Ganesha
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- This article is about a Hindu deity. For the Himalayan mountains of the same name, see Ganesh Himal.
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In Hinduism, Ganesha (Sanskrit: गणेश or श्रीगणेश (listen ) (when used to distinguish lordly status) (or "lord of the hosts," also spelled as Ganesa and Ganesh, often also referred to as Ganapati) is one of the most well-known and venerated representations of God. He is the first son of Shiva and Parvati, and the 'consort' of Buddhi (also called Riddhi) and Siddhi. 'Ga' symbolizes Buddhi (intellect) and 'Na' symbolizes Vidnyana (wisdom). Ganesha is thus considered the master of intellect and wisdom. He is depicted as a big-bellied, yellow or red god with four arms and the head of a one-tusked elephant, riding on, or attended to by, a mouse. He is frequently represented sitting down, with one leg raised in the air and bent over the other. Typically, his name is prefixed with the Hindu title of respect, 'Shree' or Sri.
Ganapati is popularly worshipped in different avataras such as Krishna, Sage Parashurama, Naga (the snake god). He is also depicted as a warrior king and at times in a playful mood with dandiya sticks, the symbol of the navaratri festival. [1]
The popularity of Ganesha is widely diffused, even outside of India. Some of his devotees identify Ganesha as the Supreme deity and are called the Ganapatya. [2]
[edit] Iconography
As is the case with every other external form with which Hinduism represents god, in the sense of the personal appearance of Brahman (also referred to as Ishvara, the Lord), the figure of Ganesha too is an archetype loaded with multiple meanings and symbolism which expresses a state of perfection as well as the means of obtaining it. Ganesha, in fact, is the symbol of he who has discovered the Divinity within himself.
Ganesha is the first sound, OM, in which all hymns were born. When Shakti (Energy / Matter) and Shiva (Being / Consciousness) meet, both Sound (Ganesha) and Light (Skanda) were born. He represents the perfect equilibrium between force and kindness and between power and beauty. He also symbolizes the discriminative capacities which provide the ability to perceive distinctions between truth and illusion, the real and the unreal.
A description of all of the characteristics and attributes of Ganesha can be found in the Ganapati Upanishad (an Upanishad dedicated to Ganesha) of the rishi Atharva, in which Ganesha is identified with Brahman and Atman. This Vedic Hymn also contains one of the most famous mantras associated with this divinity: Om Gam Ganapataye Namah (literally, I surrender myself to You, Lord of the hosts).
According to the strict rules of Hindu iconography, Ganesha figures with only two hands are taboo. Hence, Ganesha figures are most commonly seen with four hands which signify their divinity. Some figures may be seen with six, some with eight, some with ten, some with twelve and some with fourteen hands, each hand carrying a symbol which differs from the symbols in other hands, there being about fifty-seven symbols in all, according to some scholars.
The image of Ganesha is a composite one. Four animals, man, elephant, the serpent and the mouse have contributed to the makeup of his figure. All of them individually and collectively have deep symbolic significance.
[edit] The lord of good fortune
In general terms, Ganesha is a much beloved and frequently invoked divinity, since he is the Lord of Good Fortune who provides prosperity and fortune and also the Destroyer of Obstacles of a material or spiritual order. It is for this reason that his grace is invoked before the undertaking of any task (e.g. traveling, taking an examination, conducting a business affair, a job interview, performing a ceremony,) with such incantations as Aum Shri Ganeshaya Namah (hail the name of Ganesha), or similar. It is also for this reason that, traditionally, all sessions of bhajan (devotional chanting) begin with an invocation of Ganesha, Lord of the "good beginnings" of chants. Throughout India and the Hindu culture, Lord Ganesha is the first icon placed into any new home or abode.
Moreover, Ganesha is associated with the first chakra (wheel), which represents the instinct of conservation and survival, of procreation and material well-being.
[edit] Bodily attributes
Every element of the body of Ganesha has its own value and its own significance:
- The elephant head indicates fidelity, intelligence and discriminative power;[3]
- The fact that he has a single tusk (the other being broken off) indicates Ganesha’s ability to overcome all forms of dualism;
- The wide ears denote wisdom, ability to listen to people who seek help and to reflect on spiritual truths. They signify the importance of listening in order to assimilate ideas. Ears are used to gain knowledge. The large ears indicate that when God is known, all knowledge is known;
- the curved trunk indicates the intellectual potentialities which manifest themselves in the faculty of discrimination between real and unreal;
- on the forehead, the Trishula (weapon of Shiva, similar to Trident) is depicted, symbolising time (past, present and future) and Ganesha's mastery over it;
- Ganesha’s pot belly contains infinite universes. It signifies the bounty of nature and equanimity, the ability of Ganesha to swallow the sorrows of the Universe and protect the world;
- the position of his legs (one resting on the ground and one raised) indicate the importance of living and participating in the material world as well as in the spiritual world, the ability to live in the world without being of the world.
