He is the chief (Isa) of Lord Shiva's army and attendants, hence the name Ganesha. In the name Ganapathi, Ga denotes "knowledge," na means "salvation," and pati means "lord." He is known for removing all of the obstacles(vignas) in the path of progress and wellbeing of his devotees, therefore he is known as Vigneshwara. Due to this special power of Lord Vigneshwara, devotees lovingly shower him with prayers, sweets, and poojas at the commencement of every task and..Read More

He is the chief (Isa) of Lord Shiva's army and attendants, hence the name Ganesha. In the name Ganapathi, Ga denotes "knowledge," na means "salvation," and pati means "lord." He is known for removing all of the obstacles(vignas) in the path of progress and wellbeing of his devotees, therefore he is known as Vigneshwara. Due to this special power of Lord Vigneshwara, devotees lovingly shower him with prayers, sweets, and poojas at the commencement of every task and enterprise, thus becoming capable of completing the task without hardship or complexity.  

While adoring thee idol of Ganesha, a devotee observes that his head is that of an elephant, and the body of a human being. In his upper right hand he carries an axe(Ankusa); in his upper left hand he grasps a noose(Pasha). He is always smiling (Prasanna Vadhana). He may also be shown conveying blessings, dancing, or holding a lotus and mace. Seated below him, there dwells a mouse(Mooshika), which is his vahana, or vehicle. He ties a serpent around his stomach. His round figure signifies prosperity.

An ancient tale explains why Lord Ganesha is worshipped before any other deity prior to any other important event. One day Lord Shiva asked his sons Ganesha and Karthikeya to circle the world and return. Karthikeya hurried away on his peacock vahana. Instead, Ganesha walked around Shiva and Parvati three times. Ganesha explained that, to him, his parents constituted the world. Delighted and satisfied, Shiva granted him a blessing, affirming that no matter what the occasion or ceremony may be, Lord Ganesha should be worshipped before all other Gods. Another ancient story tells that Ganesha wrote the Mahabharata according to Veda Vyasa's dictation. When the sage asked Ganesha to write down the epic poem, the learned God agreed on condition that his pen should not stop moving until the story was completed.

Ganesh Chaturthi, the most sacred festival of Lord Ganesha, occurs in August or September. It is an important event in India and celebrated with fervor, particularly in the state of Maharashtra.

The Supreme Being who is birthless assumes different forms for the benefit of humanity. The Pranava (Om) is the origin of the entire creation of insentient and sentient beings. Lord Vinayaka also endearingly called as Pillaiyar, Ganesa and Vigneswara is the embodiment of Pranava. Being the first-born of the Divine couple Parvati and Parameswara, He is indeed the first child adored by all humanity. His unique form with the face of an elephant with trunk and one tusk, and a human body is a personification of the mystic syllable `Om'. Vinayaka Caturthi is the celebration of His jayanthi.

Tamil Nadu abounds in temples for Pillaiyar which dot the countryside along the banks of rivers, under the trees and in every street. What is remarkable is that this deity is worshipped by one and all, since He is to be invoked first during the worship of other gods also as He is believed to remove all obstacles. And there is indeed an incident to the origination of offering worship to Vigneswara first which was initiated by Lord Siva Himself. Once three Asuras (Tripurasuras) were becoming powerful usurping everyone's wealth. The gods complained to Indra that they would pose a threat to their kingdom soon, but the king of the gods, Devendra expressed his inability to tackle them. The gods then went and beseeched Lord Vishnu to intercede, but He pointed out that though the Asuras caused trouble to others, they were great devotees of Siva and never failed to worship Him everyday and so He would not trouble them.

Finally the Devas took refuge in Lord Siva who also expressed His inability to punish them since they were His devotees but pointed out a way by telling them to inform Him if they failed to worship Him any day. Since all efforts to distract them from their daily worship failed, Siva Himself had to come down to Tiruvadikai where they lived. When He neared the place which is known as Achiripakkam the axle of His chariot broke. The Lord intuited that this obstacle was created by His own son Ganapati.

In his discourse Sri Sadhu Ram Swami said, since Ganapati was the Lord of the Ganas who were Siva's retinue and He had set out to destroy the Asuras with His retinue without invoking the grace of Ganapati, Siva was unable to proceed on His journey. When He asked Ganesa to pardon His lapse, His son was unforgiving and demanded His head because Ganesa pointed out that the Lord Himself could not afford to commit a mistake. Siva appeased His son by breaking a coconut instead and proceeded to humble the Tripurasuras instead of destroying them since they were His devotees. Ever since this incident Lord Vigneswara's grace is invoked while undertaking any venture.
  
