DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75620#0036
2 INDIA: ORIGIN OF GANESA
deities Karttikeya and Nandi, the bull, with whom Ganesa is often associated not
only in the purdnas but in the most ancient Indian sculptures of the deity. Besides
which, the commentator, Sayana, apparently indicates an elephant-faced god when
he explains that he was possessed of a tunda (nose, beak, trunk) which was vakra
(twisted, curved); and that he carried a pile of corn, a club, and a sugar cane, all of
which might be attributes of Ganesa.1 He was known later in puranic texts as Vakra-
tunda or 'He of the Curved Trunk', for the epithet is to be found in a list of twelve
names of Ganesa mentioned in a Ganapati-stotra2 for his special worship ; while in the
Mahdnirvana-tantra, he is addressed as Raktatunda or ' He of the Red Trunk'.4
Although he is apparently referred to in the above Vedic text, he is not to be
found in the Assembly of Vedic deities, at least, not under any name that is known
to us. The reason for this may be that in ancient times he was possibly an unim-
portant village god, worshipped exclusively by the lower classes. In fact, a verse
attributed to the ancient version of the Laws of Manu5 seems to indicate his lowly
origin, for it runs as follows: 'Siva is the god of the Brahmans while Ganesa is the
god of the sudras',6 who were the aboriginal population.
There is no ancient legend, that is, earlier than the purdnas, which explains why
he was possessed of only one tusk; but it seems to have had an important significance
since his title 'Ekadanta' has followed him down to the present day. The explana-
tion may possibly be found in his connexion, at a very early date, with the harvest
ceremonies; and his promotion, in time, to the important role of 'Lord of the
Harvest'. The rites and ceremonies as well as the deities associated with the Harvest
Festival were full of symbolic meaning ; and undoubtedly the form of the Ekadanta
was invested with mystic significance. It seems natural that the one tusk of the
Harvest Lord, which gave him his ancient name, should symbolically stand for
the most important implement of the harvest, the plough, especially as the word
ekadanta may be translated: 'one tusk' or 'plough-share'.7
As the Elephant-faced god seems only to have been known to the uneducated
classes up to the sixth century, it is not surprising to find that he does not figure
in the Epic pantheon of deities. Even the name of Ganesa or Ganesvara (Lord of
the Ganas) which is found both in the north and south India recension of the
Mahabharata8 may not be attributed to him until much later, for it is the title of
Siva, his reputed father in puranic myths ; nor does the epithet Ganapati9 found in
the Rig-Veda(n. 23. 1) refer to him but to the important Vedic deity Brahmanaspati,10
'father of the gods'. Certain Indian pandits, however, look upon Ganesa as a
derivative of this Vedic deity. Przyluski, on the contrary, is of the opinion that
Siva and Ganesa were originally one and the same god; that is, that although
Ganesa does not figure in the Mahabharata as distinct from Siva (Ganesvara), he was
none the less an aspect of Siva and might therefore have been considered identical
1 Several of the Sakti-Ganapati carry these 7 Harvest Festivals of G. and G., Gupte, I.A.,
attributes. vol. xxxv, Nov. 1906.
2 See above. 3 Trans. Avalon, p. 251. 8 Authorities vary as to the date of the Mahdbhd-
4 Red is the usual colour of Ganesa. rata between 400 B.C. and A.D. 400.
5 The Ordinance of Manu, Burnett and Hopkins. 9 Gandnam Ganapatih.
6 B. and H., Monier-Williams, note p. 212. 10 Or Brhaspati.
deities Karttikeya and Nandi, the bull, with whom Ganesa is often associated not
only in the purdnas but in the most ancient Indian sculptures of the deity. Besides
which, the commentator, Sayana, apparently indicates an elephant-faced god when
he explains that he was possessed of a tunda (nose, beak, trunk) which was vakra
(twisted, curved); and that he carried a pile of corn, a club, and a sugar cane, all of
which might be attributes of Ganesa.1 He was known later in puranic texts as Vakra-
tunda or 'He of the Curved Trunk', for the epithet is to be found in a list of twelve
names of Ganesa mentioned in a Ganapati-stotra2 for his special worship ; while in the
Mahdnirvana-tantra, he is addressed as Raktatunda or ' He of the Red Trunk'.4
Although he is apparently referred to in the above Vedic text, he is not to be
found in the Assembly of Vedic deities, at least, not under any name that is known
to us. The reason for this may be that in ancient times he was possibly an unim-
portant village god, worshipped exclusively by the lower classes. In fact, a verse
attributed to the ancient version of the Laws of Manu5 seems to indicate his lowly
origin, for it runs as follows: 'Siva is the god of the Brahmans while Ganesa is the
god of the sudras',6 who were the aboriginal population.
There is no ancient legend, that is, earlier than the purdnas, which explains why
he was possessed of only one tusk; but it seems to have had an important significance
since his title 'Ekadanta' has followed him down to the present day. The explana-
tion may possibly be found in his connexion, at a very early date, with the harvest
ceremonies; and his promotion, in time, to the important role of 'Lord of the
Harvest'. The rites and ceremonies as well as the deities associated with the Harvest
Festival were full of symbolic meaning ; and undoubtedly the form of the Ekadanta
was invested with mystic significance. It seems natural that the one tusk of the
Harvest Lord, which gave him his ancient name, should symbolically stand for
the most important implement of the harvest, the plough, especially as the word
ekadanta may be translated: 'one tusk' or 'plough-share'.7
As the Elephant-faced god seems only to have been known to the uneducated
classes up to the sixth century, it is not surprising to find that he does not figure
in the Epic pantheon of deities. Even the name of Ganesa or Ganesvara (Lord of
the Ganas) which is found both in the north and south India recension of the
Mahabharata8 may not be attributed to him until much later, for it is the title of
Siva, his reputed father in puranic myths ; nor does the epithet Ganapati9 found in
the Rig-Veda(n. 23. 1) refer to him but to the important Vedic deity Brahmanaspati,10
'father of the gods'. Certain Indian pandits, however, look upon Ganesa as a
derivative of this Vedic deity. Przyluski, on the contrary, is of the opinion that
Siva and Ganesa were originally one and the same god; that is, that although
Ganesa does not figure in the Mahabharata as distinct from Siva (Ganesvara), he was
none the less an aspect of Siva and might therefore have been considered identical
1 Several of the Sakti-Ganapati carry these 7 Harvest Festivals of G. and G., Gupte, I.A.,
attributes. vol. xxxv, Nov. 1906.
2 See above. 3 Trans. Avalon, p. 251. 8 Authorities vary as to the date of the Mahdbhd-
4 Red is the usual colour of Ganesa. rata between 400 B.C. and A.D. 400.
5 The Ordinance of Manu, Burnett and Hopkins. 9 Gandnam Ganapatih.
6 B. and H., Monier-Williams, note p. 212. 10 Or Brhaspati.