kanchi periva forum - ebook # 5 - vinaayaka chaturthi special edition

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The Essence of Hindu Tradition & Culture

E-book from Kanchi Periva Forum

Volume – 5

Published: September 2012

Vinayaka Chaturthi

Special edition

Compiled by:

- Devotees of Kanchi Periva Forum

Vinayakar Painting by:

- Sri Narayanan Bala


Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3

Sri Vinayakar – Painting by Sri Narayanan Bala ............................................................................................ 4

Sri Maha Periva on Lord Vinayaka ................................................................................................................ 5

Deivathin Kural – Volume 4 : “Suklam Bharatham” .................................................................................. 5

Deivathin Kural – Volume 6 : “Sixteen Names of Vinayaka” .................................................................... 6

1. Sumukar ........................................................................................................................................ 6

2. Ekadantar: always ready to give up .............................................................................................. 7

3. Kapilar: the vinayaka of Tiruchenkattukudi .................................................................................. 7

4. Gajakarnakar ................................................................................................................................. 8

5. Lambodarar ................................................................................................................................... 8

6. Vikatar ........................................................................................................................................... 9

7. Vignarajar ...................................................................................................................................... 9

8. Vinayakar: the twin lord vigneswarar ......................................................................................... 10

9. Dhoomaketu ............................................................................................................................... 11

10. Ganatyakshar .......................................................................................................................... 13

11. Phalachandrar ......................................................................................................................... 13

12. Gajananar ................................................................................................................................ 14

13. Vakratundar ............................................................................................................................ 15

14. Soorpakarnakar ....................................................................................................................... 16

15. Herambar ................................................................................................................................ 17

16. Skandapoorvajar ..................................................................................................................... 18

Hear Sri Maha Periva’s discourse about Vinaayakar .................................................................................. 19

Virtual darshan of Lord Ganesha ................................................................................................................ 20

Sri Vinayaka Chaturthi PoojaVidhanam ...................................................................................................... 21

Sri Vinayaka Chaturthi Naivedyam - recipes ............................................................................................... 22

Sweet Kozhukattai/ Modakam ................................................................................................................ 22

UppuKozhukattai / Kara Kozhukattai ...................................................................................................... 23

Chick peas/ Channa Sundal ..................................................................................................................... 25

Pasipparuppu / Moong dal Payasam ...................................................................................................... 26

Sri Ashta Vinayak Darshan .......................................................................................................................... 27


Shri Kanchi Maha Periva Thiruvadigal Saranam

Introduction

Hari Om!

We are pleased to bring you the Fifth edition of the e-book series from the Kanchi Periva Forum. This time around, our ebook happens to be a special edition on the occasion of Vinayaka Chaturthi which falls on Wednesday 19th September 2012.

This Ebook contains excerpts from Maha Periva’s enchanting discourses on Lord Ganesha taken from Deviating Kural, a beautiful compilation of Periva’s sweet audio discourse on “Pillaiyaar”, the detailed procedures to do Sri Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja (Tamil, English and

Sanskrit links) as well as link to a Tamil audio guide for the Pooja, and some common recipes for Naivedhyam during the Chaturthi pooja.

We would like to convey our special thanks and appreciation to Sri B N, who has provided us his beautiful painting to be used in this ebook (appearing in the next page).

All of us know that Lord Ganesha is the most accessible form of all deities. He is available to devotees not only in big shrines but also in small street temples and simply beneath the trees, especially in South India. Simple forms of worship are enough to please this mighty Lord and all that is required is just a devout heart and devotion.

Keeping this in mind, we have also brought out some lovely forms of Lord Ganesha for you

to enjoy a virtual darshan, and you can see the extent of influence the Lord has on our day to day life. You can also have a beautiful darshan of Ashta Vinayakar at the end of this Ebook. We are sure that this special edition of our Ebook will be a feast to your eyes and we request you to forward this to all your friends and relatives to enjoy.

For those who are not familiar about our website and forum, we welcome you to visit www.periva.org for a collection of rare videos and complete online library of upanyasams of Sri Maha Periva. Please also register on the forum www.periva.proboards.com to stay updated on devotees’ experiences and to receive our regular newsletters.

We humbly submit this fifth e-book at the lotus feet of Shri Maha Periva. Feedback about the e-book may be shared with us at [email protected].

Administrator - Kanchi Periva Forum [email protected]

Jaya Jaya Shankara, Hara Hara Shankara!

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Sri Vinayakar – Painting by Sri Narayanan Bala


Sri Maha Periva on Lord Vinayaka

Deivathin Kural – Volume 4 : “Suklam Bharatham”

Now about this sloka starting with ‘suklaambaradaram’, which we all say to start with any

of our religious and ceremonial ‘karya’, though thought to be addressed towards PiLLaiyar;

does not contain any reference to PiLLaiyar, surprisingly!

None of his names such as, GaNapathy, GaNesa, Vinayaka, and or words such as, Gowrisuta

or Sivatmaja; have been used in the sloka. His ‘vahanam’ (carrier – mooshika the rodent

rat), or favourite weapon (paashahastha), or favourite dish (modaka) find a mention in that

sloka!

None of his physical identifications such as, gajamukha (elephant faced), ekadanta (whose

one tusk had been broken thus giving him the name of ‘single tusked’); or lambhodara

(whose tummy is big); are referred! Not mentioning even a single one of his famous

exploits!

