Mantra for meditation: Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

     ॐ गम गणपतये नमहः                               ॐ ಗಂ ಗಣಪತಯೇ ನಮಃ

Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

{I bow to Lord Ganapati} 

This mantra extols Lord Ganesha who is the remover of obstacles from one's path.  It is said to be derived from Ganapati Atharvashirsha or Ganapati Upanishad. 

It is said to be a siddhi mantra that brings fulfilment, peace and ultimately emancipation to the person who chants it regularly. 

The Ganapati Atharvashirsha states that Ganesha resides at the Muladhara Chakra: 

Tvam muladharasthitosmi nityam

{Thou always reside at the Muladhara Chakra}

The Muladhara Chakra at the base of the spine is the first chakra to be awakened in yogic practice.  Its attributes are as follows:  

Muladhara Chakra

Meaning: mula = root,  adhara = foundation 

Colour: red

Root word: Lam (in yellow)

Location: base of spine

Qualities: physical health, stillness, being grounded

Yoga practice followed by pranayama is recommended before this mantra is chanted for 108 times.  

108 is the holy number of Sanatana Dharma and its significance is explained here: significance of Om & 108.

Meditate upon this sacred mantra regularly and stay blessed:

https://youtu.be/8mILpfhEo5w

Resources:

Background music: The Sleeping Prophet, Jesse Gallagher

Background pictures:

https://www.netclipart.com/isee/xJmiRJ_root-chakra-energy-chi-spiritual-muladhara-chakra/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Muladhara.svg/1200px-Muladhara.svg.png

https://beyogi.com/your-base-power-ganesha-first-c

References:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4552/Remove-Obstacles-with-This-Ganesh-Mantra.html

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-94/Root-Chakra-Healing-for-Beginners.html

https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/om-gam-ganapataye-namaha

https://beyogi.com/your-base-power-ganesha-first-chakra/

https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/om-gam-ganapataye-namaha/

https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/chakra-affirmations/

https://www.yogaindailylife.org/system/en/chakras/muladhara-chakra

https://www.vyasaonline.com/ganapati-upanishad/

https://www.astrojyoti.com/ganapatiupanishad.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbU3lfsiPm8hakra/

Prarthana shlokas

A shloka is a rhythmic verse recited as a prayer or as part of a meditative process.  A mantra is a phrase like a formula that is repeated to invoke spiritual fervour.  A stuti or stotra is a collection of shlokas recited as a eulogy of ishta devta (chosen deity). 

My daughter and I are students of Sanskrit through shlokabhyasa (shloka classes).  With the blessings of our Guruji, we humbly present to you mantras/shlokas/stotras that we have learnt. 

In this video prarthana (prayer) shlokas are presented that are recited at the beginning and end of shlokabhyasa: 

https://youtu.be/DdtYz01xjOc 

The meaning of each of the shloka presented in the video is given below:

Gurure vagatihi Gurume vabhaje

Gurunaiva sahasmi namo Gurave

Na Guror paramam shishurasmi Guroho

Mati rasti Gurau mama pahi Gurau

Guru is my refuge, I pray to Guru

I prostrate in front of my Guru, I chant Guru’s name

I am an immature child without my Guru

I beseech Guru to save me from my ignorance

Agajanana padmarkam

Gajananam aharnisham

Anekadamtam bhatkanam

Ekadantam upasmahe

Just as lotus blooms in sunlight

Goddess Parvathi’s face lit up looking at Ganesha

The giver of boons to devotees

I meditate upon the Lord with single tusk

Vakratunda mahakaya

Kotisurya samaprabha

Avighnam Kurume deva

Sarva karyeshu sarvada

O Lord of the curved trunk and great body

One with the effulgence of a crore suns

Always remove all the obstacles

From all the tasks I undertake

Saraswathi namastubhyam varade kamarupini

Vidyarambham karishyami siddhir bhavatu me sada

Salutations to Goddess Saraswathi, who bestows boons

As I commence my studies, bless me with accomplishments

Namaste sharade devi kashmira puravasini

Tvamaham prarthaye nityam vidyam-buddhimcha dehi me

I bow to you Goddess Sharada (Saraswathi) whose abode is Kashmira

I pray to you ever that you may bestow upon me knowledge and wisdom

Hayagriva Hayagriva hayagriveti yo vadet

Tasya nihsarate vani jahnu kanyapravahavat

Upon repeated chanting of the name of Hayagriva (avatar of Lord Vishnu)

One’s speech flows mellifluously as the sacred Ganga

Asadhya sadhaka swamin asadhyam tava kim vada

Ramadhuta dayasindho matkaryam sadhayaprabho

O accomplisher of impossible tasks, truly what is impossible to you?

