DIFFERENT FORMS OF GANESHA: MEANING & SIGNIFICANCE
GOD is one. His energies envelop the whole universe. Yet people worship different forms of God – because each different physical form represents a different aspect of His energy and divination. Similarly, people worship different forms of Lord Ganesha to address the different issues that may arise in different stages of their lives. Let us understand the significance of worshipping the different forms of Ganapati: Bala Ganesha (Child Ganapati): In this form, Lord Ganapati appears to be a lovable child. He is depicted as having four arms. On one hand, He holds a mango, a banana, sugarcane, and a flower bunch each. His trunk holds his favourite sweet – modaka – but obviously! He represents the fertility and abundance of the earth in this form. Certainly, this form of Ganesha has a calming and pleasing effect on an agitated mind. Worship of this form bestows one’s children with sharp intelligence, good health and all-around happiness. Traditionally, childless couples worship Bala Ganesha to bless them with a bright and healthy baby. Dwija Ganesha (Twice-born Ganapati): Another name for Ganapati is Dwija or ‘Twice-Born’. Lord Shiva, had first beheaded Ganapati when the latter refused him entry into Parvati’s abode. However, realizing the truth, He had revived him by replacing his severed head with an elephant’s. Hence the name ‘Dwija’. This form of Ganesha is regarded to be equivalent to Lord Brahma. Worshipping the Dwija form of Ganapati blesses one in attaining worldly desires besides name and fame in society. Besides, Dwija Ganapati also helps to reduce debt problems and make materialistic gains. Ekakshara Ganesha (Single Syllable Ganapati): ‘Eka’ means ‘one’ and ‘Akshara’ means ‘syllable’. The single syllable indicates Ganesha’s sacred Beej Mantra “Gam” – “गं“. Overall, this red-complexioned Ekakshara Ganapati embodies cosmic unity, the oneness of matter and the singleness of spirit. Worshipping Ekakshara Ganapati helps one to gain control over one’s senses and temptations. Consequently one can triumphantly overcome the duality and delusions of Maya (Illusion) generated by senses. Also, meditating on this form helps in focusing one’s mind and progressing in the realm of spirituality. Heramba Ganesha (The Great Protector): ‘He’ means ‘helplessness’; and ‘Ramba’ denotes ‘protection’. Indeed, HeRamba Ganapati is one of the most compassionate forms of Ganesha – who protects the weak and the helpless. The five-faced Lord Ganesha rides on a mighty lion. Nevertheless, this form signifies one who controls his five senses can easily win over his worst enemy. The worship of Heramba Ganapati gives confidence to the weak and hope to the dejected. Heramba Ganapati has the power to confer fearlessness and bring defeat to one’s enemies. Owing to this, one gets the strength to manage difficult situations in life and achieve their goal. Kshipra Prasada Ganesha (Quick Blessing): ‘Kshipra’ indicates quickness, and ‘Prasada’ means blessing or action. As the name suggests, Kshipra Prasada Ganapati is an immediate provider of benefits. A devotee can accomplish his tasks quickly. Kshipra Prasada Ganapati fulfils the wishes of his devotees almost instantaneously. Not only does He grant immediate boons but He is also an instant vindicator of wrongdoings as well. He holds a pot of nectar in his hands. Moreover, He grants longevity of life besides bestowing knowledge and wisdom. Lakshmi Ganesha: ‘Lakshmi’ symbolizes prosperity and affluence. In this form, Lord Ganesha is flanked by his two consorts – Buddhi and Siddhi. Buddhi refers to intelligence and wisdom. Siddhi represents success and perfection. Thus, this form of Ganesha primarily represents wisdom and achievements thereby bringing in riches and growth. The Lakshmi Ganapati form not only