Do you really want to know the Significance of Ten Days Ganesh Utsav and Visarjan? if yes please read on....

Utsava

An Utsava refers to the high-class creation of the sacred Tatwams (philosophical analysis of the  Supreme Being within you) .

The days of the festivals being generally limited to ten days, the creation here refers to the purification of the ten Indriyas* of man by the necessary religious practices symbolically pointed out during the festivities continuing for ten days. This signifies the necessity of bestowing intellectual exercise to what is going on to be explained symbolically during the ten days of the festival. (Most of the Hindu festivals are of ten days duration). 

What is the symbolic of the ‘Visarjan”?

( immersion of the Vigrahas in the water/ocean/rivers)

Visarjanam means to sacrifice, to let go. To sacrifice your lower desires that are caused by the Indriyas is called Visarjanam. Since the Vigraha* moorti is an analysis of our own self, it is but natural to let go of all the impediments after the ten days festivities (ten Indriyas) are over.

Let’s welcome Lord Ganesha each year with the five knocks*** on your head by placing one limb over another and focus on letting go of all your lower desires for a period of ten days finally immersing them in the ocean on the 11^th day.

Notes:

*Indriyas refer to our five senses. That which is caused by organs of action is called Karma Indriyas

The Karma Indriyas ( organs of action)  are as follows:

           Vak (organ of speech)

     Pani (hands)

     Pada (feet),

     Upashtam (organ of generation) and 

     Payu or Guda (anus, the organ of excretion)

ü  The Karma Indriyas are the five soldiers.

ü  The commander-in-chief is the mind.

ü  The mind extracts work from these soldiers when it desires to get sensual objects for its gratification. Mind also works in unison with these five organs.

ü  Mind is the leader.

ü  These five organs are his assistants.

ü  These Karma Indriyas execute the commands of their leader (mind) immediately.

ü  The Karma Indriyas cannot work independently without the healthy and willing co-operation of the mind.

ü  It is the mind that really works through these organs. It is the mind that really plans, schemes and suggests in all activities.

ü  During sleep these Indriyas get Laya (involution) in the mind temporarily.

ü  During Samadhi or the super conscious state they are absorbed in the mind.

ü  The Karma Indriyas are born of the Rajasic portion of the Tanmatras (Five elements).

Ch. XVIII-13, 14, 15 of the Gita says:

"These five causes are for the accomplishment of all actions. The body, the actor, the various organs, the diverse kinds of energies and the presiding deities, also, the fifth-whatever action a man performs by his body, mind and speech, whether right or the reverse, these five are the cause thereof.".

Therefore Utsava refers to the process of purification of the senses and the sense organs through worship and Visarjanam refers to the sacrifice of the desires that are caused by the Indriyas.

**Vigraha refers to the deep philosophical analysis of the Supreme Being within you. Vigraha never refers to an Idol.

***Five Knocks refers to the practice of controlling your mind and focus.

To know more  about  who Ganesha is  and the significance  of Vigraha worship please visit http://essenceofhinduism.blogspot.com/2016/09/how-to-welcome-lord-ganesha.html

Om Ganeshaya Namaha: