If we are to rid ourselves of the illusion of separation from God, then having full confidence in our eternal relationship with the Lord, and acting on that, is the key. Faith is the belief of something unseen, but we are not using ordinary anatomical vision to see the Lord. The eyes of spiritual understanding are known as sastra-chaksus, or seeing through the eyes of the Sastra. Through certain yogic practices, one may eventually spiritualize the senses, including the vision. Although very difficult to master, this mystical practice can be learned from a specialized guru. In some circles it may be described as opening the Third Eye, known as the Ajna (6th ) Chakra, or as a spiritual “Awakening”.
In this age of Kali, though, we are usually short lived and have no real determination, other than to make money and create a family. By the kindness of Lord Ganesha, we have been given a very easy, sublime process to realize Him. One can chant His holy names – Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah. Brahma chanted the very simple OM mantra in order to begin the process of creation. We should not be fooled into thinking, though, that we can do as he did. After all, Lord Brahma is an incarnation (avatar) of Godhead.
Some may think that the ‘Puranas, composed in Sanskrit, are only mythological stories. The Sanskrit language is descriptive, and not exactly a literal language. Each Sanskrit word, when spoken or heard in the correct context is a potent spiritual sound vibration coming from the heavenly worlds, revealed to us on earth by highly enlightened beings. The Puranas, Vedas and Sastras are not ordinary, but are cosmogenic histories that have been delivered to Earth through sound vibration, transmitted in Sanskrit, in order to describe the activities in the spiritual realms.
Regarding the spiritual civilization of India; there have been many misunderstandings propagandized by the British while they were unlawfully controlling India up to the time of Mahatma Gandhi. Many fallacious statements unfortunately have brainwashed many of the Indian citizens, even up to today. Two of these assertions are that the authorized Murthis or statuesque forms of God are just ‘idols’, and that the Vedic literatures are ‘mythology’. As we know from Judaic-Christain philosophy, stemming from the Old Testament, God had said that “one should not put any other Gods before Me’. Moses saw, after delivering the Ten Commandments, that his followers were worshipping an idyllic golden calf. These events have erroneously led many religionists to misunderstand the definition of an idol, especially in relation to the authorized Vedic forms of deity worship. In this regard, one wonders why it is alright to offer salutations to many different statuesque forms of Jesus or the Virgin Mary, but when one observes a worshiper of a so-called statue of a Hindu God or Goddess, then that is labeled “idol worship.” This misunderstanding is just that – a mis (lack of) understanding.
Armed with a clarified perception and a new spiritual vision, we are now ready to dive deeper within the ocean of the great mystery of the Lord, as it is revealed in this Purana. The stories of Lord Ganesha are not fables, but are the highest truth and reality. They are extraordinary dealings from a greater spiritual culture, not only confined to planet Earth, but encompass activities within the scope of the entire universe. The Ganesha Purana helps us to understand this important spiritual lesson.