 

He is known as the third element in the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti), the other two members being Lord Brahma - the creator and Lord Vishnu - the protector. Shiva is the destructive form of the Almighty. As the cycle of destruction and recreation is always in a circle, Shiva’s primary responsibility is maintaining the life cycle. Scholars say, as the Mahakaal, Shiva destroys and dissolves everything into nothingness but as Shankara, he also reproduces that which..Read More

He is known as the third element in the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti), the other two members being Lord Brahma - the creator and Lord Vishnu - the protector. Shiva is the destructive form of the Almighty. As the cycle of destruction and recreation is always in a circle, Shiva’s primary responsibility is maintaining the life cycle. Scholars say, as the Mahakaal, Shiva destroys and dissolves everything into nothingness but as Shankara, he also reproduces that which has been destroyed and dissolved. His symbol of Lingam or the phallus represents this reproductive power.

Lord Shiva is also considered to be the most unique of all Hindu gods and also the God of all. A great ascetic, Shiva is the only godhead who is forever in deep meditation, totally absorbed in contemplation in His abode, Kailaasa Mountain in the great Himalaya. Lord Shiva is also said to be inseparable from Shakti - Parvati the daughter of Himavaan - Haimavati. There is no Shiva without Shakti and no Shakti without Shiva, the two are one - or the absolute state of being.

Shiva is often shown with many faces, as creator, destroyer and preserver in total command of the cosmos. He contains both good and evil. He is moody, free of inhibitions, easy to please, protector of the down trodden, and has the power to alter the laws of destiny. Thus, it is Lord Shiva is known as the God of mercy and kindness. He protects his devotees from all evil that are always around us. He blesses his followers with grace, knowledge and peace.

Shiva as Ardhanareeswara 

Lord Shiva is said to be half man and half woman. In the full figure of Siva the male and female principles are united. Shiva Linga - the symbol of Lord Shiva which consists of both Lingam (phallus) and yoni (the female organ) represent the totality of his nature and the totality of all created existence.

Appearance and Attributes of Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva is shown either in meditating or in the form of a Dancing God Nataraj where his dance is to the beat and rhythm of creation. He is also shown in sculptures with many hands. One pair of hands, for example, represents the balance between life and death. Shiva is 'tri netra' or three eyed, and is 'neela kantha' - blue-necked (having consumed poison to save the world from destruction). Besides, there are a lot many attributes associated with Lord Shiva. Here is a brief description of some of the important symbols that depict Lord Shiva. Each of his depiction signifies a different aspect of his Supreme Being.

Unclad body covered with ashes:

This form of Lord Shiva depicts that Lord Shiva’s presence is much higher than this physical phenomenon. According to some scholars, Shiva’s body smeared with cemetery ash points to the philosophy of the life and death and the fact that death is the ultimate reality of the life.

Jata (Matted Hair):

The flow of his matted hair represents Shiva as the Lord of Wind or Vayu, who is the subtle form of breath present in all living beings. Thus it is Shiva which is the lifeline for all living being. He is Pashupatinath.

Sacred Ganga:

The holiest of the holy rivers, Ganga flows from the matted hair of Shiva. According to a legend, Shiva allowed an outlet to the great river to traverse the earth and bring purifying water to human being. Ganga also denotes fertility - one of the creative aspects of the Rudra.

The Third Eye:

Lord Shiva is known as the three eyed Lord or Tryambaka Deva. The sun is his right eye, the moon left while the third eye of Shiva on his forehead is the eye of wisdom. It is the eye that looks beyond the obvious. The third eye can search evil from anywhere and destroys it completely.

Half-Open Eyes:

The half-open eyes show that the universes cycle in process. When the eyes are completely closed it signifies the dissolvent of theuniverse and when it is completely open a new cycle of creation begins.

Crescent:

Shiva bears on his head the crescent of the panchami (fifth day) moon. This is placed near the fiery third eye and this shows the power of Soma, the sacrificial offering, which is the representative of moon. It means that Shiva possesses the power of procreation along with the power of destruction. The moon is also a measure of time, thus Crescent also represent his control over time.

The Cobra Necklace:

This suggests that Shiva is beyond the powers of death and is often the sole support in case of distress. He swallowed the poison kalketu for the wellbeing of the Universe. The deadly cobra represents that “death” aspect that Shiva has thoroughly conquered. The cobras around his neck also represent the dormant energy, called Kundalini, the serpent power. The snake curled three times around the neck of Lord Shiva depicts the past, present and future time. The snake looking in the right direction of Lord Shiva signifies that the Lord's perpetual laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the universe.

The Vibhuti:

Vibhuti is a three line of ashes drawn on the forehead that signifies the Immortality of the soul and manifested glory of the Lord.

