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Year 8 RLI homework. Hindu gods and goddesses. By Amber Selway. What is the story of your god or goddess? (shortened story). Ganesh is a Hindu God, here is the story of how he came to be and why he is know as the gate keeper.
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Year 8 RLI homework.Hindu gods and goddesses By Amber Selway.
What is the story of your god or goddess?(shortened story) • Ganesh is a Hindu God, here is the story of how he came to be and why he is know as the gate keeper. • Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of death and destruction was away at a war. His wife Pavarti, who was a goddess in her own right, wished to bathe. Having no-one to guard the door to her apartments she conceived of the idea of giving birth to a son who could provide this service for her. Thus Ganesh was created, since goddesses have the power to do such things. • Pavarti gave Ganesh instructions that he was to stand guard at the entrance of her apartments and that he was to admit no-one until she gave word that it was ok to do so. Ganesh took up his post and undertook his assignment enthusiastically. • In due course the Lord Shiva returned from his war and went to enter. Ganesh, according to his instructions, forbade him entry. Shiva was enraged by Ganesh’s impudence and drew his sword and cut off Ganesh's head. • Pavarti emerged to find Ganesh decapitated and flew into a rage. Even though he was immensely powerful Shiva was upset with Pavarti’s rage. He swore to make amends by taking the head of the first living thing he found to replace Ganesh’s head. The first animal he came across was an elephant. Accordingly he took the head from the elephant an placed it on Ganesh’s body. • Thus Ganesh is depicted with an elephant’s head. Because of his role as protector of Parvarti's door he is associated, in Hindu culture, with protecting entrances.
What does he/she look like? • Ganesh has four arms but a human body. • Also the head of an elephant. • In some pictures Ganesh is covered in jewels and has a sign on her hand, which is this= • Here is a picture of Ganesh.
What symbols does he/she have and what do they mean? • The broken tusk that Ganesh holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabarata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. Theladoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.
What particular powers does your god/goddess have? • Ganesh has the power to remove the obstacles in the lives of his devotees.
His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. Theladoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. A broken tusk which Ganesh holds like a pen, as a symbol of sacrifice. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous.
