Ganesha

This is a Hindu themed design I created based on Ganesha, (or "lord of the hosts," also spelled as Ganesa and Ganesh, often also referred to as Ganapati). Ganesh is one of the most well-known and venerated representations of God (Brahman). Ganesh is the Hindu lord that is considered the master of intellect and wisdom. Ganesha is a much beloved and frequently invoked divinity, since he is the "Lord of Good Fortune" who provides prosperity and fortune and also the "Destroyer of Obstacles" of a material or spiritual order. There are many classical ways to depict Ganesh. The Ganesha graphic on this page, sometimes referred to as "Siddhi Ganapati" or "the Accomplished," is the epitome of achievement and self-mastery. He is holding a lotus and prayer beads, an axe, and a bowl of modaks (modaks means "That which gives (or brings) happiness") his favorite sweet. I suggest using this brown colored text as shown. Above you see a title graphic with Ganesha, and a garland for you to insert a web page title on. If you don't have a graphic program capable of doing that, e-mail me and I will do it for you as time allows. Below you will find a floral graphic divider and bullet designed for this page. The Hindu text buttons are designed for this page and are linked for this site so that you can navigate through it.

Ganesh Chaturthi is the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha. The festival celebrating Lord Ganesha's birth is called Ganeshotsav. This typically comes sometime between 20th of August and 15th of September. The festival lasts for 10 days. There are about 91 different figures of Ganesha according to research done by several scholars. The details of their make up vary from figure to figure, but the main form stays the same. In every Hindu function, invocation to Lord Ganesha for His blessings takes precedence over all other gods to ward off any mishap. Every part of Ganesha's body, such as ear, nose, eyes, trunk, has some significance. Ganesha's yantra consists of a square, inside which is an eight petalled lotus, inside this is a hexagon and in the centre an upward facing triangle Ganesha is the first sound, OM, in which all hymns were born. He represents the perfect equilibrium between force and kindness and between power and beauty. He also symbolizes the discriminative capacities which provide the ability to perceive distinctions between truth and illusion, the real and the unreal.

Ganesha's Magickal Weapons Introduction to Puja A central part of Tantric Sadhana (magickal practice) is Puja, sometimes misleadingly translated as worship. The word "worship" brings to mind images of grovelling and servitude, concepts which are anathema to those seeking mastery over themselves. Puja is the process of meditating on the nature of the deity, in order to form an imaginative link between oneself and the deity. Because the process is imaginary, this doean't mean that it is not real. Most of our capacity to act in new ways begins with acts of imagination. A new job, having sex with someone, moving house, standing up to a bully - our ability to make all these transitions begins with imagining what they might be like. By imagining something, one creates the possibility within one's mind. This is necessary before the reality can be born. To give birth to a god requires a considerable act of imagination. It's too big a job for most of us to pull off on a first attempt. Knowing this, the ancient sages have passed down to us the technique of Puja, whereby one can build up the image of the deity bit by bit. Each bit is a symbol or set of symbols which describe the deity in a particular way. Every symbol begins at a different point within the mind, and grows larger the more you meditate on it. Eventually the symbols start to link up with each other, describing the same aspect of the deity in different ways. When this begins to happen, the process unconsciously continues 24 hours a day (perhaps more) until the image of the deity becomes coherent (although it may still be impossible to call that deity into consciousness). Once such an image has been formed, it becomes inhabited by the god or goddess in question, and one can work magick with the her or him. Puja is therefore a very useful mystical and magickal practice which opens the door to a multitude of fascinating new experiences.

