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The drums of #Chaturthi are playing allover. It is an amazing feeling, sounds very similar to the dhaak of Durga puja.
Come to think of it, Ganesha was a writer. He wrote the Mahabharata with rishi Vyasa as the storyteller.
Here are some small snippets on this Maha collaboration - the narrator and the author.
I don't do a puja at home, but this is my way of worshipping the deva.
Seeking divine blessings - writer to writer.
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The Mahabharata was written by Veda Vyasa, grandfather of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He had acquired great powers through meditation and lived on, even after all his grandchildren died.
How can one acquire powers to live longer through meditation? Meditation helps you to gain control over nerves. You can control temptations, curb negativity and fill yourself with positive energy. More importantly, meditation helps you to keep in touch with the inner God and enhance that greatness.
Vyasa's connection with Ganesha was just that. Vyasa was the conscious, the storyteller. Ganesha was the subconscious - the writer.
One day Brahma appeared before Vyasa and advised him to write down the story of The Mahabharata, since he had seen it all. The Mahabharata was meant to be a story of great philosophical learning, which was to influence and inspire the generations to come. Veda Vyasa wondered how to accomplish this as the Mahabharata was a very complex story. He needed somebody to write the story.
What role did Brahma play here? Brahma played the role of conscience!
Why did Veda Vyasa need external help to write the story? Because writing needs thorough information and a lot of detachment. Veda Vyasa could have his bias while writing the story of his family. He needed the wisdom which could filter out the flaws of the storyteller. Precisely, he was seeking not only a writer but also an editor!
Veda Vyasa wanted to seek help from Lord Ganesha.
Why Ganesha? Ganesha is the lord of intelligence, wisdom, intellect and also prosperity. Intellect/learning is Saraswati. Prosperity/returns is Lakshmi. Standing midway between the goddesses, Ganesha is skilled with the application of learning that results in returns. Vyasa didn't just employ Ganesha's writing skills but also his capability of getting it widely accessed. Which means Ganesha was not just the content partner but also the promotional agency. Practically, all-inclusive role of the publisher!
Lord Ganesha knew that Vyasa would narrate the epic very fast. He imposed a condition - once the narration started, Vyasa would not stop. If Veda Vyasa stopped the narration, Ganesha would be gone.
Why would Vyasa narrate too fast? It happens when you know too much and are emotionally attached to it; you are in a hurry to tell it all. The restlessness borne by knowledge.
Why Ganesha imposed his condition? Creative process is never conclusively satisfying! Ganesha barred Vyasa from wasting his time because of his creative restructuring.
In response to Ganesha's condition, Vyasa said that Ganesha would not write anything unless he understood the meaning. Ganesha agreed. Both sat down to initiate the work.
Why did Vyasa impose his condition?
So he could rest in between, if required, by throwing complex verses at Ganesha. Ganesha would take a while to comprehend the meaning, which would help Vyasa to breathe, think and plan for the next.
Why so much deliberation?
Setting up TERMS & CONDITIONS is important, to proceed with any partnership productively, factoring mutual strengths and avoiding conflict.
Right in the beginning of documenting the epic, the Terms and Conditions were set with a lot of diligence, though it metaphorically comes across as if it is an intellectual play of words between the God and the sage, to prove the intelligence of either over the other.
But it is this T&C that gives the epic its glorious character.
It ensured that each written word in the epic has been well understood by the writer and approved by the divine. It also ensured that the storyteller didn't have the luxury of time to pause, think and gather the prejudice of human mind.
The rishi was reduced from a storyteller to a narrator, reporting the incidents but not at liberty to explain them.
The Lord didn't have the liberty to divert.
As they started 'work', the feather with which Lord Ganesha started writing the story broke, unable to keep pace between the stalwarts. Lord Ganesha did not stop writing, he just broke one of his tusks and continued!
Another instance of Ganesha being vighna-harta, the destroyer of obstacles. He can go to any extent to win over obstacles, if he is committed to the purpose.
Every big task demands immense dedication and commitment. Keeping up with promises at times takes away a part of your identity. The fact that you didn't stop when challenged, becomes your identity.
In spite of the mammoth speed of the storyteller and the writer, The Mahabharata took almost three years to complete. Neither the sage stopped in between, nor did the God.