O benevolent emissary of Lord Rama, make my task possible to accomplish

Asatoma sadgamaya

Tamasoma jyotirgamaya

Mrityorma amrutangamaya

Om shantih shantih shantihi

O Lord, take me from lies to truth

Take me from darkness to light

Take me from death to immortality

Let there be peace, peace, peace

Kalevarshatu parjanyaha

Prithavi sasyshalinim

Deshoyam kshobharahitam

Sajjana santu nirbhayaha

May there be timely monsoons

May the Earth be green and productive

May the land be free of all problems

May the good citizens and sages be fearless

Sarve janah sukhino bhavantu

Samasta sanmangalani bhavantu

Om shantih shantih shantihi

May all be happy

May everything be auspicious

May there be peace, peace, peace

As can be gleaned from the meaning of shlokas presented, Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) recognizes the importance of satya (truth), dharma (righteousness), personal development, wisdom, oneness of all humanity, and the welfare of all living beings.  

We hope that this presentation will help you in your own learning of mantras, shlokas, stotras and Sanatana Dharma.   

Resources & references:

Background music: The Inner Sound, Jesse Gallagher

Pictures:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Raja_Ravi_Varma_-_Sankaracharya.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Namaste_namaskar.jpg

https://c4.wallpaperflare.com/wallpaper/830/15/623/ganesh-chaturthi-lord-ganesha-vinayaka-ganapati-wallpaper-preview.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHnfMKFN4JPWWRs2D80JHOOZqGZiC2gV402exO95gC-WjyohViWWFO1TdoNEq82zcx74yRSA5QcyUAFz6pOzbDkIUgUB6-XSB3hUZIwA4vpmj6sK8k6PzP_Bu97ftXzAZ1ZhDsrd2xNb7/s1600/104_001.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Hayagreeva.jpg/250px-Hayagreeva.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Hanuman_showing_Rama_in_His_heart.jpg

Meanings: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaiakE3LNso

http://www.dattavani.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Ganesh-Sapthaham-Full-com.pdf

https://www.templepurohit.com/mantras-slokas-stotras/ganpati-stotra/agajanana-padmarkam-ganesha-stotram/

https://www.templepurohit.com/mantras-slokas-stotras/powerful-ganesh-mantra/

https://ommrudraksha.com/vakratundamahakaya

https://www.devshoppe.com/blogs/articles/shri-ganesha-mantra-with-meaning-shree-vakratunda-mahakaya

https://www.templepurohit.com/mantras-slokas-stotras/saraswati-mantra-knowledge-wisdom/

http://aumamen.com/prayer/saraswati-namastubhyam-lyrics-in-english-sanskrit-meaning-in-english

https://greenmesg.org/stotras/saraswati/namaste_sharade_devi.php

https://meerasubbarao.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/hayagreeva-sampada-stotra/

https://www.gurushakti.org.in/729/deities/vishnu/hayagriva-sampada-stotram

http://mantrashlokas-madhuri.blogspot.com/2011/07/hanuman-mantra_24.html

https://greenmesg.org/stotras/vedas/om_asato_ma_sadgamaya.php

https://www.amritapuri.org/3731/asatoma.aum

https://tamilandvedas.com/tag/kale-varshatu/

The RGV tweet issue

Okay, somebody has kicked the hornet's nest with his tweets.  Actually I have admired RGV for his different style of film making in the past.  He is also a director who has not hesitated to give newcomers (who are not star-kids) a break, which is highly admirable.

He may be an atheist, that's fine.  As Amartya Sen puts it in his Argumentative Indian, there should be and there is a place for people of all faiths in a pluralistic society such as ours.  Yes, there is also the need to preserve the freedom of speech, even if it happens to be a provocative one.

RGV tweets that Ganesh was unable to save his own head.  Does he then believe that the story actually is true?  Or is he just confused?  A person's faith, Mr RGV, is as much important to him, as your atheism is to yourself.  If you do want to exercise your freedom of expression, then why not also condemn whipping yourself in public as a moronic act?  Or why not laugh in the faces of people who tell their children that a fat old man in a funny red costume is going to slide down the chimney to leave them presents?

Actually he has spoken like a true 'converter': people belonging to that cult who would denounce 'idolatry' as though it is a crime that is punishable.  Can these people say why they denounce it, or provide any proof to say it is wrong?

If killing innocent animals to fill one's stomachs as part of a religious feast is acceptable in one's faith - if distributing publicity material extolling the virtues of one's religion and seeking to get people into its fold is acceptable - then so should bringing home Ganesha and Gowri, worshipping them, and sending them off.

I dare rationalists/atheists to be impartial and also include Abrahamic religions in their criticisms; not only Hinduism.    

Anyway, I am sure Lord Ganesh Himself would have laughed it off and forgiven RGV.  

We morons already have.

Image source: https://twitter.com/jagdishpeswani/status/505346497529913346/photo/1