Ganesha (destroyer of obstacles)

there are many stories about Shiva

he has been put in character form 

to be an example of what takes place 

on the inner journey

Shiva sits in majestic pose on mt Kailash

as this is representative of the 

unmoving beauty of the pure soul 

that is like that which presides over all 

and is untouched by any coming and going 

his face and form are perfect and handsome 

because he is the beautiful one 

he knows only the still living reality 

nothing can compare to this type of beauty

it is like the most glorious scene on earth 

and beyond this 

as it does not change or die away ever 

once however,
as the Hindu stories go 

he did have a relationship with Paravati 

who is the goddess of love and devotion

he loved her with all his heart 

but he was not in the way of wanting a child 

as his vision was internalized
and though Paravati tried all sorts of ways
to tempt him and to rouse his desire for her
Shiva did not move his gaze from being internal
he sat motionless as the steady mountain
his focus fixed solely on the absolute
Paravati was sad due to Shiva's
disinterest
as she very much desired a child to love 

she felt that this was a communion of her

love for Shiva

Shiva was away a lot meditating
and doing what gods do 

and Paravati became lonely for his presence 

she became so lonely that she rubbed her skin
with a pumice stone and took this scraped off skin
from her body and mixed it with clay

from the earth to fashion a child 

a boy that she could love
and then she blew her breath on the
image she had created and it came to life
as an energetic boy

this boy was very precocious 

and followed her around with bright stories 

and dancing ways 

and Paravati enjoyed him immensely

when Shiva returned from his meditation

in the forest of india

Paravati had gone to bathe in the river 

and told the boy to bar the door and do 

not let anyone in no matter what

when Shiva returned
the boy did not recognize him to be his father
and he held the door tight shut 

this angered Shiva greatly

he pushed at the door with all his might 

and when it finally opened he found a child 

there and due to his anger 

he cut off the child's head with his trident
Paravati was of course very distressed 

by this scene 

and Shiva swore he would restore the 

child to living again

he told his disciples 

to replace the child's head immediately

the first thing that was found was a baby elephant 

and the elephant's head was cut off to replace
the child's head
as this was representative of replacing
the head of ignorance (that was made from the dirt
of the body) with wisdom

this child was to be called Ganesha or Ganapati 

which means destroyer of obstacles 

Shiva was very happy that a child was 

returned to him and his lovely Paravati

and they both beamed 

and loved his dear presence that was 

so very wise beyond his years

and Shiva said due to this grace 

of restoring his child 

that Ganesha was to be propitiated first 

before any other 

Ganesha was a boy of great and beautiful

understanding 

he loved his 

mother and father with all his heart 

Ganesha was to be
like a peaceful warrior in a way

for he is the one that keeps the path clean 

of obstructions by bearing his little hatchet 

that cuts the weeds and dross away so 

souls can see clearer the way thru

he destroys the sins and the barriers 

that are made of false substance 

he makes a clear path to the light by his 

shearing the ground and of course 

Shiva is then there at the end of the journey 

as pure consciousness 

Ganesha is always seen with a little mouse 

this mouse is very much of a pest most of the time 

as he runs around and around like thoughts 

and one cannot catch it 

try as one might 

for the little thing will duck into small places 

and then come back out when no one is looking 

and play about again which creates quite a nuisance 

but Ganesha has his little bits of sweets with him 

to feed the mouse and tame him
which is like the sweetness of grace
(in Guru's words and presence)
that strike the mind and render it quiescent
so it is subdued not running about like it does 

Ganesha is very prince like and ornate
in his clothing and colorful presentation 

he can be adorned in flowers which are like
the fragrance 

of experience along the way

rather than getting stuck on the thorns

time and time again

enjoy the fragrant scent of life that is alway present
which can be savored if one has the right outlook

Ganesha also can have quite a look of wisdom 

and also charm to him

he is a charmer indeed as he befriends the

the little beast of ego 

and then subdues him still and silent 

his right tusk is broken off
and what remains is the *one* tusk
that represents single-pointedness

he used the tusk that was broken off
to scribe the mahabharata

which is very heavy book of wisdom

as Ganesha's form is heavy
he sits like a heavy unbudging form for sure

no different than the non-dual scriptures
that radiate great substance of knowledge...
this is a bit about Sri Ganesha the destroyer of obstacles 

and like all the Hindu dieties
they are representative of different types of  energies
and not to be
seen as something outside of the self
each image is deeply rich in symbology that point
always to the non-dual reality
the pure SELF of all