GANESH
Ganesh ~ Ganesha ~ Ganesa ~ Ganapati
Elephant-headed lord of the hosts
REMOVING OBSTACLES ~ SUCCESS in NEW VENTURES ~ SPIRITUAL WISDOM
Pictures show back and side views
Your item will be very similar to the one shown.
This item is of a cast metal material and all the statues are practically the same in construction.
Ganesh is known as the elephant-headed god of wisdom and success and also the remover of obstacles. The victory over obstacles means the ability to conquer anything that is blocking you. He is one of the most well-known representations of God and most spiritual worship begins with the invocation of Ganesh.
About GANESH'S BODY
The elephant head, denoting wisdom, is representative of the soul while the human body refers to the earthly existence. Visually, his body is a lesson for us to look beyond outer appearances for more substantial truths found within.
He has only one tusk after breaking one off to use to write the Mahabharata, an epic story that tells the feuding between two branches of a ruling family with the background relating social and moral issues.
This statue shows Ganesh holding this broken tusk in his right hand where it represents a symbol of sacrifice. The left hand is holding a sweet dessert ball, called laddoo, which is used to reward devotees for their spiritual involvement. The large ears help us to know that he is "all ears" to better hear our requests. His big belly protrudes just enough to entice us to rub it for good luck in all our endeavors.
MEASUREMENTS etc.
1 1/8" H x 3/4" W x 1/2" D
Cast metal construction
Silver-toned
Picture shows location of Bodhi seed
About the BODHI SEED
BODHI (Sanskrit, Pali) = Awakened / Enlightened
This statue has a Bodhi seed sealed into the base and, generally, this seed can be heard rattling around if you pick up the statue and gently shake it a bit. However, some statues don’t rattle, even though they still have the Bodhi seed, so it just depends on the amount of space initially reserved for the placement of this seed.
In general, this seed represents the attainment of enlightenment that Buddha reached while meditating under the Bodhi Tree.
The Bodhi tree is also known as the Fig tree. Bodhi seeds are the fruits of the Ficus religiosa, a kind of fig originally found in South Asia, and now is more common in other locations around the world as well.
The Herder Dictionary has this to say about the fig/bodhi tree.
“The Fig Tree - Revered as a holy tree by many peoples, it often symbolizes fertility and abundance. The Bodhi Tree is the fig tree under which the Buddha became enlightened (from Sanskrit bodhi, enlightenment); in a general sense it is a symbol of knowledge and enlightenment.†The Herder Dictionary of Symbols, Chiron Publications, Wilmette, IL, 1993, pg 75
BEFORE YOUR ITEM ARRIVES
If it helps you to know, before arriving at your home, your item was stored in a chest that has been Blessed by a Buddhist Monk. To read more about this Blessed Chest just click on About This Store and scroll down to "If it helps you to know ...".
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