Eight Inner Avatars Of Ganesha

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Om

GAJANANAM BHOOTGANADHISEVITAM KAPITTHYA JAMBOO PHALCHARU BHAKSHANAM

UMASUTAM SHOKVINASHKARAKAM NAMAMI VIGHNESHWAR PADPANKAJAM

Om

 

Eight is a sacred number to Ganesha. His mythical life story tells us

that he has links with eight 'demonic' (16) elephant guardians. The

eight male elephants could be visualised as direction guardians, with

Shiva and Parvati guarding the upper and lower realms. Their names

are:

 

Kamasura (Love), Krodasura (anger), Lobhasura (greed), Mohasura

(delusion), Matasura (intoxication), Mamasura (ego (17)), Abhimasura

(attachment to life (18)), and Istasura (self chosen demon (19)).

 

The Mudgala Purana gives eight Inner Avatars of Ganapati. These

avatars can be understood to symbolize abstract qualities which

triumph over similar personifications of evil and weakness.

 

The first of these is Vakratunda (twisted trunk) an embodiment of the

Absolute Impersonal aspect of Godhood called Brahman in the form of

Ganesha. He defeated a demon called Matsaryasura, 'Envy-Jealousy',

born amazingly from the fact that Indra, king of the gods, was absent-

minded and lost control of his faculties of mind! This lapse in

awareness resulted in this impossibly powerful demon coming into

being, and he defeated all the gods including Shiva (Embodiment of

Consciousness), as there is nothing that envy cannot overpower in the

long run. Only the pure abstract form of god, hence without qualities

that can be overcome by Envy, could beat him. The myth is of course

an allegory on the yogic belief that in the end all the qualities of

the mind have to be transcended for liberation.

 

The next incarnation was in the form of Ekadanta (single tusked) who

defeated the demon Madasura. This is purely an allegorical story as

Madasura gained power by meditating on the famous Shakti

mantra, 'Hrim', revealing its essentially tantrik source. The form of

Ekadanta has been interpreted to mean Eka, 'one', but also creative

power of matter, Maya and Danta stands for 'truth'. Ekadanta is thus

the Supreme Truth that wields Maya. Madasura was let off with the

admonition that he could benefit from all the demonic desires

manifest in the universe, but he could not harass those with pure

intentions and actions, an obvious statement of the fact that evil

can enter only when it is invited in.

 

The next was Mahodara who vanquished Mohasura, the demon of Delusion

and Confusion. The confused nature of the tale makes it difficult to

understand exactly what was going on. It seems that once Shiva was

sunk in meditation for eons and showing no signs of coming out of it.

Meanwhile, the gods were in need of help while he was oblivious.

Parvati therefore assumed an alluring form and wandered round his

meditating spot. Shiva was brought back to normal wakeful

consciousness by this act and she abandoned the alluring 'cover' so

as to speak. This abandoned energy form became a demon in its own

right over the ages and Ganesha subdued it. Shiva and Parvati are the

parents of Ganesha, so the psychological implications of this tale

make the head spin.

 

Equally perplexing in the tangled web of intergenerational sexuality

is the next tale, of the avatar of Gajanana who defeated the demon

Lobhasura (Greed or Covetousness). Kubera, Lord of Wealth had

everything beautiful in the universe, or so he thought. For when he

saw Parvati he realized that at last something was beyond his power

to acquire. Kubera's frustrated desire, and fear at Parvati's anger

if she ever detected his greed for her, combined to be born as the

demon Lobhasura. The rest of the tale is the usual routine.

Incidentally in these stories there is a new twist previously unknown

to Sanskrit literature. Each time the demon sees Ganapati he

instantly surrenders rather than engage in a futile battle! Whether

the poets finally got tired of gore or the non-violence principle was

acting up, is unknown.

 

As Lambhodara, the Essence of Sattva, he defeats Krodhasura (Anger).

This story is the clumsiest of the lot, hastily cobbled up with some

mythical background. Shiva encountered Mohini (see our Coorma Avatar

and Mohini articles for details) and Krodhasura was born. If so that

would mean that the god Ayyapan, traditionally supposed to be the

fruit of that encounter, had a twin!

 

As Vikata (Intelligence) he defeats Kamasura (Lust). This worthy is

supposed to have emerged from Vishnu of all people! He married

Trishna (Thirst/Yearning) and they had Decay and Corruption as their

sons. The happy family had a long run until Ganesha intervened. It is

also worth remarking that in all these myths, Ganapati becomes the

controller of these dangerous forces and presumably he can unleash

them upon anybody who makes the mistake of forgetting that he is also

Vighneshwara, Lord of Obstacles. Ganesha is so massively popular

today, that it is hard to believe that he was once an ambiguous god,

as prone to visiting disaster and wrath as giving blessings.

