++How Ganesha Got His Elephant Head++
++The Book of Ganesha++
++The Broken Tusk++
g o d s - o f - i n d i a ++ GANESHA WHAT'S IN A NAME? ---- The 108 Sacred Names of Ganesha.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT ORIGINATED FROM, BUT THE LIST WHICH FOLLOWS HAS BEEN CIRCULATING AROUND THE WEB FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND IS NOW ATTACHED TO DOZENS OF BLOGS. Instead of merely adding to the online clutter by repeating it as is, I intend here to rather elaborate on it, add value to it. Like my friends in Soka Gakkai in Japan, my mission in life is to add value, do what I do best and link to the rest. And in the process, put my knowledge to the test:
THE GANESHA STORY ---- How Ganesha Got That Elephant Head. THERE ARE MANY STORIES ABOUT GANESHA WAS BORN AND HOW HE ENDED UP WITH THAT ELEPHANT HEAD. According the very well known Shiva-Purana version, Parvati (consort of Lord Shiva) was rather disappointed that none of the guards she appointed out of Lord Shiva's army failed to stop him from barging into her private chambers. She decided to have someone who would be entirely her own and place no one above her. According to Shiva Purana, Ganesha was born of the scurf from Parvati's body. Once, when Shiva was away, Parvati wanted someone to guard the door while she bathed. From the scurf of her body and water from the Ganges she created a boy who is Lord Ganesha. This makes Parvati and Ganga his mothers and he sometimes also known as Dwimatri. Having created the figure, Parvati infused life into him and told him to ensure that nobody entered her room while she bathed. Lord Shiva soon came in and was stopped by Lotd Ganesha. This enraged Shiva and He beheaded the boy.
Little did he know that he had killed his wife's son! Ascertaining the incommensurable disaster striking her son, Parvati was inconsolable. Unable to find the child head, Shiva grafted a elephant head on the dead body and gave him life again. Trying to repair his big mistake, he recognized Ganesha as his son and empowered him on all his servants; so he became "Ganapati".
A more detailed version describes Shiva sending his Gana army to attack. But Ganesha defeats them. Shiva requests Brahma to come; taking the form of a peaceful brahman, he tries gently to make the boy listen to reason. Vainly, Ganesh remains intractable.
Then, Shiva asks Kartikeya and Indra, to intervene and to mobilize their armies; Ganesha resists victoriously and routs the armies, thanks to the help of Kali and Durga, sent for Parvati, raging at the attack against her beloved son...
Finally, Shiva decides to enter himself in the battle; while Ganesha strives against Vishnu, treacherously, he attacks him in the rear and cuts off his head... The revenge of Parvati is terrible : she creates innumerable Shakti and order them to devour all the Gana and Deva. Absolutely terrified, Brahma and Vishnu beg her for mercy; in exchange, Parvati demands that his son can get life again.
She requests also another reparation : henceforth, his son will be worshipped first, before all other gods.
Shiva sends messengers, ordering them to bring back the first creature's head looking north side; indeed, this direction is well-known to be auspicious and synonymous with wisdom.
The first asleep creature which they find, with the head turned to north side is an elephant. They bring back his head and Shiva replaces it on the child body; then, he gives him life.
Parvati is expresses transport of joy; she embraces her son, the elephant-headed boy, named Ganesha by Shiva, i.e. "Lord of the Gana".
10 Bhupati - Lord of the Gods
11 Bhuvanpati - God of the Gods
12 Buddhinath - God of Wisdom
13 Buddhipriya - Knowledge Bestower
14 Buddhividhata - God of Knowledge
15 Chaturbhuj - One who has Four Arms
16 Devadeva - Lord of All Lords
17 Devantakanashakarin - Destroyer of Evils
And Asuras
18 Devavrata - One who accepts all Penances
19 Devendrashika - Protector of All Gods
20 Dharmik - One who gives Charity
21 Dhoomravarna - Smoke-Hued Lord
22 Durja - Invincible Lord
23 Dvaimatura - One who has two Mothers
24 Ekaakshara - He of the Single Syllable
25 Ekadanta - Single-Tusked Lord
26 Ekadrishta - Single-Tusked Lord
27 Eshanputra - Lord Shivafs Son
28 Gadadhara - One who has The Mace as His
Weapon
29 Gajakarna - One who has Eyes like an
Elephant
30 Gajanana - Elephant-Faced Lord
31 Gajananeti - Elephant-Faced Lord
32 Gajavakra - Trunk of The Elephant
33 Gajavaktra - One who has Mouth like
An Elephant
34 Ganadhakshya - Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
35 Ganadhyakshina - Leader of All The
Celestial Bodies 36 Ganapati - Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
Contact the author Rob Sullivan at coderot@gmail.com. Anticopyright October 2008.
Have Your Say
f e e d b a c k
purushottam (purshu@gmail.com)
says: "What a comprehensive view of the gods of india..really enjoyed it. I thank u for the clarity this article has given me in my seeking.
"I used to be a die hard atheist since childhood-praying to Shiva, vishnu, krishna, ganesha, saraswati, hanuman etc. I beleived in ONE omnipotent,omniscient, omnipresent God.
"But my recent experience with a spiritual master and organization took me towards Advaita philosophy-which makes possible the existence of many gods and the god inherent in every one of us. With the possibility of man becoming GOD one day, it has obviated my belief in 'one GOD for all'.
"So my allegiance shifted from Dvaita(dualistic) to the Advaita(non dualistic) shcheme of things, where there is no radical difference between man and god as man is god's low frequency existence,capable of reaching godhood by various means(bhakti,gyan,karma,meditation,etc).
"All this was fine till i realized that this advaita concept of GOD is effectively atheism in the eyes of a monotheist.
"Nevermind, 'reailty is relative'-I said to myself and continued my journey inwards.("One should have the courage of following truth to wherever it takes"). "
"WIth my beleif in God shaken, I decided to test my second most prized belief-the concept of Atman through the Advaitic Lens...."
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