SC448
$112.00
This intricately carved Ganesha is made from suar wood carved by the artisans in Java.
Lord Ganesha is one of the most popular deities and iconographic representations in Hindu religious art as he possesses many characteristics of greatness that are intended to inspire humanity. Firstly, he is the Remover of Obstacles and represents “perfect wisdom” because he persevered through so much adversity and came through it all to embody joy and success. Because of this he is also worshipped as the god of New Beginnings and is honoured at the start of rites, ceremonies, projects, and tasks to ensure their successful completion.
Each aspect of his posture encodes even more symbolism and meaning. In this Vastu Ganesha depiction, his large head represents his wisdom, knowledge, and ability to “think big.” His large ears and small mouth represent how a truly wise person listens more and speaks less. His big, round belly is said to contain the Universe and show his relaxed nature. His trunk sniffs out the truth and identifies good from evil. He is shown with 4 hands: his upper left holds a Rope to represent the taming of our inner primal energy, his upper right holds an Axe to cut away old karma, ignorance, evil, illusion, as well as our material and mental attachments, his lower left holds a Modaka, or sweet fruit, representing the rewards of mental discipline, and his lower right is an open palm facing out in blessing to protect those working on their spiritual path. He sits atop a lotus flower which symbolizes the expansion of the soul. Finally, one of his tusks is broken as a symbol of sacrifice and to remind us to eliminate our obsession with achieving perfection.