- The four arms of Ganesha represent the four inner attributes of the subtle body, that is: mind (Manas), intellect (Buddhi), ego (Ahamkara), and conditioned conscience (Chitta). Lord Ganesha represents the pure consciousness - the Atman - which enables these four attributes to function in us;
- The hand waving an axe, is a symbol of the retrenchment of all desires, bearers of pain and suffering. With this axe Ganesha can both strike and repel obstacles. The axe is also to prod man to the path of righteousness and truth;
- The second hand holds a whip, symbol of the force that ties the devout person to the eternal beatitude of God. The whip conveys that worldly attachments and desires should be rid of;
- The third hand, turned towards the devotee, is in a pose of blessing, refuge and protection (abhaya);
- the fourth hand holds a lotus flower (padma), and it symbolizes the highest goal of human evolution, the sweetness of the realised inner self.
[edit] The lord whose form is OM
Ganesha is also described as Omkara or Aumkara, that is having the form of Om.[4] The shape of his body is a copy of the outline of the Devanagari letter which indicates the celebrated Bija Mantra. For this reason, Ganesha is considered the bodily incarnation of the entire Cosmos, He who is at the base of all of the phenomenal world (Vishvadhara, Jagadoddhara). Moreover, in the Tamil language, the sacred syllable is indicated precisely by a character which recalls the shape of the elephant's head of Ganesha.
[edit] Ganesha and the rat
According to one interpretation, Ganesha's divine vehicle, the rat or mooshikam represents wisdom, talent and intelligence. It symbolizes minute investigation of a cryptic subject. A rat leads a secret life below the ground. Thus it is also a symbol of ignorance that is dominant in darkness and fears light and knowledge. As the vehicle of Lord Ganesha, a rat teaches us to remain always on alert and illuminate our inner-self with the light of knowledge.
Both Ganesha and the Mooshak love modaka, a sweet dish which is traditionally offered to them both during worship ceremonies. The Mooshak is usually depicted as very small in relation to Ganesha, in contrast to the depictions of vehicles of other deities. However, it was once traditional in Maharashtrian art to depict Mooshak as a very large rat, and for Ganesha to be mounted on him like a horse.
Yet another interpretation says that the rat (Mushika or Akhu) represents the ego, the mind with all of its desires, and the pride of the individual. Ganesha, riding atop the rat, becomes the master (and not the slave) of these tendencies, indicating the power that the intellect and the discriminative faculties have over the mind. Moreover, the rat (extremely voracious by nature) is often depicted next to a plate of sweets with his eyes turned toward Ganesha while he tightly holds on to a morsel of food between his paws, as if expecting an order from Ganesha. This represents the mind which has been completely subordinated to the superior faculty of the intellect, the mind under strict supervision, which fixes Ganesha and does not approach the food unless it has permission.
Lastly it is a very evocative presentation of how humble and modest one should be. Ganesha in spite of his huge physical, mental and intellectual prowess conducts and carries himself so lightly that he can very well be carried by a very very small (compared to the size of Ganesha) and insignificant being-the rat.
[edit] Married or celibate?
It is interesting to note how, according to tradition, Ganesha was generated by his mother Parvati without the intervention of her husband Shiva. Shiva, in fact, being eternal (Sadashiva), did not feel any need to have children. Consequently, the relationship of Ganesha and his mother is unique and special.
This devotion is the reason that the traditions of southern India represent him as celibate (see the anecdote Devotion to his mother). It is said that Ganesha, believing his mother to be the most beautiful and perfect woman in the universe, exclaimed: "Bring me a woman as beautiful as she and I will marry her."
In the north of India, on the other hand, Ganesha is often portrayed as married to the two daughters of Brahma: Riddhi (intellect) and Siddhi (spiritual power). Popularly in north India Ganesha is accompanied by Sarasvati (goddess of culture and art) and Lakshmi (goddess of luck and prosperity), symbolizing that these qualities always accompany he who has discovered his own internal divinity. Symbolically this represents the fact that wealth, prosperity and success accompany those who have the qualities wisdom, prudence, patience, etc. that Ganesha symbolises.
