AUGUST 22, 2025
Lord Ganesh
शुक्लांबरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम्।
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये॥
“Clad in white, all-pervading like Vishnu, moon-like in complexion, with four arms and a gentle smile may we meditate on Him, the remover of obstacles.”
Ganesh Chaturthi is not merely the celebration of Lord Ganesh’s birth. It is a reminder of how the Trimurti themselves Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma recognized Ganesh as a force beyond cosmic hierarchy. Each of the three great deities revealed a truth about Ganesh that goes deeper than stories of his broken tusk or his love for modaks. These revelations explain why Ganesh is invoked before every ritual, why his presence is considered essential for success, and why his wisdom goes beyond time itself.
1. Vishnu Revealed that Ganesh is the Beginning of All Beginnings
Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, declared that no action whether cosmic or human should begin without invoking Ganesh. In the Mudgala Purana and other texts, Vishnu explains that Ganesh represents the
Prathama Vandana
(the first salutation). His very name “Ganapati” means the lord of all groups, energies, and beginnings. Vishnu thus established the practice of
Ganesh Vandana
before every auspicious work, including Vedic rituals and temple consecrations. Without Ganesh’s blessings, even Vishnu’s own endeavors would be incomplete.
2. Vishnu Revealed Ganesh as the Embodiment of Buddhi and Siddhi
Lord Ganesh Puja
According to traditions preserved in the
Ganapati Upanishad
Vishnu spoke of Ganesh as the embodiment of higher wisdom (
Buddhi
) and accomplishment (
Siddhi
).
In spiritual practice, Buddhi is the clarity of intellect that removes ignorance, while Siddhi is the ability to attain success in divine and worldly pursuits. By linking Ganesh to these forces, Vishnu emphasized that Ganesh is not only a remover of obstacles but also the one who provides the tools to overcome them clear thinking and successful completion.
3. Shiva Revealed Ganesh as His Own Gatekeeper and Cosmic Guardian
Shiva’s revelation about Ganesh is recorded in the
Shiva Purana
When Parvati created Ganesh as her guardian, Shiva initially opposed him. But after the divine battle that led to Ganesh’s beheading and resurrection, Shiva declared Ganesh his son and gave him eternal authority as the guardian of all thresholds. This was more than paternal affection, it was a cosmic recognition. Shiva revealed that Ganesh would stand at the gateway between chaos and order, the seen and the unseen, and between the divine and the devotee. Hence, even Shiva himself acknowledged that no entry into the sacred is possible without Ganesh’s permission.
4. Shiva Revealed Ganesh as the Lord of the Five Elements
Shiva further revealed that Ganesh governs the
Pancha Mahabhutas
earth, water, fire, air, and space. His elephant head symbolizes wisdom that can navigate all elements, his large belly represents the universe containing them, and his broken tusk shows the sacrifice involved in harmonizing them. By granting Ganesh dominion over the elements, Shiva ensured that Ganesh is not just a remover of individual obstacles but also the cosmic regulator who aligns the fundamental forces of nature.
5. Brahma Revealed Ganesh as the Essence of the Vedas
Lord Brahma
Brahma, the creator, declared that Ganesh is the living essence of the
Vedas
. The
Ganapati Atharvasirsha Upanishad
explicitly identifies Ganesh as
“Veda-svarupa”
the very form of the Vedas. For Brahma, who shaped creation through the sound of the Vedas, Ganesh represented the eternal resonance that holds the universe together. Thus, reciting Ganesh’s name is considered equivalent to invoking the Vedas themselves, a truth Brahma established so that every seeker may access divine knowledge through Ganesh.
6. Brahma Revealed Ganesh as Beyond Creation and Destruction
Though Brahma is the creator, he revealed that Ganesh stands beyond the cycle of creation and dissolution. In certain Puranic passages, Brahma explains that while beings arise and dissolve within time, Ganesh exists as the eternal principle of order and wisdom that transcends time itself. This revelation places Ganesh not merely as a deity of beginnings, but as a timeless force that remains even when creation ends.
7. The Trimurti Together Revealed Ganesh as the Supreme Principle of Unity
Hindi Trinity
One of the most powerful revelations comes not from any one god, but from the unity of the Trimurti. Together, Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma acknowledged Ganesh as the embodiment of the
Supreme Principle (Parabrahman)
manifest in accessible form. His elephant head symbolizes strength, his small eyes concentration, his large ears openness to truth, and his trunk adaptability. By honoring Ganesh, they revealed that all gods, powers, and paths eventually converge in him. This is why Ganesh is called
Vighnaharta
(remover of obstacles) but also
Vinayaka
(supreme leader without equal).
A Deeper Meaning for Ganesh Chaturthi
These revelations remind us that Ganesh is not simply the beloved elephant-headed god who loves sweets. He is the principle of clarity, the regulator of the elements, the guardian of thresholds, and the embodiment of Vedic wisdom. Vishnu revealed him as the one who initiates, Shiva as the one who guards, and Brahma as the one who transcends, together declaring that Ganesh is beyond even the cycle of creation.
On Ganesh Chaturthi, when the idol is installed, worshipped, and later immersed in water, it reflects this truth. Ganesh emerges into our lives as form, guides us through beginnings and thresholds, and then returns to the formless, reminding us of the eternal unity that underlies all creation.
Why Ganesh Stands Beyond the Trimurti
Ganesh Chaturthi is not only a festival of devotion but a reminder of cosmic truths. Vishnu taught that every journey begins with Ganesh. Shiva revealed that no passage is complete without him. Brahma declared him to be the essence of knowledge itself. Together, the Trimurti revealed that Ganesh is the eternal guide who connects wisdom, protection, and creation.
To remember Ganesh on this day is to remember that behind every obstacle lies the possibility of clarity, behind every beginning lies divine support, and behind every ending lies timeless wisdom.
When Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma bowed to Ganesh, they were reminding us that the path to truth always begins with him.
Courtesy/Source: TimesLife / PTI
