Lord Ganesha: Birth Story, Wife, True Mantra, Aadi Ganesha

Lord Ganesha is the Hindu God (Deity) who is believed to be the Lord of new beginnings therefore, he is worshipped at the start of all Hindu religious ceremonies. He is the Lord of letters and is associated with intellectualism. Hence, he is the patron of authors, bankers, scholars and the like. He is also called ‘Vighnaharta’ ie. the remover of obstacles.

Whereas, deep research of holy Vedas and pious Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures provides evidence that the whole universe is created by Aadi Ganesha who is immortal? He is the destroyer of sins. (Yajurved Adhyay 8 Mantra 13) He is the remover of obstacles. He is the supreme Lord who is worthy to be worshipped. (Yajurved Adhyay 5 Mantra 32)

This raises a question in the mind of devotees when Aadi Ganesha is Almighty then why do people worship demigods? Is Aadi Ganesha different from Lord Ganesha? Let us try to understand who is Aadi Ganesh? Who is a worshipable God?

Let us proceed to get an answer based on the following questions

Who is Lord Ganesha?
How was Lord Ganesha created?
What is the right way of worship of Lord Ganesha?
What is the mantra for attaining benefits from Ganesha?
Is Lord Ganesha the complete God?
Who is Aadi Ganesha?
Who is the Guru of Lord Ganesha?
What is the difference between Aadi Ganesha and Lord Ganesha?
Who is a worshipable God-Aadi Ganesha or Lord Ganesha?

Let us begin and do an analysis. Firstly, who is Lord Ganesha?

Who is Lord Ganesha?

Lord Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He resides with them on Mount Kailash in ‘Ganesh Lok’. We will throw more light on Lord Ganesha based on the below information.

What is the meaning of Ganesh?
How many names are there of Lord Ganesha?
What does Lord Ganesha hold in his hands?
Ganesha Symbolism
What is the vehicle of Lord Ganesha?
Family of Lord Ganesha
Is Lord Ganesha married?

What is the meaning of Ganesh? - Ganesha means ‘Lord / Chief of the Ganas’ (an army of divine beings) also the ‘Lord of the people’.

How many names are there of Lord Ganesha? - There are 108 names of Lord Ganesha. Most commonly Ganesha is greeted by the names like ‘Ganapati, Gajavaktra (one whose mouth is like an elephant), Haridra (one with golden skin), Gajanan, Dwimukha, Vighnaharta, Vighnakarta, Vinayaka, Mahaganapati, Heramba, Siddhaye, Vakpati, Shivapriya, Siddhivinayaka, Agraganyaya, Agrapujyaya, Sarvaya, Ganga Sutaya, Shri Vighneshwaraya.

He is also called ‘Lambodara’ and ‘Mahodara’ which is descriptive of his potbelly. He has a single whole tusk and the other one is broken which gives him the name ‘Ekadanta’ and so on.

What does Lord Ganesha hold in his hands? - Lord Ganesha’s drawings, pictures, and idols depict Ganesha holding a few round sweets called ‘Laddu/‘Modak’. A conch shell, a lotus also a weapon called Axe.

Ganesha Symbolism - Different body parts of Lord Ganesha are symbolic.

The big head is symbolic of thinking big. It is related to wisdom.
The large ears symbolize to listen more.
The small eyes symbolize concentration.
The rope symbolizes- to raise one to reach a higher goal.
One tusk is the symbol to retain good and throw away the bad.
Lord Ganesha is seen in images as a blessing with his right hand which is symbolic of the protection to supreme on the spiritual path.
The weapon-Axe represents the cut-off of all bonds of the materialistic world.
The trunk symbolizes adaptability and efficiency.
The large stomach is symbolic of the peaceful digest of good and bad in life.

What is the vehicle of Lord Ganesha? - The vehicle of Lord Ganesha is the mouse which is symbolic- to eliminate inner darkness ie. to curb the desires.

Family of Lord Ganesha - His father is Lord Shiva (who is one amongst the trinity Gods of this world who is controlling the attribute of ‘Tamaguna’ (i.e. rage and destruction) and mother is Goddess Parvati. He has an elder brother named ‘Kartikeya’ who is believed to be the ‘God of War’ and a sister ‘Ashokasundari’.

Is Lord Ganesha married? - Yes, Lord Ganesha is married. He has two wives named Ridhi (Prosperity) and Sidhi (Spiritual power) and two children named ‘Shubh’ (Auspiciousness) and ‘Laabh’ (Profit) which is why these words are often written along with his idol.

Note: The other two amongst Trinity Gods ie. The companions of Tamgun-Shiva are Rajgun- Brahma and Satgun-Vishnu. Please read three-gunas-sattva-rajas-tamas

Having an idea about who is Lord Ganesha? Let us know How was Lord Ganesha created?.

How was Lord Ganesha created?

Lord Ganesha has the head of an elephant. There is an interesting story behind how was Lord Ganesha created?. We will understand through the following description.

Who killed Ganesha?
How did Lord Ganesha get an elephant head?
Why could Lord Shiva not restore Lord Ganesha's original head?

According to ‘Shiv Puran’ Lord Shiva had a lot of ‘Gana’ who respected all his orders but Goddess Parvati does not have any ‘Gana’. Upset with this pain, once, when Goddess Parvati Ji was taking a bath she created a mannequin with the scum of rouge applied on her body during bath and with her power, she breathed life into that human-form mannequin and a boy was born whom she named ‘Ganesha’. She strictly instructed him to not allow anyone to enter her premises unless she has completed her bath.

Who killed Ganesha?

Meanwhile, Shiv Ji returned after completing austerity from the Himalayas and tried to enter inside the palace of Parvati but Ganesh Ji was adamant in keeping the words of his mother. On facing resistance from Ganesha, out of ignorance and rage Shiva beheaded Ganesha with his trident and entered into the house.

How did Lord Ganesha get an elephant head?

When Parvati Ji saw her son had died she revealed the fact how was Lord Ganesha created to Shiv Ji. She got furious and took the form of Kaali. She was all set to destroy the creation if the life of her son Ganesha is not restored. Fearful Lord Shiva revealed his helplessness to restore the severed head since the impact of his trident cannot be reversed. Then, Lord Shiva requested Lord Vishnu to bring the head of the first creature he sees on the way, who is away from his mother.

Vishnu Ji brought the head of an elephant calf. Shiv Ji put his head atop the body of Ganesha. In this way, he was resurrected. Then Ganesha was blessed with many powers by deities present there and also, that he will be worshipped the first. Since then he is called ‘Gajanan’ and the Lord of new beginnings.

Who is the wife of Lord Ganesha?

Lord Ganesha has two wives Riddhi and Siddhi. These are two beautiful daughters of Prajapati Vishwaroopa

What is the name of Lord Ganesha's sons?

‘Shubh’ (Auspiciousness) and ‘Laabh’ (Profit) are the names of two sons of Lord Ganesha which is why these words are often written along with his idol.

Why could Lord Shiva not Restore Lord Ganesha's original head?

The readers would be surprised to know that Lord Shiva could not restore Lord Ganesha’s original head because his spiritual powers are limited. After Ganesha’s head was severed it was piled to ash. The impact of his trident cannot be reversed. He could not roll back his destruction. This is the rule of nature. These triple Gods are bound with the Supreme God’s law (Law of Aadi Ganesha). They can only provide work done. They cannot change anything. Shrimad Devi Bhagwat, Durga Puran provides evidence. Please read Devi Bhagavata Purana

Points to Ponder

Both are Gods but neither Lord Shiva nor Lord Ganesha could identify what is the relation of Lord Shiva with Ganesha?.
Lord Shiva is called Mritunjay, Kalinjay, Trikaaldarshi, the supreme Lord. Why could he not identify that Ganesha is created by Goddess Parvati and he is his son?
Being God, Shiva killed his son Ganesha?
Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu’s powers are limited? Since, both Tamgun-Shiv Ji and Satgun-Vishnu Ji and even Goddess Parvati-an epitome of Shakti who can even destroy the creation could not restore the original head of Ganesha. They had to put the head of an elephant.
It is clear that Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Parvati, and all other deities present there were inefficient. They have limited powers. Then what relief they can provide to their seekers is well understood.
Ganesha died and then was restored to life- meaning he was born again. He is in the cycle of birth and death. He is not immortal then how can his disciples be relieved from birth and rebirth?. This should be well understood to all devotees.
Moreover, the irony is, to date, the innocent disciples considering Ganesha as ‘Vighnaharta’ had been worshipping him. Let the devotees honestly judge, how much are their ‘Vighna’ (pains) being sorted? Aforesaid, raises doubt to devotees about their arbitrary practices. This proves their worship is not correct.

