Hindu Gods & Goddesses

by Stephen Knapp

  In describing Srimati Radharani, it is also said in the Vidagdha-madhava (1.32) by Rupa Gosvami, "The beauty of Srimati Radharani's eyes forcibly devours the beauty of newly grown blue lotus flowers, and the beauty of Her face surpasses that of an entire forest of fully blossomed lotuses. Her bodily luster seems to place even gold in a painful situation. Thus, the wonderful, unprecedented beauty of Srimati Radharani is awakening Vrindavana."

  "Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night, in the daytime it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime, at night it closes. But, O My friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is always bright and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her face be compared?" (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20)

  "When Srimati Radharani smiles, waves of joy overtake Her cheeks, and Her arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid. Her glance is so enchanting that it is like a dancing bumblebee, moving unsteadily due to intoxication. That bee has bitten the whorl of My heart." (Vidagdha-madhava 2.51)

  Many of the great spiritual preceptors in the Vaishnava line have written books to explain and glorify the divine love between Radha and Krishna. Some of them are Jayadeva, Bilvamangala, Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, Krishnadasa Kaviraja, Raghunatha dasa, Ramananda Raya, Prabhodananda Sarasvati, Bhaktivinoda Thakur, and others.

  This devotional love for God, which is considered the highest development of spiritual awakening, has been eloquently expressed for many years in art, such as paintings, dance, poems, music, etc. Such saints who are noted for their songs on the love of Sri Krishna include Chandidas, Jayadeva, Surdas, Mirabai, Tulasidas, Tukaram, Narottama dasa Thakura, and many others.

  There is much more to be known about Srimati Radharani, but this should suffice for now. Thus, the spiritual exchange of divine love between Radha and Krishna is the display of the internal energy of the Lord, and is very confidential and difficult to understand. No materialist can begin to understand this topic of the relationship between Radharani and Lord Krishna. But the more we awaken our dormant love for God, which is a natural state of being for a fully awakened soul, then the more we can comprehend and actually enter into such spiritual loving exchanges.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Ganesh and Murugan

  Ganesh and Murugan are the sons of Lord Shiva. Ganesh is the more popular, and it seems that these days people from all around the world are aware of Ganesh as a god of good luck and the remover of obstacles. You can find images and the knowledge of Ganesh throughout Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and the South Pacific islands. However, there are many details that may not be so well known, unless you are a part of the Vedic tradition. Murugan is another son of Shiva, and most popular in South India. In this chapter we will provide an introduction to the characteristics and meaning of the symbols of these two demigods.

  GANESH

  Ganesh is also called Ganapati. This means lord of the Ganas who are the lesser demigods or attendants who control the function of the sense organs. According to Karapatri's Sri Bhagavat-tattva (p. 638), the word gana means a collection of something that can be counted or comprehended. In this way, Ganapati is also the lord or ruler of categories. He is also known as the Lord of thresholds or entrances into new dimensions. He is the remover of obstacles or obstructions. So, it is not unusual, especially in India, that as we enter a new space or house we may see an image of Ganesh above the door or nearby to give blessings to those who enter. Thus, he is also the guardian of the doorways. This is the case in many Vedic temples. As we enter the temple, we first see a deity of Ganesh to whom we pray for blessings and the removal of obstacles in our devotion or the rituals that we do inside the temple.

  Ganesh is also considered the Lord of astrology. He is said to know the language of the stars and the destinies of every living being. Thus, astrologers also petition Ganesh to pen such knowledge to them. Ganesh is also said to be the writer of the scriptures. (Mahabharata 1.1.77) He accepted the position of being Vyasadeva's scribe and wrote the Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam as it was dictated by Srila Vyasadeva, the compiler of the major portions of the Vedic texts. You can see the cave where this is said to have happened at Mana, near the holy place of Badrinatha (Badarikashrama). For this reason the ancient Brahmana texts also describe him as the god of learning.

  His other names include Ganesh (related to the word gana), Vinayaka (a name familiar in South India, meaning great leader), Vighneshvara (the remover of obstacles), Gajanana (elephant-faced), Gajadhipa (lord of elephants), and Jyeshtha-raja (King of the elders).

