Ganapati: Song of the SelfGanapati is the Hindu Lord of Beginnings, the Keeper of the Threshold, the Remover of Obstacles, Master of the Mind, Son of Siva, Elephant-headed, plump, and loveable. This book offers a wide range of information about Ganapati gathered from such diverse sources as hymns, poems, myths, shrines, practices, and theologies. It considers Ganapati's complexity: his transcendence of sectarian and territorial limits, his delayed but dramatic development into the religious pantheon, his paradoxical mythology, and his physical manifestation, an elephant's head on a human body. Ganapati: Song of the Self fosters an understanding from within a tradition. It presents a positive interpretation of the material and encourages an inner quest for spiritual truth. |
Contents
In the Beginning | 13 |
Naming is a Very Serious Business | 37 |
Fingers Pointing at the Moon | 63 |
Songs That Ring Songs That Roar | 99 |
Who Am I? | 137 |
Worship of Ganapati Pūja | 157 |
Lovers of the Beloved | 173 |
Who Is GanapatiGaneśa? | 189 |
Notes | 197 |
| 219 | |
| 225 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Agni amukadevatābhyo appeared Author's condensed avatāra Avvaiyar Ballāļa beginning blessings bliss body boon born Brahmā Brahman Brahmanaspati Bṛhaspati cakra cave chanting child Cintamani condensed and paraphrased consciousness cosmic Courtright darśana deity demon desire devas devotees Divine Ekadanta elephant elephant's head embodiment Gajānana Gana Ganapati Ganapati/Ganesa Ganapatyas Gaņeśa gāyatrī gods grace Guru heart human incarnation individual Indra inner invoke jambū fruits Kailāsa kāma khanda known Kubera Lambodara Lenyadri linga Lord Ganapati Lord Ganesa Lord Śiva lotus Mahābhārata mahāvākya manifestation mantra māyā meaning meditate mind mouse mūrti Namah name and form nonduality one's oneself paraphrased version Pārvatī performed physical pūjā Purāņic story Rāvana refers remover of obstacles Rg Veda ritual rși sacred sacrifice sage śakti Salutations samarpayāmi Sanskrit says Siddhatek Siddhi song space spiritual Śrī symbol Taittirīya tat tvam tat tvam asi temple thought three worlds truth tusk universe Upaniṣad Vakratunda Varada Vedic Vināyaka Visnu wisdom word worshipped Ganesa