Jai Ganesha !
Once in heaven, Boy Ganesha
Scratched a cat in play
Mother's chamber, entered he
Was shocked at the sight that lay
Thick with bloody scratches
Was his mother's fair face
`Who dared hurt thee, Mother ?'
Thundered he, enraged.
`Thine own hands has done that child!'
She said with a sweet smile,
`For, it's I indeed that dwell in
That cat, in all earth's life'.
Enlightened Ganesha saw
His mother in every creature
That is why he remains to this day
Unwed, and wise in stature.
Pray we, for the full wisdom
That shines in His elephantine face
May He hear with His big ears
Prayers in all our case
May His exploring heavy trunks
Dig us out of our troubles
May His stable pot belly
Digest all our foibles
May He crush the troubles `fore us
And lead us in the jungle path
To His, our Mother's abode
That lies within our heart !
Written on 15/Jan/2002
Swami Sampurnananda (Sri Ramakrishna's story)