There is another mythology, especially in Bengal, which goes in that Ganesha is married to the Kalabou. The Kalabou is nothing but a banana tree draped in traditional white with a Bengali saree with a red border. The story goes that, when Ganesha was supposed to marry, one day when he came home, he saw his mother Durga eating with all her ten hands. Shocked, he asked why is she doing it. Durga replied that if, after Ganesha marries, his wife would not give Durga any food, so Durga is eating to her heart's content with all ten hands. Feeling very sad, Ganesha decided that he would marry a banana tree or Kalabou so that her mother never has any worries about food, as a banana tree cannot stop her from eating.
In the early hours of Saptami, the kalabou is taken for a bath to the Holy Ganges. Water from the Ganges accompanied with Dhak and Kanshi finishes the bathing ceremony. After the bathing ceremony she is adorned in a red-bordered white sari and vermilion is smeared on its leaves. She is then placed on a decorated pedestal and worshipped with flowers, sandalwood paste, and incense sticks. Later she is placed on the right side of Lord Ganesh. This is the reason she is popularly known as Ganesh's wife.
[edit] Etymology and Derivations of Ganesha
[edit] Ganesha as the Head of the Republic
In North Indian Jat traditions, Ganesha is known as the Lord of the Gana (Republic). The word Ganesh is considered by them to formed by Gana + īsha, with sandhi at the join. Gana indicates the republic and the suffix ish indicates "Lord" or "Head". Ganesh is also known as Ganapati, the suffix 'pati' indicating Lord or protector of the Republic. According to the beliefs of the Jats, He guided the affairs of the republic. Nothing happened in the republic without his permission. A marriage ceremony would be performed with his blessings and entry to the republic area would be with his permission.
[edit] Mythological Anecdotes
[edit] How did Ganesha's tusk break off?
There are various anecdotes which explain how Ganesha broke off one of his tusks.
[edit] Ganesha the scribe
In the first part of the epic poem Mahabharata, it is written that the sage Vyasa asked Ganesha to transcribe the poem as he dictated it to him. Ganesha agreed, but only on the condition that Vyasa recite the poem uninterrupted, without pausing. The sage, in his turn, posed the condition that Ganesha would not only have to write, but would have to understand everything that he heard before writing it down. In this way, Vyasa might recuperate a bit from his continuous talking by simply reciting a difficult verse which Ganesha could not understand. The dictation began, but in the rush of writing Ganesha's feather pen broke. He broke off a tusk and used it as a pen so that the transcription could proceed without interruption, permitting him to keep his word.[5]
[edit] Ganesha and Parashurama
One day Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu, went to pay a visit to Shiva, but along the way he was blocked by Ganesha. Parashurama hurled himself at Ganesha with his axe and Ganesha (knowing that this axe was given to him by Shiva) allowed himself out of respect to be struck and lost his tusk as a result.[6]
[edit] Ganesha and the Moon
It is said that one day Ganesha, after having received from many of his devotees an enormous amount of sweets (Modak), in order to better digest this incredible mass of food, decided to go for a ride. He got on the mouse which he used as his vehicle and took off. It was a magnificent night and the moon was resplendent. Suddenly a snake appeared out of nowhere and nearly frightened the mouse to death, causing it to jump and Ganesha was thrown off his mount. Ganesha's huge stomach smashed against the ground so forcefully that it burst open and all of the sweets that he had eaten were scattered around him. Nonetheless, he was too intelligent to get angry about this accident and, without wasting any time in useless lamentations, he tried to remedy the situation as best he could. He took the serpent which had caused the accident and used it as a belt to keep his stomach closed and bandage the injury. Satisfied by this solution, he remounted his mouse and continued his excursion. Chandradev (Moon God) saw the whole scene and laughed. Ganesha, being the short-tempered one, cursed Chandradev for his arrogance and breaking off one of his tusks, hurled it against the Moon, slashing its luminous face in two. He then cursed it, decreeing that anyone who happens to see the moon will incur bad luck. Hearing this, Chandradev realised his folly and asked for forgiveness from Ganesha. Ganesha relented and since a curse cannot be revoked, only softened it. Ganesha softened his curse such that the moon would wax and wane in intensity every fifteen days and anyone who looks at the moon during Ganesh Chaturthi would incur bad-luck. This explains why, in certain moments, the light of the Moon goes off and then begins gradually to reappear; but its face appears whole only for a brief period of time, since it is once again "broken" in half to the point of disappearing.