grants wealth but also many more blessings. Worshipping Lakshmi Ganapati blesses the devotee with wealth, wisdom and knowledge. It endows the devotees with material gains apart for intelligence and prosperity. Maha Ganesha (The Great Ganapati): Maha Ganapati is one of the most popularly revered forms of Ganesha. In this form, He resembles his father Lord Shiva in more than one way – He too has a third eye and also adorns a crescent Moon on his head. According to mythology, Sri Krishna too offers prayer to Maha Ganapati. The worship of Maha Ganapati brings victory, success and harmony to family and life. It helps remove all the obstacles and negative energies. Maha Ganapati bestows upon Furthermore, He blesses His devotees’ immense merit and all-round prosperity. Nritya Ganesha (Dancing Ganapati): ‘Nritya’ means ‘Dance’. As the name suggests, Nritya Ganapati depicts Ganesha as dancing happily. It represents the relaxed, delightful aspect of the Lord. Ganapati is a connoisseur of fine arts. A devotee of Nritya Ganapati attains proficiency in 64 types of fine arts (चौसठ कला ) and achieves excellence in them. Thus, the worship of Nritya Ganapati bestows one with a flair for learning fine arts. One becomes proficient in them and attains success and fame in the related fields. No wonder, Nritya Ganapati is greatly worshipped by artists, more so, by dancers. Runa Vimochana Ganesha (Reliever of Debts): ‘Runa’ or ‘Rina’ means ‘debt’ and ‘Vimochana’ means ‘relief’. Runa Vimochana Ganapati thus denotes one of the most gracious forms of Ganesha. He helps his devotees to relieve their debts – both worldly debts as well as Karmic debts. Reciting Runa Mochana Ganesha Stotram on a Wednesday of Shukla Paksha certainly helps one get rid of all kinds of debt and financial constraints. Runa Vimochana Ganapathi relieves one of the debts and financial burdens by granting immense wealth and lifting hurdles that prevent one from accumulating wealth. Shakti Ganesha (Powerful Ganapati): In this form, Ganesha is accompanied by Shakti Devi, his consort who sits on his left lap. Shakti Devi represents Power. In this form, Ganesha is the protector of the household and the lands. He brings peace to the home and dispels all negative energies. The worship of Shakti Ganesha helps one gain control over the five senses of the human body. Thus he can then act with focus, concentration and improved concentration and can consequently, achieve his aims without any difficulty. He is the protector of the householder and brings peace to the home and family. Siddhi Ganesha (The Accomplished Ganapati): This
ASTROLOGY AND VIRAL INFECTIONS
Pathogens cause infectious diseases such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. Viral infections are responsible for outbreaks that have epidemic and pandemic potential. Since the past 3 decades, many infectious diseases have been discovered, including SARS, MERS, Ebola, chikungunya, yellow fever, swine flu, Zika, etc. Most of the recent viruses attack the respiratory system. Coronavirus or COVID-19 too is a virus affecting the nose, sinus and upper throat. VIRAL INFECTIONS FROM AN ASTROLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: Rahu and Ketu are Karakas for epidemics and viral infections. Rahu creates an imbalance in the Vata/Air element resulting in respiratory diseases. It also is responsible for epidemics/pandemics. In particular, Rahu in Gemini sign indicates infection related to the respiratory system, nerves, skin, etc. Ketu too is responsible for fevers, bacterial and viral diseases and the spread of epidemics/pandemics. Ketu also indicates isolation – detaching oneself from others. Another planet that is responsible for the unstoppable spread of infections is Jupiter. A weak Saturn in the horoscope makes the person susceptible to contact