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
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