The sloka is as follows:- “shuklaambaradharam, vishnum, sasivarNam, chaturbhujam I

prasannavadanam dyaayet sarvavignaupasaantaye II” ‘shuklaambaradharam’ = wearing

white dress; so do all males. Those who wear other colours are referred as

‘pitambaradhari’ or ‘raktambaradhari’ wearing yellow or red dress respectively. So, the

first word does not refer to only PiLLaiyar!

Next word is, ‘vishnum’! This means, ‘Omni present’, especially known as a name for

PiLLaiyar’s uncle and not him! So, the nephew gets the name of his maternal uncle and we

also are reminded of him only and not PiLLaiyar!

Next is, ‘sasivarNam’ = of the colour of the moon; so is Easwara and Saraswathy! This is

followed by ‘chaturbhujam’ = four armed; this is the common characteristic of all deities!

So, again it does not necessarily refer to PiLLaiyar! Then the sloka talks of,

‘prasannavadanam’ = smiling faced; can you think of a God who is not having a pleasant

smiling face?

Except for KaaLi, Nrusimha Murthy, Veera Bhadra and such UgraSwaroopa-s, all Gods are

pleasant faced only! But, more than any other God, in one way, it will be agreed that

PiLLaiyar has a smiling face dripping happiness, with a broad countenance of a baby

elephant!

For each of the above five words, we have to knock on the fore-head with our knuckles,

known in Tamil as ‘kuttik-koLvadhu’- five times! Then we have to do ‘dhyaayet’ that is

think deeply of, ‘sarvavignaupasaantaye’!


Having not mentioned a word of his name or any of the known characteristics, now you

have to deeply think about that special ability of that God, who can get all your trouble

cancelled! That is PiLLaiyar!

Before starting on any venture or endeavour, think of him and pray – say this sloka and at

least once do the ‘kuttu’!

Even before the child grows up to be able to learn any of these sloka-s by heart, the child is

told, “Son, before starting anything, think of PiLLaiyar and pray to him to obviate all sorts of

problems”.

Then as he grows up, the moment he hears the words, ‘sarvavignaupasaantaye’, he knows

that we are praying to our PiLLaiyar. The word ‘vishnu’ in the sloka is indicative of the very

closeness between the uncle and nephew!

Deivathin Kural – Volume 6 : “Sixteen Names of Vinayaka”

Sixteen is a highly acclaimed number. We call it "shodasakalapoornam". Shodasa means 16. Starting from new moon to full moon there are 16 phases of the moon. When reaching the 16thphase the moon becomes the full moon.

A fairly elaborate pooja comprises the 16 types of formalities, called the shodasaupachara. Like how the seven goddesses are called saptamathruka, there are also 16 goddesses called the shodasamathruka. Among the mantras of rajarajeshwari the shodasaakshari (i.e. 16 alphabets) are the most famous. Therefore, there is a name for the goddess, called shodashi.

In Tamilnadu, it is a tradition to bless "may you get 16 types of boons and live a great life". I clarify that "get sixteen" does not mean "get children", but point to "sixteen types" of good things that are useful to leading a good life.

The gifts are sixteen; the names of ganesh are also sixteen!

1. Sumukar

In this the first is sumukar. In the 16, the first and the foremost is the name sumukar. When welcoming someone we say welcome "with a good face" we call it saying "mukaman". The first name is given to call in that manner.

In society we say that all the people should interact with "a good face" i.e. live in a cooperative manner. Sumukam means good face. A good face or sumukam is one overflowing with love and happiness. In Tamil we also call "inmukam". The love and happiness in the heart, when expressed through the face is "sumukam".


Face is the index of the mind – is an old saying, isn't it? Vigneshwarar expresses his love in the heart through is good face. The good face that shows the loving mind is the sumukam. Vigneswarar has such a face.

In the "suklambaradam" sloka "prasannavadanam" comes isn't it? That is the "sumukam" – because of love and because of the happiness emerging out of love, the heart blossoms and that expresses in the face and that expression is the "prasannavadanam". Clarity and brilliant are "prasannam". The su in sumukam refers to that 'prasannam'.

2. Ekadantar: always ready to give up

Next ekandatar.Sumakach- chaikadanthascha: -- second name is ekadantar. It means the one with one tusk. Single tusked. Normally the male elephant has two tusks. Female elephant has no tusks. For vigneswarar, only one tusk.

For him also initially there were 2 tusks. He, onhis own, broke the right tusk. In statues, we can see him keeping the broken tusk in his right hand.

Why did he break? Mythologically they tell two stories.

When vyasa was narrating Mahabharata, immediately vigneswarar had to quickly write them on the rocks of the Himalayas. At that time instead of running around in search of the scribes, he decided to break one of his tusks and wrote them- this is one story.

The story's morale is: For the sake of knowledge development, vigneswarar decided to sacrifice a part of his body – among the parts of the elephant's body – which is claimed to be 1000 golds worth even with it is dead – and that too the most valuable part (i.e. the tusk) while still alive – thus showing his noble quality.

The second story, he broke his own tusk and used it as a weapon to terminate gajamukasura (the demon with elephant head) who could not be terminated by any other weapon. This story shows that for the sake for worldly good he was ready to give up all of his that was needed.

Usually for this ability to give up, dadisai is shown as example. The tusk is also the elephants bone only. Therefore, vigneswarar is also "the example of selfless" and the embodiment of love.

3. Kapilar: the vinayaka of Tiruchenkattukudi

Third name is kapila. It means the one who is in Brick red color.