[edit] Ganesha, head of the celestial armies
There once took place a great competition between the Devas to decide who among them should be the head of the Gana (the troops of semi-gods at the service of Shiva). The competitors were required to circle the world as fast as possible and return to the Feet of Shiva. The gods took off, each on his or her own vehicle, and even Ganesha participated with enthusiasm in the race; but he was extremely heavy and was riding on a mouse! Naturally, his pace was remarkably slow and this was a great disadvantage. He had not yet made much headway when there appeared before him the sage Narada (son of Brahma), who asked him where he was going. Ganesha was very annoyed and went into a rage because it was considered unlucky to encounter a solitary Brahmin just at the beginning of a voyage. Not withstanding the fact that Narada was the greatest of Brahmins, son of Brahma himself, this was still a bad omen. Moreover, it wasn't considered a good sign to be asked where one was heading when one was already on the way to some destination; therefore, Ganesha felt doubly unfortunate. Nonetheless, the great Brahmin succeeded in calming his fury. Ganesha explained to him the motives for his sadness and his terrible desire to win. Narada consoled and exhorted him not to despair.
Ganesha returned to his father, who asked him how he was able to finish the race so quickly. Ganesha told him of his encounter with Narada and of the Brahmin's counsel. Shiva, satisfied with this response, pronouned his son the winner and, from that moment on, he was acclaimed with the name of Ganapati (Conductor of the celestial armies) and Vinayaka (Lord of all beings).
[edit] Ganesha's appetite
Ganesha is also known as the destroyer of vanity, egoism and pride.
One anecdote, taken from the Purana, narrates that the treasurer of Svarga (paradise) and god of wealth, Kubera, went one day to Mount Kailasa in order to receive the darshan (vision) of Shiva. Since he was extremely vain, he invited Shiva to a feast in his fabulous city, Alakapuri, so that he could show off to him all of his wealth. Shiva smiled and said to him: "I cannot come, but you can invite my son Ganesha. But I warn you that he is a voracious eater." Unperturbed, Kubera felt confident that he could satisfy even the most insatiable appetite, like that of Ganesha, with his opulence. He took the little son of Shiva with him into his great city. There, he offered him a ceremonial bath and dressed him in sumptuous clothing. After these initial rites, the great banquet began. While the servants of Kubera were working themselves to the bone in order to bring the portions, the little Ganesha just continued to eat and eat and eat.... His appetite did not decrease even after he had devoured the servings which were destined for the other guests. There was not even time to substitute one plate with another because Ganesha had already devoured everything, and with gestures of impatience, continued waiting for more food. Having devoured everything which had been prepared, Ganesha began eating the decorations, the tableware, the furniture, the chandelier.... Terrified, Kubera prostrated himself in front of the little omnivorous one and supplicated him to spare him, at least, the rest of the palace.
"I am hungry. If you don't give me something else to eat, I will eat you as well!", he said to Kubera. Desperate, Kubera rushed to mount Kailasa to ask Shiva to remedy the situation. The Lord then gave him a handful of roasted rice, saying that something as simple as a handful of roasted rice would satiate Ganesha, if it was offered with humility and love. Ganesha had swallowed up almost the entire city when Kubera finally arrived and humbly gave him the rice. With that, Ganesha was finally satisfied and calmed.
[edit] Ganesha's reverence for his parents
Once there was a competition between Ganesha and his brother Karthikeya as to who could circumbulate the three worlds faster and hence win the fruit of knowledge. Karthikeya went off on a journey to cover the three worlds while Ganesha simply circumbulated his parents. When asked why he did so, he answered that his parents Shiva and Parvati constituted the three worlds, and was given the fruit of knowledge.
[edit] Devotion to his mother
While playing, once, Ganesha wounded a cat. When he returned home he found a wound in his Mother's body. He enquired how she got hurt. Mother Parvati replied that this was caused by none other than Ganesha himself! Surprised, Ganesha wanted to know when he hurt her. Parvati explained that She as Divine Power was immanent in all beings. When he wounded the cat she was hurt. Ganesha realised that all women were veritable manifestations of his Mother. He decided not to marry. That's how he remained a brahmachari, a life-long celibate, following the strict rules of Brahmacharya. However, in some scriptures and images Ganesha is often portrayed as married to the two daughters of Brahma: Riddhi (Knowledge) and Siddhi (Perfection).
