What is the significance of worshipping Lord Ganesha? As we prepare to welcome the festival celebrating Lord Ganesha, our Loving Lord explains to us!

Today, man practices meditation and performs japa, but along with them the animal qualities are also allowed to grow. As long as these qualities remain, the observance of religious practices is worthless. All such spiritual practices amount to practising deception on the Divine itself. Therefore, true Sadhana (spiritual practice) means getting rid of one's animal qualities such as cruelty, wickedness, etc. Two qualities make a man alien to God: Asuya and Ahamkara (envy and egoism). Envy and Egoism are two pests which destroy the tree of life. They deprive man of his essential human nature. With these bad qualities, people get divorced from the company of the good. The essential purpose of Vinayaka Chathurthi festival is to teach an individual to avoid the company of bad people and cultivate the company of the good. What does the term ‘Ganapati’ signify? ‘Ga’ means Buddhi (intellect). ‘Na’ means Vijnana (Wisdom). ‘Ganapati’ means one who is the Lord of intellect and wisdom. He is also the Lord of all Ganas (spiritual entities). Ganas also symbolise the senses. Ganapati is thus the Lord of the senses.