In Search

Being born in a small temple town, down south of India, with a temple to cross any which way you step out from home, i have grown up with gods & goddesses. At the school and back at home we heard stories of gods - not just of the Trinities but of the smaller gods, goddesses and godly men. The stories had a moral which defined a virtue boundary for us kids.

What with the supposedly 330 million gods in the Hinduism we had a god for everything, every occasion. As a kid the big fun was being able to go to temple to run around in the temple premises, enjoy the annual "Utsavam" - festival performed at temples, the sweets (paysam, panchamritham etc.) and meet all friends. All of us used to chant some mantras without knowing much about it.

Somewhere at the back of my mind i had an ambition to go in search of the gods. I have had my share of love, extreme hatred and acceptance of gods depending on if i succeeded or failed in my latest venture. Now the concept of god has evolved in our own minds as a stabilising positive influence. Many sages, masters and many intelligent human beings have gone in search of gods and have had their own take on the whole concept of god. The Hindu belief of path to god are Karma-Bhakti-Jnana, meaning that practice of action, devotion and intellect can lead you to god. May be its a good idea to demystify "GOD". In the Hindu school of thought god is "Sat-Chit-Anandam" truth-mind-bliss which may be losely translated to mean "knowing him is bliss" or "understanding him brings happiness". The use of the word him is to mean god it could be him or her or beyond genders.

My idea of going on in search of god was to pursue a combination of Karma-Bhakti and Jnana. The idea is to try and share the presence of almighty through a combination of spiritual, philosophical, scientific and physical search.

To get there we will study the symbolic definition of some of the gods, the legendary understanding of them from the scriptures, their earthly abodes and try and explain their presence.

We will start with the popular god "Ganesha". Following the classical Hindu tradition of offering the first prayer, the first flower & the first sweet to Vinayaka (the remover of all obstacles), we wish to start with Vinayaka.

Our salutations to Ganesha

"Vakratunda Mahakaaya, Suryakoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Mey Deva, Sarva Kaaryeshu Sarvada"

"Ekadantam Mahaakaayan, Taptakaajnchanasannibhamh
Lambodaram Vishaalaaxam, Vandeaham Gananaayakamh"

"Srikantho Mathulo Yasya, Jananee Sarva Mangalaa
Janakaha Sankaro Devaha, Tam Vande' Kunjaraananam"

Prasanna Vinaayakam Devam, Perivana Pura Samsthitham
Sarva Vigna Haram Nithyam, Vandhe Sri Kunjaraananam"

"Agajaanana Padmaarkam, Gajaananam Aharnisham
Anekadantham Bhaktaanaam, Ekadantam Upaasmahey"

"Ganaanaam Twam Ganapathi Gam Havaamahe
Kavim Kaveenaam Upamasra Vastamam
Jyeshta Raajam Brahmanaam Brahmanaspatha
Aanashrunvanna Oothibhi Seedha Saadanam"

"Mata Pita Guru daivam"