[edit] Festivals and worship of Ganesha
In India, there is an important festival honouring Lord Ganesha. While it is most popular in the state of Maharashtra, it is performed all over India. It is celebrated for ten days starting from Ganesh Chaturthi.[7] This festival is celebrated and it culminates on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi when the murti of Lord Ganesha is immersed into the most convenient body of water. In Mumbai (earlier known as Bombay), the murti is immersed in the Arabian Sea and in Pune the Mula-Mutha river. In various North and East Indian cities, like Kolkata, they are immersed in the holy Ganga river. One who really wants to taste the festival needs to come down to the city of Mumbai; particularly at Lalbaug where the divine idol of Lalbaugcha raja (The Lord Of Lalbaug, as Ganesha is fondly called) is set. The Ganesha festival starts on Ganesh Chaturthi (fourth day of Hindu calendar month Bhadrapada) and ends on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of Bhadrapada).
While the Ganapati festival is celebrated by Hindus throughout the Country with great devotional fervour, in Mumbai, the Country’s richest and most populated city, the festival assumes awesome proportions. On the last day of the festival, millions of people of all ages descend onto the streets leading up to the sea, dancing and singing, to the rhythmic accompaniment of drums and cymbals [8]. The town of Pen in Raigad district of Maharashtra is famous for producing the most beautiful Ganesh murtis(idols). The skilled artists from this town make Ganesh murtis all around the year to meet the demand of the murtis in Ganesh festival.
[edit] Popularity of Ganesha
Ganesha has two Siddhis (symbolically represented as wives or consorts): Siddhi (success) and Riddhi (prosperity). It is widely believed that "Wherever there is Ganesh, there is Success and Prosperity" and "Wherever there is Success and Prosperity there is Ganesh". This is why Ganesh is believed to be the harbinger of good fortune, and why he is invoked first at any ritual or ceremony. Whether it is diwali puja, a new house, a new vehicle, students praying before the exams, or people praying before job interviews, it is Ganesha they pray to, because it is believed that he will come to their aid and grant them success in their endeavor.
[edit] Ganesha in other countries
Scholars commonly date the presence of Ganesha in Japan with the age of Kukai (774- 834), the founder of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. The centrality of the worship of Ganesha or Vinayaka or Kangiten, as he is popularly called in Japan, is a distinguishing feature of this cult. The doctrines, rituals and beliefs of the sect have a number of parallels with the cult of Ganpatyas, to which belonged saints like Gajanan Maharaj of Shegao, Maharashtra. China, the land through which the Elephant-headed divinity entered Japan has Ganesha Sculptures dating back to the fourth century, which surprisingly predates any depiction of Ganesh in India. Both the lands recognize Ganesha as having converted to Buddhism. Ganesha’s most popular form in Japan is the dual-Vinayaka or the Embracing Kangi. Two tall figures, elephant headed but human bodied, male and female, stand in embrace. The female wears a jeweled crown, a patched monks robe and a red surplice. Her tusks and trunk are short. Her eyes are narrowed. Her body is whitish. The male neither wears a monk’s robe nor a crown, though he may have a black cloth over his shoulders. His body is reddish brown. His trunk is long. His eyes are wide open. His countenance is not compassionate, but loving. His head rests on the female’s shoulder. The feet of the female may rest atop the male. Also called the Deva of bliss, Ganapati is invoked both for enlightenment and for worldly gains - more for the latter than the former. Katigen - Vinayaka is offered "bliss - buns" (made from curds, honey and parched flour), radishes, wine, and fresh fruits. The offerings are later partaken in the same spirit as Hindus take prasad. Whosoever fulfills the rituals of the dual Kangiten is believed to attain success in all worldly endeavors In Thailand he is also called Phra Kaneht and Phra Phikhanesawora, and is worshipped as the deity who improves fortune in trade. He is honored with Motaka, sweets and fruit, when business is good, and he is made ridiculous by putting his picture or statue upside down, when business is down.
[edit] 32 Forms of Ganesha
- 1: Baala Ganapati - Red colored image of a four armed Ganesha.
- 2: Dharuna Vinayakar: Red colored image of an eight armed Ganesha.
- 3: Bhakti Vinayakar: Grey colored image of four armed Ganesha.
- 4: Veera Vinayakar: Red colored image of 16 armed Ganapati.
- 5: Shakti Ganapati: Red colored image of 4 armed Ganapati, seated with his consort to his left.
