Ganesh – from its origin to present form

What started as Gaja became Gana, then Ganesh and finally Mahaganesh. Ganesh who was initially Vighnakarta (one who causes trouble) became Vinayaka and then Vighnaharta (one who resolves troubles), after which the cult spread rapidly. The origin of this god is controversial. It probably (there is numismatic and iconic evidence to that effect). It probably started as a holy/huge elephant being venerated and being used in local religious practices, who eventually became an icon in the pre-Vedic i.e. pre-Sind culture. The Vedic Aryans (post-Sind) gave a name to the elephant as Mrughasteen (‘mrug’ in Sanskrit is an animal while ‘hasteen’ means hand, obviously meaning the trunk). Over a period of time, ‘Mrug’ was dropped and ‘Hasteen’ remained to become ‘Hatti’ and those who venerated him were the ‘Hastiks’. In the later period, the Sindhu Aryan Vedic culture (2000 BC to 1400 BC), Rigveda was compiled. It has a word which is probably the one used for elephants. It is ‘Paidva’. Rishi Sejashwini gave it to a man called Pedu and hence the animal was called ‘Paidva’. It was fast and strong and its strength has been compared to that of Indra (Rigveda 1.118.9, 1.119.10).

In Vedic (in the Taitreya Aranyaka – 10.15), there is a mention of “Tatpurushaya vidmahe
Vakratundaya dhimahi
Tannodanti prachodayat”

Though this description matches Gajanan, it is a fact that this verse was put in the later editions of the same. Maitreyani Sanhita is a part of the Krishna Yajurveda. In Shatarudriya, Rudra (a Vedic God) has been described as ‘karat’ i.e. one who has ears like the elephant, ‘hastimukha’ i.e. head of an elephant and ‘danti’ i.e. teeth/tusks like an elephant.

Using these as evidence to push the antiquity of Gajanan / Ganesh into Vedic and pre-Vedic period does not work because although Ganapati Atharvashirsha is a part of Vedic literature, it is, in fact, the gayatri of a Vedic god called Brahmanaspati and not a prayer/praise to Gajanan or Ganapati. (Brahmanaspati was the Vedic God of knowledge and a precursor to Ganesh / Ganapati who is now known to be the ‘karak’ i.e. generator of knowledge). If we move from the post-Vedic period into the historical period (recorded history), we find that the elephant (icon) gains in importance. It is more evident in ancient Buddhist literature. Khudraka Nikaya (a part of Niddesh, one of the oldest Buddhist epics) mentions an Indian tribe that worshipped elephants called ‘Hativratik’ (Sanskrit form is Hativratik).

Hyun Tsang, during his travels (620 – 645 AD) arrived in India via Afghanistan. In Kapisha (today’s Begram), he visited many Buddhist sanctuaries. He states that Kapisha Nagari has a protective Goddess called Pilosholo (old Chinese word for ‘elephant’). She roams in the guise of an elephant and citizens of Kapisha pray to the elephant ‘Piloshar’ i.e. the prakrit form of the Chinese word ‘Pilosholo’.

The unquestionable antiquity of Ganesh can be traced through numismatic evidence. Alexander the great invaded India in 326 BC. He crossed the Sindhu river, reached Takshashila and returned to Greece. To commemorate his victory, he minted a coin with his portrait on one side and Alexander wearing a Shirasthan (helmet) which is shaped like an elephant’s head. He appointed Shatrapas (Governers) for the provinces he had won, who after Alexander’s death, declared themselves Kings. They ruled from 325 BC to 50 BC. One of those Kings Yukretidis (190 BC) minted a coin during his reign which is very important in proving the origin and antiquity of Ganesh. It has Yukretidis’ face and an inscription in Greek on one side and an image of a male God with an elephant’s head on the other with the inscription “Kavi(p)shivenagaradevata” in Prakrit as well as in Kharoshti (Iranian alphabet). Kharoshti :- In the Northwest Ganesh – from its origin to present form Capt. Shekhar Vadke Alexander elephant helmet Indian subcontinent (of which modern day Pakistan and Afghanistan were a part), it was prevalent as a secondary language of commerce and state (300 BC – 300 AD). Its origin is in Iranian Aramaic script.some of the scriptures of Shaka, Kushan and other Persian Kings are in this script.

