Part I
- Creation
- A Mythological Puzzle
- Ganesha is a mythological puzzle
- Not made solvable because "wisdom must never be given"
- We therefore are enriched by him every time
- The Idea of Ganesha
- Shiva=Hermit=Person who does not want to interact with world
- Shakti=Householder=Person who wants to interact with world
- Shiva+Shakti=Hermit+Householder=Ganesha
- From Vinayaka to Ganesha
- Vinayaka=Vina(Without)+Nayaka(Man)
- Shakti made Ganesha from her own body oils
- Shiva destroyed Vinayaka's head
- Put elephant head on his body and brought him back to life
- Declared him Ganapati(aka Ganesha)=Leader to his followers who are known as the Gans
- Shiva to Shankara
- Shiva has two forms
- Shiva
- Form where his eyes are shut
- All heat contained in body
- World around him dark and cold
- Destruction
- Shakti convinces him to open his eyes
- Opened his eyes and laughed and supposedly created Ganesha from his laughter
- Looked to much like Shiva so he transformed his head into an elephants head to distinguish them
- Elephant head=Material splendor
- Shankara
- Form where his eyes are open
- Kali to Gauri
- Shakti has two forms
- Kali
- Wild and ferocious
- Blood thirsty
- Takes form when Shiva shuts his eyes
- Dances on his body hoping to wake him up
- Gauri
- Gentle and demure
- Domesticated and full of love
- Takes form when Shiva opens his eyes
- Takes care of Shiva lovingly
- Takes care of Ganesha
- Shiva tied knots in a cloth to make elephant-headed doll to pacify Kali
- She placed against her breast and endowed it with life
- The Northern Direction
- Marked by Pole Star
- Stillness
- Stability
- Wisdom
- Auspicious
- Gajantaka
- Elephants=Deception
- Shiva killed elephant demon named Gajasura
- Put head on Ganesha body to bring him back to life
- Airvata
- Vehicle to Indra
- Said to be elephant whose head was used to revive Ganesha
- White elephant
- Ganesha sometimes shown with white head
- The Second Mother
- Shiva's other wife cut off Ganesha head out of jealousy
- Shiva restored head with that of an elephants
Part II
- Family
- Durga
- Mother of Ganesha
- Fends for herself because Shiva does not contribute to the family
- All children help out
- Marriage
- Single usually
- If he is he has two wives
- Riddhi and Siddhi (or Buddhi)
- Riddhi, Siddhi, Buddhi
- Brahma created two daughters and gave them to Ganesha in marriage
- Riddhi and Siddhi (aka Buddhi)
- Riddhi=Material gowth and wisdom
- Siddhi (aka Buddhi)=Intellectual growth and wisdom
- Represent the prosperity and wisdom that enter our lives when Ganesha does
- Lakshmi
- Either sister or mother of Ganesha
- Lakshmi and Ganesha essential part of worship in business establishments
- Lakshmi=bounty of the previous year
- Ganesha=bounty of coming year
- Saraswati
- Either mother or wife of Ganesha
- Knowledge and learning
- Education impossible without Ganesha
- Lakshmi and Saraswati
- Lakshmi=Prosperity
- Saraswati=Wisdom
- Peace and Prosperity rarely co-exist
- They don't get along
- Ganesha brings them together
- Kola Bau
- No one wants to marry Ganesha
- Mother gives him banana plant wrapped in sari
- Often present at Ganesha rituals
- Shubba and Labha
- Children of Ganesha
- Shubha=Prosperity
- Labha=Profit
- Santoshi
- Worshipped by housewives over domestic problems
- Daughter of Ganesha
- Vinayaki
- Female version of Ganesha
Vinayaki the female version of Ganesha
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