In the various forms, vigneswarar is in various colors. In the suklambaradaramsloka he is white like the color of the moon (sasivarnam). At Tiruvalachuzi near Kumbakonam, and at Idubavanam near Tiruturaipoondi, there is white colored vignewarar—called svetavinayakar.


Auvaiyar in her ahaval calls him blue colored. She in another song "vakkkundam" calls him coral colored. May be the child god would have granted that old grandmother his divine darshan in various forms.

In the north, people spread a lot of red turmeric on vigneswarar.

In our chola (south India) area, the place with a temple called "ganapathischuram" – is chenkatu- putting "thiru" in the front and "kudi" at the end – it was named – Tiruchenkaattaankudi.

In Tamil books, the ta would be shorter and the name is written as Tiruchenkaattankudi. It became a chenkatu (means red forest) because when vigneswarar terminated gajamukasura the asura's blood filled the entire forest. At that time vigneswarar also become red. Not brick red, but we can take that when the blood color stained the black elephant's skin, it became "kapila" color.

4. Gajakarnakar

Next name is gajakarnakar. It means the one with "elephant ears". It is not enough to say that he has elephant face, i.e. gajamukar. This name is given as though to emphasize that his ears are also indeed elephant ears.

What is the speciality in the elephant's ears?

For other god forms, there will be a quadrant like big ear ring in their ears, extending up to their shoulders. We may have to search for the ears between these quadrants and the crown of the lord in these statues. By looking at the big ear ring we have to normally assume the location of the ears. Only the lord vigneswarar is the exception to this. His elephant ears spread on both sides of his elephant face, big enough to match the size of his face.

Is it not the lord's ears that should listen to our prayers and wishes? If the ears are not visible clearly are we not a bit dissatisfied? Only the lord vigneswarar with his elephant ears widely open facing us, unlike other god forms whose ears are facing the sides of their heads, listens to all our prayers nicely, and gives us the encouragement we need.

5. Lambodarar

The next name is lambodarar, with the pot belly. Lambam means hangs, utaram means belly. Means has a big pot belly. Lord Ganesha is called by the foreigners as pot bellied. In the ahaval it comes as "pezhaivayirum".

He keeps a modaka filled with the coconut (called poornam), reminding us that he is the embodiment of the totality. So he has a full round stomach. It symbolizes full contentment. Because it encompasses the various universes it is egg shaped.


In the modakam the white dough covers the sweet poornam. Modakam means happiness, or that which gives happiness. The lord Ganesha is the embodiment of such happiness, and is the modaka. He gives the sweet love to all and gives happiness (love is honey in Sanskrit). Ma means male elephant.

We can say that the lord has taken the form of the elephant, as the embodiment of happiness, encompassing the absolute reality of brahma which is nothing but love, like how the dough is covering the sweet poornam in the modaka.

To demonstrate that the inside is the nice sweet poornam, the round modaka, and pot belly for him. There is no beginning or end for a ball. There is it is the symbol for the absolute reality (Brahman). He has a pot belly to symbolize that principle.

6. Vikatar

The next name is vikatar. We use the word vikatam to refer to teasing, and making fun of someone. There is a special taste in that fun. We call the person who coins funny words as "vikatakavi".

There is a word game with that name. This word reads the same (in Tamil) when read from the end – "vi-ka-ta-ka-vi". Talking very smartly and fooling someone is called "akatavikatam". Though it is fooling, the smartness in the act will make even the victim laugh. There is an art called vikata. There are persons well versed in that, as well as mimicry, and perform like a concert.

The lord vigneswarar does a lot of pranks. When the god and goddess father and mother are in a fight or anger, he comes there and makes some fun or prank and brings them together. He went in the form of a crow and fooled agastyar and gave us the entire river Cauvery. He went as a bachelor and fooled vibhishanar and made him install the sriranganathar along the Cauvery river bank.

In the place called gokarna he fooled vibhishana's elder brother ravana and made his install the Siva linga there. All these are the practical jokes that vikatar performed – it became a problem for another person. However, though they were fooled- the pranks lord Ganesha performed with agastyar, ravanana, vibhishana—led to good things for the world.

The Cauvery, lord sriranganatha and Kailasalinga were transformed from being individual properties to publicly useful assets for the entire humanity. These are because the grace of the lord vigneswarar. And he did it as pranks.

7. Vignarajar

The next name is "vignarajar". That is vigneswarar. The lord of obstacles (vigna) is verily the king (raja) of vigna – i.e. vigna raja. We may consider that iswara (lord) is much greater than the king. But if we go to the root of these words, iswara is also the person who does what a king does.


The root word "ish" means to rule. The one who rules is therefore iswaran. In the names of the lord, the words raja, iswaran, and Nathan all appear to convey the same meaning. We call the name nataraja as natesan and nateswaran.

The name ranga raja is called as ranganathan and rangesagan. The name "thirunavu-karasar" is called "vag-isar". Similarly, vigna raja and vigneswarar both mean the same.

This name vigna raja displays the distinct authority that the lord vigneswarar wields. What is his distinct authority? As we have a specific department for each lord form: Brahma is for creation, Vishnu for protection, and rudra for destruction, durga for victory, lakshmi for wealth, saraswati for knowledge, and danvantari for curing illness, what is the distinct department for lord vigneswarar?

It is to remove obstacles. Whatever task we take, to avoid any obstacles or mishaps in it, we pray to the lord vigeswarar at the very beginning itself. The form that the primodal entity took in order to remove obstacles is called the vigneswarar or vigna raja.

