Let us learn more about LORD GANESH!
Ganesha or Ganpati holds great significance in the world and especially in the Hindu religion. The reason why Ganesh holds great significance is because he is considered as removal of obstacles, God of letters and learning, God of arts and science, and the God of intellect and wisdom.
Ganesha’s birth likely happened around the 2nd century CE. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. It’s very easy to identify Lord Ganesh because of these unique characteristics. Head of an elephant and a large round belly. He is generally shown with four arms, although the number may vary from two to sixteen.
When in the four-armed configuration he usually holds his own broken tusk in his lower-right hand and a laddoo sweet in his lower-left hand which he tastes with his trunk. An axe or goad is held in the right upper hand and a noose is held in the left upper hand. In a modern variation, the lower-right hand does not hold the broken tusk but is turned toward the viewer in a gesture of protection and fearlessness.
When Ganesha is seated, he may be crossed legged or with one leg tucked under him in a unique position known as “royal ease”. The humble mouse is his mount or vehicle which is shown at his feet looking adoringly up at him and offering sweets(laddoos) in his paws. The combination of elephant and mouse represents the removal of all obstacles however big and the ability of Ganesh to control even the most unpredictable of creatures and situations.
The name Ganesha is a Sanskrit compound, joining the words gana, meaning a group, multitude, or categorical system and isha, meaning lord or master.
Ganapati, a synonym for Ganesha, is a compound composed of gana, meaning “group”, and pati, meaning “ruler” or “lord”.
Different Names by which Ganpati is referred
Dvaimtura(one who has two mothers)
Ekadanta(one who has one tusk)
Lambodara(one who has a pot belly, or, literally, one who has a hanging belly)
Gajanana; having the face of an elephant.
The namesVighnesha and Vighneshvara (Lord of Obstacles) refers to his primary function in Hinduism as the master and remover of obstacles (vighna).
How was Ganpati born?
According to one story, Parvati created Ganesha out of dirt off her body while she was having a bath and put him to guard her door while she took her bath. Shiva entered and knocked on the door to enter to his home. But as Ganesha didn’t know of him he stopped Shiva from entering. Shiva got enraged and ripped the head of Ganesha after a fierce fight between the two.
Parvati was enraged when she came to know about this. Shiva promised he will bring Ganesh back to his life. Shiva ordered Devas to find the head of a person facing north. But devas could only manage the head of an elephant. Shiva fixed the elephant’s head on the little child and brought him back to life. Thus the God Ganpati was born.
