Template:Ganesha

Ganesha – (Dewa) – Mahabharata

A nice story is about the reason for the elephant's head on the male body of Ganesha.

After his marriage to Parvati, Shiva went to the sacred mountain Kailash to meditate. He became so engrossed in his meditation that years passed. Parvati decided to revive Ganesha and ask him to protect her. She told Ganesha to guard the gate as her husband Shiva was away from home. Little Ganesha was not allowed to let any stranger enter. “If you have to, you use force,” she had told him.

Returning home, Shiva found a young man at the door who would not let anyone in because his mother was taking a bath inside. Shiva did not realize that he was now the father of a son and Ganesha, who had never seen his father, naturally did not recognize him. Shiva did not accept that a boy would not let him into his own house and a fight ensued in which Shiva beheaded his son. Only when a hysterical Parvati made it clear to him that it was his own child did Shiva regain his senses.

With the boy's body and head he went to Brahma, the god of creation. A first attempt to revive the boy by placing the head back on the body failed. Worse still, the head rolled away and became untraceable. A compromise was sought and found. Shiva had to kill the first living creature he saw and he was able to place the head of this creature on the body of his son, after which Brahma would stitch it up. The baby elephant that Shiva then encountered died and Ganesha continued through life with an elephant's head. Shiva consoled Parvati with the promise that their son Ganesha would become the most revered god. As God of good fortune, he is the first to be honored at all Hindu festivals!

Many Hindus pray to Ganesha when starting something new, such as a new job, starting a business or when moving. The god could remove obstacles and help you overcome them. Ganesha is also said to protect you when you travel. You often see the elephant god at the entrance of houses, along the side of the road and at T-junctions.

Ganesha - Vehicle
The vehicle of this Indian elephant god is a mouse or rat, called Mashika. It may look comical, but it still stands for something. According to some, the mouse or rat he rides is the symbol of the gnawing ego. If you look at it this way, it means something like letting common sense rule over the ego.

Ganesha - Dancing
Dancing is an important activity spiritually. In Hindu culture it represents the perpetual cycle of creation and destruction. According to legend, Ganesha regularly entertained his parents by playing an instrument or dancing. For this reason you sometimes see a statue of the elephant god swinging by!

Ganesha - Big Belly
Ganesha is often depicted with a big belly. The symbolism behind this is that the big bare belly represents the cosmos, all seven kingdoms above, below and the seven oceans. When a snake wraps itself around this, it holds together the cosmic energy in Ganesh's belly. Other stories say that his big belly represents generosity and acceptance.

Ganesha - Symbols
Besides this big belly, there is more to say about the symbolism of Ganesha. It can appear with different symbols:

Ohm sign
The Ohm sign is located between his eyes and above his trunk. This is the sound from which the universe was created. It is often used during meditations and is said to let you experience how powerful the cosmos is.

Raised hand
Ganesha's raised hand shows protection. Here he says something like: “Don't be afraid, I am with you.” This blessing pose shows that the wise god always blesses his devotees.

Palm up
His lower left hand is usually open with the palm up. This points to the endless giving and would be an invitation to bow to the knowledge that everything will one day return to where it came from.

Broken tusk
The broken tusk is the message that we should keep all the good in us and distance ourselves from the bad. It also represents wisdom and emotion, with the broken left tusk meaning that you should let wisdom rule over emotions.

Aks or axe
Ganesh often holds an ax or ax in his upper right hand. This is the weapon used to loosen all bonds. You could compare this a bit with Archangel Michael, who cuts negative ties with his sword.

Lasso or rope
The god's rope or lasso symbolizes mind control.

Sweets
Ganesha loves good food and is therefore also called a real sweet tooth. Sometimes he is depicted with a bowl of sweets, usually a bowl of Laddus. This sweet snack symbolizes the sweet reward you receive for traveling the path of enlightenment while also showcasing the wealth, prosperity and spiritual knowledge that Ganesh bestows upon his devotees.

Crown
The richly decorated crown on the head symbolizes the divine. Behind this crown you see a wreath of fire (agni), which represents the cycle of destruction and rebirth.

Lotus flower
The Lotus flower grows towards the light surface from a dark and unclean swampy ground. Opening the lotus flower symbolizes cleanliness, purity, a state of enlightenment and the expansion of the soul.

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Source: radarmadiun.jawapos.com – 2024 – Ki Damar
Blog: Hadisukirno – Yogyakarta - 2012