The pot-bellied, elephant-headed Lord Ganesha (also called Ganesh or Ganapati) is the most popular god in Hinduism and the only god most Hindu sects have in common. He is known as the Lord of Obstacles – for both placing and removing them. He is the patron god of letters and learning and is said to have written parts of the Mahabharata with the sharp end of his broken-off tusk. He is also the god of time and memory.
Genesha is honored at the beginning of a journey or a business venture and invoked by writers and poets embarking on a new project.
He is usually red, has four arms and sometimes holds a pasha (a triple-twined tether), sometimes an elephant-prod, sometimes a lotus flower and always a bowl of sweets.
The pasha stands for the force by which the soul is brought along the true path. The three twines of the pasha represent ignorance, illusory nature of the world and attachment to things. The elephant-prod symbolizes the need to steer the soul away from illusions of earthly existence. The sweets signify joy and attainment and also the sweetness of the soul. The lotus flower, rooted in the mud, is a symbol of promise.
Genesha is always accompanied by Mooshika (little hoarder) – a rodent, most probably a rat, usually pictured with a tiny saddle. This animal serves as Genesha’s steed, but it is unclear which one of them changes in size in order for this to work.
Rats are believed to be clever and able to gnaw their way through most things. It is easy to see how such a companion could be useful for the “remover of obstacles”. Where the strength of an elephant is of no use, one needs the patience and cunning of a rat.
According to legend, Mooshika was originally a demon conquered by Genesha who was so impressed with the elephant-headed god, he offered to serve him faithfully if Genesha would turn him into the most agile creature in the world. So Genesha turned the demon into a rat.
Mooshika is often pictured holding a jewel. This is the great Wishing-Jewel, which grants its owner’s every wish. Only a rat, whose wishes are humble and few, could be trusted with such a treasure.
Sources: “Rats in Hinduism” by Karen Yang & www. himalayanacademy.com
