Lord Ganesha

Article 3

The Female Aspect of Lord Ganesha

Did you know that Lord Ganesha has an adorable female aspect too? In one of his endless forms, Ganesha assumes the form of 'Ganeshani'. Goddess Ganeshani is known by many names, among them, being Vinayaki, Gananayaki, Gajamukhi, Gajanani and Vighneshwari.

She is also considered as the foremost shakti/feminine form of Lord Ganesha and wears the Anant Shesha Nag around her waist, just like Lord Ganesha. Her eyes radiate the love that nurtures the entire universe. She is a part of the sixty-four yoginis and the matrikas.

Many ancient sculptures of Goddess Vinayaki have been found all over India. The earliest known figure of the goddess is found in Rairh, Rajasthan. It is a mutilated terracotta plaque dated from the first century BCE to the first century CE. Other sculptures of the goddess are found from the tenth century onwards. One of the most famous sculptures of Devi Vighneshwari is as the forty-first yogini in the Chausath Yogini Temple, Bhedaghat, Madhya Pradesh. The goddess is called Sri-Aingini here. Here, the goddess's bent left leg is supported by an elephant-headed male, presumably Lord Ganesha who is seated at her feet. Similar sculptures have been found in Shirali(Karnataka), Gujarat, Bihar, Orissa and Maharashtra. She is even worshipped in Tibet and Sri Lanka.

Gananayaki is considered as an independent Goddess in Jain and Buddhist traditions. In Buddhist works, she is called 'Ganapatihridaya', which translates to 'the heart of Lord Ganesha'.

Every month, the fourth day after the new moon is observed as Vinayaki Chaturthi - the day dedicated to Lord Ganesha in his feminine aspect. The 16th century Silparatna gives a description of Vinayaki as having the head of an elephant and the body of a youthful woman; she is vermillion coloured.

By simply looking at her photo, one can experience the warmth, affection and endearment that she radiates through her aura of motherly love.

Photo and content source: Google