Loving Ganesha: Chapter 5 (Section 4) - Forms of Ganesha--Ganapateh Svarupani; The 32 Forms of Lord Ganesha, Ganesha Iconography

[Guest guest]

Namaste all,

 

Here is the final section of chapter 25 of Loving Ganesha, available at

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/books/lg/lg_ch-05.html I will be away for a

couple of days or so and can't post the start of the next chapter until back

home....just on the chance anyone was wondering where the next chapter had got

to!

 

Om Shanti,

 

Neil

 

 

25

Rinamochana Ganapati

Rinamochana Ganapati is humanity's liberator from guilt and bondage. His figure

of alabaster skin is apparelled in red silks. He bears a noose and a goad, His

milk-white tusk and a favorite fruit, the rose apple.

26

Dhundhi Ganapati

Red-hued Dhundhi Ganapati, "the Sought After," holds a strand of rudraksha

beads, His broken tusk, an axe and a small pot of precious gems thought to

represent the treasury of awakenings He saves for all ardent devotees.

27

Dvimukha Ganapati

Dvimukha Ganapati, called Janus by the Romans, with two divergent faces, sees in

all directions. His blue-green form is dressed in red silk. He wears a bejeweled

crown and holds a noose, goad, His tusk and a pot of gems.

28

Trimukha Ganapati

Trimukha Ganapati, the contemplative "three-faced" Lord of red hue, sits on a

golden lotus, telling His beads, holding a noose, goad and vessel of nectar. He

gestures protection with a right hand and blessings with a left.

29

Sinha Ganapati

Sinha Ganapati, white in color, rides a lion and displays another lion in one

hand, symbolizing strength and fearlessness. He also holds a kalpavriksha

sprig, the vina, a lotus blossom, flower bouquet and a pot of jewels.

30

Yoga Ganapati

Yoga Ganapati is absorbed in mantra japa, His knees strapped in meditative pose,

hands holding a yoga staff, sugar cane stalk, a noose and prayer beads. His

color is like the morning sun. Blue garments adorn His form.

31

Durga Ganapati

Durga Ganapati, the "Invincible," waves the flag of victory over darkness. This

splendid murti is of deep gold hue, dressed in red, holding a bow and arrow,

noose and goad, prayer beads, broken tusk and a rose apple.

32

Sankatahara Ganapati

Sankatahara Ganapati, "the Dispeller of Sorrow," is of sunlike hue, dressed in

blue, and seated on a red lotus flower. He holds a bowl of pudding, a goad and

a noose while gesturing the boon-granting varada mudra.

Ganesha Iconography

By Dr. L.S. Madhava Rao,From "Ganesha as Primus Inter Pares,"Published in the

Organiser, September 18, 1994

In every Hindu function, invocation to Lord Ganesha for His blessings takes

precedence over all other Gods to ward off any mishap. This has been the

practice from the Vedic times. Every part of Ganesha's body, such as ear, nose,

eyes, trunk, has some significance. One has only to know it, believe in it and

follow it. He is intellect par excellence. A critical examination of the

various names of the Deities will enable us to know and trace the features of

religious development and understand the religious tendencies of the people.

Here an attempt is made to highlight how Lord Ganesha in His different

bhangimas (postures and attitudes) is worshiped in Agamic temples.

1. Icons without headdress in the sitting pose and with two arms: To this class

belong two variations. The first is the prevalent utkutakasana ["sitting on the

hams" with one or both knees raised] see illustration, page 93). Second is

Ganesha seated in padmasana, lotus pose, with legs crossed, which is quite

rare.

2. Ganesha icons with two arms and headdress: These images are mostly carved out

of stone and normally belong to a period between the 9th and 12th centuries.

These are represented in the usual utkutaka pose, and the proboscis is shown

taking a left turn and eating from a bowl of pudding held in the left hand.

3. Four-armed figures without alankara [ornamentation] and prabhavali

[encircling arch]: These are discernable specimens of early Ganapati sculpture

with four arms, devoid of any kind of ornamentation and with little proportion.

4. Ganapati icons with four arms, ribbon-like prabhavali, jatamukuta [crown of

matted hair] and udarabandha [waist band]: These figures are usually ascribed

to the period between the 9th and 12th centuries. They are mostly carved out of

hard granite, and they present a pleasant and elegant form.

5. Ganapati icons with four arms and with bowl-like kinita or with conical or

karanda mukuta [basket-shaped crown]: This type of Ganapati image is datable to

the 10th, 11th or 12th centuries. They may not have the mount or profusion of

alankara. The prabhavali resembles a semicircular tape or is flame-like.

6. Ganapati icons representing the Hoysala type: These figures are known for

their profusion in ornamentation, delicacy of taste and elegance.

7. Ganapati icons with the usual nagabandha, vahana, karanda mukuta and

conventionalized form of details: These figures are assigned to the period

between the 14th and 18th centuries. They represent the various forms of

Ganapati according to the textual prescription.

8. Ganapati icons in tribhanga: Hitherto, four bronzes have been discovered in

the tribhanga pose. Three are ascribed to the 10th century. [At left is an

example of tribhanga in nritya (dancing) pose, from a sthapati's sketch on a

workshop wall in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.]

9. Nritya Ganesha, the dancing form: Only two [ancient] icons of this type have

come to light so far. One is a small (20cm high) stone icon at Hariharakshetra,

Subrahmanya. The other is a bronze in the Raghavendra Matha in Udipi. This

bronze is of considerable iconographic interest. In features, although it

presents conventional forms, its theological background is rather unique.

Ganesha's Seating and Standing Poses

Illustrations of PosesIn Ganesha RepresentationUtkutakasana Seven variations of

Ganesha's usual sitting pose, with one or both knees raised.

Lalitasana: Relaxes (playful) poses, at ease.

Nritya: Three dancing poses, the last in tribhanga.

Other Seated Postures

Six Rare Poses

Four variations of padmasana, the lotus pose.

Two other poses rarely seen in ancient iconography of Ganesha.

Ganesha's Trunk Poses

Below are numerous trunk poses. The first group are examples of valampuri

(turning to the right). Group two are edampuri (turning left). In most icons of

Loving Ganesha the trunk is turned toward the left (from the perspective of the

Deity). Only in rare cases is it turned to the right.

Valampuri Pose

Trunk turning to the Deity's right. This form is very rare.

Edampuri Pose

Trunk turning to the Deity's left. This is the common form.

 

 

Loving Ganesha by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

 

Web sites: http://www.hindu.org/ & http://www.himalayanacademy.com/

email: contact (AT) hindu (DOT) org

Himalayan Academy Kauai's Hindu Monastery107 Kaholalele RoadKapaa, HI 96746-9304

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.Checked by AVG anti-virus system

(http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.465 / Virus Database: 263 - Release Date:

25/03/03

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh25g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh26g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh27g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh28g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh29g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh30g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh31g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) ganesh32g_eps.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Dncin_Ganesha_4_G__Book.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Utkutasana_legs.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) lalithasana_legs.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) nritya__legs.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) other__legs.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Padmasana_legs.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) rare_legs.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Trunks_checked.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Trunks_unchecked.jpg [not stored]