Ganesa Unraveling an Enigma

Contents Preface vii Achnowledgements xi List of Illustrations xv I The Place of Ganesa in India's Life 1 II Names of Ganesa and Their Meanings 5 III Is Ganesa a Vedic Gof? 9 IV The Family of Siva and Evolution of Siva and His Hosts 19 V Vinayaka as Vighnakarta (Causer of Obstacles) in the Manavagrahyasutra (Mgs.) and Yajnavalkyasmrti (Yaj.): A Comparative Study 25 VI Vinayaka and Ganesa in the Mahabharata 29 VII Pauranic Ganesa: 33 Ganas and Ganesa 33 The Functional Role of Ganesa 36 The Birth of Ganesa: His Parentage 38 How Ganesa came to acquire an elephant's head? 42 Ganesa as ekadanta (one-tusked) 45 The Vahana (vehicle or mount) of Ganesa 48 Sarpa or Naga (serpent) as ornament of Ganesa 50 Ganesa and Skanda 53 Is Ganesa a brahmacari (bachelor) or a grhastha (householder)? 60 VIII The Ganapatyas 71 IX Promotion of the Cult of Ganesa 75 X Development of the Iconography of Ganesa 87 XI Chronology of Ganesa as Reflected in Literary, Numismatical, Epigraphical and Sculptural Sources 101 XII Ganesa in Buddhism 109 XIII An Explanation of the Sadhanas and Sculptures of Buddhist Deities Trampling upon Ganesa 117 XIV Ganesa in Jainism 121 XV Evolution of Ganesa Cult 125 XVI Ganesa Beyond India's Frontiers: 147 Ganesa in Nepal 147 Ganesa in Sri Lanka 151 Ganesa in Myanmar 152 Ganesa in Indonesia: Java and Bali 154 Ganesa in Indo-China: Cambodia and Champa 156 Ganesa in Thailand 158 Ganesa in Tibet 159 Ganesa in Central and Northern Asia 161 Ganesa in China Ganesa in Japan 162 Binayaka, Shoten and Kangiten 163 Soshin Kangiten or Dual-boiled God of Bliss 167 XVII Ganesa: A Biographical Sketch 183 XVIII Epilogue 197 Appendix I A New Interpretation of Panca-Ganesa Sculptures 199 Appendix II Is the Fight Between Siva and Ganesa an Episode of Oedipal Conflict? 203 Appendix III Is Ganesa of Indo-Greek Origin? 209 Select Bibliography 213 Author and Title Index 219 Subject Index 229