As I embark on writing the meanings of Vishnu Sahasranama, for my own study, I invoke Lord's Grace with the the following verse:-
शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् ।
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥ १॥
For the cessation of obstacles, one should meditate on Him who wears a white dress, who is all pervasive, of the colour of the Moon, who has four arms and a tranquil face.
Before undertaking any work, this verse is generally chanted as a prayer, to invoke the grace of Lord Ganesh.
Lord Ganesh is invoked as Vighnaraja - the Lord of obstacles, as well a Vighnahara -the one who removes obstacles. As Vighnaraja, He is the one as giver of fruit of our adharmic actions, who can throw obstacles our way. Obstacles are but our own adharmic actions bearing fruit. We invoke the Lord Grace as Vighnahara, requesting Him to remove all our obstacles.
We have no way of knowing, what actions we may have performed in this life or previous lives, which are now fructifying as obstacles. Not do we know what is waiting to fructify as obstacles. So we pray to the Lord for removal of obstacles.
All our obstacles can fall into three categories:-
1. ādhyātimika - obstacles which are centered on oneself like lack of memory, lack of concentration and discipline, difficult emotions, illnesses etc
2. ādhibhautika- obstacles caused in the environment like the loud wedding music till early morning, irritating people ,dogs barking, mosquito bites and so on
3. ādhidaivika - obstacles caused by forces of nature like cyclones, earthquakes, storms etc. We have no control over these and they can become obstacles.
So Lord Ganesha is invoked as Vighnaharta whose Grace can remove these obstacles.
He is śuklā-ambara-dhara, the one who wears white clothes. He is viṣṇu, the one who is all-pervasive and śaśi-varṇa, who has the pleasant colour of the moon. As on meditates on Him all the heat of one's anxieties fade away. He has four hands, chaturbhuja and a smiling tranquil face, prasanna-vadana. His smile indicates His fullness.
This verse can also refer to Lord Vishnu.