 

Vignaraja (Lord of Obstacles) defeated the demon Mamasura

(Possessiveness). It is a not so subtle attempt to convey that the

major roadblock to spiritual evolution is the desire to possess.

 

Dhumravarna , the destructive power of Brahman, overcame the demon

Abhimanasura (Attachment, Pride). This is a somewhat more logical

myth, for the Sun god once felt very puffed up indeed at the extent

of his domains and the fact that he is the Lord of Action. While in

that frame of mind he sneezed and it instantly condensed into the

demon Aham. This demon married Egoism, daughter of Negligence, and

they had two sons Arrogance and Mindless Happiness!

 

All these demons are famously known in Hindu thought as the Inner

Enemies, and represent the qualities that one needs to get rid of, as

one grows in the life spiritual. They are in a real sense obstacles,

and Ganapati is the best qualified to remove obstacles from any life.

Each one of these qualities are part of the Shadow, a vital aspect of

our personas, providing great energy if they are controlled, but

wreaking disaster if they are allowed to become dominant in the

psyche.

 

Gaurav

[Guest guest]

dear Gaurav ji,

 

i enjoyed this wonderful post of yours. kindly let me know what are these

numbers signify which you have mentioned like 17,18 & 19

thanks

triptika

-

Gaurav Sharma

Friday, September 03, 2004 2:18 AM

Eight Inner Avatars Of Ganesha

 

 

,

 

Om

GAJANANAM BHOOTGANADHISEVITAM KAPITTHYA JAMBOO PHALCHARU BHAKSHANAM

UMASUTAM SHOKVINASHKARAKAM NAMAMI VIGHNESHWAR PADPANKAJAM

Om

 

Eight is a sacred number to Ganesha. His mythical life story tells us

that he has links with eight 'demonic' (16) elephant guardians. The

eight male elephants could be visualised as direction guardians, with

Shiva and Parvati guarding the upper and lower realms. Their names

are:

 

Kamasura (Love), Krodasura (anger), Lobhasura (greed), Mohasura

(delusion), Matasura (intoxication), Mamasura (ego (17)), Abhimasura

(attachment to life (18)), and Istasura (self chosen demon (19)).

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Triptika,

 

Thanks for pointing out the numbers. Mamasura,Abhimasura,Istasura are

mentioned in UpaPurana. The numbers signify that reference of these

names given in the current article are from Upa Purana.

 

The Puranas are classified into two types: Mahapurana and Upapurana,

each consisting of 18 books. The Mahapuranas include Brahma, Padma,

Visnu, Shiva or Vayu, Bhagavata, Narada, Markandeya, Agni, Bhavisya

or Bhavisyat, Brahmavaivarta, Linga, Varaha, Vaman, Kurma, Matsya,

Garuda and Brahmanda. The Upapuranas include Sanatkumarasanghita,

Narasingha, Vayu, Shivadharma, Ashcharya, Narada, Nandikeshvara,

Ushanas, Kapil, Varuna, Shamva, Kalika, Maheshvara, Kalinga, Devi,

Parashara, Maricha and Bhaskar or Surya.

 

 

Regards,

Gaurav

 

, "triptika" <triptika@h...>

wrote:

> dear Gaurav ji,

>

> i enjoyed this wonderful post of yours. kindly let me know what are

these numbers signify which you have mentioned like 17,18 & 19

> thanks

> triptika

> -

> Gaurav Sharma

>

> Friday, September 03, 2004 2:18 AM

> Eight Inner Avatars Of Ganesha

>

>

> ,

>

> Om

> GAJANANAM BHOOTGANADHISEVITAM KAPITTHYA JAMBOO PHALCHARU

BHAKSHANAM

> UMASUTAM SHOKVINASHKARAKAM NAMAMI VIGHNESHWAR PADPANKAJAM

> Om

>

> Eight is a sacred number to Ganesha. His mythical life story

tells us

> that he has links with eight 'demonic' (16) elephant guardians.

The

> eight male elephants could be visualised as direction guardians,

with

> Shiva and Parvati guarding the upper and lower realms. Their

names

> are:

>

> Kamasura (Love), Krodasura (anger), Lobhasura (greed), Mohasura

> (delusion), Matasura (intoxication), Mamasura (ego (17)),

Abhimasura

> (attachment to life (18)), and Istasura (self chosen demon (19)).

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

dear Gauravji,

 

thank you for sparing time and attending my query. ... that's the reason why

' Guru' is given so much importance..one can't decode even a simple

serialisation number.

 

with best regards ,

triptika

 

 

Gaurav Sharma

Sunday, September 05, 2004 2:50 PM

Re: Eight Inner Avatars Of Ganesha

 

 

Dear Triptika,

 

Thanks for pointing out the numbers. Mamasura,Abhimasura,Istasura are

mentioned in UpaPurana. The numbers signify that reference of these

names given in the current article are from Upa Purana.