How to Pray to the Hindu God Ganesh
Learn about Lord Ganesha., Buy a photograph or an idol of Lord Ganesha., Gather other items you’ll need to gain Ganesha’s favor., Study the photo or idol of Lord Ganesha., Light your diya., Offer ladoos, modaks, or other treats to Ganesha., Cover...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn about Lord Ganesha.
Ganesha is a Hindu god with an elephant head and human body.
Ganesha is extremely popular among the vast majority of the Hindu world.
He is perhaps the top deity in hindu belief.
Ganesha is associated with prosperity, good fortune, and wisdom.
Many people worship Ganesha because they believe he his benevolence will help improve their physical position in the world.
Ganesha is the deity associated with removing obstacles in your life. -
Step 2: Buy a photograph or an idol of Lord Ganesha.
An idol or photograph of Ganesha will help bring you closer to him.
This is the first step in worshiping Ganesha, without it, you will be unable to move forward.
Order one online.
Visit your local religious store.
Ask a family member if they have an extra. , Ganesha is very fond of sweet treats, the color red, sweet smelling scents, and more.
Before you begin to worship Ganesha, you need to gather all of these items so that you’ll be able to do it properly.
Prepare sweet treats to offer Ganesha.
Find some sweet smelling fragrances, like incense or fresh flowers, to have around when you worship Ganesha.
Talk to others in your community to see if they want to join you or bring offerings to Ganesha. , Take a little time to study the photo or idol of Lord Ganesha.
Try to remember everything from large features like his trunk to small tattoos on his body and the ornate jewelry he wears.
The goal here is that you’ll be able to recreate his image in your mind.
You’ll be unable to move forward worshiping him if you can’t visualize him in your mind’s eye., Diya is a brass oil lamp that might have the image of Ganesha on it.
However, there are many variants of diyas.
Feel free to pick which ever you believe will win Ganesha’s favor.
Before you start your (puja) worship, you should light the diya. , Ladoos and modaks are sweet treats and are Ganesha’s favorite sweets.
Offering these treats to Ganesha will help bring his benevolence upon you.
You can prepare your own or purchase them if available in your area.
Modaks are sweet dumplings.
They consist of rice flour, coconut, and cane sugar.
Ladoos are treats made of flour.
Often times, Ganesha is pictured holding a bowl of ladoos in his left hand.
Ganesha also likes other treats like bananas., A dupatta is a scarf or a stole.
If you’re a woman, you should wear a scarf or stole to show your deference to Lord Ganesha.
Covering your head will help bring his benevolence upon you. , Procure some dhoop (dhoop bati) incense.
Dhoop is a specific type of frank incense used in the worship of Hindu deities.
The dhoop helps to purify the home and person and as a preparation for devotion.
Also consider other forms of creating scent and aromas that might be pleasing to Lord Ganesha:
Hibiscus flowers.
Garlands.
Rouli and Mouli., Putting garland on the photo or the neck of the island will win more favor rom Ganesha.
Ganesha especially likes garlands made of erukku flowers, a flower native to India. , Saying one of Ganesha’s mantras is one of the best ways of worshiping Ganesha.
Repeating a mantra will help bring you closer to Ganesha as he will provide blessings on you.
As a result, repeating mantras will bring you closer to your goals in life.
Consider:
The Shaktivinayak Mantra.
Repeat: “Om Hreeng Greeng Hreeng.” This should sooth you and bring you closer to Ganesha.
The Vakratunda Mahakaya Shlok Mantra.
Say: “Vakra-Tunndda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryeshu Sarvadaa.” Siddhi Vinayak Mantra. “Om Namo Siddhi Vinayakaya Sarva Kaarya Kartrey Sarva Vignha Prashamnay Sarvarjaya Vashyakarnaya Sarvajan Sarvastree Purush Aakarshanaya Shreeng Om Swaha.” There are many other mantras you can say to Ganesh.
Talk to your guru or spiritual leader for more. , Summoning him in your mind is the way you will create a direct connection with him.
You’ll want to do this in a relaxed state, so make sure to:
Relax yourself and put other thoughts out of your head.
Take a deep breath.
Think about the image of Lord Ganesha. , Now that you’ve summoned him in your mind, it’s your chance to speak to him and share with him your problems, challenges, hopes, and more.
Make sure to:
Approach him in a relaxed manor.
Speak to him in his right ear.
Be assured of the personal connection between you and Lord Ganesha., Apply tilak to Ganesha’s forehead.
Then apply it to your own forehead, and to others who are also in attendance worshipping Ganesha.
Tilak is a red (vermilion) powder., Prasadam are sweet treats that are associated with the sweetness of divine favor.
Once you are done worshipping Ganesha, everyone will receive a prasadam.
Prasadam vary depending on what is available and what people brought and prepared. -
Step 3: Gather other items you’ll need to gain Ganesha’s favor.
-
Step 4: Study the photo or idol of Lord Ganesha.
-
Step 5: Light your diya.
-
Step 6: Offer ladoos
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Step 7: modaks
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Step 8: or other treats to Ganesha.