  Ganesh is said to have two wives, Siddhi (success) and Riddhi (prosperity). Thus, if anyone pleases Lord Ganesh with nice prayers or worship, the person also attains the company or blessings of the wives of Lord Ganesh. However, if used improperly, success and prosperity can be distractions on the path toward the goal of spiritual wisdom.

  The most prominent characteristic of Lord Ganesh is that he has the head of an elephant. How Lord Ganesh got an elephant's head is related in several places in the Vedic texts. There may be a few different versions, but the general way in which it is accepted relates as follows: Once when Lord Shiva's wife, Parvati, was going to bathe in the forest, she wanted someone to guard the area. Some references say she was going to bathe in her house. She then rubbed her skin so she was able to gather the substance from which she could form and cause the birth of a son. When he came to life, she ordered him to let no one into the area while she was bathing. However, Lord Shiva came after a long absence and wanted in, but was blocked by Ganesh. Lord Shiva did not recognize the boy as his son, nor did Ganesh realize Shiva was his father, and they began to fight. Ganesh lost the battle with his head being cut off. When Parvati entered the scene and saw what had happened, she was so upset that Shiva, after understanding the situation, devised the means to revive his son. He went to find the nearest living entity he saw, which happened to be an elephant. He took the head and attached it to his son's body, after which he was revived. Thus, Ganesh has the head of an elephant.

  Part of the meaning behind this symbolism of the man with an elephant's head is to represent the unity between the small entity, or man, and the large universe, the elephant. In the word "gaja", which means elephant, "ga" means the goal, and "ja" means the origin. In the form of Ganesh, the elephant-headed man represents the culmination of the man, the origin, on the path toward universal consciousness, the goal. Ganesh, therefore, is the representation of man who understands the foundation of the reality upon which the universe rests, as is summarized in the Vedic term, "Thou art That," tat tvam asi. (Taittiriya Aranyaka 8.1.1)

  Here is Lord Ganesh in one of his images, holding some of the items that represent his powers, as described in this chapter. This image is on the outside of one of the shrines to Ganesh near the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu temple in Trivandrum, India.

  Ganesh is also shown in particular ways with certain symbols, which is described in the Ganapati Upanishad (11-14). He is seen with one tusk and four hands, two of which hold a noose and a hook. The noose that he holds is to catch delusion, to free one from its affects. The noose also represents attachment that can lead to anger, which hurts us like the goad. The noose or rope is also used to pull his devotees nearer to the Truth and to tie them to the Highest God. The hook or goad indicates his power and helps motivate one towards the goal. Sometimes he is also shown holding an axe, which he uses to cut off the worldly attachments of His devotees, which can thus end the cause of their sorrow.

  Of the other two hands, one is positioned in the gestures for giving blessings and assuring fearlessness, and the other is often holding a rice ball. Ganesh's hand that gives blessings shows that he can grant one's desires and assures freedom from fear, and that he is beyond the influence of time and space wherein fear exists. In this way, he blesses all and offers protection from all obstacles on their spiritual path in seeking the Supreme. The rice ball he is often seen holding indicates the reward of the sadhana or spiri
tual practice for his devotees. Ganesh also has a big stomach and large ears. The fat belly of Ganesh indicates that the influence of the material manifestation is within him. His big ears represent that he accepts the truthful and positive vibrations, while throwing out the false and non-virtuous words that men may present to him. On his flag is a mouse, which is also his carrier.

  Deities of Ganesh are often covered with red vermillion. The significance of the vermillion is that it represents the reddened complexion of one who is absorbed in work, which causes the intensified circulation of blood to all parts of the body. This also produces the skin's red glow. Ganesh is also the lord of action, so he is often seen smeared with red vermillion. He is also worshiped with red flowers. Since Ganesh works wholeheartedly, he has a strong appetite and is thus offered and enjoys a steady supply of sweets and delicacies.