8. Vinayakar: the twin lord vigneswarar

Vignarajovinayaka: -- after the name vignaracomesvinayaka.

We often install two idols of lord vigneswarar as twin. In many towns there will a street with the name "twin vigneswarar" street. In those streets, there will be two vigneswarar statues in the same altar, sitting next to each other. Instead of a separate temple, such twin vigneswarar are also found in Siva temples.

No other deity has such twin idols being worshipped. Only lord vigneswarar has this practice. He is called often twin vigneswarar.

In these twin vigneswarar one is vignaraja and another is vinayaka.

When we say vigneswarar and vignaraja we should not take the meaning that the lord is the king of making obstacles. I had told you that we should take the meaning that the lord got the name vigneswarar because like how kings have the power to vanquish enemies and avert bad events, the lord has the power to erase the bad thing called obstacle.

Normally, when we pray to him calling him vigneswarar we should relate to him with this feeling only.

We have done several mistakes in our past lives and have carried them with us in this life. Nonetheless, with the blessing of the lord we now have developed some devotion to the lord vigneswarar, and we pray to him – all the activities that we start should be successful without obstacles – and begin our activities.

Okay, just because we pray like this, will it be correct that he overlook our past karma and simply grant success in our endeavors. Though he may forgive because of compassion, can he simply cancel all the previous karmas? Would it be correct? If it were so, how will people


have fear of sin? Then, righteousness and justice will not prevail, isn't it? Will it not become that "we could have committed and can commit any sin; now if we worship a little bit to vigneswarar, all the mistakes will be fully forgiven"?

To avoid this type of situation only, he creates obstacles as vignaraja. "create" does not mean that he intentionally unjustly creates obstacles to trouble us. Based on our past karma, there will be a balance sheet of our good and bad deeds, deciding on our success on endeavors. Therefore, the root cause of what appears to be obstacle created by him is in fact a mistake committed by us in the past.

That mistake will definitely pose obstacles to most of our efforts and trouble us by eluding success. Therefore, if we make efforts just on our own we will be unsuccessful. We will consistently fail because the obstacles will be enormous. Otherwise, it may allow us to get some easy wins in trivial activities, and pay us back on a major matter - as if bang on our heads – with a serious defeat!

To avoid such an eventuality, like how a dam is created to let the water out downstream slowly in small quantities, instead of a flood that will wash away everything devastating the things around, the vignaraja ensures that the obstacles that we need to face in order to wash away our sins are channelized in small counts and intervals.

In addition, the lord ensures that the water is not only channelized but also allowed to dry up. That is, he pull with his trunk that great obstacle which would otherwise harm us immensely, and because of his compassion he dissects it into smaller pieces, let us experience it in smaller counts, and does not let the remaining also harm us in one go, but come in smaller counts each time, so that we can bear each piece of the obstacle.

Is it not good so long the past karmas are erased sooner? Only when the past karma is erased there is chance for liberation? If the past karma is postponed, how much more will we be loading to the baggage? To avoid this, he brings the obstacles forward, and lets us experience it—though it appears painful indeed the vignaraja is the lord who is doing us good in this manner.

9. Dhoomaketu

Dhoomaketu is the next name. Dhoomam means smoke. Normal smoke from firewood, coal is to be called dhoomam, while the nice smelling incense, and herb smoke is to be called dhupam. In the five protocol rituals (panchoupachara) we show dhupam. Dhoomam is smoke, ketu means flag. The one who has the smoke as his flag is dhoomaketu.

The lord of fire is also called dhoomaketu, because the smoke coming out of the fire sways like a flag in the wind. However, normally people do not take a good meaning for dhoomaketu, but only an inauspicious meaning (or something that will cause inauspiciousness). The reason is "dhoomaketu" also means a meteor.

The meteor always causes destruction in the world. Then how come the lord vigneswarar who grants auspiciousness can have that name – I could not decipher.


I read the vinayaka puranam (epic on lord vigneswarar). There two epics on lord vigneswarar. One told by sage brugu. Therefore it is called bhargavapuranam. Things related to "raghu" are called "raghava", in the same way "brugu" related one is called "bhargava".

There is another epic of lord vigneswarar called mutkalapuranam, because it was taught by sage mutkala. Like brugu – bhargava – mutkala related is not called "mautkalya" but just as "mutkala" puranam. I would like to point to bhargavapuranam with regard to our discussion on dhoomaketu.

In that epic there are two chapters called upasanakandam (chapter) and leelakandam. In the leelakandam surprisingly, there are 12 reincarnations of lord vigneswarar mentioned, and each is given a name. Accordingly one reincarnation is called Ganeshar; other names for his incarnations are vakratundar, palachandrar, gajananar, which come in the 16 names. In these there is a story about the incarnation with the name dhoomaketu. After reading this only I understood how this name was attributed to the lord vigneswarar.

The story was --- I had read this many years ago and therefore I will try to narrate briefly to the extent I can remember. [The acharya laughed] only when I tell briefly, I can escape without making mistakes.

There was a demon named dhoomasuran. Like the asuras (demons) who come in bhagavatam, such as vrudasuran, mahabali, some demons also have good qualities, and devotion. However, the demonic qualities will also be showing up dominantly in their behavior. One such demon is dhoomasuran.