diseases. Whenever transiting Saturn aspects/conjuncts Rahu/Ketu, there is a danger of the spread of infectious disease or epidemic. Relation between Saturn and Ketu or Saturn and Pluto can cause chronic, long-term, degenerative diseases. Moreover, it may result in severe deficiency of Vitamin C and/or Vitamin K. Mercury is the karaka of the chest, nervous system and respiratory system. Whenever Mercury or Gemini/Sagittarius signs or 3rd/9th houses are afflicted, the infection is most likely to affect the respiratory system. DIETARY PRECAUTIONS: Include more red, yellow, and blue-coloured foods in your diet. Avoid food cooked in oil. Boiled or steamed food is the best. Also, avoid all non-vegetarian foods. Drink boiled water stored in a copper vessel. Have more garlic; it increases your immunity. HERBAL REMEDIES: The herb Giloy or Guduchi is extremely effective in case of fevers and infections. It works both as a preventive and curative remedy besides acting as an immunity booster. You can take ½ teaspoon of Giloy churn mixed with a teaspoon of honey or drink it with lukewarm water. Boil 5 Tulsi (basil) leaves, 4 whole black peppercorns, 3 cloves and 1 teaspoonful of freshly grated ginger in a glass of water till the water reduces to half. Filter and add a teaspoonful of honey. Have it warm. Add ¼ teaspoonful of turmeric/haldi powder and a pinch of ashwagandha powder in a glass of warm milk. Drink it every night. ASTROLOGICAL REMEDIES: Light camphor and Frankincense/Loban at least twice a day to keep away germs. Regularly worship Lord Ganesh and offer him Durva grass every Tuesday and Wednesday. Feed home-cooked bread (roti) to stray dogs and crows. Refrain from gambling, alcohol, immoral activities – especially if you are running Saturn or Ketu Dasha. Clean all openings of the body very well. If the infection is due to afflicted Saturn then you should do Chhaya Daan. Take sesame or mustard oil in a small vessel. See your reflection in it and then keep this vessel along with the oil in a Shani temple. Some needy person may take it. If you have already contracted some infection, then do this remedy. Dip a heated pure gold ring (without any gem) or a gold string in hot milk for few minutes. Then drink that milk when it is still lukewarm. MANTRA REMEDIES FOR VIRAL INFECTIONS: Recite one rosary of the following mantra for 180 days daily, It is effective in warding off or overcoming serious and chronic infections: Chanting of Ketu Mantra 17000 times in 40 days: ॥ॐ स्रां स्रीं स्रौं सः केतवे नमः॥ – ॥Om Sraam Sreem Sraum Sah: Ketwe Namaha॥ Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is very powerful in overcoming health problems. It has the power to heal even the seemingly impossible to cure diseases. Those who are not able to recite the above Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra due to any reason may recite the following laghu (shorter version) Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra: “Aum Joom Sah Mam (Name of the person) Palay Palay Sah Joom Aum” OTHER REMEDIES: One can perform a small havan/yagya at home using mango/neem twigs, cow dung and havan samagri. Also add some jaggery, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, neem leaves and turmeric to it. You can do havan every fortnight. Do pranayama daily for at least 20 minutes. Boiled neem leaves work as an excellent sanitiser. Wash your hands with this as often as possible. DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this article is to provide you complimentary holistic remedies for your health problems. This is, in no manner, a substitute for medical treatment. Please do consult and follow qualified doctor’s advice for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease/s.
WHAT DOES YOUR BIRTH TIME SAY ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY?