Some scholars have linked the elephant God to Buddhism. The elephant God could be Indra himself or the protector of Indrapuri (i.e. Yaksha). In the Buddhist scripture of Mahamayuri, holy places and places of pilgrimage were protected by Yakshas.

Like Kapisha, Takshashila too had an elephant venerated as a God. In fact, the coinage of many Indo-Greek Kings (Shatrapas) had the portrait of the King on one side and that of some Greek God/Goddess on the other. But Appollodotus had his portrait on one side and that of an elephant on the other. Antimakis the Second had an elephant with a raised trunk holding a garland (Pushpahar). This shows that the Indo-Greek Kings began giving the elephant a status on par with that of their own Gods/ Goddesses. The elephant God had started getting royal recognition. Zylus minted a coin which showed an elephant standing next to Zeus (a Greek God). Since Alexander the Great had shown respect for the elephant God, it was but natural that his Shatrapas did the same.

King Llicius the Second put a portrait of Piloshar of Kapisha on his coins showing that he had the divine protection of Piloshar. In isolated cases, some Indo-Greek kings used the symbol of Nandi. Antialkadus respected the Hindu religion and tried to integrate the Indo-Greeks with the populace. He sent his minister Heliodorus to the court of King Bhagabhadra of Vidisha. There Heliodorus converted to Hinduism, practiced Bhagwat dharma and erected a victory pillar. There is a ‘Shilalekh’ i.e. inscription in stone to that effect in Vidisha. The elephant depicted on Antialkadus’ coins is shown having two feet and has been given a human form. This is similar to the Centaur (horse + man), a creature of Greek mythology. The Indo-Greek Kings elevated local deities like Piloshar to the level of Greek Gods bearing in mind the significance of elephants in the Northwest province of Kandahar (previously Gandhaar). The word ‘Kapisha’ is derived from ‘kapi’ meaning elephant. Polush was known as ‘Palodhari’. To the northeast of Polush was a hill called Dantalok (‘danta’ meaning ‘tooth’ – symbol of an elephant). Panini mentions that in the Kabul river valley and in the Swat valley (today’s northwest Pakistan/Afghanistan border, previously known as Suvastu) lived tribes of Hastinayan people. Pushkavarti and Purushpur were its kingdoms. Alexander the Great attacked this region of Hastis and their King Hasti was killed but his valour impressed Alexander(which might explain the elephant helmet). Plini the elder, the Roman historian and Strabo the cartographer have recorded the above history.

Having considered pre and post Vedic periods and the Vedas, let us now move to the epics and puranas. Sage Yaska’s Nirukta (600 BC) makes no mention of Ganesh in its Devatakhand. Kautilya’s Arthashastra as well as Patanjali’s Mahabhashya also make no mention of Ganesh. Ganesh or Ganapati as we know Him, was not in existence till 200 BC but the mention of the elephant as a holy animal is prevalent in literature, especially Buddhist. In Buddha’s Jataka tales (no. 455), a festival called ‘Hatimaha’ is mentioned in which the holy elephant is given the status of a local deity (Laukikdevata). Mahabharat mentions Ganesh but not the Ramayan. In Mahabharat he is called Vinayak and does upkaar (favours) but also causes ‘upadrava’ (obstacles). Hence before starting any venture/battle/prayer/religious function, he is prayed to remove all obstacles (Anushasanparva 125.5 and 15.26.57). He is originally a vighnakarta, but if prayed to becomes a vighnaharta. He is also mentioned in the same breath as bhoot, pishachya and moves through all the lokas. This Vinayak is a Shivabhakta. He is also Ganeshwara (the chief of the Ganas). Ganesh is said to be the scribe of Mahabharat as recited by Vyasa (Adiparva of the Mahabharat). There are also various mentions of Vinayak in different scriptures. In Vinayaka Kalpa (200 – 300 AD), four Vinayaks are mentioned – Usmit, Devyajan, Shalakantak and Kushmand. In Yajnalayakasmruti (200-300 AD), Ganesh is called the son of Amika and Shiva makes him the head of the Ganas.

