Ganesa's Magickal Weapons

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Introduction to Puja

A central part of Tantric Sadhana (magickal practice) is Puja, sometimes

misleadingly translated as worship. The word "worship" brings to mind images of

grovelling and servitude, concepts which are anathema to those seeking mastery

over themselves. Puja is the process of meditating on the nature of the deity,

in order to form an imaginative link between oneself and the deity. Because the

process is imaginary, this doean't mean that it is not real. Most of our

capacity to act in new ways begins with acts of imagination. A new job, having

sex with someone, moving house, standing up to a bully - our ability to make

all these transitions begins with imagining what they might be like. By

imagining something, one creates the possibility within one's mind. This is

necessary before the reality can be born.

To give birth to a god requires a considerable act of imagination. It's too big

a job for most of us to pull off on a first attempt. Knowing this, the ancient

sages have passed down to us the technique of Puja, whereby one can build up

the image of the deity bit by bit. Each bit is a symbol or set of symbols which

describe the deity in a particular way. Every symbol begins at a different point

within the mind, and grows larger the more you meditate on it. Eventually the

symbols start to link up with each other, describing the same aspect of the

deity in different ways. When this begins to happen, the process unconsciously

continues 24 hours a day (perhaps more) until the image of the deity becomes

coherent (although it may still be impossible to call that deity into

consciousness). Once such an image has been formed, it becomes inhabited by the

god or goddess in question, and one can work magick with the her or him. Puja is

therefore a very useful mystical and magickal practice which opens the door to a

multitude of fascinating new experiences.

The Three Representations of a Deity

There are three main symbolic representations of a deity in tantric Puja; the

mantra, the mandala and the rupa.

The mantra is a series of syllables which represent the deity. Sound has a

special significance in all branches of the Hindu tradition because the first

holy "books" preceeded writing. Complex patterns of rhyme and meter were used

to allow the hymns and magick spells to be memorised exactly and checked for

internal consistancy, which allowed magickal knowledge to be passed down from

one generation to another before writing was discovered. This meant that a

highly evolved magickal system became possible many thousands of years earlier

than in those cultures dependant on writing. Sound was therefore a central (if

not the central) motif of this magickal culture, and magickal and linguistic

words and concepts are often synonymous. The grammatical form (Sanskrit or

"balanced form") and character set (the Devanagri or "godsnake") were developed

later on (check Manthra reference with Mog's medical texts). As each word and

therefore the whole of language is composed of a finite number of syllables in

different combinations, so the whole world is comprised of a finite number of

root powers. In Tantrism, the sacred syllables are identified with these root

powers. Each deity has a bija mantra (or seed) specifically associated with her

or him. This is a single syllable thought to contain the essence of that deity.

Ganesha's seed mantra is Gam, and verses 7 - 9 of the Ganesha Upanishad

comprise a simple meditation upon it. A basic meditation on a bija mantra can

be performed by intoning it whilst meditationg on the Devanagri character which

denotes it. A surprisingly large amount may be learned just from noticing the

other shapes evoked by the letter and the sensations in the breath and body

caused by the process of intonation (especially if one has a basic grounding in

hatha yoga or pranayama) . However, an intimate knowledge is difficult unless

one has a basic knowledge of of the Sanskrit language. This much can be gauged

from the fact that even a high adept and skilled Sanskritist such as Lokanath

(who translated the version of the Ganapati Upanishad given here) was unable to

render the verses on the mantra more obviously into English.

Mandalas and yantras are geometric symbols. What the difference between the two

is depends on the different branch of initiation (or Sampradaya) one belongs

to. Again, a large amount may be gained from merely meditating in the symbol,

and seeing what pops into your mind. All ideas are valid. Success can be gauged

by the coherence of the different ideas with each other and whatever else is

known about the deity. All lines of thought are useful, even those which lead

to a dead end. Again, though, a certain amount of specialist knowledge is

useful, particularly that which can be gained from a Guru (or qualified

person). Whereas the information gained from texts (particularly those

translated into English) is often partial, over-complex and internally

inconsistant, a Guru will have worked the material her or himself, and inwardly

digested it. A good analogy is with a vehicle maintenance manual translated by a

mechanic rather than a linguist. The latter may have a greater skill with word,

but the former will actually have performed the procedures.

