Guesthouse for Ganesha: AUM

This excerpt is from the author’s forthcoming debut novel.

A-U-M

“A” represents the waking state . . .

“U” the dreaming state . . .

“M” the state of deep sleep.

AUM in its entirety,

followed by a moment of silence, represents the Shanti—

the peace beyond understanding.

Aum Shri Ganeshaya Namah

(Praise to Lord Ganesha)

Chapter Four

I am Ganapati . . .
son of Shiva and Parvati.
Lord Ganapati . . . Lord of the Ganas . . . the celestial ones . . . who watch over all . . . protect all.

I am Vighnahara . . . Remover of Obstacles . . . I am Siddhipriya . . . Bestower of Wishes and Boons . . . Buddhinath . . . God of Wisdom . . . Swaroop . . . Lover of Beauty . . . Uddanda . . . Nemesis of Evils and Vices . . . And . . . I am Kaveesha . . . Master of Poets . . . I have one hundred and eight names.

Most know me by Ganesha . . . Ganeshe . . . God of the People.

But . . . truly . . . sadly . . . most do not know me at all . . . or even acknowledge my very existence.

There are countless stories . . . legends really . . . describing how I came into being. Explaining my unique form . . . part human . . . part elephant. Some say I came through my mother’s loins . . . others through her mind . . . that I came of a wish . . . a desire . . . to bring harmony and prosperity to all who reside here . . . Calm.

But . . . I came through a sound. A sound so pure and clear and true . . . it has been known so far to only a very few . . .

AUM was my birth canal.

And I came out dancing at the first flicker of dawn . . . dancing with a joy and a passion and a freedom not yet to be matched. I long for partners in my movements . . . but the time has not yet arrived. So I dance . . . for universality . . . for unity . . . for the supreme God force present within all things . . . within all.

I smile broadly, ecstatically.

When I dance. . . I dance for all . . . as I am here for all . . . I am here for you.

I have been here a long time . . . and I know I must remain here longer still . . . for this is the Kali Yuga . . . and I am needed here now more than ever. For this is the period of the greatest . . . darkest evil of man unto man. The time when avenues of possibility and opportunity and hope appear to be cut off . . . with only despair and desperation emerging in one’s path.

But truly . . . this is only an illusion. It is all an illusion. Yet I remain visible to those willing to see me . . . to let me guide them on.

Esther saw me . . . although she as yet does not know who I am or why I am here for her. Deep within her . . . she recognized me . . . and carried me forward to accompany her . . . to support her . . . to help her triumph over that which took place and that which is to come.

This is the Kali Yuga . . . and the destruction and horror that lies in wait for her will be more immense than the human mind can fathom . . . more than the celestial ones could conceive. And we remain in the darkest part of that night . . . when even the stars sleep . . . when the forces of ignorance are in full bloom . . . and the subtle faculties of the soul are obscured.

The depth of Kali’s rage strikes each corner of the globe.

And . . . can strike in the very core of one’s life . . . testing heart . . . testing faith . . . as with Tadeusz.

Ah . . . Kali . . . the black one . . . the dark one . . . Kali Ma . . . is the mother . . . the goddess . . . of destruction and dissolution. She . . . alone . . . commands transition.

Guesthouse for Ganesha is available at Indiebound and Amazon

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