When the churning of the milky ocean had finished, and the nectar was being distributed amongst the gods, one of the demons, Swarbhanu, who was cleverer by half, disguised himself as a deva and sneaked into their queue. Just as he was about to consume the nectar which conferred immortality, Surya and Chandra noticed he wasn’t one among them and raised the alarm, causing Lord Vishnu to act swiftly and slice his head off with his discus. However it was already too late, a couple of drops of nectar had already trickled down Swarbhanu’s throat, and his head and torso became independent immortal entities, which we now know as Rahu and Ketu.
Rahu and Ketu are regarded as shadow planets, which correspond to the north and south nodes of the Moon, eclipsing both the Sun (the Soul) and the Moon (the Mind) when they conjunct with them. Which is why Ketu’s influence can bring literal headlessness through pressure, causing us to slip up and force heedless action, besides the altruism and mysticism that it may also confer. And life today is replete with stresses and conflicting priorities, where it becomes very difficult to calibrate one’s response in one area, whilst still trying to balance the other aspects of life.
Enter Ganesha, where we also hear of a similar story where he lost his head in battle to his father Lord Shiva. Now on the surface of it this may seem a very pointless and unkind act, but the kathas in the Vedic tradition often have a deeper meaning that escapes the untrained eye. The loss of the head here is a metaphor for the loss of human arrogance and ignorance, only to be replaced by the calm wisdom of the elephant. Small wonder then that when one feels enraged or impassioned and forced into headless action, or one might say Ketu’s influence, worshipping Lord Ganesha is prescribed, who can at once bring inflamed tempers under control and forge a path forward through mindful action.
Next week will see our city welcoming her favourite Lord Ganesha, as homes and streets will be buzzing with festive cheer. When all the singing and dancing has subsided, and you are able to savour a few moments in silence with his divine form, perhaps attempt to see if your energies can come into resonance with his calming presence and wisdom, relieving you from the temptation to react to every impulse that life has to throw at you. And you may be surprised to see that after he makes his journey back to his watery abode, he leaves you with much more than just a box of delectable modaks to feast on! Ganpati Bappa Morya!
