Who is ganpati

Ganesha has four arms which symbolize his status as the universal ruler and establish his power over the four categories of beings — those who can live only in water, those who can live in water and on earth, those who can live only on earth and those who can fly in air.

Significance of four : It was god Ganesh who instituted the four castes and the four Vedas. He causes the four principles of the elements to move and is therefore four armed. In one hand, he holds a shell, in another a discus, in the third a club or a sweet and in the fourth a lotus.

Significance of the Ganesh Form. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om , the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesh holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way.

The broken tusk that Ganesh holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo sweet he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms.

And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse. The Vehicle of Ganesh. What is the inner significance of the mouse? The mouse has a keen sense of smell. The mouse is a symbol of the attachment to worldly tendencies vaasanas. It is well known that if you want to catch a mouse, you place a strong-smelling edible inside the mouse-trap.

The mouse also symbolizes the darkness of night. The mouse can see well in the dark. The Vinayaka-principle, thus, means that which removes all the bad qualities, practices and thoughts in men and inculcates good qualities, good conduct and good thoughts. Marketing by Vision Advertising. Not only was he wise enough to understand the position his parents held in the universe, but he also demonstrated an important lesson taught throughout Hinduism: that a person should give deep reverence and honor to his or her parents, for without parents, nobody can be created.

When Vyasadeva was first inspired to author the Indian epic The Mahabharata, he asked Ganesha, who is famous for having a sharp memory and subtle intellect, to be his scribe. Ganesha agreed but did so under one condition: that Vyasadeva dictate the entire account without stopping even once.

Vyasadeva consented, but not before posing his own condition: that Ganesha could write down a stanza only after fully comprehending its essence. Ganesha accepted and proceeded to break off his own tusk to use as a pen.

Thus, whenever Vyasadeva wanted a break from narrating, he would give a particularly complex clause that would require Ganesha to pause in order to fully understand its meaning. His large elephant head is also an embodiment of wisdom and understanding. His round belly can be seen as the cosmos, while the snake around his waist is the energy that holds the cosmos together.

The mouse he rides is like the wandering mind that can be controlled under the weight of knowledge. He has four hands — one with an axe to cut off attachments, one with a rope to pull a person towards the highest goal, one with a sweet to reward those who live a life of spiritual discipline, and one held with the palm out to give blessings and protect those on the path of spirituality.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hindu American Foundation is a c 3 nonprofit organization. Website by Mittun. Search This Website. The Meaning of Ganesh. The Essence of Lord Ganesha. Though Ganesha is worshiped as the elephant-headed God , the form swaroop is just to bring out the formless parabrahma roopa. He is, 'Ajam Nirvikalpam Niraakaaramekam.

Ganesha is the same energy which is the reason for this universe. It is the energy from which everything manifests and into which everything will dissolve. The Story of Lord Ganesha's Birth. Facts to ponder upon in Lord Ganesha's story.

Why should Parvati have dirt on her body? Parvati is symbolic of festive energy. Her becoming dirty signifies that celebration can easily become Rajasik or feverish, and can take you away from your center. Was Shiva, the epitome of peace, so short-tempered that he cut off the head of his own son?

And why an elephant head on Ganesha? When Ganesha obstructs the path of Shiva, this means that ignorance, which is an attribute of the head, does not recognize knowledge. Then knowledge has to overcome ignorance.

This is the symbolism behind Shiva chopping off the boy's head. Why Lord Ganesha have an Elephant head? Elephant represents both gyan shakti and karma shakti. The principle qualities of the elephant are wisdom and effortlessness.

The enormous head of the elephant signifies wisdom and knowledge. Elephants don't walk around obstacles, neither are they stopped by them.