Prayers
What Is Grace?
“What about the grace of the Diety?” seekers ask. Grace is received from the God when you are consistent in your worship, consistent in your discipline, consistent in your bhakti, your devotion.
With such a foundation in your life, a great shakti, a force or power, will come from Lord Ganesha. This is grace. It is uplifting. It comes unexpectedly. When grace comes, your mind may change and your heart may melt. Your sight will become clear and penetrating. You may say. “I have been graced to see everything differently.” New doors will begin to open for you, and as you go through them, your life will become more full, more wonderful. And the grace of it is that it would not have ordinarily happened to you.
Seekers also inquire, “What is the difference between grace and a boon from the Gods?” Grace is not exactly a boon. A boon comes as the result of something that you ask for and receive. A boon is quite specific. Grace comes because of the state of the soul in conjunction with its particular karma. It comes because we have done everything right up to a certain point in time according to the laws of dharma. It is then that the grace of the God comes.
Grace is not for a specific need or event in your life, as a boon would be. Grace is more of a complete transformation – a metamorphosis. After receiving grace of a God, the devotee can never be the same again, never look at life again in the old way.
By grace we are directed deeper into spiritual life, pointed in the right direction, carefully guided on the San Marga, the straight path to your supreme God. After grace has been received, our thoughts are enlivened, our life is inspired with enthusiasm and energy, and we live daily in the joyous knowledge that everything is all right, everything is happening around us in accord with our karma, our dharma, and God’s gracious will.
from Loving Ganesa
by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Praying To Ganesha
Prayers of supplication are requests, pleadings, or entreaties presented to the Deity in the spirit of personal surrender and loving devotion. Something specific is being asked for, a specific problem is being laid at the Lord’s Holy Feet.
Such supplications to the one-tusked Lord are given unconditionally, with full trust that He will do what is best for us, though not necessarily what we might think is best. We do not demand of the Lord; for He, like a parent, provides not as we desire, but as we truly need. Prayers of supplication may come forth in the natural language of our hearts.
Leaving a problem at His holy feet means we let it be there and do not carry it home with us. Nor do we worry or wonder about how it will be handled, when it will be taken care of, or if it will be taken care of at all. In full unquenchable faith we leave the matter there, at the feet of the God, and walk away from the temple or the shrine, feeling that release has started and solution will be forthcoming. We must have this kind of faith for religion to work within us.
To carry home with us the same problems, fears, and worries would be to take back the offering we have given the Deity to dissolve. This is like the rich and famous who buy with gifts and do not give at all, slyly expecting more than something in exchange, gaining papa rather than punya and not knowing the difference. The course of events later show how He works for our ultimate spiritual welfare.
from Loving Ganesa
by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
When Prayers Don’t Work
What does it mean when an obstacle is encountered despite our sincere supplication of Lord Ganesha?
It may mean that the time, the means, or the goal itself is not right for our karma and dharma. The architect presents his finished plans to the engineer. They are rejected for one technical reason or another. The executive presents a completed letter to the president. It is rejected as not being explicit enough in the third paragraph. The architect and the executive were equally sincere in presenting their work. The engineer and the president were performing their duty as well.
Lord Ganesha loves us. He is a loving God who guides, governs, and controls with speed and accuracy when the plan is perfect, deliberates long and rejects often when the plan needs revision.
Take the plan back into your mind. Search your own superconsciousness for the greater ideas, and revise your efforts with confidence. Seek for the right timing and proceed with confidence when you know the timing to be right.
“When the will rises and commands, even the Gods are willing to obey,” or to give immediate cooperation, to guide, and enhance our efforts. We must work our minds in close cooperation with the mind of Lord Ganesha, and then success is certain. Thus, this God is called Bhaktavighnavinasana, He who destroys the obstacles of the devotees.
From: Loving Ganesha
Prayers To Ganesh
Here is an assortment of prayers for specific situations. These can be said aloud, or silently while visualizing Ganesh or looking at an image of Him. A nice little ritual can also be made with these prayers. Here’s how:
- Light a candle and burn some sandalwood incense.
- Write the prayer on a piece of paper.
- Imagine that you are now putting that prayer, that request, that issue, that problem into the capable hands of the God.
- As you imagine the above, light the paper and allow it to burn completely.
- While the paper is burning let go completely of all worry, anxiety, fear, or need to control. Give it completely up.
- Disperse the ashes in running water.
Moments of Decision
Aum Sri Ganeshaya Namaha
Great Lord of Wisdom, here I stand with so many decisions to make, with so many ways to turn. I beg for your grace. Fill me with righteous judgment and clear discrimination as I lay all confusion at Your holy feet and immerse myself solely in You.
Aum Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha
Times of Need
Aum Sri Ganeshaya Namaha
Ganapati, Lord of Ganas, I, too, am a deva under Your command. I know I can never ever separate myself from the intricate mind of the supreme intelligence. O Lord who destroys the obstacles of His devotees, grant me protection, guidance and help in this hour of need. (State your need or troubles.)
Aum Ganesha, grant me Your grace, Sharanam Ganesha
Family Welfare
O Lord Ganesha, holder of the noose and goad, sweets, fruits and sugarcane, please provide for the welfare of my family. Guide prosperity and abundance to our door. But while we wait and mostly see only our wants and needs, please help us feel within our home Your goodness and Divinity, which no calamity can conceal.
Aum Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha
Freedom from Fear and Anger
Omnipresent Lamboradara, pure and peaceful doer of all good. Take away my fear and anger. Let me see Thee everywhere and at all times. Show me the truth that there is no intrinsic evil. Remove all barriers in my mind to understanding, true trust, and love. Guide me to a harmonious life and righteous success in the fulfillment of my dharma.
Aum Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha
Appreciation
Aum Sri Ganeshaya Namaha
Peerless One, industrious indweller in all, we see You in the full warmth of the Sun, in the full life of Earth and the orderliness of all the turning planets. O Lord and lover of intellect, You are the intricate knowledge blossoming in the mind of the people. O Lord who rules the mind of each and all who worship You, because of You, chaos never was nor will it ever be.
Aum Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha
Morning Prayer
Aum Lord Ganesha, you make the flowers grow, You keep the Earth going around the Sun. All day You keep things going right. You are Lord of the devas. I am one of Your devas, too. Help me to think of the needso of others, and to be kind to everyone I meet. Help me to think of You first before beginning something new and to always do what is right and kind.
Aum Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha
Bedtime Prayer
Aum, Lord Ganesha, nightime is here and the moon is in the sky above, reminding me of your crescent tusk. Remain with me, Ganesha, through the night, in my deepest sleep, in my inner experiences, as You have remained with me during my daytime, outer encounters. Let me never forget You, even in my dreams. May we as a family be guided by Your loving wisdom, even there.
Aum Ganesha Sharanam Sharanam Ganesha
from Loving Ganesha
by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Victory to Ganesha, who when dancing makes a shower of stars fall like a rain of flowers from the sky by the movement of his trunk. ~Somadeva
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