Ganesha

Kiev, Ukraine, 30 June 2010

This is a symbol of an icon of Indian divinity. The belief systems are peculiar – that such an icon gives prosperity to people and protection to people. But the spiritual significance is totally different. You’ll find there is a rat here sitting at the feet. So the message of this icon is – the rat is the thought and you’ve kept it in the head. And it’s always running, frightened and aggressive! That is what is making your life miserable. This icon says: “Please, for God’s sake, keep this rat at the feet for performing the daily tasks!” Only then there will be the glimpse of Divinity! Thought is division and Divinity is freedom from division! And this freedom from division – Divinity – is available then, and it is as big as the elephant. That is why at the head there is the elephant. It’s just symbolic. Where is the rat? Where is the elephant? And we’re amused in rat! We’re entertained by rat! We’re preoccupied with rat! So it says: “No, no, keep the rat there at the feet for practical reasons for food, clothes and shelter and other performances. And be available to Ishvara Pranidhana, to the Divinity in the consciousness, which means holistic awareness, which means the Otherness, the Godliness.” That is the meaning of this symbol.

Jai Ganesha!