Om gam ganapathayeh Om Shri gurubhyoh namaha

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In Sanatana Dharma Pathathi (primarily Sanata means, the beginning and end of which is not existing, visible, available or that cannot be reached, signifying continuity ceaselessly), Lord Ganesha is worshipped first and the first being worshipped has innumerable reasons attributable to his physical or esoteric form linked with his wisdom, virtues, traits and protector to cite a few.  Since time immemorial seekers have been worshipping Ganesha to get desired boons with the respective upasana padhathi.  

It is “Vedo-Upanishada saaram” considered as the acceptable/recognised base for the study, understanding or teachings, prapogation and dissemination of all subject and subject matter that falls in the purview of sanathana dharma. Invariably, Vagekaras, Vedic Philosophers, Poets, Upasakas and all other associated arts form propagators, teachers, and seekers in pursuit of respective subject or subject matters pursued/pursuing study staunchly believes and trust the Vedo-Upaishad Saaram.

The first and the foremost Rig Veda illustrates Ghanapathy as

Om Gananathwa ganapathihum havamahe kavimkaveenam upamashravasthaman

Jhesta rajam brahmhanaam brahanaspata aana shrunvan udhibhi seedha saadhanam

Mahaghanapatayeh namaha

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ॐ गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे

कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् ।

ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणाम् ब्रह्मणस्पत

आ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिःसीदसादनम् ॥

ॐ महागणाधिपतये नमः ॥

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The meaning of this sloka is O Ganapathi, you are the Lord of the ganas, we offer our sacrificial oblations, you are the wisdom of the wise, the uppermost in glory, the Eldest Lord and is of the nature of Brahman (absolute consciousness), the embodiment of the sacred Pranava (Om); please come to us by listening to our prayers and be present in the seat of this Sacred Sacrificial Altar. Om, our prostrations to “Mahaganapathi”. 

Ganapathi and fine arts

Not only the Vedas the description linked with illustrations in respect of mahaganapati is all persuasive in all forms of Fine Arts particularly music.  Vagekaras (the one who has written kirtanas) through their kritis and compositions have very aptly described mahaganpati his traits, virtuous, glory, valour and wisdom in the most subtle manner. Appropriate ragas have been chosen by these vagekaras while composing keerthanas on mahaganapathi. The description and illustrations contained in these keerthanas bring out the general and other hidden traits for the benefit of the seekers. While practicing or propagating any form of fine art the very first step is to propitiate “Ganpathi” so that the undertaken tasks or work gets completed with set time-lines, without hindrance and the project completed successfully.

In consonance with parampara in Karnataka music the learner is taught first geetham which is also called pillayar geetham “sree gananatha sindhuraruna karunasagara karivadhana lambodhara lahumikara”. The vagekaras in the last 5 centuries would have been surely taught this geetham based on the Carnatic music tradition prior to further advancement in the realm of music. 

Bhakti Margham - Invocation

Considering the Bhakti Margham pursuit the trinities (Saint Thyagaraja, Nadhajyoti Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Bhakta Shiromani Shyama Sastry) and very popularly known and not known Vagekaras through their kritis on Ganapathy have brought out innumerable aspects as described in Vedo-Upanishad Saaram relating to the physical attributes with spiritual, esoteric, progression, growth and development envisaging as the benediction of Mahaganapathy setting an inevitable pace,  predisposed on the pedestal of Bhakti-Ghyana-Vairagya. Bhakti pursued through music is a very “Sahaja Maarga” that can be followed by any seeker for a very long period in one’s life-time leading a path for “complete surrender” the core objective-epitome of following any spiritual path.

Profoundity of Ganapathi

Padhathi based events when taking place like “Thyagaraja Aradhana” Saint Thyagaraja dwelled in “Samadhi” on the Bagula Panchami day, year 1847 is being celebrated every year with Musicians participating all over the world at Thiruvayyaru on the banks of river Kaveri singing “Pancha Ratna Kirtanas” composed in “Ghena Ragams” and is followed by singing his other kirtanas composed by the leading Vocalist and Instrumentalist.  Prior to these being sung as a customary padhathi kirtana composed by Thyagaraja on Ganapathi in Ragam Saurastram said to Aadi Thalam “Shri Ganapati ni sevimparare” is sung as invocation kriti in the prahalaa bhakti vijayam describing in the kirtana “O Devotees , we all worship Shri Ganapathi. Let us all humbly worship Shriganapathi who has partaken Jack fruit, Coconut, Banana and other fruits, heavily placing his steps on the Earth to the tintinnabulation, ever seating the holy feet of lord hari in the lotus of his heart is proceeding to the beats of different pace.  The kirtana illustrates the word as “dhithallagu” which is a mridangam “sollu kattu”. Thyagarajas imagination as spelt out in this kirtana is full of divinity, shedding lights on bhakti and simplicity.

Similarly, Muthuswamy Dikshitar had composed many kritis on different forms of Ganapathi linking it to several prospective spiritual levels bringing in many facets of padhathis. His very popular kirtana on Ragam Hamsadwani said to Aadi Thalam “Vathapiganapathim Bhajeham” describes Ganapathy “Vishwa Karanam Vighnavaaranam” the very source of universe, the one dispels all hindrances, “trikonamadhyanilam” “mooladharashetrastitham” Ganapathi resides at mooladhara.  Similarly, in Ragam Ramapriya said to Aadi Thalam “Ucchista Ganapathim” he had described and illustrated about Ucchista Ganapathy as “Chit shakti spoorthy swroopii Chidananda naada swaroopini”, “beri madala veena vaadane” “soorijanayuda sripura sadaney” describing Ganapathi as Chit shakti, Chidananda naada swaroopini who is keen always to listen madhalam, Veena, Venu and other musical instruments and resides at Sripuram the abode of Shri Rajarajeshwari. 

In one of the kirtanas Muthuswamy Dikshitar describes the perspective of Ajabha Gayatri Dhayanam in the kirtana “Mooladhara Chakra Vinayaka” at the last Madhyama Kaalam he illustrated “Shata shata swaswadhikaara vichitrokara bhaktopakara” shata shata swaswadhikaara means “the owner of 600 breathes”.  In Ajabha gayatri Dhayanam it is a yoga treatise where seekers have to do breath control exercises (abhyasa in yoga marga) where, seven chakras in human body are identified with respective places from Mooladhaa to Sahasrara and Ganapathi is propitiated at Mooladhara with the chanting of mantra “Moola dhara mandapa madhyey chaturdhala padmasthithayey kukumavarnayey Pushti shakti sahitayey shri mahaganapathey namaha shata shatha gayatri jhapam nivedhayami” and similarly seekers proceed to further journey through other 6 chakras until reaching Sahasrara”.

Vedo-Upanishad Saaram the governing factor

 Such intense, diverse, divine subjects are illustrated in the kirtanas by Dikshitar and other Vagekaras bringing in more Vedo-Upanishad matters to surface through kirtanas are a boon for humanity, knowingly or unknowingly dealing with such subject matters or singing these are an ideal boon, blessing and benedictions. The enormous flow of such kirtanas and repeated singing at various platform keeps the ideology, philosophy of the subject matter divinely inclined with bhakti rasarnavam. Bhakti and Gyana are the two paths that bring into its governance all seekers of the world whatever may be the religion, belief, faith & worship one belongs to agglomerating world peace, universal brotherhood the very source and core concept of “Vasudeva Kutumbakam”.

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