The God Ganesha (from a pagan perspective)

Ganesha is a God who has long interested me, but I’m not exactly sure why; I have never had any sort of ‘calling’ to any other Hindu deities or any aspect of the belief system whatsoever and whilst I have studied Buddhism with interest, I have always associated Ganesha more as a Hindu God than a Buddhist one. So I thought I would research Ganesha, and maybe gain an understanding of why I feel drawn to him every now and again.

Ganesha is an easily recognizable elephant headed Hindu God and one of the most well known deities of the Hindu tradition. Many Hindu’s worship him regardless of affiliations, and worship of this God extends to Jains, Buddhists and Pagans. Traditionally, Ganesha is revered to be the remover of obstacles, the patron of the arts and science and intellect and wisdom. Ganesha is most usually honoured at the start of rituals, as his status as the remover of obstacles means that he is also associated with new beginnings.

Ganesha was first worshiped as a distinct deity in the 4^th and 5^th centuries CE during the Gupta Period, although it is thought that he carried with him traits from Vedic and Pre-Vedic precursors. In the 9^th Century CE he was formally included as one of the five primary deities of a Hindu denomination called Smartism. Another sect of devotees arose who called themselves the Ganapatya and they identified Ganesha as the Supreme Deity. There are several principle scriptures in Hinduism dedicated to Ganesha, the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa.

There are many other names, titles and epithets associated with Ganesha. ‘Shri’, the Hindu title of respect is often added before his name. Then there are Vinayaka, (a common Buddhist name for Ganesha), Vighnaraja, Dvaimatura, (meaning ‘one who has two mothers’), Ganadhipa, Ekadanta, (meaning ‘one who has one tusk’), Heramba, Lambodara, (meaning ‘one who has a pot belly’, or literally ‘one who has a hanging belly), and Gajanana, (meaning ‘having the face of an elephant’), Pillai or Pillaiyaar, ( Tamil language, which has the possible meanings of ‘noble child’ and ‘the young of the elephant’), Maha Peinne, (Burma), Phra Phikhanet, (Thailand), Aiyanayaka Deviyo and Gana Deviyo, (Buddhist tradition).

One popular way in which Ganesha is honoured and worshiped is by chanting a ‘Ganesha Sahasranama’, also known as a litany of a thousand names of Ganesha. Each name in the sahasranama conveys a different meaning and symbolises a different aspect of the God.

Ganesha is depicted in many different ways, although almost all show him as an elephant headed God with a large belly, four arms (although some depictions show him as having as many as sixteen arms), and one full tusk and one broken tusk. He may be portrayed standing, dancing, fighting demons, as a boy playing with his family or sitting. Some depictions show him holding his broken tusk, some show him holding an axe or a goad in one of his upper arms. There are many myths which serve as explanations as to how Ganesha got his elephant head. Some texts say that he was born with an elephant head, although most sources seem to agree that he acquired his elephant head later on. The most common tale of how Ganesha got his elephant head is that Ganesha was in fact created by Parvati out of clay to protect her, and when Ganesha came between Parvati and Shiva, Shiva beheaded him and replaced his severed head with that of an elephant. Another common tale says Ganesha was created form Shiva’s laugh, but finding him too alluring Shiva gave him the head of an elephant and a large belly. He is often depicted as being red in colour. Although he is commonly depicted without a vahana, (a mount or a vehicle), he has been shown riding a mouse, a lion, a peacock, a serpent, an elephant, a ram and a tortoise.

Chinalingalagramam [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

As mentioned, Ganesha is known as being a remover of obstacles, ‘The Lord of Obstacles’, both physical and spiritual. Traditionally, he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked. He is also known as the Lord of Letters and Learning, and so of intelligence, wisdom and intellect. He is worshiped on many religious and secular occasions, such as when buying a vehicle or starting a new business venture. Particularly in Southern India, dancers and musicians begin performances of arts such as The Bharatnatyam with a prayer to Ganesha. Devotees recite mantra’s, such as ‘Om Shri Ganeshaya Namah’, (Om, salutation to the Illustrious Ganesha) and ‘Om Gam Ganapataye Namah’, (Om, Gam, Salutation to the Lord of Hosts). They also offer sweets, and Ganesha is often depicted carrying a bowl of sweets.