The Three Representations of a Deity There are three main symbolic representations of a deity in tantric Puja; the mantra, the mandala and the rupa. The mantra is a series of syllables which represent the deity. Sound has a special significance in all branches of the Hindu tradition because the first holy "books" preceeded writing. Complex patterns of rhyme and meter were used to allow the hymns and magick spells to be memorised exactly and checked for internal consistancy, which allowed magickal knowledge to be passed down from one generation to another before writing was discovered. This meant that a highly evolved magickal system became possible many thousands of years earlier than in those cultures dependant on writing. Sound was therefore a central (if not the central) motif of this magickal culture, and magickal and linguistic words and concepts are often synonymous. The grammatical form (Sanskrit or "balanced form") and character set (the Devanagri or "godsnake") were developed later on (check Manthra reference with Mog's medical texts). As each word and therefore the whole of language is composed of a finite number of syllables in different combinations, so the whole world is comprised of a finite number of root powers. In Tantrism, the sacred syllables are identified with these root powers. Each deity has a bija mantra (or seed)

specifically associated with her or him. This is a single syllable thought to contain the essence of that deity. Ganesha's seed mantra is Gam, and verses 7 - 9 of the Ganesha Upanishad comprise a simple meditation upon it. A basic meditation on a bija mantra can be performed by intoning it whilst meditationg on the Devanagri character which denotes it. A surprisingly large amount may be learned just from noticing the other shapes evoked by the letter and the sensations in the breath and body caused by the process of intonation (especially if one has a basic grounding in hatha yoga or pranayama) . However, an intimate knowledge is difficult unless one has a basic knowledge of of the Sanskrit language. This much can be gauged from the fact that even a high adept and skilled Sanskritist such as Lokanath (who translated the version of the Ganapati Upanishad given here) was unable to render the verses on the mantra more obviously into English. Mandalas and yantras are geometric symbols. What the difference between the two is depends on the different branch of initiation (or Sampradaya) one belongs to. Again, a large amount may be gained from merely meditating in the symbol, and seeing what pops into your mind. All ideas are valid. Success can be gauged by the coherence of the different ideas with each other and whatever else is known about the deity. All lines of thought are useful, even those which lead to a dead end. Again, though, a certain amount of specialist knowledge is useful, particularly that which can be gained from a Guru (or qualified person). Whereas the information gained from texts (particularly those translated into English) is often partial, over-complex and internally inconsistant, a Guru will have worked the material her or himself, and inwardly digested it. A good analogy is with a vehicle maintenance manual translated by a mechanic rather than a linguist. The latter may have a greater skill with word, but the former will actually have performed the procedures. The final symbol is the rupa, or form of the deity. Most people think primarily in terms of the sense of vision (e.g. "I see what you mean"), and the first thing most people will do when someone is describing something to them is imagine a visual picture of it. Thinking of a deity as a syllable or geometric pattern is difficult, especially if one is not acquanited with the idea of symbolic representation. A painting or statue, on the other hand, can be immediately grasped even by the most uneducated mind. Scholars and adepts disagree amongst themselves and with each other on the origins of tantra. The word "tantric" has only recently gained its current usage as a generic term for initiates who practice the variety of magick laid out in the tantras (magickal texts). In fact, there are very many different Sampradayas (lines of initiation, or cults) all of which have their own individual history, and base different Sadhanas (magickal practices) on different interpretations of the tantras. This helps to account for the fact that some authorities claim that tantrism had its roots in the peasantry, whilst some of the tantras themselves show a very high degree of academic learning and knowledge which would have been unattainable by the lower classes of Indian society. If the mandala and mantra have their origins amongst these scholarly sects, then the image of the deity is the counterpart amongst the householders, nomads and peasants. It is useful to remember that tantrism was not peculiar to Hindu culture or even the Indian sub-continent, and spread accross China as far as Japan, Korea and Indonesia/Malaysia. I myself have a Vietnamese antique statue of Ganesha with very similar iconography to that current in India. The imagery used is deliberately intended to transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries, and succeeds very well in doing so. Meditating on the rupa is essentially no different to meditating on the mantra or mandala. One allows thoughts to spontaneously enter the mind, without censoring, and follows each imaginative wandering to its conclusion. Even superficially stupid associations can unveil a previously hidden aspect to the deity if they are not stamped out too soon. As with mantra and mandala, there are also more complex yogic practices which can be peformed, but these are beyond the scope of this essay, article or whatever you computer-literate types call it. Verses 10-14 of the Ganesha Upanishad give a rupa or form of Ganesh which is widely used by members of the Natha Ganas (or independent tribes of tantric adepts). This form is commonly found in paintings and statues which may be placed on an altar if one wishes to perform puja outwardly. However, having an external image is not necessary, and mental puja can be carried out anywhere at any time. Like the yantra and Devanagri characters, the rupa has specific visual components which have specific meanings. The yantra has its squares, circles, triangles and Bindu (or point), the Devanagri characters have shapes with particular mystical and phonemic (sound) associations, and the rupa has magickal weapons and a vehicle or banner (a mouse in the case of Ganesha). These are not meant to be complete lists of the symbolic components every part of the mantra, mandala or rupa has meaning. Scholars often argue about which are the most ancient, genuine or meaningful interpretations of these components, and a brief survey of the literature will usually provide a sufficient number to keep one busy (or confused!) for a lifetime. A tantric adept, on the other hand, is unlikely to offer any one interpretation, realizing the importance of the symbolism rising from the experience of the individual

