The Hindu god Ganesha is worshiped by Hindus both young and old all over the world! He is believed to grant requests, provide favors, and help increase wealth or job opportunities. However, before you ask for help from Ganesha, you need to prepare yourself to worship him and honor him. Fortunately, it is not difficult to gather what you need to worship Ganesha. If you do it right, Ganesha will give you his help.
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Part 1 of 2: Preparing to Worship Lord Ganesha
Step 1. Learn about Lord Ganesha
Ganesha is a Hindu god with the head of an elephant and the body of a human. Ganesha is very popular among the majority in the Hindu world. He is probably the supreme god in Hinduism.
- Ganesha is associated with prosperity, luck and wisdom.
- Many people worship Ganesha believing that his virtues will help improve their physical condition in the world.
- Ganesha is a god who is believed to be able to remove obstacles in life.
Step 2. Purchase a photo or statue of Lord Ganesha
A statue or photo of Ganesha will help draw you closer to him. This is the first step in worshiping Ganesha. Without this, you will not be able to move forward.
- Order photos or statues online.
- Visit a local religious shop.
- Ask family members if they have additional photos or statues.
Step 3. Gather other items you need to get help from Ganesha
Ganesha is fond of sweet dishes, red colors, sweet fragrances, and more. Before you start worshiping Ganesha, you need to collect all these items so that you can do it right.
- Prepare a sweet dish for Ganesha.
- Look for something sweet-smelling, such as incense or fresh flowers, to prepare when you worship Ganesha.
- Talk to others in your community to see if they would like to join you or make offerings to Ganesha.
Step 4. Study Lord Ganesha's photo or statue
Take a minute to study Lord Ganesha's photos or statues. Try to remember everything from big features like his trunk to the tiny tattoos on his body and the jewelry he wears. The goal is that you can recreate the image in your mind. You will not be able to move forward in worshiping it if you cannot visualize it in your mind's eye.
Part 2 of 2: Worshiping Lord Ganesha
Step 1. Turn on the diya
A diya is a brass oil lamp which may have the image of Ganesha in it. However, there are many kinds of diya. You are free to choose whichever you believe will please Ganesha. Before starting worship, you must light the diya.
Step 2. Offer ladoo, modak, or other offerings to Ganesha
Ladoo and modak are sweet dishes and are Ganesha's favorite foods. Offering this dish to Ganesha will help you gain his virtue. You can prepare your own or buy one if it is available in your area.
- Modak is a sweet dumpling. Consists of rice flour, coconut, and cane sugar.
- Ladoo is a dish made from flour. Often, Ganesha is depicted holding a bowl of ladoo in his left hand.
- Ganesha also likes other dishes such as bananas.
Step 3. Cover your head with a dupatta if you are a woman
Dupatta is a scarf or shawl. If you are a woman, you should wear a scarf or shawl in honor of Lord Ganesha. Covering your head will help bestow its virtue on you.
Step 4. Burn incense as an offering
Prepare some dhoop incense (dhoop bati). Dhoop is a type of official incense commonly used in the worship of Hindu gods. Dhoop helps purify homes and people and is a preparation for worship. Also consider other forms to create scents and odors that may be pleasing to Lord Ganesha:
- Hibiscus flower.
- Flower necklace.
- Rouli and Mouli.
Step 5. Attach the garland on the photo or around the neck of the statue
Attaching a garland to a photo or the neck of a statue will be more pleasing to Ganesha. Ganesha is especially fond of garlands made of erukku flowers, a flower native to India.
Step 6. Say one of the Ganesha mantras over and over again
Chanting one of Ganesha's mantras is one of the best ways to worship Ganesha. Repeating the mantra will help bring you closer to Ganesha as he will give you his blessing. As a result, repeating the mantra will bring you closer to your life's purpose. Consider:
- Shaktivinayak Mantra. Repeat: " Om Hreeng Greeng Hreeng." This mantra will calm you down and bring you closer to Ganesha.
- Mahakaya Shlok Vakratunda Mantra. Say: "Vakra-Tunndda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryeshu Sarvadaa."
- Siddhi Vinayak Mantra. Om Namo Siddhi Vinayakaya Sarva Kaarya Kartrey Sarva Vignha Prashamnay Sarvarjaya Vashyakarnaya Sarvajan Sarvastree Purush Aakarshanaya Shreeng Om Swaha.
- There are many other mantras you can chant on Ganesha. Talk to your teacher or spiritual leader to find out more.
Step 7. Close your eyes and invoke the image of Lord Ganesha in your mind
Calling him in your mind is a way of making a direct connection with him. Do this in a relaxed state. So, make sure to:
- Relax and get other thoughts out of your head.
- Take a deep breath.
- Think about the image of Lord Ganesha.
Step 8. Talk to Lord Ganesha after you visualize it
Now that you have him in your mind, this is your chance to talk to him and share his problems, challenges, hopes, and more. Make sure you:
- Approach him in a relaxed manner.
- Talk to him in the right ear.
- Have confidence in the personal relationship between you and Lord Ganesha.
Step 9. Apply tilak on the statue, yourself and others present
Apply tilak on Ganesha's forehead. Then, apply it on your own forehead and on others who are also present worshiping Ganesha. Tilak is a bright red powder.
Step 10. Give "prasadam" to those attending the worship
Prasadam is a sweet dish associated with the sweetness of divine favor. After you worship Ganesha, everyone will receive prasadam. Prasadam varies depending on what is available and what people bring and prepare.
