Today is Gaṇeśa Caturthī, a day associated with the worship
of Gaṇeśa. The elephant-headed deity has
become loved by many all over the world. He’s big, friendly, sometimes clumsy and
he helps us when we are stuck- who wouldn’t love him. Gaṇeśa is also associated with technology,
which includes our computers. These beneficial devices can cause us great
headaches when they get bugs, viruses or just plain don’t do what they are
supposed to be doing. In the ancient days, Gaṇeśa was associated with small machines,
and as we see with the Antikythera mechanism, small machines have been around
for a long time. Today, Gaṇeśa is the god of the computer, and just as every image
of Gaṇeśa is not complete without a mouse
sitting next to him, so our computers are not complete without a mouse.
Gaṇeśa is one of the best deities
to have an image of in the office. I even keep a small sticker on my computer.
Gaṇeśa is also a very important energy for learning, and anyone is school will
benefit from his presence. By nature, Gaṇeśa is a mathematical genius, and thinks
like a quantum physicist. He particularly looks over those in the realm of technology,
and the technical sciences. Gaṇeśa also represents the doorway, the beginning,
or the access to something new. He can be symbolized by a key, as he is the key
that opens the lock that gets us through.
As the Gaṇeśa has become famous enough to have
his image in homes and store fronts around the world, what form is best? There
are so many different types of Gaṇeśa. Here, I want to share an
astrological technique to look at which position
of Gaṇeśa is the most appropriate for an
individual to approach him.
The twelve houses are divided into the four aims of
life. The dharma houses (fire) indicate a standing form, the artha houses (earth)
indicate a sitting/riding form, the kama houses (air) indicate an active form
(walking or dancing) and the mokṣa houses (water) indicate a resting
form. From this we understand that a standing form helps us realize purpose and
therefore removes the blocks to achieving our goals. A sitting or riding form
is beneficial for wealth and prosperity. A dancing form is good for all levels
of relationship (friendships and love). And the form of the resting Gaṇeśa is calling us to reside within our
true nature, thereby removing spiritual blocks.
Manilius, in the Greek text Astronomica, mentions the position
of the twelve signs based on their astronomical
layout in the sky. He says, “Nor must you imagine that Nature has
wrought a design of no purpose in that certain signs are running, as are the Lion, the Archer, and the Ram that ends in
twisted horns; or that some stand erect with their limbs perfectly
poised, the Virgin and Twins and Waterman pouring forth his stream; or that
some sit fatigued and reflect their
weariness of mind, the Bull slumberous now the plough has left his shoulder,
the Balance that sinks down after discharging its round of tasks, and you,
Capricorn, whose limbs are shrivelled by the frost; or that some lie flat, the Crab sprawling with
distended belly, the Scorpion reposing on the ground beneath its smooth breast,
the Fishes swimming sideways, for ever horizontal.” (2.244-256) These sign positions match the house
positions utilized in the Vedic determination of the deity position.
In the Utkal tradition, we take the house location of
Ketu (the south node) and utilize this position for Gaṇeśa. This indicates one’s root form of
Gaṇeśa. So if an individual has Ketu in
the first, fifth, or ninth house, then a standing form is best. If Ketu is in
the second, sixth, or tenth house then a form of him sitting or riding is the
best. If Ketu is placed in the third, seventh or eleventh house then a dancing
Gaṇeśa is best. If Ketu is in the fourth,
eighth or twelfth house then a reclining Gaṇeśa is best. In
general, a sitting (artha) form of Gaṇeśa is best for the office, and a
standing form (dharma) will be best for a yoga studio or school.
Auṁ hrīṁ jyotir-gaṇeṣāya namaḥ
G.P. Goold, Manilius Astronomica (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1977) pp 101-103.
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