Your birth time speaks a lot about your personality traits, your nature and your temperament. Besides, time of birth is of great significance in Astrology too – it decides your Ascendant, as well as placements and degrees of planets in the horoscope. The Ascendant is a reflection of one’s personality. So let us see how your birth time influences your personality: Midnight 12 to 2 am: You seek mobility and variety. There is an inborn thirst for knowledge within you. In fact, you just need to be aware of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE! However, you wouldn’t like to reveal much about your personality. You have a very sharp mind and can grasp things quickly. Family and friends circle is very important to you; you are very sociable, yet reserved by nature. You are greatly influenced by your surroundings. Career-wise, you are likely to gain fame in the television or film industry or in communication fields. Most of you would venture out in the world to make a name for yourself in your mid-twenties. In the long run, you would be a self-made person. 2 am to 4 am: You are born for a luxurious life. Moreover, you are sweet-tongued and know how to bring people around to do things you want them to do. Good food, plush villas and swanky cars – is all you desire – and get! You are destined to realize all your materialistic desires. You can be a very successful entrepreneur. No wonder, you shall earn a lot of money by your own dint. Anything new and beautiful excites you. Outdoor activities appeal to you; you need to be in touch with nature now and then to replenish your ethereal energies. Success comes easily to you. You shall get lucky around the age of 24-27 years. 4 am to 6 am: You are a robust personality – in appearance as well as in action. Furthermore, you are blessed with good constitutions and oodles of self-confidence. Challenges motivate you. Public appreciation and power are very vital to you. You like to be the center of attention – always! And, this is not without a reason; you have strong leadership qualities to match. No wonder, most of you opt for a career in the Defense or Police Services. You like things straight and honest; no beating around the bush for you. You can be very stubborn once your mind is made up. 6 am to 8 am: You are a born leader and have the power to change situations – for good or bad. People find your personality mysterious. You never reveal your true self easily. Besides, you do have the instinct to dominate others. The constant need to excel and be accepted pushes you to set and achieve impossible goals. Life brings sudden twists and turns for you – which makes you a stronger person. Though, the rough patches of life sometimes build up a lot of anger or anguish within you. You must train your mind to see the positive aspects of things and move on to new horizons. It is important for you to keep your mind cool. 8 am to 10 am: You are a philosopher at heart. Inner peace is very important to you; you move away from confrontations and conflicts. You have a ‘live and let live attitude. Nevertheless, you can be very stubborn if you wish to. You are a very sociable person and are very sensitive to and conscious of other people’s needs. People know you for your friendliness; you can easily get along with people of different age groups, cultures and views. Profession-wise, you are most suited to a public career. You shall enjoy a good reputation as a political leader or a social crusader. Your luck lies in lands away from your birthplace. 10 am to 12 noon: You are an outgoing personality with an optimistic outlook on life. At the same time, self-discipline is very important to you. You are a sensitive person and your own worst critic. Since you are very clear about your strengths, weaknesses and aims, no one can stop you from achieving what you want, once you set your mind on it. You are a natural leader and people tend to follow you instinctively. Recognition and appreciation act as catalysts in motivating you towards your goals. Your efforts are often rewarded; hence you generally reach high positions and earn enough wealth to live a very comfortable life. You would do well in artistic fields. 12 noon to 2 pm You are an energetic and creative person. You are very ambitious and responsible. Generally speaking, you are very clear about what you want from life and are ready to go to any limits to achieve your goals. With your persistent efforts, you shall soon have many sources of income opening up for you. You love traveling. You shall prosper in a place away from your birth land. Probably, you may marry someone there. You shall make a confident and successful businessman. Besides this, you also have great teaching skills and can make a good coach/guide/counselor. Your luck shall favor you tremendously after you cross 30 years of age. 2 pm to 4 pm: You have an innate sense of curiosity coupled with excellent quality to enjoy the good things of life. What a spirited and spontaneous person you are! You prefer to live a vivacious life full of adventures and surprises. Challenges motivate and push you to achieve the impossible. You do not like defeats and setbacks. Though, you will have a fair share of ups and downs in life. You shall do well in careers related to finance, funds, accounting, banking, etc. Getting along well with others comes easy to you due to your flexible and straightforward nature. Your determined and optimistic outlook helps you cross the hurdles of life easily. 4 pm to 6 pm
WHAT IS YOUR LUCKY CAR COLOR?