- 6: Dwija Vinayakar: White colored image of four faced Ganesha with 4 arms.
- 7: Siddhi Vinayakar: Golden colored image of four armed Ganapati.
- 8: Ucchishta Ganapati: Blue colored image of six armed Ganapati with his consort.
- 9: Vigna Vinayakar: Gold colored image of eight armed Ganapati.
- 10: Kshipra Ganapati: Red colored image of four armed Ganesha bearing a ratna kumbham.
- 11: Heramba Vinayakar: Black colored image of ten armed Ganesha with five faces, seated on a lion.
- 12: Lakshmi Vinayakar: White colored image of eight armed Ganesha with two consorts.
- 13: Makara Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with a third eye, 10 arms, bearing a ratna kumbham, with his consort.
- 14: Vijaya Vinayakar: Red colored image of 4 armed Ganesha on the mooshika mount.
- 15: Nritta Vinayakar: Gold colored image of Ganesha in a dance posture.
- 16: Urdhva Vinayakar: Gold colored image of six armed Ganesha with his consort.
- 17: Ekakshara Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with a third eye, seated on a lotus.
- 18: Vara Vinayakar: Red colored image of 4 armed Vinayaka with a third eye.
- 19: Dhryakshara Vinayaka: Gold colored image of four armed Vinayakar, decorated with Chaamara ear rings.
- 20: Kshipraprasaada Vinayakar: Red colored image of six armed Ganapati.
- 21: Haridra Vinayakar: Yellow colored image of four armed Ganapati.
- 22: Ekadhanta Vinayakar: Blue colored image of four armed Ganapati.
- 23: Srishti Vinayakar: Red colored image of four armed Ganapati seated on his mooshika mount.
- 24: Utthanda Vinayakar: Red colored image of 10 armed Ganesha with his consort to his left.
- 25: Ranamochana Vinayaka: Crystal image of four armed Vinayakar.
- 26: Dundi Vinayakar: Four armed image of Ganesha bearing a tusk, a garland, an axe and a gem studded vessel.
- 27: Dwimukha Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with two faces and four arms.
- 28: Trimukha Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with three faces and six arms seated on a golden lotus.
- 29: Simha Vinayakar: White colored image of Ganesha with eight arms (with an arm bearing a lions face).
- 30: Yoga Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha in the posture of a yogi.
- 31: Durga Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with eight arms.
- 32: Sankatahara Vinayakar: Red colored image of four armed Ganesha clothed in blue, seated on a lotus peetham with his consort to his left.
[edit] The names of Ganesha
108 Names of Lord Ganesha:
- 01 -- Akhurath -- One who has Mouse as His Charioteer
- 02 -- Alampata -- Ever Eternal Lord
- 03 -- Amit -- Incomparable Lord
- 04 -- Anantachidrupamayam -- Infinite and Consciousness Personified
- 05 -- Avaneesh -- Lord of the whole World
- 06 -- Avighna -- Remover of Obstacles
- 07 -- Balaganapati -- Beloved and Lovable Child
- 08 -- Bhalchandra Moon -- Crested Lord
- 09 -- Bheema -- Huge and Gigantic
- 10 -- Bhupati -- Lord of the Gods
- 11 -- Bhuvanpati -- God of the Gods
- 12 -- Buddhinath -- God of Wisdom
- 13 -- Buddhipriya -- Knowledge Bestower
- 14 -- Buddhividhata -- God of Knowledge
- 15 -- Chaturbhuj -- One who has Four Arms
- 16 -- Devadeva -- Lord of All Lords
- 17 -- Devantakanashakarin -- Destroyer of Evils and Asuras (Demons)
- 18 -- Devavrata -- One who accepts all Penances
- 19 -- Devendrashika -- Protector of All Gods
- 20 -- Dharmik -- One who gives Charity
- 21 -- Dhoomravarna -- Smoke-Hued Lord
- 22 -- Durja -- Invincible Lord
- 23 -- Dvaimatura -- One who has two Mothers
- 24 -- Ekaakshara -- He of the Single Syllable
- 25 -- Ekadanta -- Single-Tusked Lord
- 26 -- Ekadrishta -- Single-Tusked Lord
- 27 -- Eshanputra -- Lord Shiva's Son
- 28 -- Gadadhara -- One who has The Mace as His Weapon
- 29 -- Gajakarna -- One who has Ears like an Elephant
- 30 -- Gajanana -- Elephant-Faced Lord
- 31 -- Gajananeti -- Elephant-Faced Lord
- 32 -- Gajavakra -- Trunk of The Elephant
- 33 -- Gajavaktra -- One who has Mouth like an Elephant