The final symbol is the rupa, or form of the deity. Most people think primarily

in terms of the sense of vision (e.g. "I see what you mean"), and the first

thing most people will do when someone is describing something to them is

imagine a visual picture of it. Thinking of a deity as a syllable or geometric

pattern is difficult, especially if one is not acquanited with the idea of

symbolic representation. A painting or statue, on the other hand, can be

immediately grasped even by the most uneducated mind. Scholars and adepts

disagree amongst themselves and with each other on the origins of tantra. The

word "tantric" has only recently gained its current usage as a generic term for

initiates who practice the variety of magick laid out in the tantras (magickal

texts). In fact, there are very many different Sampradayas (lines of

initiation, or cults) all of which have their own individual history, and base

different Sadhanas (magickal practices) on different interpretations of the

tantras. This helps to account for the fact that some authorities claim that

tantrism had its roots in the peasantry, whilst some of the tantras themselves

show a very high degree of academic learning and knowledge which would have

been unattainable by the lower classes of Indian society. If the mandala and

mantra have their origins amongst these scholarly sects, then the image of the

deity is the counterpart amongst the householders, nomads and peasants. It is

useful to remember that tantrism was not peculiar to Hindu culture or even the

Indian sub-continent, and spread accross China as far as Japan, Korea and

Indonesia/Malaysia. I myself have a Vietnamese antique statue of Ganesha with

very similar iconography to that current in India. The imagery used is

deliberately intended to transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries, and

succeeds very well in doing so.

Meditating on the rupa is essentially no different to meditating on the mantra

or mandala. One allows thoughts to spontaneously enter the mind, without

censoring, and follows each imaginative wandering to its conclusion. Even

superficially stupid associations can unveil a previously hidden aspect to the

deity if they are not stamped out too soon. As with mantra and mandala, there

are also more complex yogic practices which can be peformed, but these are

beyond the scope of this essay, article or whatever you computer-literate types

call it. Verses 10-14 of the Ganesha Upanishad give a rupa or form of Ganesh

which is widely used by members of the Natha Ganas (or independent tribes of

tantric adepts). This form is commonly found in paintings and statues which may

be placed on an altar if one wishes to perform puja outwardly. However, having

an external image is not necessary, and mental puja can be carried out anywhere

at any time.

Like the yantra and Devanagri characters, the rupa has specific visual

components which have specific meanings. The yantra has its squares, circles,

triangles and Bindu (or point), the Devanagri characters have shapes with

particular mystical and phonemic (sound) associations, and the rupa has

magickal weapons and a vehicle or banner (a mouse in the case of Ganesha).

These are not meant to be complete lists of the symbolic components - every

part of the mantra, mandala or rupa has meaning. Scholars often argue about

which are the most ancient, genuine or meaningful interpretations of these

components, and a brief survey of the literature will usually provide a

sufficient number to keep one busy (or confused!) for a lifetime. A tantric

adept, on the other hand, is unlikely to offer any one interpretation,

realizing the importance of the symbolism rising from the experience of the

individual performing the puja. Without this individual link, there is no union

between the self and the deity, and the experience remains purely intellectual.

The following description of Ganesh's magickal weaponary is therefore

deliberately partial. It's purpose is to allow the practitioner to gain a

foothold in the imaginative territory to be explored, not to report back the

results of my own exploration. The reason for the disparity between

interpretations offered in the literature is the same difference between the

different sects or schools of initiation I mentioned above. My own tradition is

the Adinatha Sampradaya, and my interpretation of the symbolism reflects this.

Impartiality is not my objective, nor objectivity my partiality.

The Weapons

There are four magick weapons in the four hands of Ganesha. As with all numbers,

there are connections and correspondances which can be made between all sets of

4 (eg. the 4 Vedas, the 4 mobile elements (spirit, the fifth, is represented by

the immobile head), the 4 sacred meters, the four kinds of being etc.). The four

weapons carried by Ganesha can be broken down into two pairs.

The Noose and Goad

These two images are frequently found together in the rupas of many devas

(gods) and devis (goddesses). In the Adinath tradition, it is said that all

three Shaktis (will, knowledge and action) must be present for initiation to

occur. The last of these is often omitted by philosophers and those tantric

sects who do not practice magick, prefering to discuss it instead. The goad is

an elephant goad, used to produce movement from inertia. Like the Self, the

elephant seems too large to control, but the goad makes this movement possible.

Obviously, the elephant goad has specific associations with the symbolism of the

elephant. The word Natha means "master", and the initiate of the Adinath

tradition aims to be an adept or master of her or himself. The following

extract from the Buddhist Dharmapada (or path of right action) illustrates the

way the elephant is often used as a motif for the power of the adept.

"They [warriors] take trained elephants to battle, kings ride on royal trained

elephants. The best of men are self-trained ...... In days gone by this mind of

mine would stray wherever selfish desire or lust or pleasure would lead it.

Today this mind does not stray and is under the harmony of control, even as a

wild elephant is controlled by the trainer."