At that time there was a king. Dhoomasuran came to know that he will be killed by the lord Vishnu will be born as the son to the pregnant wife of the king. Therefore, he ordered his general to go at night time to the bedroom of the king and kill the queen. However, when the general went there, he had no heart to kill a noble woman, that too a pregnant woman.

He did not also have the heart to separate the couple. So he picked them both a couple along with their cot and threw then in the thick of the forest. The couple who were devotees of lord vignewarar prayed to him constantly, seeking his grace to remove all obstacles and difficulties for a safe delivery of the child and to return to the kingdom.

Dhoomasuran came to know that the king and queen were hiding invisibly the forest. Immediately he went there armed with all his weapons. What do you think the weapon that he had specialized in? What is his name? Dhoomasuran? Dhooma means smoke? He was skilled in using a weapon which will create toxic smoke.

Even in these days, don't we have weapons such as the "tear gas" which are not so harmful, to gas shells which contain life threatening toxic gases? What is created using chemicals now was created using the power mantra in those days.

With the intention of killing the pregnant queen with the child in the womb, and the king next to her, when he went to them, he found that there was already a child in her lap! The


lord vigneswarar had manifested there, listening to the prayers of the king and queen, in the form of the son, representing the incarnation lord Vishnu.

He also showed by this miracle, that he is the embodiment of all deities. The fact that son of lord Siva was born as the incarnation of Vishnu, also highlights the unity between saivism and vaishavism. This is acknowledged in the first sloka "suklambaradaramvishnum."

As Dhoomasuran kept throwing his smoke weapon, a large cloud of toxic smoke sped towards to the royal couple. The child lord vigneswarar swallowed all the smoke cloud in his body. The demon became tired unable to throw any more weapon.

At that time, the lord vigneswarar decided to kill the demon. He decided not to use any new weapon for that purpose. He decided to kill him using the same smoke that he had swallowed. He ejected from his mouth the cloud of smoke vigorously. That smoke killed the demon. The lord, who used the smoke as a weapon and raised the flag of victory, got the name dhoomaketu.

Dhoomam is also called as dhoomram. Therefore, dhoomaketu is also called dhoomraketu.

10. Ganatyakshar

Dhoomaketur-ganatyaksha: in the 16 names after dhoomaketu comes ganatyakshar. Gana-atyakshar.Atyakshar means the person who supervises, or leader or head (with the head only even the westerners call head of government, head-priest and so on!). Until recent times, vice chancellors were called upa-atyakshar.

What we mean by Gana-pathy, ganesar (gana-esar), ganatipathy (gana-atipathy) gana-nathar is the nothing else but the meaning for ganatyakshar.

Lord Siva appointed lord vigneswarar as the head of his ghost-like servants and the younger son lord subramanian as the head of his angel-like servants. We say "gajananambhutaganathisevitham". We call the younger son, deva senathipathy. He is so in two ways: he is the lord of the servants of the angels; he is also the husband of the daughter of indra, devasena. It is more difficult of course to supervise and manage the ghosts, than boss over the angels. The elder son is delivering this difficult responsibility with ease and happiness.

The angels and human beings all know his great powers, and his kind heart, and therefore perform prayers to him in obeisance. Therefore, when he is called ganatyakshar we can say that he is indeed the supervisor for all the beings.

11. Phalachandrar

The next name is phalachandrar. We must watch the pronunciation: phaalachandra. The first letter is phaa and not baa.


You may find it funny; the name palachandran is not the name of the moon at all. At the name should not be pronounced as balachandran. It is phaalachandran – the paa is the (second) phaa in Sanskrit. That is the correct name. Phaalam refers to the front part of the hair. Phaalachandran means the one who keeps the moon in the front part of the hair.

The meaning of phaalachandran is the same as the meanings of chandrasekaran, and Chandra mouli.

The one keeps the moon in his head is the lord Siva. However, two more people have that praise. The goddess parvati, kalidasa [in syamalatandakam] praises her as "Chandra kalavadamse". Sankaracharya also praises her that she does not just look as though she took the left part of the husband, but when he makes fun that it appears that she indeed took his entire form, he praises her wearing the moon on her crown, as "sasisoodalamakutam". In the [lalita] sahasaranam, the name 'charuchandrakaladhara' comes.

Not just the wife of lord Siva, his elder son also wears the moon on his crown.

12. Gajananar

Gajananar is the next name. It means the one with the elephant face. The poet auvaiyar sang, "kolamcheitungakarimukattutoomaniye" calling the lord as karimukar.

The elephant has several positive attributes. Body strength; intelligence; particularly sharp memory; knowledge; though it has great power to just stamp human being with its massive body (like how clothes are smashed against stones), it is so gentle and obedient and according to the training given by the mahout, it brings large logs of wood for social activities, fighting against the enemy in the war, not showing destructive qualities but displaying the nature to work very hard, eat satvic vegetarian food; won the title that "worth a 1000 gold even after it is dead" because of the ivory which is priceless even after the elephant is dead – like this we cannot count the several positive attributes of the elephant.

Among the animals, it is the only one which as the trunk representing the hand. Can any other animal sway the fan to the lord as an elephant does? Can any other animal lift its trunk like an elephant and salute?

Other animals can only push another person; they cannot lift the person and put on their back. Only the elephant can lovingly cuddle the person with its trunk and lift to a position above itself and keep him on its back.

It is very special that the elephant who has immense strength and large body is like this. When it encounters a person on its way, it is only the elephant that has an option other than merely just colliding with that person. It will lift that person gently by curving its trunk and leave the person aside and then move on.


