Sweet Sixteen

The attraction towards 16 is unique; I am not talking about the girls here;

there are lots of things related to 16;

I was reading “ Deivathin Kural” –the preaching and quotes of Kanchi Seer Shri Chandra Sekarendra Saraswathi Swamigal, the enlightening Saint of India ;

He quotes Darwin’s theory, Herbert Spencer’s theory for the evolution of species: by way of struggle only the whole organic world has been created ;

It is lovely how the seer takes the quote from Herbert spencer

According to Spencer, “evolution is a change from a state of relatively indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a definite coherent heterogeneity.”

The wonder is that the Saint elaborates life in simple words: We just cry our whole life resenting that we have lots of struggles; Seer says struggle is the essence of Life He goes on saying movement and struggle are inter connected If the struggles stop we become dead!

So he narrates how to get rid of obstacles in every deed:

We normally bless young couples to have 16 and have an exemplary life;

 These are

"thudhi vaani veeram visayam sandhaanam thunivu dhanam
 madhi dhaaniyam saubaaggiyam bogam  arivu azhagu
 pudhidhaam perumai aram kulam novagal pun vayadhu"

thudhi = fame
vaani = education
veeram = courage
visayam = success
sandhaanam = progeny
thunivu = daring
dhanam = finance
madhidhaaniyam = valued
grain(abundance of food)
saubaaggiyam = well-being
bogam = enjoyment of pleasures
arivu = wisdom
azhagu = beauty
pudhidhaam perumai = unending honours
aram = philanthropy
kulam = birth (lineage)
novagal pun
vayadhu = healthy long life

A few old timers use to interpret the same blessings as giving birth to 16 children

The period of New moon to Full moon has 16 days!

My Mother Raja Rajeshwari is called Shodashi षोदशी ---either you can interpret as a girl of 16 years or embodiment of 16 desires

Lord ganesh also is worshipped with 16 names

Sumukha shchaika danthascha kapilo gajakarnakah / Lambodara scha vikato vighnarajo ganadhipah // 1 //

Dhoomakethu rganadhyaksha phalachandro gajananah / Vakratunda shoorpakarno heramba sskanda poorvajah // 2 //

Shodashaithani namani yah patehcharanu yadapi / Vidhyarambhe vivahe cha praveshe nirgame thatha / Sangrame sarva karyeshu vighna sthasya na jaayathe // 3 //

For those who want in Tamil the 16 names are:

ஸுமுகச் - சைகதந்தச்ச கபிலோ கஜகர்ணக : l லம்போதரச்ச விகடோ விக்நராஜோ விநாயக : ll தூமகேதுர் - கணாத்யக்ஷ : பாலசந்த்ரோ கஜாநந : l வக்ரதுண்ட : சூர்பகர்ணோ ஹேரம்ப : ஸ்கந்¢தபூர்வஜ : ll ஷோடசைதாநி நாமாநி ய : படேத் ச்ருணுயாதபி l வித்யாரம்பே விவாஹே ச ப்ரவேசே நிர்கமே ததா ll ஸங்க்ராமே ஸர்வ கார்யேஷு விக்நஸ்தஸ்ய ந ஜாயதே ll

If you look at the last line…SARVA KARYESHU VIGNAS THASYA NA JAAYATHE…

.....in all the works there will not be any impediments or blocks

For whom?

Shodashaithani namani yah patehcharanu yadapi /…who reads or listens to the 16 names…

again the intended meaning is to read/listen and learn to recite by heart Ganesha Shodasha Namavali,

Shodashanama Stotram - English Script: 

Srī Vighneśvara ṣoḍaśa nāmāvaḷiḥ

oṃ sumukhāya namaḥ
oṃ ekadantāya namaḥ
oṃ kapilāya namaḥ
oṃ gajakarṇakāya namaḥ
oṃ lambodarāya namaḥ
oṃ vikaṭāya namaḥ
oṃ vighnarājāya namaḥ
oṃ gaṇādhipāya namaḥ
oṃ dhūmraketave namaḥ
oṃ gaṇādhyakṣāya namaḥ
oṃ phālacandrāya namaḥ
oṃ gajānanāya namaḥ
oṃ vakratuṇḍāya namaḥ
oṃ śūrpakarṇāya namaḥ
oṃ herambāya namaḥ
oṃ skandapūrvajāya namaḥ

Ganesha Shodasha Namavali, Shodashanama Stotram - Tamil Script

ஶ்ரீ விக்னேஶ்வர ஷோடஶ னாமாவளி:

ஓம் ஸுமுகாய னம:

ஓம் ஏகதம்தாய னம:

ஓம் கபிலாய னம:

ஓம் கஜகர்ணகாய னம:

ஓம் லம்போதராய னம:

ஓம் விகடாய னம:

ஓம் விக்னராஜாய னம:

ஓம் கணாதிபாய னம:

ஓம் தூம்ரகேதவே னம:

ஓம் கணாத்யக்ஷாய னம:

ஓம் பாலசம்த்ராய னம:

ஓம் கஜானனாய னம:

ஓம் வக்ரதும்டாய னம:

ஓம் ஶூர்பகர்ணாய னம:

ஓம் ஹேரம்பாய னம:

ஓம் ஸ்கம்தபூர்வஜாய னம:

Ganesha Shodasha Namavali, Shodashanama Stotram - Sanskrit Script

श्री विघ्नेश्वर षोडश नामावलिः

ॐ सुमुखाय नमः

ॐ एकदन्ताय नमः

ॐ कपिलाय नमः

ॐ गजकर्णकाय नमः

ॐ लम्बोदराय नमः

ॐ विकटाय नमः

ॐ विघ्नराजाय नमः

ॐ गणाधिपाय नमः

ॐ धूम्रकेतवे नमः

ॐ गणाध्यक्षाय नमः

ॐ फालचन्द्राय नमः

ॐ गजाननाय नमः

ॐ वक्रतुण्डाय नमः

ॐ शूर्पकर्णाय नमः

ॐ हेरम्बाय नमः

ॐ स्कन्दपूर्वजाय नमः


The seer blesses that whoever takes refuge in these 16 names of Ganesha, is sure to be successful Wish you all Success in all your endeavours!

rajagopal
20.07.2014