performing the puja. Without this individual link, there is no union between the self and the deity, and the experience remains purely intellectual. The following description of Ganesh's magickal weaponary is therefore deliberately partial. It's purpose is to allow the practitioner to gain a foothold in the imaginative territory to be explored, not to report back the results of my own exploration. The reason for the disparity between interpretations offered in the literature is the same difference between the different sects or schools of initiation I mentioned above. My own tradition is the Adinatha Sampradaya, and my interpretation of the symbolism reflects this. Impartiality is not my objective, nor objectivity my partiality.

The Weapons There are four magick weapons in the four hands of Ganesha. As with all numbers, there are connections and correspondances which can be made between all sets of 4 (eg. the 4 Vedas, the 4 mobile elements (spirit, the fifth, is represented by the immobile head), the 4 sacred meters, the four kinds of being etc.). The four weapons carried by Ganesha can be broken down into two pairs.

The Noose and Goad

These two images are frequently found together in the rupas of many devas (gods) and devis (goddesses). In the Adinath tradition, it is said that all three Shaktis (will, knowledge and action) must be present for initiation to occur. The last of these is often omitted by philosophers and those tantric sects who do not practice magick, prefering to discuss it instead. The goad is an elephant goad, used to produce movement from inertia. Like the Self, the elephant seems too large to control, but the goad makes this movement possible. Obviously, the elephant goad has specific associations with the symbolism of the elephant. The word Natha means "master", and the initiate of the Adinath tradition aims to be an adept or master of her or himself. The following extract from the Buddhist Dharmapada (or path of right action) illustrates the way the elephant is often used as a motif for the power of the adept. "They [warriors] take trained elephants to battle, kings ride on royal trained elephants. The best of men are selftrained ...... In days gone by this mind of mine would stray wherever selfish desire or lust or pleasure would lead it. Today this mind does not stray and is under the harmony of control, even as a wild elephant is controlled by the trainer." Verses 320-6 (Juan mascaro's tranlsation for the Penguin Classics series) The god Indra (after whom India is named) has as his vehicle the king elephant Airavata, who represents ultimate force. Indra's goad is therefore a symbol of his mastery of the universe. Ganesh combines the form of human and elephant - he is his own power. The goad can represent his ability to direct that power. This is reminiscent of the magickal tradition of thelema (way of will), a Greek term coined by Aleister Crowley from his motto "Do what thou wilt". Many philosophies draw a distrinction between power (the elephant) and the purpose for which it is used (decided by the rider). Before thelema, European ceremonial magicians believed magickal power was bestowed from outside. Thelema says that magickal power stems from the divine spark (or True Will) within the self, and that self-knowledge is therefore part of the process of gaining magickal power. Ganesh's elephant head, human body and goad show that he exists at the point of spontaneity (Sahaja), where Will and action coincide. The Sanskrit word Gaja (meaning elephant) is comprised of the syllables Ga (meaning goal) and Ja (the origin), which can be interpreted in the same way.