It has a name "dvipam". Dvi-pam means to drink twice, or eat twice. How is the elephant "dvipam"? It first takes the food or water with the tip of its trunk. Later it puts it in its mouth. Unlike other animals instead of directly devouring the food with the mouth, the elephant takes it with its hands (trunk) like human beings and eats it – so it is dvipam.

But when spitting, it will spit from the mouth only if it is a solid. If it is a liquid it will squirt like a fountain from its trunk. There is a big principle behind this behavior. When we take something in, we should inspect it more than once and then only take it. But what should be eschewed should be discarded in one breath without any wavering. The elephant demonstrates this principle by its dvipam.

13. Vakratundar

The next name is vakratundar.

When the amaram listed the names for face we also found the name tundam. Normally tundam means face, but in the case of animals such as pig and elephant which have a special nose, the tundam means nose. What is special the pig's nose?

In the case of cow, goat, and horse the nose tapers small when it ends. But for the pig though the nose tapers a bit in the beginning, it finally becomes very large and flat when it ends. For the elephant the nose hangs like a trunk. This trunk is only called tundam. For birds the nose ends as a sharp dot. It is called "alahu" in Tamil. In Sanskrit that is also called tundam only.

While the head is the most important in the body, the nose is the most important in the face. While the mouth is the most important by its function, the nose is the most important for the form. We describe the good or bad look of a person as sharp nose and flat nose, by pointing to the shape of his nose only. In this nose also the trunk, i.e. nose of the elephant which has special shape, is called trunk.

Vakram means curve.

We say "he is very vakram" about the person who does cunning things. We derogatorily call that character in a person as "vakra character. Why do we call good character as "straight"? Righteousness is straight. The straight line is the shortest path connecting two points. The curved line goes around here and there and does not reach the destination point quickly.

In the same way, without any distraction reaching the desired goal is the straight forward character. In English also it is called straight forwardness. In Sanskrit the word for straight i.e. "arjavam" is also used to mean the straight forward character. It comes from the root word "ruju".

What is not straight is twisted, and in the same way we call a person who is not straight forward as "twisted personality". That is also called "vakrabuddhi" (cunning character).


In the vakratundam the vakra is not used to imply any bad meaning. It only means curved trunk. Because the lord vigneswarar has curved his trunk to the side, he is called vakra tundra.

While an elephant can bend its trunk without taking it to any side, the lord vigneswarar is always bending with his trunk on one side -- mostly having the form with his trunk on the left side, and rarely with the trunk on the right side. Therefore, he is given the specific name "vakra tundra".

We have a stotram, "Vakratundamahakaya".

The poet dhishitar sang "pranavaswaroopavakratudam". When the trunk is twisted in the right side it takes the shape of the letter Om. Then only the shape of letter Om appears.

Finally, because he twists his trunk without leaving it straight down, we get to see the shape of the letter Om. The special meaning of the name vakratundar given to him is because of that.

If we mentally repeat the various thefts done by the lord Krishna we will not imbibe any stealthy thoughts. If we mentally repeat the various lustful acts that he did, people say that we will be able to destroy lust in us. Like that, if we mentally repeat the curved trunk of the lord vigneswarar we will destroy cunning feelings in us.

In the gayatri mantra for lord vigneswarar, only this name is used, when we say that "we meditate on this form with a curved trunk". This mantra has been created to direct our minds in the proper direction. In such a mantra "vakram" comes to only remove the vakram in us.

14. Soorpakarnakar

Soorpakarnakar is the next name. After that there are only 2 more names.

Soorpakarnakar means the one with ears like bamboo sieve. Soorpam means sieve. Soorpanakai means the one with nails like a sieve. Soorpa – naka according to Sanskrit grammar rules becomes 'soorpaNaka'. If the nail is the size of the sieve one can imagine how big her form would have been.

Why there is already one name "gajakarnakar" – why another name as "soorpakarnakar" – saying something again is normally a fault – it is not so in this case.

While he has a large unfolded ear like an elephant, which he spreads and listens to all our prayers, he is called gajakarnakar. However, is he only listening to our prayers? The lord who is present at all times and everywhere is also listening to other things that we talk.

Three fourths of these are useless talks. They may be unwanted matters. Why many of our prayers are silly ones! If he sincerely listens to each and grants them what will happen? Therefore, while he hears them all, while hearing he discards those that not to be


considered, and only listens to those that are worthy of his attention. Only to demonstrate that he is called soorpakarnar and the one with the ears of sieve.

Why? What does a sieve do? It separates the grains from the husks and stones? In his form also, the lord swings the large ear (looking how the bamboo sieve is swung), and discards the unwanted matters in us – and listens to only the useful matters that we pray to him.

I mean that he listens to only the useful matters in our prayers. He ensures that he keeps in his ears only those good matters.

I also explained that he swings his ears to bring breeze on his ears which are oozing with his musth water, to sway away the bees that come to drink the musth and play with them. When we compare that swaying to the bamboo sieve, we understand that discards unwanted matters and takes in useful matters.

Unlike other animals, he does not have closed ears, but has open ears—we should not think that we can therefore make any prayer to him and he will fulfill them. He hears all for a fact. But while hearing, he assesses which one is proper and which one is not, and takes in only the proper ones. To signify this, he is called by a specific name, soorpakarnar.

15. Herambar

The next name is herambar. To my knowledge no one has given a convincing meaning for this name by splitting the word to its root words. Perhaps, I have not understood properly?