Verses 320-6 (Juan mascaro's tranlsation for the Penguin Classics series)

The god Indra (after whom India is named) has as his vehicle the king elephant

Airavata, who represents ultimate force. Indra's goad is therefore a symbol of

his mastery of the universe. Ganesh combines the form of human and elephant -

he is his own power. The goad can represent his ability to direct that power.

This is reminiscent of the magickal tradition of thelema (way of will), a Greek

term coined by Aleister Crowley from his motto "Do what thou wilt". Many

philosophies draw a distrinction between power (the elephant) and the purpose

for which it is used (decided by the rider). Before thelema, European

ceremonial magicians believed magickal power was bestowed from outside. Thelema

says that magickal power stems from the divine spark (or True Will) within the

self, and that self-knowledge is therefore part of the process of gaining

magickal power. Ganesh's elephant head, human body and goad show that he exists

at the point of spontaneity (Sahaja), where Will and action coincide. The

Sanskrit word Gaja (meaning elephant) is comprised of the syllables Ga (meaning

goal) and Ja (the origin), which can be interpreted in the same way.

The noose is thought by right-hand path tantrics (those who interpret

references to sexual intercourse and intoxication in the tantras as symbolic

and not actual) to be to catch desire, lust etc. (as in the previous quotation

from the Dharmapada). We Naths have no wish to reject these experiences any

more than any other aspect of physical existance. Rather than avoiding anything

which disrupts the stillness of the mind, Nath adepts find a point of awareness

within the self from which to observe the inner processes (open our third

eyes), even when subjected the greatest degree of intoxication, lust or fear.

It is this inner awareness that allows us to discriminate between the real and

the unreal. Ganesha's noose, then is to trap illusion.

The process of using the physical world as a matrix for learning enables nathas

to evolve more quickly than those of our fellow beings who take a more cautious

approach. Our Sadhana (magickal practices) are known amongst the Tibetan sects

as vajrayana (the lightning path) for this reason. Naths tend to be more

pragmatic about reincarnation than our collegues on the right, seeing each

lifetime as another wasted opportunity. The noose can symbolise execution, the

message in that case being quite obvious: get on with it, because you'll be

dead very soon.

Vara and Abhaya Mudra

and

These are respectively the mudras (or hand-gestures) denoting the granting of

boons and the dispelling of fear. In Hindu mythology there are three types of

cosmic or supernatural being who have identical magickal powers, who may

interbreed without breaking the strict caste rules (all being regarded as

Brahmins) and who frequently war with one another. These are the gods, demons

and sages. Historically they may have been different competing pantheons of

deities, and there is some historical evidence that Ganesh began as a demon

(Vighna-asura, or Lord of Obstacles) before becoming incorporated into the

Hindu pantheon as Vighneshvara (the remover of obstacles). On a magickal level,

the difference between gods and demons is not in the degree of their power but

in their attitude to humanity (sages are human or semi-human). The sign of

dispelling fear (the open-handed gesture showing no weapons ritualized as the

salute by armies throughout the world) shows that the entity is not hostile,

and the gesture of giving or granting boons shows the promise of gifts.

The Ganapti of the Ganesha Upanishad is a monad, a single deity alone and beyond

time. Fear is a product of attatchment to the world, so transcending the

physical (moksha, or liberation) moves one beyond fear. This is why the Ganesha

Upanishad quotes the Arthava Veda, "The one who moves towards knowledge of the

timeless is never afraid." The sign of dispelling fear, like the noose and

goad, shows that Ganesh is a god of magick, who moves the adept towards

knowledge of that which is beyond time and space.

The vara mudra shows that Ganesha may grant boons to the human being.

Traditionally, the role of granting boons is the prerogative of Prajapati, the

all-father or creator-god, who is identified with Brahma, Vishnu and Siva in

different myths (as well as Ganesha his Upanishad). Boons are usually granted

to those who show their devotion by performing great feats of yoga. Of course,

this idea that the gods rewards good deeds was implanted by ruling dynasties as

a way of controlling the population. In reality, it is the yogic practices

themselves which lead to Siddhi, or magickal power. Ganesha is a yogi-god,

frequently depicted in yoga postures (or asana) and described as "always

situated in the muladhara", the lotus at the base of the spine where the

kundalini shakti resides. Ganesha's boons, then, hint at the quality of rupas

which is not shared by mandalas or mantras. Once having formed a coherent

visual image of the deity and gained a good understanding of his symbolism, one

may enter into conversation with him, asking him questions relating to the

practice of yoga or magick. This may be done in the form of mental puja (where

the deity is visualized and the vizualization takes on a spontaneous life of

its own), by invocation (where an adept takes on the form of the god and is

asked questions by another) or in the lucid dream state. Whatever the approach,

the boon (or ability) is usually granted by the deity only as a result of much

hard work and practice. Good luck.

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