Why is Ganesha So Popular as a God?

Lord Ganesha, or the elephant god, is portrayed as the second son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in Hindu mythology. The god is known by several other names such as Vigneshwara, Lambodara, Vinayaka, Ganapati and many others. He is believed to have penned down the great Mahabharata epic for the legendary saint Ved Vyas as he recited it to the lord without a pause in between.

Hindu scriptures refer to the deity as the remover of obstacles. Interestingly, this makes Ganesha a favourite god among most Hindus all over the country. His head symbolises the soul that is the actual reality of humanity while His body represents maya or illusion in which an individual is trapped with worldly pleasures.

Read on if you would like to know some of the reasons for the lord’s immense popularity and why He is worshipped.

Fulfils Desires Instantly

One main reason why Lord Ganesha is quite popular among Hindus is that He has superhuman powers and is believed to satisfy the desires of His devotees very fast. There are also some instances when the lord fulfils their wishes immediately. Devotees find that their desires or wishes accomplished as soon as they finish chanting the Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha auspicious mantra 108 times with utmost devotion.

Bringer of Miracles

Praying to Ganesha yields fruitful results when one wants to be successful in any venture that he/she is planning to undertake in his/her life. The lord removes all hurdles that he/she tends to encounter in his/her path towards succeeding in his/her venture when he/she puts his/her complete trust on the lord. He also brings good luck in the lives of His devotees.

Bestows Wisdom

The elephant is always portrayed as an intelligent animal. Similarly, the elephant god is related to wisdom and rightly known as the lord of wisdom. When the lord’s devotees pray to Him, they are blessed with wisdom and also knowledge. This wisdom helps them in many ways in life such as guides them in making the right decision when needed. His huge elephant head is an indication of His massive mental powers and extraordinarily high intelligence.

Blesses with Prosperity and Fortune

Devotees who render their prayers to the deity with utmost faith are blessed with prosperity in their lives. Moreover, the god blesses them with wealth and good fortune to meet all their needs. This is another major reason for His popularity.

Listens to Devotees Patiently

The big ears of Lord Ganesha symbolise the fact that He is a patient listener. He listens patiently to all that His devotees have to tell Him along with their prayers. He also guides you on developing the same patience in life that He shows on those who place their trust on Him wholeheartedly. Likewise, His trunk represents His capability to differentiate things.

Ensures a Peaceful Life

Lord Ganesha epitomises auspiciousness and purity also helps His worshippers lead a peaceful life with a clean soul when they render their complete dedication to Him. As a result, He helps his worshippers get rid of negative traits like ego, fear and anxiety in their lives that in turn aids in purification of their souls and guides them on to the path of enlightenment. In other words, He awakens the consciousness in individuals and rules over their inner transformation. The deity also helps devotees develop a sense of responsibility in life.  

Helps Identify True Source of Happiness

Lord Ganesha helps those show their complete belief in Him that true happiness comes from within them. He makes them understand that actual happiness is not determined by external factors or elements. He reminds us that to be truly happy, we must have a calm mind full of peace and love and without any fear.

Earn Blessings of Shiva and Parvati

Ganesha is believed to imbibe the best qualities of both His parents, Shiva and Parvati. This makes Him a true representation of creation as well. Worshipping Ganesha is considered to have the same effect of worshipping both His parents and be blessed with the benefits of worshipping both of them.

Offers Protection from Troublemakers

Although Ganesha is at times referred to as a big time troublemaker Himself, it cannot be denied that He is associated with several positive aspects that make devotees consider Him as the upholder of Dharma and protector of the world. Similarly, He safeguards His devotees from troublemakers and instils a sense of fear in their minds. He also delivers His unpleasant aspects on those who indulge in negative actions and becomes an obstructer when people engage in actions that are a hindrance to their spiritual progress.

Ganesha has a unique form with His elephant head and human body that lack any sense of perfection and physical beauty. It is said that this form is a symbolisation of life in its diverse states. His form represents a unique combination of the five key elements of nature. His form also highlights both asymmetrical and symmetrical aspects that collectively indicate the fullness in an individual. These aspects include the beautiful and the ugly; the normal and the abnormal as well as the usual and unusual aspects in our life on earth. It also portrays the perfection and imperfection in an individual.

Various tales that highlight the intelligence and heroism of Lord Ganesha contribute to His popularity. Interestingly, the popularity of Lord Ganesha is not widespread in India alone. The god is a favourite even among people practising other religions like Jains and Buddhists. Ganesha’s popularity can also be attributed to the fact that His presence is also strongly felt outside India in countries like Japan, China, Tibet and many other countries in Southeast Asia. However, He is associated with unique regional characteristics in each of these places.

The rising popularity of Lord Ganesha may be the reason why when you enter any shrine, you usually find an idol of the lord at the entrance so that you can offer your worship to Him before proceeding to pay their obeisance to the main deity.

Written by - Deepthi K