The noose is thought by right-hand path tantrics (those who interpret references to sexual intercourse and intoxication in the tantras as symbolic and not actual) to be to catch desire, lust etc. (as in the previous quotation from the Dharmapada). We Naths have no wish to reject these experiences any more than any other aspect of physical existance. Rather than avoiding anything which disrupts the stillness of the mind, Nath adepts find a point of awareness within the self from which to observe the inner processes (open our third eyes), even when subjected the greatest degree of intoxication, lust or fear. It is this inner awareness that allows us to discriminate between the real and the unreal. Ganesha's noose, then is to trap illusion. The process of using the physical world as a matrix for learning enables nathas to evolve more quickly than those of our fellow beings who take a more cautious approach. Our Sadhana (magickal practices) are known amongst the Tibetan sects as vajrayana (the lightning path) for this reason. Naths tend to be more pragmatic about reincarnation than our collegues on the right, seeing each lifetime as another wasted opportunity. The noose can symbolise execution, the message in that case being quite obvious: get on with it, because you'll be dead very soon.

Vara and Abhaya Mudra

and These are respectively the mudras (or hand-gestures) denoting the granting of boons and the dispelling of fear. In Hindu mythology there are three types of cosmic or supernatural being who have identical magickal powers, who may interbreed without breaking the strict caste rules (all being regarded as Brahmins) and who frequently war with one another. These are the gods, demons and sages. Historically they may have been different competing pantheons of deities, and there is some historical evidence that Ganesh began as a demon (Vighna-asura, or Lord of Obstacles) before becoming incorporated into the Hindu pantheon as Vighneshvara (the remover of obstacles). On a magickal level, the difference between gods and demons is not in the degree of their power but in their attitude to humanity (sages are human or semi-human). The sign of dispelling fear (the open-handed gesture showing no weapons ritualized as the salute by armies throughout the world) shows that the entity is not hostile, and the gesture of giving or granting boons shows the promise of gifts. The Ganapti of the Ganesha Upanishad is a monad, a single deity alone and beyond time. Fear is a product of attatchment to the world, so transcending the physical (moksha, or liberation) moves one beyond fear. This is why the Ganesha Upanishad quotes the Arthava Veda, "The one who moves towards knowledge of the timeless is never afraid." The sign of dispelling fear, like the noose and goad, shows that Ganesh is a god of magick, who moves the adept towards knowledge of that which is beyond time and space. The vara mudra shows that Ganesha may grant boons to the human being. Traditionally, the role of granting boons is the prerogative of Prajapati, the all-father or creator-god, who is identified with Brahma, Vishnu and Siva in different myths (as well as Ganesha his Upanishad). Boons are usually granted to those who show their devotion by performing great feats of yoga. Of course, this idea that the gods rewards good deeds was implanted by ruling dynasties as a way of controlling the population. In reality, it is the yogic practices themselves which lead to Siddhi, or magickal power. Ganesha is a yogi-god, frequently depicted in yoga postures (or asana) and described as "always situated in the muladhara", the lotus at the base of the spine where the kundalini shakti resides.

Ganesha's boons, then, hint at the quality of rupas which is not shared by mandalas or mantras. Once having formed a coherent visual image of the deity and gained a good understanding of his symbolism, one may enter into conversation with him, asking him questions relating to the practice of yoga or magick. This may be done in the form of mental puja (where the deity is visualized and the vizualization takes on a spontaneous life of its own), by invocation (where an adept takes on the form of the god and is asked questions by another) or in the lucid dream state. Whatever the approach, the boon (or ability) is usually granted by the deity only as a result of much hard work and practice. Good luck.