Symbolisation of Lord Ganesha

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SYMBOLISATION OF LORD GANESHA.

 

Each part of the body of Ganesha connotes something.

 

The head of Ganesha is of an elephant and the body is one of a human

being. This means that the Lord or God of Truth includes in it both

the Animal Kingdom and the Human Kingdom.

 

If you closely observe the head of the elephant, you see it is in the

shape of "Om". The Tantra shastra explains this fact. This means

that the thought vibrations of a wise person is the vibration

of 'Om'.

 

'Om' includes all sounds because they all occur in between the

opening and closing of the mouth. 'Om' consists of three

syllables 'A', 'U', and 'M'. The sound 'A' arises from the palate

which connotes to the beginning of all sound. 'U' arises from the

middle of the mouth, and 'M' sound is produced by the closure of the

lips. This means that all words are included in 'Om'. The world of

objects is represented by words. Since all objects are represented

by words and all words or sounds are included in 'Om'. 'Om' includes

the whole world.

 

The elephant's head has very large ears, and this symbolises that an

awakened person is one whose listening is very sharp. Many of us

listen objectively, i.e. we listen to our own listening. This means,

our listening is not focussed on what is being said, but we are more

caught up in our own conversation / conclusions and judgements on

what is said. The listening therefore is very shallow. Attentive

listening is one which is focussed on what is being said rather than

our chattering of what is said. Thus the large ears represent

attentive listening.

 

The trunk is a very effective tool for an elephant. With it, it can

handle small things as dexterously as it can handle the big things.

This symbolically means, that an awakened person can effectively

handle the big issues as well as small issues in life. This

effectiveness arises out of an objective perception indicated by the

large ears.

 

Ganesha has four hands. These four hands represent the four aspects

of the mind i.e. Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara. In each one of

the aspects of the Atahkarana represented by the hands, there is a

certain instrument.

In the upper right hand there is an axe. This axe represents

detachment. Lord Krishna says, "Asanga shastrena Drohena Chitwa' -

with the sword of detachment break/ cut away all your problems /

bondages.

 

Detachment literally means 'Not Depending Upon The Object'.

A person is said to be attached when he/she is dependent on

something, stuck to something. You are stuck to something because

you feel that it will give you happiness. A little enquiry into this

aspect reveals that objects do not have happiness in themselves.

 

The eyes of an elephant are purity and innocence personified. It is

crystal clear and so beautiful to look at. It is like a clear glass.

These clear eyes represent a Pure Mind.

 

According to Yoga Shastra, a yogi can find out the depth of

purity of a person by just looking into the eyes of that person.

When the mind is pure, the eyes are glowing and luminous, sparkling.

When the mind is jealous, the eye reflects jealousy. Hence the eyes

reflect the nature of one's mind.

 

The elephant has two tusks. For Ganesha, one tusk is broken. This

means Duality (Dwandwa) is broken. Lord Krishna in the Gita

says, 'Nirdwandwah hi Mahabaho Sukham Bandhat Pramuchyate'.

 

The Dwandwa stands for Raga and Dwesha i.e. Likes and dislikes. Our

likes and dislikes are very precious to us, just as ivory is

precious.

 

****Surrendering means not letting into something. It is objectively

accepting facts as they are. *****

 

On the forehead of Ganesha, there are three lines of Vibhuti

applied. Vibhuti is Ash. Whenever this is applied, it reminds us

that ultimately the body is going to be reduced to ashes. In

Sanskrit the body is called Deha which means, 'Dahana Yogyah Deha'.

That which is fit to be burnt is called Deha. The moment this

awareness exists the infatuation towards the body drops off. There

is an understanding that dawns that I am not the body. This notion

of ego - 'I' is burnt. Out of that as a glorification (Vibuthi) he

applies it on the forehead. Not that he is not concerned with his

body, but the concern is out of an understanding of its nature and

not out of an infatuation towards it.

 

Therefore, attachment means unhappiness - lack of objectivity -

whereas detachment means you are objective in your perception. When

you are objective in life, you become more effective in life. This

is the reason why a doctor though very knowledgeable, very skilled,

cannot conduct surgery on his own child. This is because he/she is

attached to the child. The moment he is attached, objectivity is

lost and his/her proficiency gets eroded. The same doctor can

operate on the neighbour's child even though his problem may be more

complicated. This happens because he is not so attached to the

neighbour's child. Hence, to be attached is to be identified. To be

detached means not to be identified - to be objective.

 

In the upper left hand is a Noose (Pasha). The Pasha is Prema

Pasha. This means, after cutting/ breaking away all

attachment/infatuation by the axe, a wise person attracts all people

close to him with the Pasha of love - Prema Pasha. This means that a

detachment, if it does not have love, is not true detachment.

Detachment should not be misunderstood as something in which there is

no love. Such a person will just be a gross person like an inanimate

object.