Due to him often depicted as red in colour, and so anything red such as flowers, sandalwood paste and Durva grass are also used to honour him. Festivals associated with Ganesha are Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi), an annual festival which lasts ten days in August/September time, and the Ganesa Jayanti which is known as Ganesha’s birthday in January/February.

Ganesha is identified with the Hindu mantra, “Aum”, (“Om”). He personifies the primal sound, and the following text is a translation of a passage found in the Ganapti Atharvashirsa:

“Oh Lord Ganapati! You are [the Trinity of] Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesa. You are Indra. You are fire [Agni] and air [Vayu]. You are the sun [Surya] and the moon [Chandrama]. You are Brahman. You are [the three worlds] Bhuloka [earth], Antariksha-loka [space], and Swargaloka [heaven]. You are Om. (That is to say, ‘you are all this’)”.

He is also associated with the root chakra, known in Hindu traditions as the Muladhara. Because of this he is seen as holding, supporting and guiding all the other chakra’s, and thereby “governing the forces that propel the wheel of life”.

Whether he was born or created, Shiva and Parvati are said to be the parents of Ganesha. He had a brother, the war god Kartikeya (also known as Subramanya, Skanda and Murugan). Kartikeya was originally purported to be of a higher status than Ganesha, but as Kartikeya’s popularity waned in about 600 CE, Ganesha’s rose, and several stories telling of sibling rivalry between the brothers is believed to reflect sectarian tensions.

Some sources identify Ganesha as unmarried. Other sources that associate him with the concepts of Buddhi (intellect), Siddhi (spiritual power) and Riddhi (prosperity) sometimes personify these concepts as Goddesses who are said to be Ganesha’s wives. He has also been associated with Sarasvati, the Goddess of culture and the arts, and with Lakshmi, the Goddess of luck and prosperity.

Most sources agree that Ganesha had two sons; however, some sources believe that these sons were Ksema (prosperity) and Labha (profit), whilst other sources I found believe them to be named Subha (auspiciouness) and Labha.

The main festival honouring Ganesha is held annually which starts on what is known as Ganesha Chaturthi, which typically falls in late August or early September. The festival lasts for ten days, and begins with people gathering clay idols of Ganesha. On the last day of the festival which is known as Ananta Chaturdashi, when the idols of Ganesha are immersed in the most convenient body of water. However, some families have a tradition of immersing the idols on the second, third, fifth or seventh day. Whilst this used to be a festival which was privately celebrated, in 1893, the leader of India turned it into a huge national event in order to give the people something to unite under and help combat British rule in the country.

Whenever I meditate with Ganesha, I use a red ribbon as symbolic of Him – I’m going to be honest, it was the only red thing I had around the house at the time I first started working with him, and it just kind of stuck! At first it was difficult to visualize him with his several arms and an elephant head, so instead I would focus on the ribbon and the qualities of Ganesha as I saw him; I could sense that he was a ‘lucky’ deity, one filled with joy and mirth, one who sees the good and the positive in all situations.

I found that as I focused more on his qualities, the easier it became to see him in my head; I see him with eight arms, a pale red colour, with a large belly. Often he is dancing around and grinning happily, and I can feel the joy radiating from him. Other times he is sat calm, contemplating, a comforting peace, and this guise he is more likely to assist with encouraging writing, whether it be creative or formal, and in removing obstacles or preparing you for a change occurring in your life.

It is said that Ganesha is a very ‘open’ God and will aid all who call him, no matter what your beliefs, and I very much get this sense of openness and welcoming from him always, and would explain why he is one of the most popular Hindu Gods to be called upon.