- 34 -- Ganadhakshya -- Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
- 35 -- Ganadhyakshina -- Leader of All The Celestial Bodies
- 36 -- Ganapati -- Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
- 37 -- Gaurisuta -- The Son of Gauri (Parvati)
- 38 -- Gunina -- One who is The Master of All Virtues
- 39 -- Haridra -- One who is Golden Coloured
- 40 -- Heramba -- Mother's Beloved Son
- 41 -- Kapila -- Yellowish-Brown Coloured
- 42 -- Kaveesha -- Master of Poets
- 43 -- Krti -- Lord of Music
- 44 -- Kripalu -- Merciful Lord
- 45 -- Krishanpingaksha -- Yellowish-Brown Eyed
- 46 -- Kshamakaram -- The Place of Forgiveness
- 47 -- Kshipra -- One who is easy to Appease
- 48 -- Lambakarna -- Large-Eared Lord
- 49 -- Lambodara -- The Huge Bellied Lord
- 50 -- Mahabala -- Enormously Strong Lord
- 51 -- Mahaganapati -- Omnipotent and Supreme Lord
- 52 -- Maheshwaram -- Lord of The Universe
- 53 -- Mangalamurti -- All Auspicious Lord
- 54 -- Manomay -- Winner of Hearts
- 55 -- Mrityuanjaya -- Conqueror of Death
- 56 -- Mundakarama -- Abode of Happiness
- 57 -- Muktidaya -- Bestower of Eternal Bliss
- 58 -- Musikvahana -- One who has Mouse as Charioteer
- 59 -- Nadapratithishta -- One who Appreciates and Loves Music
- 60 -- Namasthetu -- Vanquisher of All Evils and Vices and Sins
- 61 -- Nandana -- Lord Shiva's Son
- 62 -- Nideeshwaram -- Giver of Wealth and Treasures
- 63 -- Omkara -- One who has the Form Of OM
- 64 -- Pitambara -- One who has Yellow-Coloured Body
- 65 -- Pramoda -- Lord of All Abodes
- 66 -- Prathameshwara -- First Among All
- 67 -- Purush -- The Omnipotent Personality
- 68 -- Rakta -- One who has Red-Coloured Body
- 69 -- Rudrapriya -- Beloved Of Lord Shiva
- 70 -- Sarvadevatman -- Acceptor of All Celestial Offerings
- 71 -- Sarvasiddhanta -- Bestower of Skills and Wisdom
- 72 -- Sarvatman -- Protector of The Universe
- 73 -- Shambhavi -- The Son of Parvati
- 74 -- Shashivarnam -- One who has a Moon like Complexion
- 75 -- Shoorpakarna -- Large-Eared Lord
- 76 -- Shuban -- All Auspicious Lord
- 77 -- Shubhagunakanan -- One who is The Master of All Virtues
- 78 -- Shweta -- One who is as Pure as the White Colour
- 79 -- Siddhidhata -- Bestower of Success and Accomplishments
- 80 -- Siddhipriya -- Bestower of Wishes and Boons
- 81 -- Siddhivinayaka -- Bestower of Success
- 82 -- Skandapurvaja -- Elder Brother of Skand (Lord Kartik)
- 83 -- Sumukha -- Auspicious Face
- 84 -- Sureshwaram -- Lord of All Lords
- 85 -- Swaroop -- Lover of Beauty
- 86 -- Tarun -- Ageless
- 87 -- Uddanda -- Nemesis of Evils and Vices
- 88 -- Umaputra -- The Son of Goddess Uma (Parvati)
- 89 -- Vakratunda -- Curved Trunk Lord
- 90 -- Varaganapati -- Bestower of Boons
- 91 -- Varaprada -- Granter of Wishes and Boons
- 92 -- Varadavinayaka -- Bestower of Success
- 93 -- Veeraganapati -- Heroic Lord
- 94 -- Vidyavaridhi -- God of Wisdom
- 95 -- Vighnahara -- Remover of Obstacles
- 96 -- Vignaharta -- Demolisher of Obstacles
- 97 -- Vighnaraja -- Lord of All Hindrances
- 98 -- Vighnarajendra -- Lord of All Obstacles
- 99 -- Vighnavinashanaya -- Destroyer of All Obstacles and Impediments
- 100 -- Vigneshwara -- Lord of All Obstacles
- 101 -- Vikat -- Huge and Gigantic
- 102 -- Vinayaka -- Lord of All
- 103 -- Vishwamukha -- Master of The Universe
- 104 -- Vishwaraja -- King of The World
- 105 -- Yagnakaya -- Acceptor of All Sacred and Sacrficial Offerings
- 106 -- Yashaskaram -- Bestower of Fame and Fortune
- 107 -- Yashvasin -- Beloved and Ever Popular Lord
- 108 -- Yogadhipa -- The Lord of Meditation
Like other devas (Hindu male deities) and devis (female deities), Ganesha has many other titles of respect or symbolic names, and is often worshipped through the chanting of the Ganesha Sahasranama, which literally means A thousand names of Ganesha. The Ganesha Sahasranama is part of the Ganesha Purana, a Hindu mythological text that venerates Ganesha. Each name in the Sahasranama conveys a different meaning and symbolises a different aspect of Ganesha.