Tiger Skin:

 Lord Shiva is shown sitting on or wearing a tiger skin. The tiger is the vehicle of Shakti, the Goddess of power and force. Shiva is beyond and above any kind of force. He is the master of Shakti. The tiger skin that he wears symbolizes victory over every force. Tiger also represent lust. Thus sitting on Tiger skin, Shiva indicates that he has conquered lust.

The Elephant & Deer Skin:

 Shiva also wears elephant skins. Elephants represent pride. Wearing elephant skin, Shiva indicates that he has conquered pride. Similarly deer represent the flickering mind. Shiva wears deer skin which indicates that he has controlled the mind perfectly.

Rudraksha Necklace:

 ‘Rudra’ is the other name of Shiva. It also means strict or uncompromising and ‘aksha’ means eye. Rudraksha, the necklace worn by Lord Shiva shows that he is firm about his cosmic laws and to maintain law and order in the universe. The necklace has 108 beads, which symbolize the elements used in the creation of the world.

Damaru (Drum):

A small drum with two sides alienated from each other by a thin neck-like structure represents the two utterly different states of existence, unclear and clear. When a damaru is shaken, the sound formed denotes Nada, the cosmic sound of AUM, which can be heard during deep meditation.

Trishul (Trident):

 A three-branched trident shown adjoining to Lord Shiva symbolizes His three fundamental powers will, action and knowledge. As a weapon the trident represents the instrument of punishment to the evil doer on all the three planes - spiritual, subtle and physical.

Nandi, the Bull:

Nandi is said to be the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The bull represents both power and ignorance. Lord Shiva's use of the bull as his vehicle expresses the idea that He removes ignorance and bequeaths power of wisdom on His followers. 

The goddess Parvati is one of the many forms of Shakti, the unknowable but enlivening feminine force in Hindu mythology, the feminine energy of the universe.

 The Story of Parvati

The times were dark. Demons from the netherworld had driven the gods out of their heavenly homes. Unfortunately Shiva, the God of War, was no longer there t..Read More

The goddess Parvati is one of the many forms of Shakti, the unknowable but enlivening feminine force in Hindu mythology, the feminine energy of the universe.

 The Story of Parvati

The times were dark. Demons from the netherworld had driven the gods out of their heavenly homes. Unfortunately Shiva, the God of War, was no longer there to defend them.  Grieving the death of the woman he loved, Shiva had turned his back on the world and all its pleasures. He now lived in a dark cave and spent his days in meditation and learning.  His spiritual powers had become immense, but Shiva was no longer concerned with the problems of the gods and would not come to their aid.

 Desperate for a solution, the gods consulted the mother goddess, Shakti, who suggested that only a son of Shiva could wage a successful war against the demons. Then she agreed to take another form and draw Shiva out of his cave and get him to father a warrior who would banish the demons. Shakti was reborn as the daughter of the Lord of the Mountains, and she was given the name Parvati.

 Even as a young girl Parvati was in love with Shiva. Determined to win his affection, she would visit his cave each day to bring him fruit and to sweep the floor of the cave and decorate his cave with flowers. But Shiva spurned her efforts. (Some versions say he rejected her because of her dark skin.)

But Parvati was determined.  She decided to go into the mountains and become an ascetic herself, thinking perhaps this would win his love.

But she did not leave until she had obtained a pledge from Shiva’s manservant that he would guard Shiva's bedroom and keep him chaste.  A demon disguised itself as Parvati. It seduced Shiva and attempted to kill him by lining its illusory vagina with nails.  Shiva was not fooled and put a sword on his penis and vanquished the demon.

Informants told Parvati that a woman had visited Shiva, and she  flew into a jealous rage, her anger erupting as a lion. Furious with the guard who had agreed to protect Shiva, she turned him into a stone.

But, for the most part, Parvati just continued following her plan. Living in the forest with nothing to eat and with no clothes to protect her tender body from the fierce weather, she completely mastered her physical needs. Soon she was able to match Shiva’s awesome powers by creating incredible energy in her yoga meditations—enough energy to attract the attention of the supreme deity, Brahma.   
 
 Brahma took pity on Parvati and asked what she wanted.  Ashamed of her dark skin, she told him she wanted golden skin and he granted her wish. 

He split Parvati in two parts. In some versions of the myths the horrific, black side became Kali, "Black Mother Time", while Parvati's new skin glowed golden like the sun.

When Shiva saw her and realized how beautiful and powerful she had become, he was unable to resist her. 
 
The two were married in a sacred ritual performed by the gods and spent their honeymoon on the mountaintop that was the center of the universe. Parvati’s consistent affection soon softened Shiva’s heart toward her.