  As Vighneshvara, Lord Ganesh also gives us the gifts that destroy obstacles, restrictions, or hindrances. All obstacles exist in the arena of time and space. Through the access of immortality, or the realization of such, we can overcome the fear that is intrinsic in the arena of temporary time and matter. Thus, Lord Ganesh gives and takes away. He gives us what can take away the hindrances and obstacles that keep us from realizing our true potential. Because of this, Lord Ganesh is often worshiped before starting any new project, or before entering a house or building. This is why he is often placed above doorways through which people enter, or is recognized and afforded respect and worship before accepting a new position, starting a new undertaking, or before beginning a new challenge, like taking a difficult test, so we can reach its completion without hindrance.

  In worshiping Ganesh, there are several different mantras from which one can choose that help invoke the energy or mercy of Ganesh. There is also a specific graphic design called a yantra that is also a symbol for Ganesh. The swastika is another graphic design that can be used in representing Ganesh and the good fortune that he can provide. This is also why the swastika is a sign for good fortune.

  Locally, you often see Ganesh deities as either individual images or as a bas relief carved from stone or boulders. His trunk is also curved to the right and sometimes to the left. This indicates the ways to get around obstacles to reach the goal. This is an indicator of Ganesh's ability to master adversities, and is also a symbol for the Om mantra. His trunk also often holds a modaka, a type of sweet. The single tusk he has represents the one Truth, while the broken tusk indicates the imperfections of the ever-changing material world. He lost the broken tusk when Parashurama once arrived at Mount Kailash to see Lord Shiva. However, Shiva was sleeping, so Ganesh did not allow Parashurama to get in. When they started fighting, Ganesh lost one tusk. (Padma Purana)

  The broken piece of the tusk was later used as a pen to write the Mahabharata when it had been dictated by Srila Vyasadeva to Ganesh. How Ganesh wrote the Mahabharata from the dictates of Srila Vyasadeva is described as follows: Vyasadeva entered into a state of meditation after the death of the Kaurava and Pandava clans, and after the disappearance of Lord Krishna. While the great story of events between the tribes, along with the episodes of the Kuruksetra war, was still in his mind, he wanted to write the epic in the form of a great poem. He went to Brahma for advice regarding a qualified person who could accept his dictation to write the story, and Brahma mentioned Ganesh. When Vyasa thought about Ganesh, he appeared before the sage. However, Ganesh was not so receptive to the idea, so he stipulated that Vyasa dictate it in such a way that Ganesh would never have to put down his pen before it was completed. Vyasadeva countered with the requirement that Ganesh not write down anything before he completely understood the meaning of it. Ganesh was not meant to write anything he did not understand in order that he realize the depths of the meaning, and how to write it in a way that would make the meaning accessible to all humanity. This was agreed, and the Mahabharata was completed within three years. (Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapter 1, verses 74-80)

  Sometimes Ganesh is shown as Balaganapati in his child form, or Tarunaganapati as a young man. During the popular Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Ganesh is worshiped as Varasiddhi Vinayaka. At other times Ganesh is portrayed as Herambaganapati, with a third eye in between his eyebrows, along with five heads and ten arms. These show an extended view of his various powers, which are represented by what he holds in his hands, which include a lotus, pomegranate, water-pot, an axe, a lute, a sugarcane, ears of paddy, a bow and arrow, a thunderbolt, prayer beads, and a book.

  The mouse that accompanies Ganesh is his carrier. The mouse is often seen in pictures eating or stealing the sweets that are piled near Ganesh. The mouse is the desire to enjoy material pleasures and the dangers of the ego. Though the mouse is small, this desire for material happiness, and the driver that motivates one into actions to acquire such pleasure, is like a thief that takes away all that people possess. It steals away one's life that could be used to acquire the goal of spiritual perfection toward true happiness and liberation. The mouse also represents the mind, which is always active. It takes much weight to keep the mind from going astray. The weight of an elephant, Ganesh, on the mouse represents controlling the mind. Thus, Ganesh rides on this mouse as the controller of material desire and the effects of illusion.

