Ganesha (2015) Dessin par Anton Tantsev

He has an infinite number of names, forms and incarnations. He is transcendent yet manifest in everything we can touch with our eyes. He is inside us and outside us.
***
All obstacles in our life are surmountable, they do not exist at all, we ourselves create obstacles on our way, and they are manifested in subconscious fears. It is the fear that goes ahead of us and forms stable thoughts about what should happen and what is impossible. This prevents our plans from being realized. We ourselves launch in life such a scenario of events, which does not imply many of the options to which we aspire. It is the perceptions of ourselves and opportunities that create obstacles on the Path, forming in life such circumstances that prevent the realization of the planned. It is necessary to eliminate any worries and fears in order not to hinder oneself.
***
Today in Hinduism is celebrated Ganesha Chaturthi - the day of the appearance of Ganesh, a deity known even to those who are in no way connected with this religion. Hinduism is rich in metaphors and endlessly poetic. In it, God appears in many different hypostases, and often each of them has more than one story of the origin of this or that attribute, form or ability. But always these stories are instructive and contain a lot of knowledge and keys to self-knowledge.
About 9 years ago this image came to me, which I am sharing with you today. At that time I knew absolutely nothing about Hinduism and even less about Ganesha. Here I will talk in detail (and without complicated words and definitions) about all the attributes and details that this image carries. Both iconographic and interpreted by me.
***
The name 'Ganesha' is made up of two words: 'gana', 'group', 'union of many'; 'isha', 'god', 'teacher'. Another of His names, 'Ganapati', includes the word 'pati' ('ruler'). Few translations of other names in various forms: 'Able to dispel sorrows', 'Defeater of darkness', 'Liberator of fetters', 'Ruler over manifest creation', 'Lord of the sacred syllable AUM', 'Guardian of culture' and, which in my opinion reflects His power best, 'Destroyer of obstacles'.
***
The elephant symbolizes the strength and power of an animal that is difficult to control, and the elephant's head symbolizes its devotion and prudence. I have used the image of the African elephant, as this continent is considered the cradle of humanity, and is associated with the first (root) Muladhara chakra, which is ruled by Ganesha.
His human body indicates the illusion of earthly human existence. Also his body indicates that Ganesha possesses a human heart, which is a symbol of kindness and compassion for all. Ganesh's white color represents purity of intention and spirituality.
The huge belly represents the universe (cosmos) and symbolizes natural abundance. It is also believed that Ganesha swallows all the sorrows of the universe and protects this World.
Ganesha's pose shows that one of the tasks is to relate to the real reality, but at the same time to concentrate on the Supreme Reality - one of His feet is bent and the other is resting on the ground, which embodies the idea that we should choose the middle path and not go to extremes.
His two feet signify the power of Knowledge and the power of Action.
***
Big head - is wisdom, symbolizes the world soul, the absolute, the supreme reality. Ganesha controls the secondary ether, which combines the five primary elements of creation, which is a generation of false ego, which is controlled by Ganesha's father Shiva. That is why I have placed the symbol of Shiva - trishula (trident) on the place of the third eye.
The secondary ether is connected with hearing, which perceives sound vibrations spreading in the ether. The large ears are like a sieve - sifting and separating the true from the false. They hear all who address Him.
The elephant's trunk has the unique ability to perform rough and tender actions. It can pluck a tree from its root and pick up a needle from the ground. Similarly, the human mind must be strong enough to resist the temptations of ups and the frustrations of downs, yet refined enough to explore the complex realms of the inner world. Ganesh's trunk represents intelligence, the insight that comes from wisdom. The trunk pointing to the left (relative to Him) is associated with the lunar energy of tranquility.
***
The tusks are the boundary between the mundane and spiritual world, but Ganesha is beyond dualities. The two tusks are two aspects of the human personality, sanity and emotion. The right tusk is sanity, the left tusk is emotion. Also, the broken right tusk can be interpreted as: we must not get trapped between the pair of opposites, pleasure and pain. By rising above this, one is endowed with creative energy for a spiritual mission, one breaks with one's Ego. But in mundane life the need for self-awareness is present, one way or another, one cannot live otherwise.
According to legend, Ganesha defeated one of the strongest demons using his tusk, which is also a symbol of wisdom (According to one legend, this tusk was used to record the Vedas). Therefore, in my image He controls with it the actions of a skittish mouse. Thus, the mouse represents our feelings and ego-interests, which Ganesha has subdued by his wisdom. It symbolizes the lower mind, greed and uncontrolled feelings, which seek to curb those who have embarked on the path of spiritual self-cultivation, getting rid of egoistic manifestations of the mind. Ganesha, controlling the mouse, symbolizes the power of overcoming obstacles on the Path.
***
The axe is a symbol that cuts off attachments to objects of the material world. That is why I have depicted this object, which is also a symbol of power, as His support, not a throne (as it is usually accepted).
Lotus is a symbol of spiritual enlightenment.
Snake - a symbol of transformation of energy.
The rosary - aspiration for spiritual knowledge.
Gesture of blessing - varada-mudra with a swastika on the palm of the hand.
Most often in images of Ganesh present a bowl with gifts in the form of round sweets, which is often associated with material wealth. For those who are on the Path of spiritual development, the word "well-being" is associated with receiving higher benefits - comprehension of spiritual truths, awareness, achieving a light pure state of unity with the divine. Therefore, the gifts in my image of Ganesh are depicted as light radiating from Him through the darkness of ignorance. Ask Him for eternal spiritual values and then everything else will be in abundance.

Thèmes connexes

GaneshaGanapatayeSpiritualReligionGod