Let us proceed to know what is the right way of worship of Lord Ganesh?

What is the right way of worship of Lord Ganesh?

Before we describe what is the right way of worship of Lord Ganesh? Let us first highlight what are the current prevailing practices being done by Hindu devotees.

Celebration of Festivals- Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganesh Jayanti

In the month of Bhadrapada (August / September), Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in which Ganesha is honored for ten days. A Ganesha idol is worshipped and later immersed in the water on the last day.

Ganesh Jayanti

(Ganesha’s birthday) is also celebrated on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Magha (January/February).

Note: This practice is not scriptures based and is simply worshipping according to one’s desire. In Shrimad Bhagwat Gita Chapter 16 Verse 23, the knowledge giver of Gita Ji says that ‘Oh Arjun, whoever denounces the way of worship as mentioned in the scriptures and worships according to his own desires gets no benefit be it a worldly desire or salvation’.

Gita Chapter 9 Verse 23-24 does not support the worship of demigods since it is opposite to the scriptures which is the cause of their decline. In Gita Chapter 7 Verse 15 the giver of the knowledge of Gita says ‘those equipped with demonic nature, lowest amongst men, evil-doers, foolish people do not even worship me’.

While mantras like ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ and ‘Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha’ and hymns like ‘Jai Ganesh Deva’ are commonly chanted and sung, nowhere in the scriptures is it suggested to do so. Morya was the name of a dedicated Ganesha devotee and in the commemoration of his devotion to Lord Ganesh, his name is suffixed to that of Lord Ganesh in the phrase ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’.

Such practices are useless. They cannot relieve souls from the cycle of birth and death. Gita Chapter 9 Verse 25-26 and Chapter 8 Verse 8-9-10 states that seekers attain the region of whichever God they worship. Like the worshipper of Lord Vishnu attains ‘Vishnulok’, a worshipper of Shiva attains Shivlok, a worshipper of Brahm-Kaal attains ‘Brahmlok’. In Gita Ji chapter no 8 verse 16 it is made clear that after the attainment of Brahmlok all creatures come in birth and death, they are in recurrence.

Hence, these arbitrary practices should be abandoned immediately. Devotees should do the right way of worship with which Ganesha provides benefits. So, what is the right way of worship of Lord Ganesh?

In Kabir Sagar, in the verse ‘Kar Naino Deedar Mahal Me Pyaara Hai’, the right mantra for attaining benefits from Ganesha has been mentioned which holds power only when given by a ‘Tatvadarshi Saint’. In Gita Chapter 4 Verse 32-34 the giver of the knowledge of Gita Ji tells Arjun ‘to go in the refuge of a Tatvadarshi saint’ he is the knower of true spiritual knowledge and will provide the information of Param Akshar Brahm ie. the complete God (Aadi Ganesha). With the true mantras given by a Tatvadarshi sant complete happiness and salvation will be attained.

Let us give you an overview of what is the Mantra for Attaining Benefits from Ganesha?

What is the mantra for attaining benefits from Ganesha?

Ref: Kabir Sagar in chapter ‘Kabir Vaani’ on page 111

The principal deities involved in the coordination of the world also hold a specific place in every human body where they reside in ‘Chakras’. Our body has seven ‘chakras’ from the base of the spine ie. ‘Muladhara’ or the root chakra to the crown of the head called ‘Trikuti’. Each Chakra is associated with a particular god. These chakras bloom only by chanting true mantras which are provided by an enlightened saint.

Placement of Lord Ganesha in Our Body Chakras

Let us share the placement of Lord Ganesha in our body. Ganesha lives in ‘Mool Chakra’ which is the very first chakra. It is situated in the sacral plexus at the base of the spine.

1) Ganesha governs the Mool Chakra. This consists of four petals and is red in color. It is chanted 600 times.