There is a great scholar by the name bhaskararayar who should be respectfully listed as one among several celebrities. His annotation for the lalitasahasranam is considered very insightful. Such a person has also written annotation for the ganeshsahasranam.

I checked what the explanation he has given for heramba is. Herambar is given the meanings "the person who established the saivaite tradition" and "the one with extraordinary valor" in that annotation.

While the scholar is a highly respected one, unfortunately when I read it I somehow could not find the link between those two names and him, perhaps because of my inabilities. Researchers say that the buffalo in Tamil (which is erumai), became heramba!

While Sanskrit is famous for being able to split the letters in words to its roots to derive the meanings, there are several exceptions to that. The names which came because of a meaning are called "yaukikam".

What can be etymologically derived is called yaukikam. However words which do not have a reason, but are just names for name sake are called "ruti". The word heramba comes in this ruti category.

When pandavas were ruling in the indraprasta before going to the forest, dharma raja wished to perform the raja suyayagna, and prior to that he sent his four brothers to win in


all four directions. At that time the one who went to the south and won kingdoms was sahadevan.

The bharatham mentions that one of the kingdoms that he won is called herambam. May be that only is the Mysore in latter days? Mysore is a variation mahisur – mahisaoor -- a place with mahishu. Mahisham means buffalo. Some say there is link between herambam and buffalo!

People of that kingdom lost to sahadevan. However, we come to know that they were always boasting about themselves. Therefore, those who boast are called "herambar".

That form of lord vigneswarar that was mostly worshipped there could have been called 'herambaganapathi".

This is merely my guess. It could even be wrong. What I think finally the lord vigneswarar chose to keep this name for himself telling us, "do not worry about the meaning, is the sound in heramba pleasing to the ears, is it not majestic like me, is it not suitable to call me with that name, they just call me so—do not look at the dictionary."

Though he may not been living in heramba kingdom, the lord herambar is popular all over India.

Beginning with the balaganapathi, the herambaganapathi also appears in the 16 ganapathi statues. The name also comes in the 16 names that are looking at.

16. Skandapoorvajar

We have come to the last name. Skandapoorvajam comes last in the 16 names. It means that he is elder brother of subramanya. He is elder to him. More than that, it is nice to call him, the one ahead of subramanya.

Poorvajar means the one born earlier. We also call Agrajar.

Like the Tamil word "udanpirappu" in Sanskrit we call "sahodarar"- to mention siblings -- saha means "together" when we say sahodarar or udanpirappu we cannot find whether elder or younger brother. Elder brother is known by the word agrajar.

Similar the young brother is known by the word anujar. Ramanujar means the younger brother of Rama, or lakshmana. In the amara, subramanyar has a name gajamukaanujar.

Subramanya has a name as the younger brother of lord vigneswarar. So the lord vigneswarar is also called as the elder brother of subramanyar. Such a brotherly feeling.

Jaya Jaya Shankara, Hara Hara Shankara!


Hear Sri Maha Periva’s discourse about Vinaayakar

Click on the below link to listen to Periva’s discourse about Vinaayakar in His sweet voice, while watching some nice images of Periva and Vinaayakar.

Youtube link: http://youtu.be/gW4P1nfEs_8


Virtual darshan of Lord Ganesha


Sri Vinayaka Chaturthi PoojaVidhanam

We have researched the internet for the best materials available for conducting Vinayaka Chaturthi Pooja, and have shortlisted the below materials for your ready reference.

Documents download links:

Tamil document – From Vedarahasya.net site

Tamil – simple version of Vinayaka Chaturthi Puja

English document – From Teluguone.com site

English document – From hindusphere.com site

Sanskrit document (special focusfor NRIs)

Audio Links:

Listen to the Poojavidhanam procedure (Tamil)

Listen to Vinaayaka Mahatmiyam (Story) in Tamil

Listen to Vinaayakar Agaval by M S Subbulakshmi

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwuDCferB6sJZ3RhZTl0R0JUaVk

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwuDCferB6sJeGQ1dDBPQzBmUU0

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwuDCferB6sJMGRyMzZNUmFrcEE

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwuDCferB6sJZDB5bENMeTdJYjg

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwuDCferB6sJTHdCcHhYWFBqYjg

http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=125904




Sri Vinayaka Chaturthi Naivedyam - recipes

Sweet Kozhukattai/ Modakam Kozhukattai is a favourite dish of Lord Ganesha. It is made with rice flour, coconut and jaggery stuffing. Preparing rice flour for making Kozhukattai Here is the method for preparing rice flour for making Kozhukattai. The Kozhukattai will be hard if you use store bought rice flour. It is advisable to either prepare it at home, or buy rice flour sold specially for making kozhukattais.

Wash and soak raw rice for 2 hours. Drain the water well, spread it on a cloth for 15 minutes and grind it to a fine powder. You

can give it to the rice mill or powder it in the mixie/food processor. Dry it well in the sun or shade. Sieve it and store it in an air-tight container and use

whenever required. Now rice flour for kozhukatti is ready. Note that you need not fry the rice flour.

Ingredients needed Rice flour -1 cup Jaggery - 1 cup Coconut -1 cup grated Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp Ghee -1 tsp Method

Heat 1 cup of water, add a tsp of oil to it and then add the prepared rice flour stirring continuously so that it does not form lumps. Cook for 5 minutes.

Knead it into a soft dough. Cover it with a wet cloth and keep it aside.