[edit] Other media
- Ganesha was controversially [9] portrayed as Monster in My Pocket #62, although he was depicted with only two arms (though still with a broken tusk). After protestation by local Hindu groups, he was removed from the line in England, but continued to be included in other countries.
- In Monkeybone, Jumbo the Elephant God is somewhat based on Ganesha.
- In The Simpsons, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is a devoted follower of Ganesha.
- Ganesha was depicted in the Mighty Max episode "Good Golly Ms. Kali" under the control of Naga.
- The movie Garden State begins with an invocation to Ganesha. The Ganesha Mantram is sung melodiously several times during a traumatic event.
- The video game Postal² features a grocery store named "Lucky Ganesh".
- In Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods, Ganesha appears as a minor character who provides assistance.
- In the collectible miniatures game Dreamblade, the Thunder Sultan figure greatly resembles Ganesha, albeit with two trunks and only two arms.
- A statue of Ganesh appears in Digger as a major character. As a statue of Ganesh, it is partially divine itself.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Various avataras of Ganapati
- ^ Ganapatya. brittanica.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-27.
- ^ Ganesha. vahini.org. Retrieved on 2006-09-28.
- ^ Ganesha. parashakthitemple.org. Retrieved on 2006-09-26.
- ^ Ganesha: Overcomer of Obstacles. theosophy-nw.org. Retrieved on 2006-09-28.
- ^ Ganesha. gurjari.net. Retrieved on 2006-09-28.
- ^ Ganesha Chaturthi. hindunet.org. Retrieved on 2006-09-26.
- ^ A report with high resolution images of the Ganapati Visarjan Festival
- ^ http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1993/11/1993-11-15.shtml
[edit] References
The majority of documentation on Ganesha is in Sanskrit. A collection of useful documents can be found here. At the same site can be found some documents and translations in English here.
- Prof. Pradeep Sarkar, The reflection of ancient India in modern India
- A. Daniélou, Le polythéisme hindou, Paris. 1960. pp. 443-452.
- Ram Swaroop Joon, History of the Jats, 1938,1965, New Delhi.
- Thakur Deshraj, Jat Itihas, Maharaja Suraj Mal Smarak Shiksha Sansthan, Delhi. 1936. (in Hindi)
[edit] Further Reading
- Ganesha Puja, Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Devi Mandir. (ISBN: 1-877795-46-1)
[edit] Other meanings
In India an elephant with one tusk is sometimes called a "ganesh".
[edit] External links
- The meaning and significance of the symbolism of Ganapati
- [1]
- Ganesh Festival Campaign
- Festival explanation and Story of Ganesha
- Lord Ganesh - Description on hindunet.org
- Ganesha: The Elephant-God
- Ganesha Chaturthi
- Ganesh Symbolism
- Lord Ganesha image gallery
- Devotional hymns and eulogies on Lord Ganesha
- [2] Tibetan Ganesh Thangka
- Hindu God Ganesha
- Ganesha in the National Museum in Bangkok
- Ganesha as god of the Arts
| Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Itihasa |  |
|---|---|
| Female Deities: Gayatri | Saraswati | Lakshmi | Dakshayani | Parvati | Durga | Shakti | Kali | Sita | Devi | Radha | Mahavidya | more... | |
| Male Deities: Brahma | Vishnu | Shiva | Rama | Krishna | Ganesha | Kartikeya | Hanuman | Lakshmana | Indra | Surya | more... | |
| Texts: Vedas | Upanishads | Puranas | Ramayana | Mahabharata | |