Almighty KavirDev describes this

मूल चक्र गणेश वासा, रक्त वर्ण जहां जानिये।
किलियं जाप कुलीन तज सब, शब्द हमारा मानिये।।

2) Above ‘Mool Kamal’ is ‘Swad Kamal or Anahad Kamal’ which is governed by ‘Lord Brahma and Goddess Savitri’. This has six petals. It is chanted 6000 times.

3) Above this, in Navel is the ‘Nabhikamal’ whose prime deities are Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi. This has 8 petals. It is chanted 6000 times.

4) Above this, Lord Shiva (Rudra) along with Goddess Parvati resides in the heart ‘Hridaya Kamal’ which has 12 petals. It is chanted 6000 times.

5) Above ‘Hridaya Kamal’, Goddess Durga resides in ‘Kanth Kamal’. This has 16 petals. It is chanted 1000 times.

6) The complete God KavirDev resides in the ‘Sangam Kamal’. This has 3 petals. This is governed by the mind. It has been mentioned in ‘Bhavtaran Bodh’ on page 111 (957) that in one petal Supreme God resides. On page 57 (903) it has been mentioned Durga Ji in the form of Goddess Saraswati resides here along with other 72 crore beautiful goddesses in the second petal and in the third Brahm-Kaal resides in mind form along with crore other young deities. It is chanted 1000 times.

7) In the seventh ‘Kamal-Chakra’ called ‘Surati Kamal’ Satguru resides. On page 57 (903) it has been mentioned as ‘Trikuti Kamal’. It has two petals ‘Bhavtaran Bodh’ on page 111 (957). It is chanted 1000 times.

Having understood the placement of Lord Ganesha and the right way to worship we will try to understand Is Lord Ganesha the complete God?

Is Lord Ganesh the complete God

Ganesha is the God of Ganas living in Lord Shiva’s abode and Ganesha is subordinate to Lord Shiva in terms of divine power. Lord Shiva himself admits that he is caught in the cycle of birth and death as mentioned in Devi Bhagwat Mahapuran on Page 123. This proves that Ganesha also takes birth and dies since he is under Lord Shiva in terms of power.

He himself has not attained salvation (breaking free from the curse of life and death) therefore, he cannot grant salvation to any of his devotees. Hence, Lord Ganesha cannot be counted as the complete God.

Holy scriptures provide evidence that complete God (Aadi Ganesha) relieves souls from the vicious cycle of birth and rebirth. He is the provider of salvation. Pious Vedas provide information about the qualities of the complete God (Yajurved Adhyay 19 Mantra 25, 26). For a detailed description please read Supreme God in Hinduism

Moving ahead, let us find out the answer to the most enduring question, if not Lord Ganesha then who is the complete God who provides salvation?. Holy scriptures have named him Aadi Ganesha? Aadi Purush, the immortal God who has created the entire universe. Let us know who is Aadi Ganesha and how can he be attained?

Who is Aadi Ganesha?

To get complete benefit from these gods, all seekers must make pious Vedas and holy Shrimad Bhagawad Gita the base of their worship. Puranas are not the words of God. They are the personal experience of some deity/saint/sage. By reading Puranas we can understand the birth and death cycle but will remain devoid of getting true spiritual benefits from God. Pious Vedas and Gita Ji are the words of God.

The worship that is done according to the holy scriptures by taking initiation from the enlightened saint ie. Param Akshar Brahm will help souls attain salvation.

Pious Ved, pious Gita Ji, Holy Bible, Pious Gurugranth Sahib, Pious Quran Sharif mentions that Param Akshar Purush ie. Aadi Ganesha is the creator. He is the true spiritual leader. His name is Almighty KavirDev.

Please read Concept of Supreme God in Holy Vedas

He plays the divine spectacle of an enlightened saint, imparts true knowledge to the devotees, provides true mantras with which salvation is attained and seekers go to that eternal world where they never come back to this deceased world of Brahm-Kaal. Only Aadi Ganesha is worthy to be worshipped.

Moving ahead, we will know who is the guru of Lord Ganesha?

Who is the Guru of Lord Ganesha

Aadi Ganesha (Almighty Kabir Ji) comes in all ages in this deceased world to impart true spiritual knowledge to his dearest souls and to liberate them from Kaal’s trap. Read more How were the Souls Caught in Kaal's Trap?

