Vinayakî

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam everyone,

I discovered something very funny and interesting while reading religious books on internet: Vinayakî. I absolutely didn't know Sri Ganesh had a feminine form !

It is apparently old, with statues and bronzes existing since centuries in India.

What do you think of Vinayakî ? Where does it comes from ? I never read about or heard about it, it's strange !

Aum Namah Shivaya

 

[Vinayaka]

I've never seen it before either, yet I am never surprised at the vastness of Hinduism. Ganesha is beyond these forms, of course, is a vibration, not a God with form really. I have heard of thinking of Ganesha as Mother Nature.

Where is this?

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Wow. I didn't know this either.

I have seen Ganesh represented as a bachelor or with two consorts Riddhi and Siddhi? And I getting that right?

I wander where the feminine form of Ganesh fits into the evolution of how the God's are visually represented.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Maya3]

Wow, I did not know this either! I love it! Thank you so much for sharing.

Maya

 

[DeviChaaya]

I must do an awful lot of reading because I knew of Vinayaki. Might be because I'm a Shakta?

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I absolutely didn't know Sri Ganesh had a feminine form !

Basically all the Devas have a feminine form. Usually they represent the energy of that God.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam,

Yes ultimately Gods and Godesses have all their male/females parts, sometimes both like Sri ArdhanarIshwrara.
Supreme God is not bound by gender.

However I'm very surprised by that feminine form of Sri Ganesha, not because it's a woman, but because I've never heard, seen, or see this form worshipped anywhere, as the male form of Ganesha is the most worshipped ! In all scriptures ans stories I have read, Sri Ganesha is a male.

I though it was something "new" but no it isn't, and Vinayakî is for example present in very old temples dedicated to the Yogini

See more examples with date/places:

Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Inde

Madhya Pradesh, Inde

Hirapur, Orissa, Inde

There is also a Vinayakî at Tamil Nadu, which have the particularity to have tiger's feets ! She is called VyaghrâPada Ganeshanî !

Sanatana Dharma is truly a wonder.

Aum Namah Shivaya

 

[Vinayaka]

I've never viewed any Gods as having gender. it is only our representations of them that have gender. The idea of gender is a very human, instinctive mind idea.

In fact, a great way to view our fellow human is as genderless. We are souls temporaily inhabiting a physical body. That physical body has gender, and instinct. The genderless soul may well inhabit a body of the opposite gender next time around.

 

[Sumit]

I've never viewed any Gods as having gender. it is only our representations of them that have gender. The idea of gender is a very human, instinctive mind idea.

In fact, a great way to view our fellow human is as genderless. We are souls temporaily inhabiting a physical body. That physical body has gender, and instinct. The genderless soul may well inhabit a body of the opposite gender next time around.

Brahman has no gender but the devtas posses astral body having both masculine and feminine aspects.

 

[Vinayaka]

Brahman has no gender but the devtas posses astral body having both masculine and feminine aspects.

And once again, this will vary from sect to sect. I don't believe this.

 

[Sumit]

And once again, this will vary from sect to sect. I don't believe this.

Whenever we see any devta than it's his/her astral form. Astral body is not just a concept of sect.

 

[Vinayaka]

Whenever we see any devta than it's his/her astral form. Astral body is not just a concept of sect.

I haven't actually seen one. I've seen representations though. I guess your inner eye is much wider open than mine.

 

[Sumit]

I haven't actually seen one. I've seen representations though.

I have, 2 times in my life and know many who saw them. Many people say that they saw ghosts and some of these stories are true but actually soul cannot be seen through eyes, it's the subtle body that soul creates. There are many sadhnas through which one can see these deties.

 

[Vinayaka]

In my philosophy, there is a distinction between soul body, and astral body. I have felt the presences of both, but not actually seen them. I only go by what I have read. it seems to me that you are most likely correct in the case where a person dies, is confused, retains the astral body (this is 'ghost') and hovers about not really knowing what to do, eventually finding another body to re-inhabit. But the soul body is a body deeper within the astral body, consisting of light, and 'larger' than the astral body.

But the original OP had to do with Gods, Ganesha in particular. I certainly don't believe Gods have gender, unless you're considering ghosts as gods, and then its just a matter of clarifying the definition of god, or God.

 

[Sumit]

I certainly don't believe Gods have gender, unless you're considering ghosts as gods, and then its just a matter of clarifying the definition of god, or God.

I don't believe in words "Gods". I always say God (Brahman) is one and has no gender, no form. This is about devtas.

 

[Vinayaka]

I don't believe in words "Gods". I always say God (Brahman) is one and has no gender, no form. This is about devtas.

I'm not familiar with the word 'devtas'. Is it the same as devas?

 

[Sumit]

I'm not familiar with the word 'devtas'. Is it the same as devas?

:yes:

 

[Vinayaka]

Then we will disagree, as per sectarian or philosophical differences. I have absolutely no problem with disagreement. You are entirely welcome to your views on the matter. I only have a problem with disagreement when the other person involved is attempting to convince me I'm wrong and they're right, in some sort of absolutist or fundamentalist or condescending way. As far as Ganesha goes, to me, He/She (not the gender 'he' but the common term) is genderless. I've witnessed an entire temple dedicated to him put into one kumbha pot, in order to move the temple. Certainly that kumbha pot was genderless. He's also not s deva but a Madadeva, or God in his own right, not Siva, but right up there, in a middle place in the hierarchy.

 

[Sumit]

Then we will disagree, as per sectarian or philosophical differences. I have absolutely no problem with disagreement. You are entirely welcome to your views on the matter. I only have a problem with disagreement when the other person involved is attempting to convince me I'm wrong and they're right, in some sort of absolutist or fundamentalist or condescending way. As far as Ganesha goes, to me, He/She (not the gender 'he' but the common term) is genderless. I've witnessed an entire temple dedicated to him put into one kumbha pot, in order to move the temple. Certainly that kumbha pot was genderless. He's also not s deva but a Madadeva, or God in his own right, not Siva, but right up there, in a middle place in the hierarchy.

Well I did not mentioned Ganesh in my comments. I only mentioned Devtas(devas) which have both male and female aspects.

 

[mohinishaktidevi]

Yes ultimately Gods and Godesses

How do you come to your conclusions?

According to the Vedas the 'Gods and Godesses' are born and live and will die in the Material World. The 'Gods and Godesses' of the Vedas are descendents of Brahma. No 'Gods and Godesses' will outlive deva pita-ma Brahma.

Supreme God is not bound by gender.

Which Vedic scripture says this?
How do you come to your conclusions?
Supreme God is male and the Supreme God's energy is feminine.