GANESHA is represented as a portly man with an Elephant’s Head and four hands. In one hand, He holds a Conch Shell, and in another hand, holds a Discuss. In the third hand, He has a Goad, and the fourth hand holds a Water Lily. The Mouse is His vehicle. He is shown riding a RAT or attended by a RAT.

WHY GANAPATHI FIRST?

Once Shiva and Parvathi were sitting along with their sons GANESHA & KARTHIKEYA. Then SHIVA proposed to see who of these two Sons came back first after encircling the UNIVERSE. Karthikeya immediately hurried off mounting on his vehicle — Peacock. Meanwhile GANESHA took round of His parents and stood before THEM with folded hands saying, “You both are my whole UNIVERSE.” This immediately pleased SHIVA & PARVATI. They blessed Him profusely and gave Him the Boon of being prayed and worshipped before any auspicious work was begun. GAJANANA, GANAPATHI, GANESHA, LAMBODHARA and VIGNESWARA are some of His popular names. SIDDHI & BUDDHI are the two Aspects for which He is famous. Some hold that GANESHA is a Bachelor whereas some others hold that He is wedded to two Wives namely SIDDHI and BUDDHI.

WHY ELEPHANT HEAD?

There are two versions about GANESHA’S Elephant- Head. One version is that: Once PARVATHI went for bath and asked His son to keep a watch at the door. Then came SHIVA who wanted to get an entry, but the son opposed him SHIVA got enraged and severed the head from the body Later, in order to pacify PARVATHI, SHIVA replaced the head with the Head of an Elephant, the first that came to His Sight.

The other legend says that Parvathi, proud of Her son, asked and insisted SATURN to look at the face of the child forgetting the ruinous effects of Shani’s glance. No sooner Shani looked at the child, the head of the child was burnt to ashes. PARVATHI grew furious and was about to curse SHANI for his act. But then BRAHMA intervened just in time and pacified Parvathi by restoring the life Of the baby, installing the Head of an Elephant on the body of the child. GANAPATHI is a connecting link for the North and South as He is powerful and adorned by the people of entire India. He is considered as THE GURU.

THE LOTUS - CARVED SEAT OF GANAPATHI

GANAPATHI is generally shown as being seated on a pedestal resembling the fully opened petals of a Lotus flower. The Lotus is a SIGN OF WISDOM born of DEVOTION.

TO SIT IS TO BE ESTABLISHED. To sit on a Lotus seat is to be GURU as per TRADITION. This symbol refers to GANAPATHI’S GURUHOOD.

THE CROWN ON THE HEAD OF GANAPATHI

The Crowned King has full authority on the region he rules. Similarly GANAPATHI has absolute authority over both AVIDYA (Nescience) and VIDYA (Knowledge).

BIG EARS FOR GANAPATHI

Ears are for Hearing. Wisdom Literature in India of the highest order is called SHRUTHI, which literally means, “That which is heard”. In ancient India, there were no books to read. The tradition of India was to listen to a GURU. Listening to a GURU and learning the SRUTHI is an essential part of Brahmacharya. The word Brahmacharya stands for “Treading the path of the ABSOLUTE”. To be initiated into the secret of secrets contained in the Sruthis, it is absolutely necessary to sit at the feet of a WISDOM TEACHER and listen to Him with single-minded devotion. The big ears of Ganapathi are a symbol of SHRADDHA meaning faithful attentive listening to the WISDOM TEACHING.

THE BROKEN TUSK OF GANAPATHI — What does it signify?

According to tradition, this deformity was formed by PARASURAMA who was an advocate of pure Brahmanism. The TUSK shows the individuality of GANAPATHI. Persons who become adepts of the HIGHEST WISDOM develop SPIRITUAL EGO. The classic illustration IS the story of VISWAMITHRA. The SPIRITUAL EGO is much worse than WORDLY EGO. This should be broken.

The pathetic humiliation of having the tusk broken is no shame to GANAPATHI. He requires that our egoistic horns also should be broken.

That is why the HARD SHELL of a COCONUT is broken before GANAPATHI.

THE POT- BELLY

The Pot — Belly is sign of CONTENTMENT.

A beggar or a hungry man cannot settle down to peaceful meditation. Like GANAPATHI, we should also be content. The saying goes “Empty the mind and fill the Belly”.

THE RICE BALL AND THE VEDAS

GANAPATHI has a rice ball in His left hand and Vedas in His right hand. Sometimes, instead of the Vedas, a Lotus or the Broken Tusk or Jnana-Mudra (The gesture of Wisdom-teaching) is shown. These are all symbols of Wisdom. The ball of rice intends to fill the Belly and with the wisdom symbol. He wants us to nourish our soul.

THE HOOK WITH AN AXE

In one of the raised upper hands, GANAPATHI holds a Hook, which has also a Blade or an Axe. According to GITA, MIND that gets bifurcated and is running in different directions, seldom reaches Truth. One has to bring one’s mind again and again back to the central issue. It is not an easy task.

The Mahout of the elephant controls the animal with a Hook. Similarly, we should also have the Hook of restraint to keep ourselves always on the part of the ABSOLUTE (BRAHMACHARYA). Wild creepers choke the free growth of a tree. Irrational and Sentimentalties prevent most of our MIND from being FREE. It is with the acts of discrimination that we must chop them down.

THE NOOSE

GANAPATHI has a Noose in the other upper hand.

Noose is nothing but a sign of bondage and an obstacle. The name of VIGNESWARA is given to Him because He is the Lord of Obstacles. One who can create an Obstacle can also remove it. According to Saivite belief, all beings are Cows. SHIVA is the cowherd (Pasupati) and all things are held bound by Him with a Noose. He saves the stray cows from getting into the wilderness by pulling the Noose of destructive forces or of deliverance.

THE MOUSE WITH A LITTLE RICE BALL

It looks very odd and uncommon for an Elephant to ride on a mouse. Among the animals on dry lands, the Elephant is the biggest and the Mouse is one of the smallest. Both GANAPATHI and the Mouse keep a Ball of Rice in hand. This shows that all beings are linked together on the physical plane with the desire for food. The greatest wonder of the world is the provision in nature for every living being to get food and drink to suit its requirement. Life itself is nothing but nourishment. Decay is Death. Psychologically viewed, the joy of taking food is as much spiritual or belonging to the Athman as the JOY OF MEDITATION. It is in this joy; GANAPATHI and the MOUSE get related.

The Allegory of the Elephant riding on the mouse refers to the all - pervading Almighty God residing in the tiny heart of His devotee.