A rare form with normal two arms and without any of his usual weapons,
much like his father
Lord Shiva who is often represented as two-armed,
represents a blend of two benign manifestations of Lord Ganesh,
namely, Ekadanta – one-tusked, and Lambodara – pot-bellied, one
symbolizing ultimate sacrifice, and other, immeasurable store of
knowledge. The auspicious image of the elephant god, carved out of the
golden hued block of Kadamba wood, has been installed on a most
tastefully carved lotus pedestal that his tiny mount mouse, carved
along it, seems to carry on it. Sculpted with the finest and most
characteristic details, the image holds one of its hands in ‘abhaya’
symbolizing both, freedom from fear and redemption from distress, and
with the other, holding a ‘laddu’ – ball of sugar which is positive
energy, he is feeding on it his own trunk, the symbol of cosmic
existence. In the Shaivite tradition this image of Lord Ganesh is
considered as highly auspicious.
The single-tusked Ganesh is invoked by the mantra : ‘Aum ekadantay
namah’, that is, we devote ourselves to the one-tusked Lord. This form
of Ganesh also has a number of legends associated with it, the most
popular being one related to the Moon god. It is said that once Lord
Ganesh consumed more ‘laddus’ than his stomach could contain. He hence
thought of taking a round in the forest for releasing his tension.
Accordingly, mounted on his vehicle mouse he set out but when in
mid-forest serpent Vasuki passed across and seeing the serpent his
mouse, throwing away Lord Ganesh, fled for life. Lord Ganesh fell and
with this his over-loaded stomach burst. He quickly stood up and
collected all ‘laddus’ back into his stomach and catching hold of
serpent Vasuki tied his stomach with it. The Moon-god relaxing with
his wives saw it and could not help laughing. Already irritated Ganesh
lost his temper and breaking one of his tusks hurled it on the
Moon-god. It was thus that he was left with one tusk. However, more
significant are the symbolic dimensions of this form. The one-tusked
form of Lord Ganesh is believed to accomplish his devotee's prayer
even by sacrificing one of his body parts. Aum ekadantaya namah is the
mantra that ends the duality, leads to one-pointed mind and singleness
of object.
Not only large-bellied, in his Lambodara manifestation Lord Ganesh has
a belly modeled like a pot that in Indian tradition symbolises the
universe and the accomplishment of the ‘desired’. Created out of clay
– the earth, and the earth-based, containing water and having vertical
form extending into space, pot – the ‘ghata’, is believed to
synthesize into his being all three cosmic regions, and contain the
cosmos and all its treasures. ‘Aum Lambodaray namah’ is the ‘mantra’
by which the devotee invokes the Lambodara Ganapati, the container of
the universe. Hence, whoever commemorates the ‘mantra’ has a feeling
that he is the universe or that all the universes are within him – as
is the tree within the seed. The moment he commemorates ‘Aum’ – the
sound of creation that manifests as the visible universe, the universe
begins descending into him and he feels that he is the universe. This
pot-bellied form of Ganesh stands for oneness of the creation as does
his Ekadanta form, and hence the two forms more appropriately blend
than do any other forms of the great Lord.
The compassionate Ganesh is sprawling on his lotus seat with his left
leg laid flat along the seat’s top, and the right, vertically raised
with upwards turned knee, a posture known in the iconographic
tradition as ‘utkut akasana’, a form revealing great ease and carefree
demeanour : the essential attributes of Lambodara Ganesh who does not
believe in destroying, not even for penalising or chastizing a wicked
or wrong-doer. For further emphasis on this aspect the artist has
conceived this image of the elephant god on human anatomical lines
with normal two arms and without an instrument of destruction, or any
war-like attribute, not even a helmet. The legs seem to hold the
pot-belly – symbolic of his upholding the universe, all riches and the
oceans of knowledge, and hands, all that is blissful and benign – the
gesture of protection and ‘laddu’, the symbol of positive energy,
prosperity and success.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.
Esculturas
