Ganpati & the Power of Symbols: Purush, Prakriti, and Prayas

Lord Vishnu’s Four Symbols

1. Conch Shell: sings OM, the victorious celebration over negativity, a sound that showers blessings and commemorates the creation of the universe.
2. Sudarshana Chakra: the discus of mindfulness, cutting through illusion and ignorance, protecting and upholding righteousness.
3. Kaumodaki (Mace): the chaos-protective protector, exhibiting power and the ability to overcome obstacles.
4. Padma (Lotus): a symbol of purity, beauty, and spiritual growth — LOT-US / US-LOT.

Purush, Prakriti or Prayas — Who is More Powerful?

• Prayas (Effort) is supreme.
• Prayas allows us to experience Prakriti.
• Through Prakriti, Purush (the ultimate spirit) is created.

Why Mythological Characters Came in Animal Form

Animals embody pure consciousness — without duality, manipulation, or masks. That is why Vishnu’s avatars often appear in animal form: heaven respects their purity.

Which Path to Follow: Sanyas or Bhog?

They are two sides of the same coin.

• A newborn drinking milk = Bhog (enjoyment).
• The same baby spitting the milk = Sanyas (renunciation), having learned self-restraint.

Tantric Kaula Path emphasizes the five M’s:

1. Maddya (wine) → intoxication of devotion.
2. Mamsa (meat) → symbolic act of tongue’s discipline.
3. Matsya (fish) → breath moving in water.
4. Mudra (grain, feminine nature) → gesture and offering.
5. Maithuna (union) → physical or symbolic merging with the world.

Tried & Tested Symbols Across Cultures

1. Ashoka Chakra – 12 + 12 causal effects.
2. Buddhist Concentric Circles – life, time, and awakening.
3. Heart Sutra Lotus (12 petals) – balance of masculine & feminine, with the heart’s 40,000 neurons rewiring through love & oxytocin.
4. Point in a Circle – consciousness protected by boundary: Purush, Prakriti, and Prayas united.
5. Shakti (14 Hands) – cosmic energy alignment between micro and macrocosm.

The Exercise of Symbol-Making

A workshop with 31 teachers:

• Only 6 created symbols (rest silent or hesitant).
• Inference: hesitation came from shyness, fear, self-doubt, or management reaction.

But the 6 symbols shine:

1. Sitara with OM looking down → Creative, musical, but weighed down by responsibilities.
2. Rainbow
   → Creativity, sunrise, positivity.
3. Star
   ️ → Balance of rage & calm, feminine energy wins.
4. Robot
   → Mechanized life, longing for love.
5. Brain Pattern → Systematic, creative, molten energy.
6. Flower
   → Beautiful core, but needs grounding and balance.

The Closing Thought

Everything is impermanent.

We must keep doing Prayas, or else Vishnu will return in animal form — as animals are more conscious than humans.

We live in cycles of Sanyas and Bhog, shaping life with symbols, effort, and awareness.