NAME: Ganesha, Ganesa, Ekdanta (The One With One Tooth), Ganapati (Lord of Categories.) Vyaghrapada Ganesani (Female form of Ganesha with tiger feet.) Many others not listed here.
SYMBOLS: Conch Shell. Goad. Axe. Noose. Lightning Bolt. Discus. Bowl of Sweets. Mace. Dagger. Prayer Beads. Flower Covered Arrow. Pot of Nectar. Lotus. Sugar Cane Bow. Indian Lute. Goblin Helpmate. Stick. Sprig of Rice. Cobra Belt. Water Vessel. Trident. Sprig of the Wish Fulfilling Tree. Flag of Mirth. Broken Tusk. Radish. His Mount Mushika the Mouse. Big Belly. Right Handed Swastika. Tapioca Pudding. Root Chakra.
USUAL IMAGE: Ganesa is shown as an yellow robed elephant headed man with four arms holding his various different sacred items, he has a huge belly that is often belted by a cobra. Of his two tusks one is broken.
HOLY DAYS: Ganesha's birthday is celebrated as Ganesha Chaturthi which is held on the forth day after the new moon in the Tamal month of Avani (Auguust - September.) Ganesa Visarjana Held 10 days after the first festival. Vinayaka Vratam 21 day long festival starting on the full moon in the month of Karttikai (Nov/Dec.) Pancha Ganapati Five day festival for the five-faced Ganesa held from Dec. 21 - 25.
HOLY BOOKS: The Mahabharata (which he wrote down for the sage Vyasa using his broken tusk.) / Loving Ganesa by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. / The Ganesha Upanishad.
SACRIFICES: Free Will, it is said that when one comes to know Ganesa the first thing you give up is your free will, this however is seen as a good thing as his will is so much more divine.
PLACES OF WORSHIP: Temples and home shrines.
RELATIVES: Shiva (father), Parvati (mother), Riddhi, Siddhi (wives or consorts though is some regions he is considered a bachelor.), Kartikeys (brother),
SYNODEITIES: Thoth (Egyptian), Odin (Norse), Jesus Christ (Christanity) Ogma (Celtic). Santa Claus (Popular Culture) No really, there is even a dipiction of Ganesha with the jolly old elf in the background.
DETAILS: Ganesa is the Hindu god of wisdom, however there is more to him than just that. He has been called the "pope" of Hindu gods in that he is the gateway though which one much pass to come into contact with any of the millions of other Gods & Goddesses in Sanatana Dharma which is the more proper name for Hinduism. He is also invoked before any important endevor is started.
We are told that if he is not prayed to first he will raise obstacles for the devotee. He can do this because he is also the god of both removing and creating obstacles. Removing things in the way of enlightenment as well as placing obstacles into one's life that will lead that person back to the right path if overcome.
As such he is the most common image one sees in Hindu temples. He is considered to be the God most connected with the physical plane, while his head is connected with the highest cosmic realm his body with its big stomach is said to contain the whole of all the Universes.
Ganesa however was not always elephant headed, started out with a human appearing head, however at one time his mother wanting a little more Parvati time set him out to guard the door of their house from intruders. Being quite young he took this very literally and tried to stop Shiva from entering.
Shiva chopped his head off, Parvati having none of that demanded that he be given another one, unfortunately in the battlefield it could not be found so Shiva went looking for the first living creature asleep with their head facing north, the direction of wisdom, this turned out to be the sacred white elephant of the god Indra . Giving him this head he was also granted many other powers and abilities.
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Prayer to Ganesa in Times of Need:
Aum, Sri Ganesaya namah, -- Ganapati, Lord of Ganas. |
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