Lord Ganesha (Portfolio)

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'Gananama twa Ganpati' (Yajurveda, 23/19), that is, the lord of 'ganas' is Ganapati. Ganapati, or Ganesha, also called Vijayaka and Vighnesha, the lord of 'vighnas', is worshipped as one who subdues detrimental forces. Brahma Vaivarta Purana has delineated him not only as 'Parmeeswara', the ultimate, but also as 'vigha nighna karam', the one who eliminates obstacles. Lord Vishnu, 'sarvagre tawa pooja… sarva poojyashcha yogindro bhawa', (Brahma Vaivarta Purana, 13/2), you are the first I have worshipped, conqueror of passions, you would, hence, be worshipped by all. 'Ado poojya Vinayaka' or worship Vinayaka before a thing is done, is not merely what Lord Vishnu has said, but also what shrutis, Smratis, Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas have prescribed, as nothing succeeds, if the forces that impede it are not contained - something that none else but Ganpati alone is capable of doing.

The elephant headed god of wisdom, auspiciousness and success 'Parmeeswara' Ganesha has associated with him numerous accounts of his birth. It is, however, invariably agreed in all of them that he was created by Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva and adopted as their son by both, Shiva and Parvati. According to an episode in Matsya Purana Shiva was away from home for meditation. Parvati left alone needed someone to share her loneliness, someone her own. One day while cleansing her body she created the image of child from the dirt she hab rubbed off. This image imbided with life became a child whom Parvati adopted as her son later named Ganesha. The accounts vary as to how the image of the child so created got life. According to one, Parvati created the image when she was on the bank of Ganga for bathing. She threw the image into Ganga unmindful of any definite consequences of it, but, to her surprise, Ganga sent back a huge living human form, a child of most unusual size. Both Parvati and Ganga claimed him as their child, but it was the child himself who decided the issue. He reduced his size to normal and acknowledging Parvati as his mother walked over to her. In another variation, Parvati sprinkled Ganga water upon the image for bringing it to life and her desire was fulfilled. Different from such accounts is the story that after the image was created, Parvati prayed to Brahma, the Creator of the universe, to enliven it into a living child which Brahma did. In yet another variation, when lonely Parvati prayed to Lord Vishnu for giving her a child who shared her solitude, Lord Vishnu granted her prayer.

This portfolio consists of six full-color prints ready to be framed each with an accompanying description.