On His way home, He fell and the moon laughed. This incident when viewed in a different light signifies that Lord Ganesh’s abdomen represents the entire cosmos. Shakti represented by His mother is the primordial energy. The twenty-one listings on His menu which He consumed are the seven worlds (Lokas) above, the seven below and the seven oceans. The snake is the Kundalini (Cosmic energy) which holds the cosmos-His belly.
The ego is represented by the mouse. Lord Ganesh riding this animal denotes Him as the controller of the ego. So those who seek His refuge and live devoid of the ego can gain Ganesh consciousness. The moon’s radiance is symbolised as a source of distraction so by cursing him on auspicious days like His birthday, it signifies that one should not allow the mind to wander but focus it in His service.
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Another legend narrates that the giggling moon suddenly hid behind the clouds, seeing an annoyed look on Lord Ganesh’s face.
“How long are you going to hide like a thief?” asked the Lord.
“You will have to come out sooner or later. And I will be waiting.
The moon had no choice and revealed himself.
“Those who look at you on my birthday will be falsely accused of theft,” said
Lord Ganesh, cursing him.
This disrespectful behaviour of the moon symbolises that we should avoid the company of those who have no faith in God and ridicule Him due to their ignorance. The moon performed various austerities and sincerely regretted his outburst. But the curse could not be reversed. But the merciful Lord reduced its effects.
“On Sankashti, no devotees will eat until they pay obeisance to you.”
The day marked as Sankarshti appears every month in the Hindu calendar. People fast throughout the day and eat in the evening after the moonrise. Most people understand Sankashti as a ritual to please Lord Ganesh so that He removes all the Sankat (Hurdles / Crisis) that one faces in life. But this is a mundane view.
There are three hundred and sixty different frequencies emitted from the earth’s core that encircle and penetrate our body. This energy slows down our various physiological processes. This is termed as the hurdle. The frequencies become more profound in the dark fortnight of the Hindu lunar month. Lord Ganesh presides over these frequencies and with His grace we are blessed and released from the grip of these powerful forces. When this day falls on a Tuesday it is called Angaraki Sankashti.
There are many believers who even today avoid looking at the moon on the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Some say that if onlookers inadvertently stare at the moon, they can free themselves of this curse by listening to or reading the following story.
Once, Satrajit earnestly prayed to the Surya Dev-The Sun God. Pleased with this veneration, Surya Dev graced him with his presence. Satrajit could not see him because of his sheer brilliance. So the Sun god took off the Syamantaka jewel which gave him the unmatchable radiance.
“I am pleased with your devotion,” said Surya Dev. “Tell me, what do you desire and it shall be fulfilled.”
“My Lord, I would like this jewel.”
Satrajit kept this gem in his house and there were miracles. The jewel’s power created gold everyday and took away all the miseries of the kingdom like poverty, diseases, drought and theft. Lord Krishna thought that this jewel should be given to the King Ugrasena.
Satrajit came to know of Lord Krishna’s intentions and decided to give it to his brother Prasena for safe keeping. Adorning this jewel around his neck, Prasena went hunting. Unfortunately, he was killed by a lion in the forest. Before the lion could take possession of this divine gem, Jambavan, the king of bears appeared in the nick of time and gave it to his young son.
Prasena was missing for days and no one was aware of his sudden death. Rumours floated around the city of Dwaraka that maybe Lord Krishna had a hand in it. To clear his name, Lord Krishna traced back Prasena’s steps which lead him to the jungle. There, he found the dead bodies of Prasena and the lion. The trail lead to Jambavan’s cave.
The jewel sparkled in the hands of Jambavan’s son who was playing with it. Believing that Lord Krishna was an intruder, Jambavan attacked the Lord and there was an intense battle for twenty-one days. Finally, Jambavan was defeated and he handed the jewel back. In repentance for fighting with the Lord and assuming him to be a thief, he gave his daughter Jambavati in marriage.
There were celebrations in Dwarka when the people of the city saw Lord Krishna returning with his new wife and the jewel. The Lord gave the gem to Satrajit and narrated the events, thus clearing the false accusations. Ashamed of his actions, Satrajit gave Lord Krishna his daughter Satyabhama, in marriage. This story is from the Vishnu and Bhagvad Puranas.
Ganesh Chaturthi day is also called Dagadi Chautha, or Stone-Throwing Fourth Day, in some places. It is believed that if one inadvertently sees the moon on that night, one should throw stones on his neighbour’s roof to avert any calamity arising from the curse.
©Nayna Chakrabarty, 2007-2008. All Rights Reserved.
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