2023-11-19 19:21:52 by ambuda-bot
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versed in mantra sastra, astrology and ayurveda. With this tra-
ditional family background, proficiency in these subjects came
naturally to Ganapati. When he was only 10 years old, he was
able to prepare the pañcāngam (almanac). He finished studying
the classical Sanskrit poems and then devoted himself to the study
of grammar and poetics. At the same time he delved deep into the
writings of Vyasa and Valmiki. Again and again he read the
Mahabharata. His horizon widened and his intellect mellowed with
an ever-deepening perception. Like the ancient Rishis, Ganapati
wanted to experience immense strength and power by the prac-
tice of tapasya through mantra japa and meditation. Although
married at an early age to Srimati Vishalakshi, he started visiting
one sacred place after another for his tapas when he was 18
years old. He used to stay in one place for a few days or even
months. In one such visit to Bhubaneswar (in Orissa, where the
famous "Lingaraj" temple of Lord Siva is located), during his
tapas, Ganapati had a vision, in which Goddess lalitāmbikā
(bhubanesvarī) appeared before him, offering divine nectar. As
Ganapati tasted this heavenly nectar, the Goddess watched him
with a sweet smile, full of grace. From then onwards, the sweet-
ness of the nectar became an integral part of him. After this inci-
dent, Ganapati's intellect developed a rare sharpness and he at-
tained complete mastery over poetry. Indeed, the literary work
composed after this incident is endowed with a distinct sweetness
and grace.
When Ganapati was staying in Kashi, he came to know
that an assembly of scholars (harisabhā) would be held in the
famous city of Nabadwipa in Bengal. On the advice of his friends
he got a letter of introduction and went to Nabadwipa. There he
excelled in all the difficult tests that he was put to with an effortless
ease that stunned his examiners, who unanimously conferred the
title kävyakantha (one who has poetry in his throat - voice of
xiii
ditional family background, proficiency in these subjects came
naturally to Ganapati. When he was only 10 years old, he was
able to prepare the pañcāngam (almanac). He finished studying
the classical Sanskrit poems and then devoted himself to the study
of grammar and poetics. At the same time he delved deep into the
writings of Vyasa and Valmiki. Again and again he read the
Mahabharata. His horizon widened and his intellect mellowed with
an ever-deepening perception. Like the ancient Rishis, Ganapati
wanted to experience immense strength and power by the prac-
tice of tapasya through mantra japa and meditation. Although
married at an early age to Srimati Vishalakshi, he started visiting
one sacred place after another for his tapas when he was 18
years old. He used to stay in one place for a few days or even
months. In one such visit to Bhubaneswar (in Orissa, where the
famous "Lingaraj" temple of Lord Siva is located), during his
tapas, Ganapati had a vision, in which Goddess lalitāmbikā
(bhubanesvarī) appeared before him, offering divine nectar. As
Ganapati tasted this heavenly nectar, the Goddess watched him
with a sweet smile, full of grace. From then onwards, the sweet-
ness of the nectar became an integral part of him. After this inci-
dent, Ganapati's intellect developed a rare sharpness and he at-
tained complete mastery over poetry. Indeed, the literary work
composed after this incident is endowed with a distinct sweetness
and grace.
When Ganapati was staying in Kashi, he came to know
that an assembly of scholars (harisabhā) would be held in the
famous city of Nabadwipa in Bengal. On the advice of his friends
he got a letter of introduction and went to Nabadwipa. There he
excelled in all the difficult tests that he was put to with an effortless
ease that stunned his examiners, who unanimously conferred the
title kävyakantha (one who has poetry in his throat - voice of
xiii