 

The other right hand is in a particular posture known as 'Mudra'. In

some idols the mudra is Abhaya Mudra where the hand is fully open.

In some other idols, there is Chin Mudra, a Mudra which communicates

the whole Vedantic Truth.

 

ABHAYA MUDRA: Abhaya - fearlessness, Mudra - Posture. The first

thing that an awakened person does in his relatedness to the world is

he declared Abhayam i.e. he assures freedom to everyone.

Fearlessness will be a space in which a wise person approaches

humanity. Abhaya Dana is supposed to be one of the greatest Dana

e.g. In a Guru-Shishya (master-student) relationship if the Guru does

not create an atmosphere of abhaya with reference to his sishya, the

sishya will never open up. It is only in a safe space will anyone

pour out all problems fearlessly. If judging takes place, then the

student will not open up. There is a certain humanness in a wise

person's approach which has to be nurtured in one's relatedness to

the world.

No one need be frightened of me. This is Abhaya Mudra.

 

CHIN MUDRA : Chin - Chit- Consciousness. Symbolically in this Mudra,

the index finger represents EGO (Ahamkara), the thumb represent

Brahman, the other three fingers, the middle finger, the ring finger

and the little finger represent Satwa, Rajas and Tamas, the

three 'Gunas'. The index finger is always used to threaten or

criticize or brand somebody. That is why this finger is not used

while performing Japa. That is why it represents 'Ahamkara'.

 

The thumb is the Support (Adhara) for all other fingers in

the absence of which the other fingers become powerless. The thumb

is likened to the 'Atma' consciousness. The other three fingers

represent the three Gunas which the world is made of, and is called

Trigunatmika Maya. In this posture, the thumb and the index finger

are merged together in the form of a circle (touching each other at

the tips in such a way that they are separated from the other three

fingers). This means that I(EGO) should detach itself from the

world - the three fingers - the Trigunatmika maya and gain its union

(Sangama) with the original self (the thumb). When this happens, the

EGO automatically disappears and a circle is formed i.e. it becomes

completeness.

 

The hand on the left i.e. in the fourth hand, there is 'Modaka', a

sweet. This means that the result of an understanding and

implementation of all this that has been said is the Modaka - sweet .

 

When you have detachment as one aspect of your MIND

(Antakharana) you become more objective in life. If the other

aspect is of love ( Prema) you bring people close to yourself with

objectivity. In the third aspect you create a space of fearlessness

i.e you automatically become non-judgemental in your relatedness.

Then the whole experience of life is going to be one of joy and

happiness connoted by the sweet in the lower left hand of Ganesha.

 

The big stomach of Ganesha symbolises two things:

 

1. The capacity to digest the multifarious problems of life.

2. The appetite to live life in the participative sense.

 

The stomach is surrounded by a snake. In the yoga Shastra, Snake

represents the 'Kundalinishakti', the psychic energy of a person; the

life energy. This psychic energy in its unexploded form is like the

dormant snake wound in three coils. When coiled, the snake occupies

a very small space. When uncoiled, it occupies a very large space.

The snake in the expanded form is wound round the stomach. Each one

of us had a tremendous potential which is dormant in us. It is for

us to wake up and exploit this potential. It is dormant in the form

of a coiled snake. The power of the snake when it uncoils itself

symbolises the real expanded potential of one's being.

 

Ganesha has a sacred thread round his body, which is called

Yajnopavita. This thread has three strands. The three strands

represent the three Vedas - Rig, Yajur and Sama Veda. There is a

knot tied in the Yajnopavita, which is called Brahmagranthi. This

means that all the three Vedas ultimately speak of Brahman alone. An

Awakened person is one who as the Veda for his armour, the shield.

Veda means 'Vid' to know.

 

The content of knowing is to discover the freedom through

exploration. All knowing is possible in a space of observation.

Knowledge should never be in the form of information. Information

does not make a difference to life. Knowledge must be out of

exploration through observation.

 

The sitting posture of Ganesha shows one leg folded touching the

other and the other leg is touching the bottom of the ground where he

is seated.

 

This means that there is an integration of the mind and the

intellect. In Sanskrit this is called yuktah. Mind represents the

thoughts 'Samshayatmaka Manah' and the intellect

(Buddhi) 'Nishahayatmaka Buddhi' - the rationale and the thoughts are

integrated.

 

In front of Ganesha, we find a lot of sweets and delicious dishes,

which represents the colourful world of objects. There is a rat

looking at Ganesha and it represents 'Desires'. Though the rat is

near delicious food, it does not get tempted, but waits for orders

from the Lord. For an awakened person, who has discovered truth, the

desires, wait for orders, like the rat. Not that a wise person does

not have any desires (without desires one cannot live at all), but

the difference is he is a master of his desires. He has the desires.

The desires do not have him. But for an ordinary person it is vice

versa, whatever the desire says, he does.

 

Ganesha wears a crown. When you master your desires, you become the

king of your life.

 

Hari Aum !!!