Parvati kept her promise to the gods. She sent them part of Shiva’s aura which was in turn given to the river goddess Ganga who cooled it in her icy waters until it formed a seed. 
      

The seed was planted in the fertile forest floor where it grew into the war god Skanda.  He soon took command, defeated the demons, and restored the heavens to the gods.

But Parvati longed for a child of her own.  Shiva didn't want to be bothered with offspring so he spitefully gave her a scrap of cloth and told her to make a doll and cuddle it instead. 

Hurt by his remark she withdrew to a cave to meditate and get control of her emotions. Grasping the cloth to her breast, Parvati’s tears dropped on it and the cloth grew into the form of Ganesha, her son. 

 She assigned her newly created son to guard over her cave and to keep out all strangers. In the meantime Shiva began to regret his impulsive act and came to find Parvati and apologize. Ganesha didn’t recognize him and blocked his way.

 Shiva flew into a rage and beheaded Ganesha. Parvati’s grief was so intense that Shiva promised to find Ganesha another head.  Shiva could only find an elephant's head, which probably seemed a bit suspicious to Parvati, but there was nothing she could do.

Thus Ganesha was reborn as half human, half elephant. He became the Keeper of the Threshold and the God of Good Fortune, an obstacle to all that is undesirable.  
 
 His union with Parvati eventually inspired Shiva to accept pleasure into his life and he soon became the patron of the arts. The great warrior, much to the delight of all the gods, had become the Lord of Dance.

 Parvati also awakened his concern for the world by honoring him by asking his opinion about important issues. As he spoke, Shiva revealed the learning that he had gathered in his meditations, ensuring that the energy created by his asceticism was channeled for the good of all mankind.
 
 Parvati represents the part of ourselves that creatively brings forth nourishment even in the midst of what seems to be rejection and disapproval. She is a wonderful affirmation that there are no limits to what a woman can do when she uses her spiritual energy in the pursuit of any goal she chooses.

He represents a person of perfection.  He is the war God, the Hindu equivalent of Mars and Ares. He was created by all the Gods to lead the heavenly hosts and destroy the demons. He is the most masculine and fierce of all the Gods. He is also fire, Agni and is very Pitta (fiery) in nature. While Ganesh removes all obstacles, Skanda bestows all spiritual powers, particularly the power of knowledge.

In one hand he carries a ..Read More

He represents a person of perfection.  He is the war God, the Hindu equivalent of Mars and Ares. He was created by all the Gods to lead the heavenly hosts and destroy the demons. He is the most masculine and fierce of all the Gods. He is also fire, Agni and is very Pitta (fiery) in nature. While Ganesh removes all obstacles, Skanda bestows all spiritual powers, particularly the power of knowledge.

In one hand he carries a spear called sakti which symbolizes the destruction of negative tendencies in humans. With his other hand he always blesses devotees.  In some places it is shown as He is having six faces and twelve hands.

The Lord's vehicle is a peacock which is capable of destroying harmful serpents (symbolizing harmful ego and bad desires of people)

Stories about Lord Karthikeya

There is a great story telling about the incarnation of Lord Muruga. In legend it is told that once Devas had been ill-treated and imprisoned by the demon Soora Padman and his brothers. And the demons had been the challenge to the Devas as no one from their side had power to kill them. So, all of them went to Lord Shiva's home for praying Him to get the solution. On hearing their problem Lord Shiva decided to find a solution. In Hinduism it is well known that Lord Shiva has another important eye on His forehead. He opened His forehead eye and used His all power to create Six Great Fire Sparks emitting heat energy. Now once again Devas started to be suffering from the heat energy came from that fire sparks. So all of them ran again to Lord Shiva to get His grace. Lord Shiva called Lord Agni(God of Fire) and Lord Vayu(God of Air) to carry those great fire sparks. But, fire sparks were so powerful that those Gods could not get near them. God Shiva gave power to carry them and ordered to drop them in the holy river Ganges. After dropping the sparks, the whole river Ganges shrank to a small stream. Then the fire sparks had been cooled down and changed to six beautiful babies and they were lying on six beautiful lotus flowers. Lord Shiva arranged six beautiful maidens called 'Karthigai Pengal'(Women of Karthiga) to look after the babies. When the babies attained a certain age Lord Shiva blessed them and made them as one person (i.e.) God Muruga. Then Lord Shiva asked His son Lord Muruga to proceed to the world of Devas on His mission of subduing the demons and freeing the Devas from their cruel bondage with the demons. Devi Parvathi presented His son the weapon called Gnan and Sakthi Vel before starting the war against the demons. Lord Shiva arranged another person called Veera Bhagu to assist Lord Muruga in that war. In the war Lord Muruga killed all the demons and saved the Devas from them