Guest guest Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha i don't know how reliable is the material posted in wikipedia, but it forms interesting reading nevertheless. Do deities assume the form we give to them? Are they an amorphous energy that we can shape anyway we like? Bits and pieces on who is Ganesha and what he signifies are given in the above link. What fascinated me were the following pieces of information: Some commentators interpret the name "Lord of the Ganas" to mean "Lord of Hosts" or "Lord of created categories", such as the elements.[21] Another story says that Ganesha was created directly by Shiva's laughter. Because Shiva considered Ganesha too alluring, he gave him the head of an elephant and a protruding belly.[49] The Brahmanda Purana says that Ganesha has the name Lambodara because all the universes (i.e., cosmic eggs; IAST: brahmÄṇá¸as) of the past, present, and future are present in him.[ The serpent is a common feature in Ganesha iconography and appears in many forms.[61] According to the Ganesha Purana, Ganesha wrapped the serpent Vasuki around his neck.[62] Other depictions of snakes include use as a sacred thread (IAST: yajñyopavita)[63] wrapped around the stomach as a belt, held in a hand, coiled at the ankles, or as a throne. Many examples of color associations with specific meditation forms are prescribed in the Sritattvanidhi, a treatise on Hindu iconography. For example, white is associated with his representations as Heramba-Ganapati and Rina-Mochana-Ganapati (Ganapati Who Releases from Bondage).[67] Ekadanta-Ganapati is visualized as blue during meditation on that form.[68] He is popularly worshipped as a remover of obstacles, though traditionally he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked. Paul Courtright says that "his task in the divine scheme of things, his dharma, is to place and remove obstacles. It is his particular territory, the reason for his creation."[83] The concept of buddhi is closely associated with the personality of Ganesha, especially in the Puranic period, when many stories stress his cleverness and love of intelligence. One of Ganesha's names in the Ganesha Purana and the Ganesha Sahasranama is Buddhipriya.[ Ganesha is identified with the Hindu mantra Aum (à¥, also called Om). The term oṃkarasvarupa (Aum is his form), when identified with Ganesha, refers to the notion that he personifies the primal sound.[92] The Ganapati Atharvashirsa attests to this association. Chinmayananda translates the relevant passage as follows: (O Lord Ganapati!) You are (the Trinity) 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).[93] Ganesha (Devanagari) Aum jewel Some devotees see similarities between the shape of Ganesha's body in iconography and the shape of Aum in the Devanagari and Tamil scripts.[94] According to Kundalini yoga, Ganesha resides in the first chakra, called Muladhara (muladhara). Mula means "original, main"; adhara means "base, foundation". The muladhara chakra is the principle on which the manifestation or outward expansion of primordial Divine Force rests.[95] Given such an array of choices, isn't it entirely upon us what we meditate upon during homam??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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