| Names in India
Ganesha is known not by one name or
two, but by many names, Each name has an explanation.
Because of his elephant
face he is called Gajanana ('Gaja' meaning
elephant);
As the leader of Shiva's
Gana he is known as Gananayaka;
Ganesh As he is Leader of Shiva's
Attendants,
Ganapathi As he is Leader of Shiva's Attendants,
Pillaiyar As The Noble Child,
BenakaOne with a Long Nose ,
Gajamukha One with an Elephant's Face,
Vakratunda One with a twisted trunk,
Lambodara One with a large belly,
Surpakarna One with the pointed ears,
Vamanarupa One who is short in Stature,
He bestows boons on his devotees and so
is Varasiddhi Vinayaka,
He is Vidya Ganapati because he grants knowledge
and wisdom;
He is called Gowriputra because he was born by the grace of
Parvati,
Ekadanta because he has only one tusk, and
Vighneshwara because
he is the Lord of all obstacles - so he has many names. |
| Names in Abroad
Vinayaksha or Kobo Daishi or Sho-Ten In Japan,
Kwanshidiyik or Kuan-Shit'ien or Ho-TeiIn china ,
Brahganesh or Prah-Kenes Cambodia
Totkar or khaghan Mangolia,
Tchoprak or Ts'ogs-Bdag Tibet,
Maha-Pienne Burma,
Heramba Nepal,
Mahabini Borneo.The belief that, Ganapati loves his
devotees immensely is the reason for his worship everywhere. |