Prevent denigration of Ganapati !

Friends, Ganapati is our beloved Deity. Since Ganapati is ‘Buddhidata (Giver of Intellect), He has a lot of importance in the life of a student. We perform ‘puja’ of Ganapati. This Deity gives us knowledge and joy. The ‘Pranshakti’, the vital energy required for carrying out our daily chores, is also given to us by Him. So, friends, Ganapati does so much for us! Would you like His denigration and desecration? This Deity is like our mother. Friends, we should never tolerate desecration of this Deity.

During this Ganesh Festival, if we find someone trying to denigrate Ganapati, we should try to dissuade him from doing so.

Denigration of Ganapati taking place through various media and measures to be undertaken to prevent it

A. Use of writing pad with Ganapati’s picture

Nowadays, children use a writing pad during examination that has Ganapati’s picture printed on it. Wherever there is a picture of Ganapati, His presence is also there. So friends, we will write our answer papers with Ganapati below them. We keep these writing pads anywhere and in any manner; then will it not amount to insult of Ganapati? Will we keep photograph of our parents in this manner in place of Ganapati? No, isn’t it? In fact, we should pay obeisance and pray to Ganapati before starting to write the answer-paper. So friends, we have to stop this denigration of Ganapati.

B. Wearing of T-shirt with Ganapati’s picture

Friends, we keep everything in its proper place. The place of Deity is the best place in the house, i.e. the ‘puja-ghar’. Should a picture of such Deity be printed on a T-shirt ? Do you think it is proper ? We throw and dump our clothes anywhere in the house;. While washing this T-shirt, it is cleaned by thumping on the ground, using brush etc. So friends, where there is a picture of Deity, His presence is also there; then cleaning the picture using a brush, or squeezing it, etc. is a form of denigration only. Are we going to be a party to it ? Then let us  resolve to create an awareness amongst our friends about the denigration such clothes cause.

C. Drawing a picture of Ganapati as a cartoon or incomplete picture by drawing just a few lines in the name of art

Nowadays, children draw pictures of Ganapati in a cartoon form in the name of art. Some draw every part of Ganapati’s body separately or draw just His face. Friends, will we draw our own picture in such a haphazard manner? The energy of Deity gets transmitted from the picture only when it is complete. In fact, incomplete picture emits negative vibrations. If somebody asks us to draw our mother’s picture in this manner, will we draw it?

D. Draw Ganapati’s pictrure in a cartoon form using ‘rangoli’

Some girls take part in a ‘rangoli’ competition and draw Ganapati’s picture through rangoli. The picture is drawn in a cartoon form or His limbs are drawn separately. Friends, is Ganapati a show-piece to be drawn with ‘rangoli’? It is a sign of our dwindling bhav (spiritual emotion) towards our Deities. Will such behaviour help us acquire His grace? Friends, such things should be stopped! If we see such rangoli in Ganeshotsava, we should explain to the person concerned about how the act is denigration and how it leads to insult of the Deity. We can also help them to draw sattvik rangolis.

E. Ganapati’s sticker on notebooks

On notebooks of many students, there is a sticker of Ganapati’s picture drawn in a caricature form. Ganapati in such form is a kind of denigration and keeping such notebook anywhere, in any manner is another kind of denigration. Friends, we must, therefore, create awareness amongst others and prevent such denigration of Ganapati.

F. Ganapati’s picture printed on packets of incense-sticks

After incense sticks are over, the packet is thrown in the dustbin. It is a grave insult of the Deity that we worship with so much of devotion. Rather than buying incense sticks with packets that have pictures of Deities resulting in their desecration, we should not buy such incense sticks. Moreover, we can educate the vendors who keep such packets for sale, about the denigration.

G. Wearing mask of Ganapati’s face and dancing in indecent manner during immersion procession

Some people wear a mask of Ganapati’s face during immersion processions and dance to the tune of re-mixed film songs making hideous gestures. This is also a grave denigration of Ganapati, and friends, when we see such denigration, we must stop it immediately! By dancing in such a manner in front of Ganapati and seeing Him off is an insult to the Deity. Moreover, will it help increase bhav towards Ganapati in children? All of us should, therefore, try to prevent such hideous things.

H. Use of school-bag with Ganapati’s picture

Is school-bag a place to put Ganapati’s picture? Do not buy schoolbags which have Ganapati’s or other Deities’ picture. We keep schoolbag anywhere in any manner and indirectly cause denigration of the Deity. We should tell our friends also not to buy such schoolbags.

Friends, let us resolve on the occasion of this Ganesh Chaturthi that we will never tolerate denigration of Ganapati who gives us intellect. We can study only because of the intellect He has given us. Let us, therefore, offer our apology at His holy feet and pray for pardon; ‘O Ganaraya, if we have been the cause of Your desecration owing to our ignorance, please forgive us. We have committed many sins. O Ganaraya, You only help us make conscious efforts for prevention of these things. This is the prayer at Your holy feet !’

– Shri. Rajendra Pavaskar (Guruji), Panvel.