Hw: Ganesha

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Hw Ganesha

• Watch the following youtube video
• Birth of Ganesha
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vHnUuL-SuDXIfeature
  related
• Type a summary of the video (at least 1 paragraph)

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Many Rivers

• One ocean

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Many rivers one ocean

• There is only one God, but endless are his
  aspects and endless are his names.
• Call him by any name and worship him in any
  aspect that pleases you, you are sure to see him.

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Monism

• Most, though not all, Hindus believe in monism-
  only-one-ism
• Eastern traditions
• The doctrine that all reality is one
• Monists believe that similarly all forms of
  reality- gods and goddesses, plants and animals,
  the material universe, and humans- share a common
  essence.
• Hindus call this essence Brahman

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Brahman Abstract gods/goddesses

• Infinite and eternal
• The ground of existence, the eternal essence of
  reality, and the source of the universe
• Beyond the reach of human perception and thought
• Brahman is impersonal, without characteristics
  that can be seen heard, or even intelligibly
  thought about.

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Atman

• The notion of Atman is related to Brahman
• Atman is translated as self or soul
• But it is different from the notion of an
  individual soul
• In Hindu belief, each person has an individual
  soul (jiva) and the individual soul confers
  uniqueness and personality
• Jiva is not the same as Atman

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Svetaketu and Uddalaka

• How does this story help us understand what is
  Brahman?

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The Big Three - Trimurti

• Trimurti means triple form
• Brahma- the Creator
• Vishnu- the Sustainer
• Shiva- the Destructor
• The Hindu Trinity is an old tradition (Vedas)
  that is not necessarily widely practiced today.

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Brahma - Creator

• Represents the creative force that made the
  universe
• It is depicted as ancient/old, thoughtful king
  sitting on a throne
• It has four faces- each looking in one of the
  four directions
• Eight arms- each holding symbols of power
• In his hands are the Vedas

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Brahma

• Often pictured seated on a lotus blossom growing
  out of the bellybutton of Vishnu.

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• Brahmas companion animal is a white goose
• Brahman is NOT the same as Brahma

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Vishnu - Sustainer

• Represents the force of preservation in the
  universe.
• He has four arms which hold symbols of power.
• Carries a conch, a mace, a discus, and a lotus.
• Is often pictured seated on the coils of the
  snake god, Adisesha.

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• Vishnus companion animal is a great eaglelike
  bird, called Garuda, on whom he flies through the
  universe.

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Shiva the god of destruction

• The third of the Trimurti
• Most complicated of the gods
• The god of destruction
• Destruction is a type of recycling, the necessary
  loss of form, which occurs so that new forms may
  appear and death is always thought of as leading
  to new life.

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• Shiva is also associated with re-creation
• The destructive side of Shiva is portrayed in the
  bronze statues called Shiva Nataraja ruler of
  the dance/ Lord of the dance
• As he dances, he is surrounded by a ring of fire
  symbolic of destructive and transformative power

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• His long yogis hair flies in the air
• He has four arms
• In his upper right arm is a drum- symbolizing
  creation and the beginning of time
• In the upper left arm is a flame- symbolizing
  destruction
• His lower left arm is pointing to his upraised
  foot- suggesting that everyone should join him
  in his dance.
• His lower right arm is extended in blessing- in a
  symbolic way says dont be afraid.
• He dances on a dwarf-demon representing
  ignorance of all those who do not understand that
  death is part of the divine process.

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• Often pictured in meditation or dancing.
• The moon is in his hair, and the Ganges river
  flows from it,
• and has a third eye

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Shiva

• The aspect of Shiva that brings re-creation is
  represented by sexually suggestive forms.
• It is important to keep in mind that in
  non-industrial societies the bearing of children
  is crucial- both for the economic survival of the
  family and for the care of the parents in their
  old age.
• Parents pray to have many healthy children.

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Shiva

• A frequent representation of Shiva is a columnar
  lingam- often black
• The lingam usually rests on a yoni- a circular
  base that is the female complement to the lingam.
• The lingam may be a large, natural stone
  worshiped outdoors, or a metal object small
  enough to be worn around the neck or a wooden
  piece of an appropriate size for worship in the
  home.
• Shaivites (devotees of Shiva) pour various
  liquids over the lingam in an act of devotion
  milk, rosewater

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Nandi

• Fertility is further emphasized by Shivas
  companion animal Nandi- a bull
• and by Ganesha- the elephant-headed son of Shiva
• A symbol of strength and abundance.

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