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Step 9: Cover your head with a dupatta (scarf
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Step 10: stole) if you're a lady.
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Step 11: Burn incense as an offering.
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Step 12: Put garland on the photo or around the neck of the idol.
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Step 13: Repeat one of Ganesha’s mantras.
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Step 14: Close your eyes and summon the image of Lord Ganesha in your mind.
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Step 15: Speak to Lord Ganesha
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Step 16: once you’ve visualized him.
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Step 17: Apply tilak to the idol
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Step 18: yourself
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Step 19: and to others in attendance.
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Step 20: Offer the "prasadam" to those who do attended the Puja.
Detailed Guide
Ganesha is a Hindu god with an elephant head and human body.
Ganesha is extremely popular among the vast majority of the Hindu world.
He is perhaps the top deity in hindu belief.
Ganesha is associated with prosperity, good fortune, and wisdom.
Many people worship Ganesha because they believe he his benevolence will help improve their physical position in the world.
Ganesha is the deity associated with removing obstacles in your life.
An idol or photograph of Ganesha will help bring you closer to him.
This is the first step in worshiping Ganesha, without it, you will be unable to move forward.
Order one online.
Visit your local religious store.
Ask a family member if they have an extra. , Ganesha is very fond of sweet treats, the color red, sweet smelling scents, and more.
Before you begin to worship Ganesha, you need to gather all of these items so that you’ll be able to do it properly.
Prepare sweet treats to offer Ganesha.
Find some sweet smelling fragrances, like incense or fresh flowers, to have around when you worship Ganesha.
Talk to others in your community to see if they want to join you or bring offerings to Ganesha. , Take a little time to study the photo or idol of Lord Ganesha.
Try to remember everything from large features like his trunk to small tattoos on his body and the ornate jewelry he wears.
The goal here is that you’ll be able to recreate his image in your mind.
You’ll be unable to move forward worshiping him if you can’t visualize him in your mind’s eye., Diya is a brass oil lamp that might have the image of Ganesha on it.
However, there are many variants of diyas.
Feel free to pick which ever you believe will win Ganesha’s favor.
Before you start your (puja) worship, you should light the diya. , Ladoos and modaks are sweet treats and are Ganesha’s favorite sweets.
Offering these treats to Ganesha will help bring his benevolence upon you.
You can prepare your own or purchase them if available in your area.
Modaks are sweet dumplings.
They consist of rice flour, coconut, and cane sugar.
Ladoos are treats made of flour.
Often times, Ganesha is pictured holding a bowl of ladoos in his left hand.
Ganesha also likes other treats like bananas., A dupatta is a scarf or a stole.
If you’re a woman, you should wear a scarf or stole to show your deference to Lord Ganesha.
Covering your head will help bring his benevolence upon you. , Procure some dhoop (dhoop bati) incense.
Dhoop is a specific type of frank incense used in the worship of Hindu deities.
The dhoop helps to purify the home and person and as a preparation for devotion.
Also consider other forms of creating scent and aromas that might be pleasing to Lord Ganesha:
Hibiscus flowers.
Garlands.
Rouli and Mouli., Putting garland on the photo or the neck of the island will win more favor rom Ganesha.
Ganesha especially likes garlands made of erukku flowers, a flower native to India. , Saying one of Ganesha’s mantras is one of the best ways of worshiping Ganesha.
Repeating a mantra will help bring you closer to Ganesha as he will provide blessings on you.
As a result, repeating mantras will bring you closer to your goals in life.
Consider:
The Shaktivinayak Mantra.
Repeat: “Om Hreeng Greeng Hreeng.” This should sooth you and bring you closer to Ganesha.
The Vakratunda Mahakaya Shlok Mantra.
Say: “Vakra-Tunndda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryeshu Sarvadaa.” Siddhi Vinayak Mantra. “Om Namo Siddhi Vinayakaya Sarva Kaarya Kartrey Sarva Vignha Prashamnay Sarvarjaya Vashyakarnaya Sarvajan Sarvastree Purush Aakarshanaya Shreeng Om Swaha.” There are many other mantras you can say to Ganesh.
Talk to your guru or spiritual leader for more. , Summoning him in your mind is the way you will create a direct connection with him.
You’ll want to do this in a relaxed state, so make sure to:
Relax yourself and put other thoughts out of your head.
Take a deep breath.
Think about the image of Lord Ganesha. , Now that you’ve summoned him in your mind, it’s your chance to speak to him and share with him your problems, challenges, hopes, and more.
Make sure to:
Approach him in a relaxed manor.
Speak to him in his right ear.
Be assured of the personal connection between you and Lord Ganesha., Apply tilak to Ganesha’s forehead.
Then apply it to your own forehead, and to others who are also in attendance worshipping Ganesha.
Tilak is a red (vermilion) powder., Prasadam are sweet treats that are associated with the sweetness of divine favor.
Once you are done worshipping Ganesha, everyone will receive a prasadam.
Prasadam vary depending on what is available and what people brought and prepared.
About the Author
Joshua Harvey
Brings years of experience writing about creative arts and related subjects.
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