Q & A

Ganesha Chaturthi:

Experiencing the formless through the form

By His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated on the day on which Lord Ganesha is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees. Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, is worshipped as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Though it is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the symbolism behind the festival is much deeper.

The essence of Ganeshji is brought out beautifully by Adi Shankara. Though Ganeshji is worshiped as the elephant-headed God, the form (swaroop) is just to bring out its parabrahma roopa. Ganeshji is described as Ajam Nirvikalpam Niraakaaramekam. This means that Ganeshji is never born.

He is Ajam (unborn), he is Niraakaar (formless) and he is Nirvikalpa (attributeless). Ganeshji symbolises the consciousness which is omnipresent. Ganeshji is the same energy which is the reason for this universe, from which everything is manifested and it's the same energy in which the whole world will be dissolved. Ganeshji is not somewhere outside of us, but the very centre of our life. But this is very subtle knowledge. Not everybody can perceive the formless without the form. Our ancient Rishis and Munis knew this; so they created the form for the benefit and understanding of people at all levels.

Those who can't experience the formless, over a period of sustained experience of manifested form reach the formless Brahman.

So in reality, Ganeshji is formless; yet there is a form to which Adi Shankara prayed and that form carries the message of the formlessness of Ganeshji. Thus, the form serves as the starting point and gradually the formless consciousness begins to manifest.

Ganesh Chaturthi marks a unique art of reaching formless Paramatma called Lord Ganesh by repeated worship of the manifest form of Ganesha.

Even the Ganesh Stotram, the prayers recited in the praise of Ganeshji, conveys the same. We pray to Ganeshji in our consciousness to come out and sit in the idol for us for a while so that we can play with him. And after the puja, we again pray asking him to go back to where he comes from; that's our consciousness. While he is in the idol, we offer back whatever God has given us through the puja of the idol.

The ritual of immersing (visaran) the idols after few days of worship reinforces the understanding that God is not in the idol, it's inside us. So experiencing the omnipresent in the form and deriving joy out of the form is the essence of the Ganesha Chaturthi festival. In a way such organized festivity and worships lead to an upsurge in enthusiasm and devotion.

Ganeshji is the lord of all the good qualities in us. So when we worship him, all the good qualities will blossom in us. He is also the lord of knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge dawns only when we become aware of the Self. When there is inertia, there is no knowledge, no wisdom, nor is there any liveliness (Chaitanya) or progress in life. So the consciousness has to be awakened and the presiding deity of consciousness is Ganeshji. That’s why before every puja, the Lord Ganesha is worshiped to awaken the consciousness.

Therefore, install the idol, worship it with infinite love, meditate and experience Lord Ganesha from within. This is the symbolic essence of Ganesh Chaturti festival, to awaken the Ganesha tatva which is masked inside us.

What is more important- knowledge or devotion?

Sri Sri: They go in hand. Its like a chair… if you pull one leg, the other will also come! Knowledge brings devotion and devotion brings knowledge.

How ca you incorporate spirituality in daily life?

Sri Sri: The first step is not to think that spirituality is not for daily life. It is not different from daily life. So you don’t have to make an effort and try to incorporate it in your life. Your life can never be away from spirituality, it is only a matter of awareness.

If there Shiva inside us, then why do we do bad things?

Sri Sri: When you do bad things, your Shiva is sleeping. When your Shiva wakes up, he says, “It doesn’t matter. Go ahead and everything will be alright.” He brings back the power, the enthusiasm, the energy, to move on and on.”

In business or commerce, we only think about taking or getting, but on spiritual path, it is all about giving. How can we shift from one to the other? How can we remove the feeling of guilt?

Sri Sri: Being on the spiritual path is also about getting – you get so much joy just by seeing the joy in others. So, you do not have to feel guilty. Business is done with the head – you take more and give less. Spirituality comes from the heart – you give more and take only little. So never do business with your heart and spirituality with your head.

We all say that if we are more spiritual, we can be better human beings. How can I be more spiritual?

Sri Sri: Just this question is good enough! From time to time, it will give you many ideas. How can I be more useful? How can I be more spiritual? That very question, that very inquisitiveness, is enough.

Comment about attraction, desire and entanglement. How can we avoid entanglement?

Sri Sri: You are the source of energy. Attraction happens when the energy on you wakes up. It is just electro-magnetic energy. One energy manifests at various points in the body (the seven chakras) as different flavours, different colours. When attraction gets satisfied very quickly, then love does not blossom in life. When attraction is difficult to attain, it turns into love; and when that love matures, it becomes unconditional, it turns into dedication or devotion, the ultimate.

Love and longing go together. If there is no longing, if u kill the longing, then love also slowly dies way. How can you keep the longing alive? By being centered, by being in yourself. Do not get completely lost in the other person, this becomes too much for the other person as well. Getting lost in the other person is called entanglement. If two lines run parallel, with some goal ahead, they will always be parallel, but if they focus only on one another, they will meet, cross and go in opposite directions! So, with attraction, you come together, meet and then separate; but if there is a goal, then the attraction remains forever. That’s why , in life, your charm is never lost when are well-founded and centered, when your attention is on the knowledge.

Love has no completion… because it is infinity. Something which has no boundary also has no completion. Radha is the longing, and Krishna is the love. Sometimes, the longing brings pain. To avoid the pain, you try to fill your space with something, but that pain makes you deep.

What is the greatest responsibility of a human being?

Sri Sri: Every responsibility, whether small or big, is important at different times. Even the smallest task can be done with perfection. You do not have to be a genius… just be simple.

How can I maintain happiness?

Sri Sri: Do not make such an effort. In order to save your happiness, you have to spread it. Share your happiness with everyone. Why worry in this short span of life when there is such beautiful knowledge?