So you have finally decided to buy yourself a car! It must surely be a car of your choice – of your favourite colour and design. Choosing which colour car should you purchase is a very emotional and personal decision. Each one of us has our favourite colours. We must remember that colours do have an impact on our lives. Every colour vibrates to a different frequency. You feel most comfortable and secure when the colour frequencies vibe well with your own. A car of a favourable colour can bring you luck and prove to be a life-long companion to you. Hence, choosing a favourable colour that is in sync with you would be wise. FIRST OF ALL KNOW: WILL YOU OWN A CAR/VEHICLE? The position and strength of Venus in your birth chart have an answer to this question. If Venus sits in your fourth house or is in an exalted state, then you will surely own a car or cars. Similarly, if the fourth lord is well placed/is exalted/is aspected by Venus or benefic planets, then too you shall own a car/vehicle. One should also consider the position and aspects of Rahu (North Node), Mars and Eighth lord too before purchasing a car; adverse placements of these planets can result in accidents and untoward incidents. Now, let’s understand the colour therapy related to vehicles White-coloured cars are the least accident-prone and also have fewer breakdowns. But it surely is a high-maintenance car. Just keep in mind to use the best glasses in your car. You should be very very careful when choosing a black colour car. No doubt, the black colour looks very elegant and formal. One study concluded that black cars are 47% more likely to be involved in road accidents than vehicles of other colours. To read “WHAT DO YOUR FAVORITE COLORS SAY ABOUT YOU?” CLICK HERE
WHICH IS YOUR LUCKY CAR COLOR? (in Hindi)
कौन से रंग की कार आपके लिए लकी है ? तो आखिर आपने अपनी कार खरीदने का फैसला कर ही लिया! ज़ाहिर है, कार आपकी पसंद की होनी चाहिए। फिर चाहे बात रंग की हो या डिजाइन की। अपने पसंद के रंग की कार चुनना बहुत ही भावनात्मक और व्यक्तिगत निर्णय होता है। हम सब के अपने पसंदीदा रंग होते हैं। You should know your lucky car color! रंगों का हमारे जीवन पर बहुत गहरा प्रभाव पड़ता है। हर रंग की एक अलग तरंग (frequency) होती है। जब किसी रंग की तरंगें आपके स्वयं की तरंगों से मेल खा जाये, तो आप सबसे सुखद और सुरक्षित महसूस करते हैं। अनुकूल रंग की कार आपके भाग्य को जगा सकती है और जीवन भर आप का साथ निभा सकती है। इसलिए, ऐसा रंग चुनना ज़रूरी होता है जो आपके लिए शुभ हो और आपके अनुरूप हो। तो देखते हैं कि कौन से रंग की कार आपके लिए शुभ है: जरा रुकिए; सबसे पहले ये जान लीजिये कि क्या आप के भाग्य में कार या वाहन खरीदना लिखा है या नहीं ? इस प्रश्न का उत्तर आपकी जन्म कुंडली में शुक्र की स्थिति और बल से पता चलेगा। यदि शुक्र आप की कुंडली के चौथे भाव में बैठा हो या उच्च का हो, तो आप निश्चित रूप से कार या वाहन खरीदेंगे। इसी प्रकार यदि चौथे भाव का स्वामी अच्छी स्थिति में हो या उच्च का हो या उसपर शुक्र अथवा शुभ ग्रहों की दृष्टि हो – तब भी आप के भाग्य में वाहन सुख निश्चित होगा । वाहन या कार खरीदने से पहले राहु, मंगल और अष्टमेश की स्थिति और दृष्टि पर भी विचार कर लेना चाहिए । इन ग्रहों के