Significance of Ganesha's Form

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Dear All,

 

Om

GAJANANAM BHOOTGANADHISEVITAM KAPITTHYA JAMBOO PHALCHARU BHAKSHANAM

UMASUTAM SHOKVINASHKARAKAM NAMAMI VIGHNESHWAR PADPANKAJAM

Om

 

Ganesha's human body represents 'tvam', His elephantine countenance

representing 'tat' and their joining together signifies the

nondifference of 'tvam' (You) and 'tat' (Brahman). Thus, the body of

Ganesha is the visible representation of the highest reality,

Brahman, realised from 'tat tvam asi'.

 

Another explanation has it that Ganesha's head signifies Atman the

Highest Reality, while the body below the neck represents mAyA, the

principle of phenomenal existence. The Atman's involvement with the

world is characterised by the assumption of mind and speech.

 

Ganesha's ears, which appear like large winnowing baskets, have a

philosophical significance too. Just as one uses a winnowing basket

to separate grains from dirt, one must use discrimination (viveka) to

separate the real (Brahman) from the unreal (maya) in life. Here the

grains stand for Brahman and the dirt signifies maya. Or, Ganesha's

ears indicate that such discrimination between Brahman and maya is to

be gained by taking recourse to Sravana or hearing. Listening to the

scriptures from a Guru will lead to proper discrimination and Brahman

realisation.

 

 

Gaurav