Dhoti-clad Ekdanta Ganesha, Standing -

The Ekadanta form of Lord Ganesha is one of his earliest eight forms that texts perceive as prevailing over eight weaknesses inherent in man. Lord Ganesha in his Ekadanta manifestation commands ‘moda’ – arrogance, the man’s inclination to disrespect others, a kind of non-acceptance of the world, and hence a disharmonious living. By vanquishing this inherent weakness Ekadanta Ganapati makes the life harmonious.

As prescribed for his form as Ekadanta, Lord Ganesha is one-tusked and four-armed. He is carrying in his normal right hand his broken tusk, an essential attribute of his Ekadanta form, while in other three, a goad, noose and ‘modaka’ or ‘laddu’. It is said that he had written with it the great epic Mahabharata when its author sage Vyasa could not find a scribe to do it. As the tradition has it, he worshipped Lord Ganesha and prayed him to scribe the great epic when he dictated it. Hence, Ekadanta Ganapati is worshipped also as the patron of literature, and not only that in all academic events his worship precedes the worship of Saraswati, the goddess of learning, but an ivory pen, symbolic of his broken tusk with which he had scribed the great epic, is revered as the highest tool of learning.

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