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"Vinayaka" redirects here. For other uses, see Vinayaka (disambiguation).

"Ganapati" redirects here. For Hindu Vedic Deity and God of planet Jupiter, see Brihaspati.

For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation).

 

 

Ganesha (Gaṇe´sa)

 

 

 

Basohli miniature, circa 1730. National Museum, New Delhi, India.[1]

 

 

Devanagari

गणेश

 

 

Affiliation

Deva

 

 

Mantra

ॠगणेशाय नमः

(Oṃ Gaṇe´saya Namaḥ)

 

 

Weapon

Para´su (Axe),[2]

Pa´sa (Lasso),[3]

Aá¹…ku´sa (Hook)[4]

 

 

Consort

Buddhi (wisdom),

Riddhi (prosperity),

Siddhi (attainment)

 

 

Mount

Mouse/Rat

 

 

Ganesha (Sanskrit: गणेश; IAST: Gaṇe´sa; listen (help·info)), also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most widely worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon.[5] His image is found throughout India and Nepal.[6] Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations.[7] Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India.[8]

Although he is known by many other attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify.[9] Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles[10] and more generally as Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles (Vighnesha, Vighneshvara),[11] patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom.[12] He is honoured at the beginning of rituals and ceremonies and invoked as Patron of Letters during writing sessions.[13] Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography.

Ganesha emerged a distinct deity in clearly recognizable form in the 4th and 5th centuries CE, during the Gupta Period, although he inherited traits from Vedic and pre-Vedic precursors.[14] His popularity rose quickly, and he was formally included among the five primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu denomination) in the 9th century. A sect of devotees called the Ganapatya, (Sanskrit: गाणपतà¥à¤¯; gÄṇapatya), who identified Ganesha as the supreme deity, arose during this period.[15] The principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh