Write with your own hands and chant with your own voice - the names of gaNesha

What is the importance of japa? nAma japa? It reinforces the concept, the meaning of the nAma. And yes, it puts you in a kind of trance, making you open to new thoughts, emotions, feelings, experiences.

In this age of internet, typing, "dat 2 lyk dis" in the SMS era, we have lost the joy of the journey, the joy of being, the joy of not going anywhere, just being.

So, this Ganesh Chaturthi, pick the various names of gaNesha that you can find, and - are you ready for this - write these names with your own hand on a paper with a pen or pencil or stylus or a nib-holder or calligraphy pen.

Write these names in devanAgarI (Sanskrit script) or roman (English script), but do it slowly, beautifully, as correctly as you can, engrossed, pondering upon the meaning of each word. Give time to write each name, don't rush it like your term project. This will be as rewarding as preparing the gaNapti statue.

And after you have written them down, now read each name, feel the sound in your mouth cavity, know where the words break and say it properly. Ponder on each name's meaning.

You may also find these posts interesting -
1.  gaNesha stotram (praNamya shirasA devam), and
2.  meditate upon gaNesha, gaNanAyakAya gaNadevatAya

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi - the fourth day, the day of gaNesha.
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Below is my advance homework, the English version and meaning is in the language section below.

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And now the language aspects -

om gaNapataye namaH = om salutations for the protector (pati) of the people (gaNa)

om gaNeshavarAya namaH = om salutations for the lord (Ishvara) of people (gaNa)

om eka-draMShTrAya namaH = om salutations for the one with single (eka) tusk (draMShTra)

om vakra-tuNDAya namaH = om salutations for the one with curved (vakra) trunk (tuNDa)

om lambodarAya namaH = om salutations for the one with large (lamba) belly (udara)

om dhUmra-varNAya namaH = om salutations for the one with smoke (dhUmra) colored (varNa) complexion

om siddhi-pradAya namaH = om salutations for the giver (prada) of accomplishments (siddhi)

om vighna-rAjAya namaH = om salutations for the lord (rAjA) of obstacles (vighna)

om umA-putrAya namaH = om salutations for the son (putra) of pArvatI (umA)

om kukShi-stha-yakSha-gandharva-rakShaH-kinnara-mAnuShAya namaH = om salutations for the one in whose belly (kukShi) are situated (stha) yakSha, gandharva, rAkShas, kinnara and humans

om shivA-shoka-hAriNe namaH = om salutations for the remover (hAriN) of sorrow (shoka) of pArvatI (shivA)

om jagajjanma-layonmeSha-nimeShAya namaH = om salutations for the one in whose shutting (nimeSha) and opening (unmeSha) of eyes is the creation (janma) and dissolution (layaH) of the world (jagat)

om tryas_triMshat-koTi-sura-shreNI-praNata-pAdukAya namaH = om salutations for the one at whose sandals (pAdukA) thirty (triMshat) three (trayaH) crores (koTi, 10 millions) gods (sura) line up (shreNI) bowing (praNata)

om phaNA-maNDala-sAhasra-phaNi-rAja-kRitAsanAya namaH = om salutations for the one is [seated] on seat (Asana) made (kRita) by the thousand (sahasra) hoods (phaNa) of the king (rAja) of the cobras (phaNI) i.e. by the ananta, sheSha - the TIME after dissolution, is in whose service, that gaNesha.

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
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