(No subject)

[Guest guest]

A very Warm Welcome to a few new member who've recently joined our little Ganesh

Family. Please feel free to introduce yourself, share information, discuss

topics dear to your heart and share information. We look forward to seeing you

around.

Om Ganesa

==============

** Another wonderful snippet from:

http://timepiece.shubhkaamna.com/gods.htm

GANESHA

In Dravidian times, Ganesha was worshipped as an elephant, signifying the wisdom

and majesty of the universe. The invading Aryans, adopted the Dravidian godling

and affirmed their belief in Ganesha. Ganesha made a ceremonial entrane as an

Aryan god. ‘The auspicious god’, he would be worshipped at the beginning of all

rites, an unbroken tradition that continues to this day.

In myths, the birth of Ganesha is celebrated as a divine twist of fate. The most

popular myth brings alive the story about the elephant head. It all began when

Parvati, wanted to bathe. She needed privacy and since there was no one at

hand, she created a guard with the sweat and oils from her body. She brought

the figure of a young man to life and told him to stand guard while she bathed.

 

When Shiva, her husband returned and strode towards their home, he found his way

blocked by an unknown soldier. The soldier blocked Shiva’s entry. Shiva was

furious, a duel began. The soldier fought well, but was no match against the

might of Shiva, who killed him. Parvati came out and saw the dead body, she

demanded he be brought back to life.

Shiva sent his hordes to collect the head of the first living being, who was

sleeping with head facing north. The north was associated with wisdom, and was

also the direction from which the Aryans had invaded.

Airavat, Indra’s white elephant paid the price for Shiva’s blunder. While

Airavat slept facing the north, Shiva’s hordes beheaded him. His elephant head

was carried away for the dead body. An incensed Parvati demanded that her child

be promoted to the status of a primary god. Shiva and all the other gods knew

this was the only way they could placate her and Ganesha took his place before

all the gods.

All rituals (samskaras), begin with the worship of Ganesha. His image invokes

the universe, his head signifies wisdom and his body is globular, Vishwaroopa.

Ganesha represents the majesty of the animal kingdom with his head and his

vehicle the mouse shows subjugation of pestilent rats. .

His trunk is twisted into an embodiment of ‘Om’, the syllable that created the

world. To combat evil, he carries weapons the discus, trident, sword and

shield. A broken tusk is a reminder of his battle with a demon, and the fight

with the forces of evil. Yet, the same tusk is used by him in the writing of

the epic, the Mahabharata. When Vyasa wanted to compose the Mahabharata, Brahma

suggested Ganesha be his scribe. Vyasa agreed and Ganesha brought his broken

tusk to writing quill. Vyasa dictated the entire epic in verse. Ganesha

recorded every word for Gods and men alike.

He carries a modak (sweet dumpling) in one hand, for his appetite is insatiable,

and conscious of his role the other hand shows in the ‘abhaya mudra’(do not

fear, I am here to protect).

Another legend, explains Ganesha’s role in changing astronomy. In the month of

Shravan/Bhadrapad, after a feast of modaks Ganesha was on his way home. He was

riding his mouse, a snake slithered into their path, the mouse tripped and

Ganesha took a tumble. His stomach split, and the modaks fell out, Chandra (the

moon) was watching and he began to laugh. Ganesha picked up the snake and used

it as a belt to hold his stomach together. He looked up, cursed Chandra and

banned him from the night skies.

Soon the gods and humankind were dazed glare of the relentless sun. There was no

respite of darkness when the moon was banished from the sky. The gods took a

delegation to Ganesha and pleaded their case. Ganesha gave in, but made an

astronomic condition. The moon would never shine like before. Full moon would

be just once a month (earlier every day was a full moon). On other days the

Chandra as a reminder of his misdemeanour would wax or wane!

Ganesha straddles the divide between the believers of Shiva and Vishnu. Ganesh

idols are worshipped both by Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Ganesha temples are

seen in almost every village in India. Chubby and gleeful and elephant headed,

Ganesha easily finds his place in the hearts of Gods and people.

RELATED LINKS :

| Ganesh Chaturthi | Ganesh Jayanti |

| Back to Gods Overview |

Would you like to to a friend anywhere in India or worldwide, NOW...

 

http://timepiece.shubhkaamna.com/gods.htm

 

Send your FREE holiday greetings online at Greetings.