Aadi Ganesha met triple Gods Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva also Lord Ganesh in Satyuga and gave them mantras, also to Goddess Durga and Brahm-Kaal. He is the guru of all. He is the guru of Lord Ganesha. By chanting the specific mantra of Ganesha, seekers get the benefit, rest every religious practice is useless.

Let us understand what is the difference between Aadi Ganesha and Lord Ganesha.

What is the difference between Aadi Ganesh and Lord Ganesh?

Lord Ganesha is in the cycle of birth and rebirth is incapable of providing salvation to devotees. It is the supreme most God who alone is worth worshipping. He is Aadi Ganesha ie. Lord Kabir and no one else. On a soul’s post-death journey, a soul has to pass through the barriers that have been created by deities to collect the loan of spiritual currency that we owe them in exchange for the worldly benefits that they provide us.

That spiritual currency is earned only by chanting the names of these deities that are given by a true saint, who currently is Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj. Gita Adhyay 7 Shlok 20 says that those who worship other deities are also in darkness. In Gita Adhyay 18 Shlok 66 the knowledge giver of Gita is directing Arjun to worship PurnBrahm (the supreme most God) and denounce worshipping him and all 33 crore deities under him. Further, in Adhyay 18 Shlok 46 he asks Arjun to go in the refuge of a Tatvadarshi sant who will give authentic spiritual knowledge.

Who is a worshipable God-Aadi Ganesha or Lord Ganesha?

All of the deities are respectable but only the supreme most Almighty Kabir should be worshipped. This is clear that Lord Ganesha himself is not liberated. Therefore, he cannot grant salvation and destroy the sins of his devotees. Whereas, Aadi Ganesha destroys sins and provides salvation to the true worshipper. The difference is evident. Only Aadi Ganesha is the provider of Salvation. He is the remover of obstacles.

FAQs about "Lord Ganesha: Birth Story, Wife, True Mantra, Aadi Ganesha"

Q.1 What is Lord Ganesha the god of?

Lord Ganesha is the Hindu God who is believed to be associated with new beginnings and the remover of obstacles. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Q.2 What is the real story of Ganesha's birth?

According to Holy scriptures, Goddess Parvati created Lord Ganesha from the scum of rouge applied to her body during a bath. He was brought into life and instructed not to allow anyone to enter while she bathed.

Q. 3 Why is Ganesh so Special?

People believe that Ganesh Ji can remove their obstacles in life which is why they worship him and consider him special. But according to our Holy scriptures, obstacles can only be removed by worshipping Almighty God according to our Holy scriptures

Q.4 Why did Lord Shiva behead Lord Ganesha?

Lord Shiva beheaded Lord Ganesha out of ignorance and rage when Ganesha resisted his entry into Goddess Parvati's palace. Later, Ganesha was resurrected with an elephant head after Lord Vishnu brought the head of an elephant calf.

Q.5 What is the right way to worship Lord Ganesha?

According to our Holy scriptures, worship against our Holy scriptures is useless. Current practices like celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganesh Jayanti may are not scripture-based. Suksham Ved recommends that true worship involves chanting specific mantras associated with each chakra where Lord Ganesha resides in the human body.

Q.6 Is Lord Ganesha considered the complete God?

According to our Holy scriptures, Lord Ganesha is not the complete God as he is subordinate to Lord Shiva and caught in the cycle of birth and death. It suggests that only the Complete God (Aadi Ganesha) is Almighty God Kabir Ji and He only can provide salvation.

Q.7 Who is Aadi Ganesha?

Aadi Ganesha is referred to as the complete and immortal God, the creator of the universe. According to our Holy scriptures, Aadi Ganesha is only Almighty KavirDev, who is the creator and sustainer of entire universe who imparts true spiritual knowledge and provides mantras for salvation to the pious souls.

Q.8 What is the difference between Aadi Ganesh and Lord Ganesh?

The key difference lies in the fact that Lord Ganesha is not immortal and cannot grant salvation, while Aadi Ganesha (Almighty Kabir Ji) is the provider of salvation and the remover of obstacles. Also, our Holy scriptures encourage worshipping Aadi Ganesha for spiritual benefits.