The Ganesha Experience Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 (edited) Ganesha — the elephant-deity riding a mouse — has become one of the commonest mnemonics for anything associated with Hinduism. This not only suggests the importance of Ganesha, but also shows how popular and pervasive this deity is in the minds of the masses. The Lord of Success The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja. Ganesha is a word derived from the Sanskrit roots gana, meaning "the hosts, multitudes or troops of demigods, especially the retinue of Lord Shiva, under the rule of Ganesha" and isha, meaning "ruler, lord or sovereign". This is virtually synonymous with the word Ganapati. Ganesha symbolized the unity of the primeval forest denizen with man, the majesty of the elephant combining the physical energy of the Homo sapiens, embodying the qualities like royalty, benignity, prudence and compassion. The worshipper of Ganesha adores not the figure but the qualities symbolized by the elephant's head. The Lord of Success is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. He is the personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. "All Hindus worship Ganesha regardless of their sectarian belief," says D N Singh in A Study of Hinduism. "He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground for all Hindus." The devotees of Ganesha are known as 'Ganapatyas', and the festival to celebrate and glorify him is called Ganesh Chaturthi. You can also find the article about The Lord of Success here > http://theganeshaexperience.com/ganesha-the-god-of-success Edited June 19, 2013 by The Ganesha Experience 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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