Heramba-Gaṇapati
By Swami Harshananda
Gaṇapati or Gaṇeśa, the elephant-faced god, is an extremely popular deity of the pantheon. Out of the several aspects of this god, the Heramba-Gaṇapati is also the one. This aspect is more popular in Nepal. ‘Heramba’ means one puffed up with the pride of strength and valor.
Gaṇapati in this form has five faces and ten arms in which he holds broken tusk, club, rosary, goad, a fruit, axe, sweet (modaka) and a noose. The other two hands exhibit the abhaya and the varada mudrās which denotes offering protection and boons.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore