Something I have neglected to do for a few observances over the past year or so … is TECHNO-THEOLOGY.

In this instance, for Ganesh Chaturthi, Mumbai-based Shivadelic’s ‘Ganesha Namah’. Which is an absolutely excellent track in its own rite.

Opens with an incorporation of first line of the Gayatri Mantra – ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः ; Now this is doubly appropriate. First and foremost, because beginning with Gayatri Mantra ‘energization’ is proper practice, to focus and infuse the mind … but second, because this specific line of the Gayatri Mantra refers to how the force in question – well, it gets in everywhere. “Pervades the Earth (Bhu), the Intermediate Atmosphere (Bhuvar), and also the High-Heavens (Svar)” – which is, of course, exactly what Ganesha does. Hence the symbolism of His Vahana, the mouse … which can get in anywhere, and is capable of doing so with the softness of sunlight in Its motion. The idea behind the ‘layering’ of the layers here – proceeding from Earth on Uppwards – is to induce the mind, the soul, to also ascend in its loftiness of focus and state of mind.

The doorway opened and the pathway set – the next Mantra invoked is the straightforward: Sri Ganeshaya Namah ; because what we are ascending towards in the preceding verse is, of course, Ganesha. Standing as the Sun, in a way, as this is where in the conventional Gayatri Mantra, the invocation to Savitar would go; and this is part of a semi-standard Hindu tradition of placing the relevant Deity’s Name where the ‘source’ of the Solar Energy is housed within the Mantra’s mechanism.

It is also, of course, a further ‘opening’ – not least due to the other interpretation of Lord Ganesha’s Name : Gana-Esha, Lord of the Gana, with ‘Gana’ referring to the ‘Grouping’ (or, perhaps, the military companies) of Prayers.

Following on from this, we have one of the most prominent Shaivite Mantras – indeed, one of the most prominent Vedic Mantras in common use today: The MahaMrityunjaya Mantra [Great Death-Conquering Mantra] –

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥

I have previously looked at that Mantra in greater detail in “Of Mrityunjaya and Modern Hinduism – The Deathless And Unceasing Glory Of The Three-Eyed One”, so shall not repeat that analysis here.

Suffice to say, this is Lord Ganesha’s Father – the Three Eyed One – being Invoked.

A simple translation, of which would be that we are asking Lord Shiva (the Three-Eyed, Positive-Radiant) to help us to grow – and to liberate us from death … but not from (our connexion to what is) Immortality. What is True.

Now, interestingly, this is rather closely commensurate with the last two lines of the conventional Gayatri Mantra –

भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्

Which, also, are about our meditating upon the Spiritually Radiant-Positive Divinity … and therefore leading our mind, our soul, to That Which Is True, under Their Great Guidance.

So, in this way … my hat (were I wearing one) would really have to go off to Shivadelic – as he has constructed quite an intricate, multi-layered track here. Not only musically (psytrance is what it is in this regard – and what it is is awesome) – but religiously, as well.

He has taken the basic formulation and the underlying purpose of the Gayatri Mantra … and while it might have seemed that he had ‘removed’ the next three lines following the first – he had in fact only expressed them in other ways. Resonant ways, to his – and our – purpose.

Ways which add power and saliency to proceedings, especially when the last two lines of the Gayatri Mantra are referenced via the recitation of the Mrityunjaya Mantra – which also place Lord Shiva as both the apex and the foundation … and, along with His Son, the ‘psychopomp’ (certainly the Guiding-Guardian) we might perhaps say , of All.

Multiple layers (three, in fact 😀 ), some of them subtly present via implication rather than direct expression, yet nevertheless clearly making Their influence felt , and providing an additional semi-invisible lineage of consistency throughout the structured, unfurling order of the track. And our religion and world.

As the concluding repetition of the first two samples (the Ganesha hailing, and the first line of the Gayatri Mantra) make clear – Ganesha gets in everywhere ❤