i am having one confusion is ganapathy is first god as per hindus ? second lord krishna is the whole world ? then what about my mother kali who is she ? some says she is the whole world i am fully confused please explain ?
First of all you should consider that the God described as in Vedas is Brahman (do not confuse with Brahmin and Brahma, both three are different ) or Name of God in Vedas is Brahman. Now everything which is present in whole universe this planet or that planet is manifestation of Brahman i.e Brahman present in everything everywhere, Brahman can be with form or without form. The Rig Veda says that by desire (RV 10.12.94), the initial manifestation of the material universe came into being from Hiranyagarbha (literally "golden womb"), out of which the world, organisms and divine beings (devas) arose: "Great indeed are the devas who have sprung out of Brahman." — Atharva Veda. Saguna Brahman with infinite attributes and is the source of the impersonal Nirguna Brahman, and Brahman's energy is regarded as Devi or shakti. Ganesh is the first lord as he is Ganpati addressed by Shiva, Ganpati = leader of Ganas of Shiva. Ganpati is worshiped before doing work or pooja because Ganesh removes obstacles. So to remove any obstacle one should worship Ganpati before doing any work or starting any work. According to Narad Purana Ganpati is Sanket Mochan i.e remover of all obstacles:: "" Any person, who remembers these twelve names of Ganesha, three times in a day, will have all their obstacles and fear removed and will attain success."" Sankatahara Ganesha Stotra (5) from Narada Purana "" One who pursues education will get knowledge, One who wants to earn money will get money, One who wishes for a son, will get a son, And one who wants Mokshya will get Mokshya. "" Sankatahara Ganesha Stotra (6) from Narada Purana Vishnu is traditionally derived from the root "Vish" which means to enter or pervade, and He is called Vishnu because He pervades the whole universe. Brahmanda Purana (1.4.25) says that He is called as Vishnu because He has entered into everything in the universe. The most important aspect is that the whole universe is covered by only three steps of Vishnu which is referred to several times in the Vedas (Rig Veda 1.22.17, 1.154. 3, 1.155.4, Atharva Veda 7.26.5, Yajur Veda 2.25). In His three steps rests the whole universe (Rig Veda 1.154.2, Yajur Veda 23.49). All indeed is Brahman, which can thus be identified with Vishnu, based on the Vedas. Brahman is neither limited to abstract or concrete concepts. But it is easier to establish a conscious relationship with the Providence in terms of benevolent fatherhood or an affectionate, kindly motherhood ....than by the concept of an unfathomable void. Brahman is devoid of qualities, in reality, ......but a relative superimposition of the positive ideals of goodness and virtue is essential for self-culture and spiritual progress of the aspirant. The Upasana or the worship of the Universal Mother leads to the attainment of the knowledge of the Self. The Yaksha Prasna in KenOpanishad supports this view. • Approach Her with an open heart. • Lay bare your mind with frankness and humility. • Let your thoughts be pure and sublime. • Become as simple as a child. Pulverise your individual entity, the egoistic nature, cunningness, selfishness and crookedness. • Make a total unreserved, ungrudging self-surrender to Her. • Chant Her Mantras. • Worship Her with faith and unflinching devotion. Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in the Gita, ‘This is only My lower nature Sakti; beyond this is my higher nature, the Original Sakti, the life-principle which sustains this entire universe’. The Upanishad says, —The Para Sakti, the Supreme Power of this God, is heard of in various ways; this Power is the nature of God manifesting as knowledge, strength and activity. Since Sakti cannot be worshipped in its essential nature, it is worshipped as CONCEIVED of in its MANIFESTATIONS viz., creation, preservation and destruction. Sakti, in relation to these three functions, is Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Kaali. These, as is evident, are not three distinct Devis, but the one formless Devi worshipped in three different forms. Maha-Kaali, Maha-Lakshmi and Maha-Sarasvati’, the Divinity of the Universe adored in three ways. • Sarasvati is cosmic Intelligence, cosmic Consciousness, cosmic Knowledge. Worship of Sarasvati is necessary for Buddhi-Suddhi, Viveka-Vichara-Sakti, Jnana, self-illumination. • Lakshmi does not mean mere material wealth like gold, cattle etc. All kinds of prosperity, glory, magnificence, joy, exaltation, greatness, come under the grace of Goddess Lakshmi. Sri Appayya Dikshitar calls even final Liberation as ‘Moksha-Samrajya Lakshmi’. Hence worship of Lakshmi means the worship of Divinity, the power that dissolves multiplicity in unity. The worship of Devi is therefore the explanation of the entire process of spiritual Sadhana in all its aspects. • Kali is one of the most aggressive and intenseform of Maa and her appearance induces fear. This form of Maa is believed to be the destroyer of all demon entities. Maa Kali destroys ignorance and removes darkness. She is also known as Shubhankari. There is no difference between these three, also there is a form of Ganpati in the form of Maa - Vinayaki also known as Ganeshvari. This form of Ganapati is adored in the Vana-Durga-Upanishad and Matsya Purana and Vishnu-dharmottara Purana. You can all understand this by reading Ganesha Stotram from Shri Ganesha Purânam below :: At morning, I meditate on Lord Ganesha with this prayer : O my Lord Ganesha ! You are the source of this entire universe of sentient beings and insentient matter. You have blessed Brahmâ, celestial beings by fulfilling their wishes. You are propitiated by all the Vedas and holy scriptures. You are the bestower of dharma (virtue), artha (wealth), kâma (love) and moksha (liberation) to Your votaries. You are beyond works and mind. You are eternal and the infinite Truth. salutations ! I meditate on Lord Mahavishnu, the spouse of Mahalakshmi - the goddess of wealth - the almighty Lord who incarnates again and again for the protection of the good and the destruction of the wicked. I meditate on Lord Vishnu whose abode is the ocean of milk, the human heart, One who releases us from the bondage of karma and rebirth. I offer my morning salutations to Lord Vishnu with all my heart I meditate on Lord Shiva in my morning prayers, the spouse of Shakti, One who has the crescent moon decked upon His forehead; One who is clad with the tiger skin; One whose mind's eye-fire reduced Kamâ to ashes; One who is propitiated by Vishnu, Indra and other celestials on whom He bestows the great boons. To the Lord who has serpents as His ornaments, trident and drum as His weapons; to One who has destroyed the demon Tripurâ; to that Parashiva, I salute again and again. May He bliss me. I meditate on Goddess Girija -Shakti-, the daughter of Mount Himalaya. She is the source of the highest wealth of Lord Shiva. She is the Divine Mother who takes us across the ocean of rebirth. She is Mahâmâya, delusion or remover of delusion. She is the embodiment of the pure knowledge of Brahman. She is the Supreme Goddess, Devî, who is propitiated by Devas and Sages. I make my obeisance to that Divine Mother. May She bless me.
