गणेश
Ganesha
Vighnaharta · Lord of Beginnings
“Remover of obstacles, honoured first before every undertaking.”
Ganesha (Ganapati) is the beloved elephant-headed god of wisdom, learning, and new beginnings. He is the Vighnaharta (remover of obstacles) and is worshipped first before any other deity in any ceremony or new venture.
- Vahana
- Mushaka (mouse)
- Consort
- Riddhi and Siddhi
- Abode
- Kailasa
- Tradition
- Pan-Hindu
Devi's Insight · What few people know
The scribe who never paused
When Vyasa needed a scribe for the Mahabharata, Ganesha agreed on one condition: Vyasa must never stop dictating. Vyasa countered that Ganesha must understand every verse before writing it. Whenever Vyasa needed time, he composed a deliberately difficult verse, and Ganesha paused to ponder it. Tradition says this is why some verses of the epic are so knotted.
Source: Mahabharata, Adi Parva (found in many recensions; placed in an appendix of the Critical Edition)
Iconography
Reading the sacred form
- 1
Elephant head: wisdom, strength, and the ability to remove obstacles.
- 2
Large ears: listen more.
- 3
Small mouth: talk less.
- 4
Small eyes: concentrate.
- 5
Trunk: adaptability and efficiency.
- 6
Broken tusk: sacrifice for knowledge (he broke it to write the Mahabharata).
- 7
Large belly: ability to digest all of life's experiences.
- 8
Mouse (Mushika) as vehicle: humility despite greatness, and the ability to reach everywhere.
- 9
Modak in hand: sweetness of the realized self.
- 10
Holds: noose (pasha), goad (ankusha), modak, and one hand in blessing (abhaya mudra).
From the scriptures
Did you know?
“Gananam tva Ganapatim havamahe” comes from the Rig Veda, originally addressed to Brahmanaspati and later chanted for Ganesha.
— Rig Veda 2.23.1
Two whole Puranas, the Ganesha Purana and the Mudgala Purana, are devoted to him.
— Upapurana literature
His elephant head came after Shiva, not recognising him, struck off his original head.
— Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita
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