He is also called ‘Hastimukha’. In Buddhayana Dharmasutra (2.53/83/90) and in Buddhayana Gruhasutra (3.10), he is called by various names such as Vighna and Vinayak, where Vighna is also called Hastimukha. Vinayak is also called Vakratunda, Ekdanta, Lambodar, Veer and Sthul (fat). This goes to show that the name Vighneshwar, Vinayak, Gana, Ganeshwar had by 200-300 AD morphed into Ganes or Ganapati as we know him today.

From the Kushan period (100 AD) Ganesh started gaining in importance. Similarly Kartikeya (in different forms) was also consolidated into one God. King Kumbhak of the Kushans had Skand, Kumar, Vishakh and Mahasen (four devatas) on his coins. But they became one deity, Kartikeya, by 300 AD. All four are the names of Kartikeya. One of the Saatvahan kings was Lambodar which is of course Ganesha’s name.

The puranas have different stories about Ganesh but the central theme is mainly the same with few exceptions i.e. “When Parvati was taking a bath, she designated Ganesh to guard the door to prevent anyone from entering. He stopped Lord Shiva who in his rage, chopped off Ganesh’s head. When Parvati demanded Ganesh’s resurrection, Shiva went out and decapitated the first animal he came across – an elephant – and put it onto Ganesh’s lifeless body, resurrecting him and also made him the head of the Ganas.” In Brahmavaivart puran and Matsyapuran he is the head of the Vinayaks and the rat is his vehicle. In Skandpuran he is Mahavinayak with devi shakti, the power of the Goddess. In Vamanpuran, it is stated that Shiva himself called him Vinayak. In Lingapuran, he is supposed to be born out of the union of Shiva Parvati. In Brahmapuran he is called Sadyojat. In Varahapuran he is born out of Shiva’s laughter. Ganeshpuran and Mudgalpuran are totally dedicated to Ganesh but they are only considered subtexts. It is only in Devipuran that he is created by Vishnu. In Bahutdharmapuran, Shiva chops off the head of Airavat, Indra’s elephant to replace Ganesh’s head. In Varahapuran, the child Ganesh created by Parvati is so beautiful that Shiva out of jealousy chops off his head. In Shiv, Skand, Vaman, Padma and Matsya puranas, it is clear that he is the son of Shiva and Parvati. In Brahmavadapuran, he is born due to Parvati’s penance, while in Linga and Matsyapuran, he was Gajamukhi (elephant’s head) from birth, while Varaha, Bhagwat and Shivpuran make him Gajamukhi after birth.

From the puranas it is clear that Ganesh/ Ganapati was very much in existence at the writing of the puranas but there were some differences about his form and origin of birth.

The earliest dated Ganesh in his present form is found in Amravati in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh in a Buddhist temple structure dated 100 BC. He is depicted as elephant headed chief of the Ganas. Some of the oldest idols are from the Kushan period (100 BC – 200 AD). They are in various forms with the main characteristic of the elephant head (found all the way from Veerpuram in Andhra Pradesh to Sada in Pakistan). Similar moortis of slightly later antiquity have been found in Mathura. It seems like Ganesh moorti pooja came to the Ganga valley (especially Mathura region where the Kushan kingdom existed) from Peshawar, which was also a Kushan kingdom with the spread of the Kushan empire. Saatvahan kings also created Ganesh idols. Originally a venerated elephant, a god of Hastinayan/ Hastik tribes of the Northwest frontier province (Gandhar, today’s Kandahar) who the Indo-Greek kings gave pride of place on their coins and seals and who was already depicted in Buddhist literature right from 600 BC (some later Buddhist scriptures state that Ganesh was present at Buddha’s mahanirvana) and who was on the level of bhoot, pishachya, yaksha in the pre-vedic literature, achieved Godliness and status and by 100-200 AD reached his present form. Initially there were four, five and even six Vinayaks, but by the time of Yagnavalkyasmruti and Ganapatikalpa (200/ 300 AD), they had merged into one Mahaganapati. Even in Bharat’s Natyashastra (150 AD), he is still considered a minor God. Somewhere in 300/400 AD in the Vedic and Maurya period, he reached exalted status and after the spread of Buddhism (500-700 AD), he was carried to far corners of the earth. Ganesh idols are found from Japan to Mongolia, China, Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia, Vietnam and also wherever the influence of the Chola Kings of the South extended.

He is equally venerated in Buddhist and Hindu scriptures and can be found in Jain scriptures too as a Vighnaharta (remover of obstacles) for anyone who prays to him.