Sacred Symbols§
Puṇyalakshaṇāni§
पुण्यलक्षणानि§
ELICITOUS EMBLEMS, INSIGNIA AND ICONS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO EACH of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses to symbolize the manifest mental powers of that particular Third World Mahādeva. The vitarka mudrā, “gesture of debate,” is associated with Lord Gaṇeśa, as are red and yellow flowers. Everywhere the elephant symbolizes strength, intelligence and majestic poise. So honored was the elephant among creatures that it was used in regal days to select a successor to the throne. In ancient Bharat the superiority of a mahārāja’s army was measured by the strength of his elephant brigade—the largest herd on record being 5,000, owned by Rajaraja Chola. In India, the white elephant is a symbol of purity (elephants, despite their size, are pure vegetarians), and its birth was said to usher in an era of prosperity and plenitude for the entire nation. There are many stories surrounding visions of a white elephant, including that which the mother of Prince Siddhārtha had before his birth. In this chapter of Loving Gaṇeśa we describe briefly some of the traditional symbols and their meanings.§
“His four arms stand for His immense power in helping humanity. The noose and the goad, borne in two of His hands, stand for His all-pervasiveness and grace. The broken tusk in the right hand shows that He is the refuge for all. His huge belly is indicative of His tolerance and also signifies that all things, the entire Universe, are contained in Him. His feet stand for the bestowal of siddhi and buddhi, attainment of desires and knowledge. The modaka (sweet goody) in His hand is symbolic of jñāna, conferring bliss. His mount, the shrew, represents the worldly desires which are to be overcome” (M. Arunachalam, Festivals of Tamil Nadu, 1980, p. 112).§
