MORYA...!

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi, Lord Ganesha’s Birthday! On this occasion let’s read a story of Ganesha that symbolizes overcoming Vasana – the impression of lust and desires remaining in the mind.

Kubera, the god of wealth, was very proud of his boundless fortune. One day, he organized a gorgeous dinner; among other famous guests, the divine couple, Shiva and Pârvatî, with their son Ganesha, was present.

The later, still a child, started to eat and he appeared quickly to be insatiable. Soon, the other guests found plates and dishes empty. Alas! Not satisfied with all the available food, Ganesha started to devour plates and dishes, the furniture and all the content of Alakapuri, the main city of Kubera.

When he achieved to gulp down the whole, the child Ganesha threatened to swallow Kubera himself. Frightened, the god of wealth rushed forward to Shiva's feet to implore his help, since the Ganesha voracious appetite seemed to be unlimited.

The remedy was simple but spectacular: Shiva gave his son a handful of roasted cereal grains. Ganesha ate it and, wonderfully, his hunger stopped immediately.

This legend teaches us that a handful of common food, given with love, and eaten with devotion, is more important and more sustaining that the banquet offered by Kubera to impress the gods. From a different angle, this story shows that properties cannot bring peace and satisfaction to anybody. The only path to self-realization requires to burn our vasana . The destruction of the vasana is symbolized by the consumption of the grilled rice; indeed, when the rice has been cooked, he loses his germinating capacity. Moreover, the seeds of our hidden desires lose strength and possibility to come back further.