For the stuffing

Melt the jaggery in half a cup of water and filter to remove impurities. Heat jaggery and when it starts boiling, add grated coconut and a tsp of ghee. Cook till it

leaves the sides of the pan. Add cardamom powder and mix well. When it cools a little, make small balls out of it and keep it aside. Now your jaggery balls (stuffing) are ready.

Preparation of Kozhukattai

Take the rice flour dough and make small balls. Grease your palms with oil, keep the dough and flatten it into round shape with the other hand.

Mix little water with a tsp of oil and have it besides you. You can dip your fingers in the water + oil mix if needed to make it easier. Now place the jaggery ball on it and close it.

Repeat the process for all the rice flour balls.


Arrange all the prepared Kozhukattais on a greased idli plate and steam cook for ten minutes or till done.

Wait for 10 minutes to cool down and then take it out. Delicious Kozhukattais are ready. You may get around 12-15 kozhukattais for this measurement.

UppuKozhukattai / Kara Kozhukattai Ingredients needed for dough Rice flour -1 cup Water –(approx)- 1 - 1 ¼ cup Salt - a pinch Sesame seed oil – 1 tsp Preparing rice flour for making Kozhukattai Here is the method for preparing rice flour for making Kozhukattai. The Kozhukattai will be hard if you use store bought rice flour. It is advisable to either prepare it at home, or buy rice flour sold specially for making kozhukattais.

Wash and soak raw rice for 2 hours. Drain the water well, spread it on a cloth for 15 minutes and grind it to a fine powder. You

can give it to the rice mill or powder it in the mixie/food processor. Dry it well in the sun or shade. Sieve it and store it in an air-tight container and use

whenever required. Now rice flour for kozhukatti is ready. Note that you need not fry the rice flour.

Method

Boil water with a pinch of salt and a tsp of oil,when it starts boiling, simmer and add the rice flour stirring continuously so that it does not form lumps.


Cook for 2 -3 minutes and switch off the flame. Since we are going to steam the Kozhukattai, you do not have to cook fully.

Grease your hands with oil and knead the dough well when it is warm. Keep it covered with a damp cloth for 10 minutes.

Ingredients needed for the stuffing Urad dal - 1/2 cup Green chilli - 4 Hing/asafoedida - a pinch Salt as required Method

Soak urad dal for 1 hour. Drain the water and grind it with chilli, hing and salt coarsely. Steam it in an idly pan for 10-15 minutes. After it cools, crumble it well. You can use the mixie for this-just whip it for a second. Heat 2 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds, when mustard splutters, add curry leaves and the

steamed crumbled dal. Mix it well. Remove from flame. The stuffing for UppuKozhukattai is ready now.

Method to make Kozhukattai

Now take the rice flour dough and make small lemon sized balls .Grease your palms with oil, keep the ball and flatten it into round shape or a mini cup with the other hand. You can dip your fingers in water + oil mix, if needed to make it easier.

Place a heaped tsp of stuffing and seal the edges. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough and stuffing. Arrange all the prepared Kozhukattais on a greased idli plate and steam cook for 10-15

minutes or till done. Wait for 10 minutes to cool down and then take it out. UppuKozhukattais are now ready.


Chick peas/ Channa Sundal

Ingredients needed Chick peas /channa-1 cup Raw mango finely chopped or grated- 1/4 cup (optional) Coconut - grated 1/4 cup For the seasoning Mustard - 1 tsp Urad dal -1 1/2 tsp Red chillies -2 broken into pieces Hing/ asafoetida - 2 pinches Curry leaves -little Oil -2 tsp Preparation

Soak chickpeas in water overnight. Rinse well, add fresh water and pressure cook with required salt till soft.The

channa/chickpeas should be soft but not mushy. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

Method Heat oil in a pan/kadai, add mustard seeds when it splutters, add urad dal, red chillies, hing

and curry leaves. Fry till urad dal turns golden brown. Add raw mango and saute for a few minutes. Then add cooked channa, salt and grated coconut and give it a nice stir.

(add less salt as we have already added to the chick peas/channa while cooking) Channa sundal is ready.


Pasipparuppu / Moong dal Payasam Ingredients Lightly dry roasted split moong dal-1/2 cup Jaggery ball-1 medium-Crush to smaller lumps Milk(boiled cow’s milk or fresh coconut milk)-a large cup Raw rice-a tbsp Coconut gratings-1/4 cup Salt-a fat pinch Cardamom powder- to flavour A few cashews roasted in a tbsp of ghee-to garnish Method

Wash and soak raw rice in cold water for ½ an hour.Drain and grind well with coconut in a mixie, to a smooth paste, adding water.Keep aside.

In a pan, boil the jaggery lumps with ¼ cup of water.Melt down the lumps.Boil for a few more minutes to attain honey consistency.Cool and filter impurities.Keep aside.

Boil 2 large cups of water in a heavy bottomed broad vessel. Add roasted moong dal. Keep the flame medium to avoid boiling over, stirring in between. When 3/4th cooked, stir in the jaggery syrup. Let it boil well and after a few minutes stir in the rice and coconut paste. Stir continuously in

medium flame to avoid lumps and bring to a boil. The payasam might have got thicker by now.Add salt. Add milk to attain the right consistency and boil again stirring all the time. Add cardamom powder and remove from fire.If you add coconut milk, add in the final stage

and let not the payasam boil too much. Add even more milk if you like the diluted version as the payasam tends to get even thicker

once it cools down. Garnish with roasted cashews along with its ghee.


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