Ganesha is the god of intellect, wisdom and fortune for the religious tradition of Hinduism and Vedic.
According to Hindu mythology, Ganesha is the first child of Shiva and Parvati, and considered one of the most important gods of this culture. It is adored mainly among business men and merchants, due to the fact that it is related to good fortune and wisdom.
Characteristically, Ganesha is depicted as a yellow or red figure with the head of an elephant. and human body, with a big belly, four arms, only one fang and mounted on a mouse.
Each of these features has a distinct symbology, which analyzes from the semiotics of Hindu culture means:
- elephant head: represents the great wisdom and intellect;
- Big belly: symbolizes patience and the ability to digest good and bad throughout life;
- single prey: Ganesha has only one of the fangs, as the other has been broken. This symbol represents the idea of the sacrifices that must be made to achieve happiness;
- Mouse: this is Ganesha's mode of transport (Vahana), which also represents wisdom, talent and intelligence, in the sense of thoroughly investigating a subject considered difficult.
Also known as the "Destroyer of Obstacles" (Vinayaka), Ganesha is considered the ultimate symbol of logical consciousness.
His mantra is one of the most popular in Hindu mythology, as Ganesha is described as the "primal sound" (om), also known as omkara or aumkara.
For this reason, the mantra Om Gam Ganapataye Namah (“I salute You, Lord of the troops”) is one of the most used and known worldwide. In the Tamil language the syllable om is considered sacred and refers precisely to the head of the god Ganesha.
Find out more about the meaning of Shiva.