  MURUGAN

  Murugan is the son of Shiva and Parvati, but the story is a lengthy one, much of which is in the Valmiki Ramayana, Mahabharata and Brahmanda Purana. So, I will provide only a summary. Murugan was born to kill the demon Tarakasura. Taraka had been troubling the gods to the point where they went to Lord Brahma to ask for advice. He told them that only Shiva could produce a son who could defeat such evil. Shiva was deep in meditation, and though the god of lust, Kama, tried to awaken him, Kama was reduced to ashes by Shiva's third eye. Thus, Parvati practiced long austerities until she was noticed by her husband, Shiva. Once Shiva focused his attention, his seed was so powerful that no one could bare it. It went into the mouth of Agni (fire), and he could not handle the task, so it was then accepted by the Ganga, the Ganges River personified. She could no longer deal with it, so then she threw it into a forest of kusha grass, which is how Murugan got the name Sharavanabhava. This seed gave birth to a child named Kumara, the form of Murugan who remains young and single.

  Here Murugan or Subrahmanya is seen riding his peacock carrier and is accompanied by his two wives on each side of him. This image is located on top of the entranceway to his temple at the large Shiva temple in Chidambaram in South India.

  Murugan was raised by six celestial mothers from the Krittika (Pleiades) constellation, which is how he got the name "Karttikeya" and "Shanmatura." Murugan is also seen with six faces, said to enable him to suckle the milk from the six mothers, which is how he also got the name of "Shadanana" and "Shanmukha." He was called "Devasenapati" when he became the commander of the gods. And by using his weapon the lance or shakti to destroy the demon Tarakasura, he became known as "Shaktidhara" and "Tarakari." Due to his young form he is known as "Kumara." He is known as "Subrahmanya" for favoring the brahmanas, or assisting the development of spiritual aspirants. And for being a strong warrior due to the power that comes from being celibate, he is called "Skanda." Other names Murugan is known to have is "Brahma-Shasta" for knowing the Vedic science better than Lord Brahma, "Gangeya" or "Ganga-putra" as the son of Ganga, "Swami-natha" for being the teacher of his own father, and others, including "Rudra-sunu," the son of Rudra (Shiva).

  Most of his temples are found on hilltops, particularly in South India, but there are also many shrines that are included within courtyards or complexes of larger temples, especially those dedicated to Shiva. He is usually portrayed sitting on his carrier, which is a peacock called Paravani, with one head and two arms, or sometimes as Subramaniya with six heads and twelve arms. Dressed in red, he also holds his brilliant lance, which represents wisdom and intelligence, and destroys the darkness of ignorance, symbolized by the demons he kills. His additional hands hold a bow, arrows, a sword, thunderbolt, and ax, all which indic
ate his powers. His emblem is the fowl or rooster and his fiery banner flames high above his chariot.

  The esoteric meaning behind the image of Murugan is that he represents the complete yogic control of preserving the semen. If this control is not attained, then the mind is always stifled by sensual desires, which means that the child, or the power of youth in the form of Kumara, is never born, and, thus, the demons take control over the gods. This signifies that only by allowing the seed (semen) to rise up through the yogic sushumna channel into the vani-mukha or fire center in the sixth chakra, can the yogi become master of his tendencies and impulses. (There is also an old Egyptian saying that only by preserving one's semen can one communicate with the gods.) Only then can Skanda, or the inner strength or power, be born. Such a master can use his sexual powers for mental clarity, discernment, stamina, and spiritual progress. Lasting youth is also connected with the practice of preserving one's seed, which is represented by Murugan's peacock, which is his carrier.

  Murugan rides a peacock which also holds a serpent in its claws. As we know, the peacock is an enemy of the serpent and can kill it. The serpent represents the ego and carnal temptations of mankind. It indicates the subtle material attachments that keep the spiritual living being fond of staying in a material body. It is this serpent of the ego that causes man to crawl in the darkness of ignorance, lost from the Supreme Truth and enveloped in his own desires. However, the peacock holds the serpent ego in check, which herein can be channeled to using itself to help uncover the Absolute Truth. The serpent also indicates the aging that comes with time. In this case, the peacock kills time, or represents one's ability through yogic powers to reverse the aging process by holding one's youthful powers.