प्रतिकूल प्रभाव से दुर्घटनायें और अप्रिय घटनायें भी हो सकती हैं । चलिए, अब हम वाहनों की कलर थेरेपी अर्थात रंगों के ज्ञान को समझते हैं। सफेद रंग की गाड़ियां सबसे कम दुर्घटना ग्रस्त होती हैं और ये जल्दी ख़राब भी नहीं होती। सफेद रंग सूर्य की रोशनी से अधिक ऊर्जा नहीं सोखता है। इसके कारण कार जल्दी गर्म नहीं होती। परन्तु निश्चित रूप से इसके रखरखाव या मेंटेनन्स का खर्चा अधिक होता है। ध्यान रखें कि अपनी सफ़ेद कार में उच्चतम दर्जे के कांच जरूर लगवाएं । जहां तक संभव हो, आसमानी नीले (स्काय ब्लू) रंग की कारों से बचें। अन्यथा आप को नियमित रूप से गैरेज के चक्कर लगाने पड़ सकते हैं ! कार को मरम्मत के काम या कुछ पुर्जों को बदलने की आवश्यकता बार-बार पड़ती रहेगी। नीला रंग चालक के दिमाग को शांत करता है और स्थिरता लाता है। लाल रंग की कार आप तभी खरीदें जब आपके पास पर्याप्त धन, धैर्य और समय हो। इसके दो कारण हैं। सबसे पहले, इस कार को बहुत लाड़-प्यार और ठाठ की आवश्यकता होती है। दूसरे, जब आप लाल कार में बैठते हैं, तो तेज या उतावलेपन से चलाने का खतरा बना रहता है। सोच लीजिये, कार तेज चलाने या रैश ड्राइविंग का चालान भी कई बार भरना पड़ सकता है ! ग्रे रंग की कार खरीदते समय थोड़ा सावधान रहें। अगर यह पहले छः महीनों तक अच्छी तरह से चल पड़ी और कोई समस्या न हुई, तो यह कार आपको कभी परेशान नहीं करेगी। फिर तो समझ लीजिये कि यह गाडी हमेशा के लिए आपकी हो गयी! परन्तु, यदि इन छः महीनों में यदि ये कार आपको किसी भी प्रकार से परेशान करती है – जैसे स्वास्थ्य में गड़बड़ी, मानसिक तनाव इत्यादि, तो समझ लीजिये कि यह आपके लिए उपयुक्त नहीं है। आपको फिर इसे तुरंत बेच देना चाहिए। भूरे रंग की कार से हमेशा दूर रहें। यह रंग बहुत कम लोगों के लिए अनुकूल होता है। भूरा रंग अकेलापन, उदासी और अलगाव की भावना पैदा कर सकता है। हाँ, मकर राशि जैसे व्यावहारिक और गंभीर प्रवृत्ति वाले व्यक्ति बिना किसी संकोच के भूरे रंग की कार खरीद सकते हैं। काले रंग की कार चुनते समय सावधानी बरतनी चाहिए। बेशक, काला रंग बहुत ही मनोहर, आलीशान और औपचारिक दिखता है। परन्तु, एक अध्ययन के अनुसार अन्य रंगों के वाहनों की तुलना में काले रंग की कारों के दुर्घटना ग्रस्त होने की संभावना ४७ प्रतिशत अधिक होती है। सिल्वर/रजत रंग की कारों को बहुत सुरक्षित माना जाता है। यह माना जाता है कि सिल्वर रंग विकसित मानसिक शक्तियों और श्रेष्ठ भावनाओं से बंधा है। साथ ही, सफेद कारों की तुलना में उनके गंभीर रूप से दुर्घटना ग्रस्त होने की संभावना ५० प्रतिशत कम होती है। मगर, सिल्वर रंग के वाहनों के चोरी होने की संभावना भी सबसे अधिक होती है । सुनहरे रंग की कारें शक्ति, समृद्धि, सकारात्मकता और समृद्धि का प्रतीक होती हैं। यह रंग आत्म-सम्मान और भव्यता की भावना का एहसास दिलाता है। स्वर्ण रंग विजेता का रंग माना जाता है! सुनहरे रंग की कारें अलग दिखती हैं और तुरंत ध्यान खिंच लेती हैं। इस रंग की कारों में दुर्घटनाएं बहुत कम होती हैं। साफ-सफाई की दृष्टि से हरा रंग कार के लिए एक अच्छा रंग है क्योंकि यह धूल और गंदगी को अच्छी तरह छुपाता है । परन्तु, हरा रंग हमारी दुनिया में सबसे व्यापक रंग है। इस कार का रंग घास, पहाड़ियों, परिवेश आदि के साथ आसानी से घुल-मिल सकता है । परिणामस्वरूप, इन कारों के दुर्घटनाग्रस्त होने की संभावना अधिक रहती है। राशि के अनुसार कौन सा रंग आपके लिए भाग्यशाली है? कृपया ध्यान दें: ये सामान्य जानकारी है। सर्वोत्तम और विस्तृत परिणामों के लिए अपनी कुंडली का विश्लेषण ज़रूर करवाएं। To read this article in ENGLISH, Click HERE.