ganesha

acrylic on canvas - 16 x 20

AUM
GAJANANAM BHOOTGANADHISEVITAM
KAPITTHYA JAMBOO PHALCHARU BHAKSHANAM
UMASUTAM SHOKVINASHKARAKAM
NAMAMI VIGHNESHWAR PADPANKAJAM
AUM


Parvati, wife of Siva, was bathing, when, from the soil from her body she created a son.
She told her new son to stand guard over her bath.
Siva came to see Parvati, and was extremely offended to find a stranger denying him access to his wife,
so he swiftly cut off the child's head.
Parvati was stricken with grief when she found her new child beheaded. Siva, so moved by Parvati's grief, sent his Ganas out to find a head for the child. The first living being they happened upon was a sleeping elephant, so they brought back it's head and Siva attached it to the boy and brought him back to life. To amend his rudeness to the child, he made him the leader of the Ganas (thus, one of his names is Ganapati, leader of the Ganas, Siva's army). Ganesha/Ganapati is the Lord of Wisdom, Knowledge, Education and Learning, patron of the arts and music, Remover of Obstacles and Guarantor of Success. He is invoked in all Hindu worship, first, before other deities. He is especially invoked at the initation of any business enterprise.
In his top-right hand he carries a prod or goad to press his followers to persevere. His broken tusk (held in the lower right hand) symbolized sacrifice. His bottom left hand is open, signifying his promise to help all petitioners to succeed, and the orange he offers thereon symbolizes the fruits of perseverance and sacrifice. In his top-left hand he holds a lotus, to remind us to enjoy beauty and smell the flowers. The snake he wears for a belt symbolizes eternal energy in all it's forms.