One of our favorite Hindu Deities, the Ganesha, who is also known as the Vighnaharta or remover of obstacles, uses Mooshika or a tiny mouse as his mode of travel. Doesn’t it seem absurd? How can someone with that giant belly even sit on a tiny little creature as a mouse? Also, a hindu god often called Mangalmurti, literally an embodiment of auspiciousness, why would he choose a vahan that associates to filth and dirt? To know the answers we dug deep and found a beautiful explanation in one of Mr. Devdutt patnaiks Blog Post. Here is the gist of the story-
When we think about rats or even Mouse, what comes to our mind? A lot of people associate it to garbage, filth, sewer dirt and a farmer’s enemy. This plague causing, inauspicious creature is something we never would want in our houses. It is something you would best wish stays away. But, even in not always but, every now and then this little filthy mouse finds a way to enter your house. It has the speed of a lightning and runs away at all your attempts to catch him. This quality of the rat to elude all your unsuccessful attempts to evict him from your house signify your life’s problems.
An exam you are unable to clear, A neighbor who would always take your parking space, A leaking pipeline you just can not fix and A court case that has been going on for years without hope. These are the real problems, something as painful as an infestation of filthy rats in your house. Problems that you want to evict out but they keep coming your way no matter what you do.
When these problems trouble you and you find no solutions, Lord Ganesha the remover of obstacles comes to the rescue. He sits on the rat, making him immobile and prevents him from running away. The serpent around his belly signifies the solution to farmers foe, The rat. Who the snake eats up and protects the farmers crop. Ganesha grabs the mouse by its tail and prevents it from troubling you, removing all you problems and obstacles. He is the relief for all the life’s problems and the devotees love this popular Hindu God.
Rats also signify fertility. They are really fast breeders and in countries like china and japan they are treated as symbols of fertility. But they also are great hoarders, that cause pilferage damages to farmers and destroy their produce.
These two aspects of the rat, The good one being fertility and the bad being filth and pilferage he symbolises our life’s state. But when lord Ganesha sits on this Vahak, only his good and positive aspect comes to the devotees.
No doubt this famous Hindu Deity, Ganesh is rightfully called the symbol of prosperity, fertility and Auspiciousness. This Ganesh Chaturthi forget about your problems and let the Vighnaharta solve them for you. May Ganesha bring you immense joy and prosperity for a happy life.
-Kalyani
