Mooshika Vahana

This is one of the morning prayers, usually recited after Shuklambaradharam. Though seemingly simple words, this shloka has an intonation that makes you peaceful and feel that there is a greater force taking care of this universe which includes you. This shloka makes you feel that Lord Ganesha is very close to you. Children are served best when taught this shloka from young. Typically the word ‘Gajaananaa’ is added after each word in the Shloka. E.g. Mooshika Vahana Gajaananaa. Modhakahasta Gajaananaa. (There is a simple tune that helps when sung this way. Please look it up)

Sri Swami Chinmayananda describes the symbolism of Lord Ganesha as follows:

The Lord of Obstacles, Sri Vighneswara has four arms representing the four inner equipments, the Anthahakarana(Mind, Intellect, Memory and Ego).
In one hand He has the ROPE and in the other He has an AXE. On the spiritual pilgrimage, all obstacles are created by the very subjective and objective worlds in the seeker himself. Sri
Vighneswara chops them off with the AXE. He cuts off the attachments of His devotees to the world of plurality and thus ends all the consequent sorrows. He holds the attention of the seeker constantly towards the Higher, and pulls us nearer and nearer to the Truth and ultimately ties him down to the Highest Goal with the ROPE. With one hand, He blesses all His devotees and protects (ABHAYA) them from all obstacles on their spiritual path of seeking the Supreme, and with the other hand He feeds the seeker with MODAKA, representing the reward of the joys of sadhana — the “Joy of Experiencing the Reality”.

The meaning of this Shloka

Key Phrase: विघ्न विनायक पाद नमस्ते (Vigna Vinayaka Pada Namasthe)

नम: + ते – Salutations to thee
विनायक – विश्वस्य – All the universe (everything that IS)
नायक:- one who is Lord of

So, this phrase means – Salutations to thee who has conquered (is the Lord of) everything including challenges.

Who is that?
वामन रूप – One who is short in stature – someone who keeps his/her ego small, is humble
महेश्वर पुत्र – One who has recognized that he/she is child of Maheshwara

महेश्वर – the Supreme Being or Parabrahmam
As each of us is a child of the universal God, it applies to each one of us. We need to recognize and realize it. The confidence this recognition builds inside is amazing.

चामर कर्ण – Fan-like ears.
One who listens, takes in a lot more, understands a lot more about what’s going on around.

विलम्बित सूत्र – सूत्र is truth/aphorism. विलम्बित is that which is connected.
When you understand all the connected truths or in other words aligned with Dharma (truths)

मोदक हस्त – One who has sweet on hand is also the one who gives it – attribute it as someone whose very presence is enjoyable.

मूषिक वाहन – One who has a mouse as mount. The mouse is never still, it keeps running around. The mind is like a mouse, constantly flitting. Therefore He is the one who has the mind totally under his control – an attribute we all should pray and strive for.

In summary, if one can control one’s mind, be nice in nature, listen carefully, be aligned to Dharma, keep the ego small, realize that one is the child of the Supreme Being, then, as a master of all including challenges, Salutations to Thee, Lord Vinayaka.