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Ganesha - Reviving the series - 2

Yesterday's post had a few images of Lord Ganesha. And it is well known that Ganesha has taken so many forms on his own and through the minds of the people who adore him. We realized that the reasons for such fluidity and shape-shifting nature of Ganesha comes from the very form of his own body -

  • The firm and large head displaying the highly developed mind
  • The large rather huge potbelly displaying the abundance and prosperity. At the same time, the roundness of the belly signifies the pot beholding water or nectar of life. Any science student shall tell you that the liquid takes the form of the vessel it is kept in.
Thus with just the two ideas above, people have created various forms of Ganesha. 

 

The Mudgala Purana mentions 8 forms of Lord Ganesha - 
  1. Vakratunda (God with a curved trunk) - rides a lion to kill Matsara, the demon of Jealousy
  2. Ekdanata (God with one tusk) - rides a rat to kill Mada, the demon of vanity
  3. Mahodara (God with large belly) - rides a rat to kill Moha, the demon of attachment
  4. Gajanana (God with elephant head) - rides a rat to kill Lobha, the demon of greed
  5. Lambodara (God with pot belly) - rides a rat to kill Krodha, the demon of rage
  6. Vikata (God with deformed body) - rides a peacock to overpower Kama, the lord of lust
  7. Vighnaraja (Master of obstacles) - rides a serpent to kill Mama, the demon of self indulgence
  8. Dhumravarna (Smoke colored god) - rides a rat to kill Ahamkara, the demon of arrogance

Looking at the demons who are killed or overpowered by the different forms of Ganesha, we realize that these are the ones that have always been condemned in our scriptures. These are the feelings that one must detach from to lead an ascetic life or to get closer to God. These feelings are in everyone and are part of nature. They are the distractions from the path of knowledge. We need to be able to find our path even while being entangled into their web. And we pray to Lord Ganesha to help us see the way and cut each web with his power.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Ravana when he was questioned by Maharaja Bali. Read my post on Ravana's ten heads.

In the 19th century, a Wodeyar king of Mysore, ordered the court scholars to make a comprehensive list of all the images of gods known at that time. The compilation was known as Sri-Tattva-Nidhi and was written in Kannada. This compilation has 32 forms of Ganesha - 

  1. Bala Ganapathi: The child-like Ganesha
  2. Taruna Ganapathi: The youthful Ganesha
  3. Bhakti Ganapathi: The devotion-worthy Ganesha
  4. Veera Ganapathi: The valiant Ganesha
  5. Shakti Ganapathi: Ganesha with his strength seated in female form on his left lap
  6. Dvija Ganapathi: Twice born or student Ganesha
  7. Siddhi Ganapathi: The accomplished Ganesha
  8. Ucchishta Ganapathi: The Ganesha who accepts offerings
  9. Vighna Ganapathi: The obstacle-removing Ganesha
  10. Kshipra Ganapathi: The quick acting Ganesha
  11. Heramba Ganapathi: The fierce Ganesha
  12. Lakshmi Ganapathi: Ganesha with the goddess of wealth
  13. Maha Ganapathi The great Ganesha
  14. Vijaya Ganapathi: The triumphant Ganesha
  15. Nritta Ganapathi: The dancing Ganesha
  16. Urdhva Ganapathi: The restrained Ganesha
  17. Ekakshara Ganapathi: The single syllable Ganesha
  18. Vara Ganapathi: The boon bestowing Ganesha
  19. Tryakshara Ganapathi: The three syllable Ganesha
  20. Kshipraprasaada Ganapathi: The hastily benevolent Ganesha
  21. Haridra Ganapathi: The golden Ganesha
  22. Ekadhanta Ganapathi: The one-toothed Ganesha
  23. Srishti Ganapathi: The cosmic Ganesha
  24. Udanda Ganapathi: The disciplinarian Ganesha
  25. Ranamochana Ganapathi: The debt-redeeming Ganesha
  26. Dundi Ganapathi: The desired Ganesha
  27. Dvimukha Ganapathi: Two-headed Ganesha
  28. Trimukha Ganapathi: Three-headed Ganesha
  29. Simha Ganapathi: Lion-riding Ganesha
  30. Yoga Ganapathi: Ganesha as yogi
  31. Durga Ganapathi: Invincible Ganesha
  32. Sankatahara Ganapathi: The problem-solving Ganesha







I request you all to be cognizant and try to see the Ganesha idol in one of the above forms.


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