The Avataars of Shree Ganesh

From a discourse with Pt. Manideo Persad, Spiritual Leader, SWAHA Sri Raam Dhaam

The Mudgala Purana, which is dedicated to Shree Ganesh, enumerates His eight avataars. From a Hindu perspective, God so loved the world and his devotees that in our hour of need, when we appeal to Him, He Himself manifests before us. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna also gives devotees this assurance:

Yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya, glaanir bhavati bhaarata,
Abhyutaanam adharmasya, tadaatmaanam shri jaamyaham.
Paritraanaaya saadhunaam vinaashaaya cha dushkritaam,
Dharma sanstaap naathaaya shambhavaami yuge yuge. 

“Whenever unrighteousness is on the ascendant, and righteousness is on the decline, then, for the sake of the devotee, for the protection of the cows and for the development of society, I will embody myself from age to age.”

This is a very important principle in the theology of Hinduism. God is not a remote being who speaks and acts through others.  God is a personal being who can appear before us upon the worship of His murti to look after our needs. Shree Krishen Bhagavan also tells us that in our time of difficulty, “I will come and I will personally look after your need.” Bhagavan is here; He is with us; He is not a remote being in heaven. He walks and plays among us. He teaches us by His actions. Such is the beauty of the Hindu philosophy.

Bhagavan is unborn, immortal, ever existing. His manifestation in our lives can be actual or symbolic. He can appear within our hearts as with Shree Hanuman, in whose heart lives the consciousness of Shree Raam and Sita Maa, but He also appears as an external Divine Being. The Mudgala Purana explains the eight times that Bhagavan manifested to look after the need of his devotees, which can be interpreted from both levels.  Bhagavan Shree Ganesh has manifested in eight forms:

1. Vakratunda subdued the demon of rivalry.
2. Ekadanta conquered the demon of conceit.
3. Mahodara manifested to conquer the demon of delusion.
4. Gajaanand subdued the demon of greed.
5. Lambodara destroyed anger.
6. Vikat subdued the demon of lust.
7. Vighnaraaja destroyed attachment.
8. Dhoomravarna conquered pride.

These are internal demons that affect each of us in the form of negative qualities that veil the true Self. By studying and worshipping Ganeshji, and understanding the teachings that He demonstrates, Ganeshji manifests in each of our lives. In other words, the divine qualities, Ganesh principles, manifest within us. Ganeshji also assumes a form so that we may transcend these internal impurities.