Vinayakî

[mohinishaktidevi]

As far as Ganesha goes, to me

This seems bogus. The first photo posted seems photoshoped.

India in the 10th cent was 400 years into the age the Muslim conquests and 4,400 into the age of Kali. All sorts of infamy would rise into place.

I am familiar with the devas and devatas. I know of no female form of the son of Shiva, Genesh. Maybe Ganesh had a daughter. More likely if such images occurred in architectual commissions, they were designed at the behest of a wealthy eccentric.

Why consider that an ancient building and it's surroundings were official anything? IMO, many ancient ruins around the world were abandoned factory-like work sites, later inhabited by locals. For example I postulate that the Pyramids of Egypt were nothing but sun ray reflecting Lighthouse beacons for seaships. By that logic, if the Female Ganeshes exist on a wall somewhere IMO the building was a summer home for an interior designer from the time. Long live the art of interior designing. (BTW, where in the Vedas or PURANAS is this Female Ganesh mentioned?)

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam,

I am sorry I did research on it and it's not a fake. Reprentations, sculptures, paintings of Vinayaki are depicted around all India (not in a specific temple somewhere) and is old. Also Vinayakî is mentionned in a Sakta purana (Let me double check for the exact name of the said purana) and is linked to Sakta worship and the 64 yoginis.

Maybe this form of Sri Ganesh doesn't fit a Vaishnav, but if it fits a Sakta or anyone else, what is the problem ? Where is the heresy ? God is way beyond genders, I don't see any difference between Vinayakî and Vinayakâ.

There is no need to accept if we don't want to, to each his own. But "don't accept" doesn't prevent from admiring the wonders and the skill of this beautiful legacy from India.

I don't really understand your claims about the pyramids but how is it relevant in a conversation about Sanatana Dharma ?

How a Vinayakî mentionned in Sakta scriptures and Puranâ can be just a "interior designer delirium" when it's present in very important and ancien temples along with the 64 yoginîs ? It is actually the 38th yogini (you can see it at the yogini temple of Hirapur)

I find it rather insulting to say that. A temple is a sacred place, there is a very meaningful science between it's "design" and it's not to be reduced as simple"summer home decor".

Some other beautiful photos of this temple:

I am no Sakta so my knowledge is limited, if a more knowledgable member have more informations, please kindly share _/\_

Aum Namah Shivaya

 

[mohinishaktidevi]

Vanakkam,

I am sorry I did research on it and it's not a fake.

my knowledge is limited,
if a more knowledgable member have more informations, please kindly share _/\_

All you have do to is produce the Vedic scripture that defines it.

I looked up the name 'Vinayaki' is a very respected reference work called
'Purana Encyclopaedia' by Vettam Mani. There is no reference.

Your emotives should not be part of research work.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam,

the last phrase you quoted was aimed to more experienced Sakta devotees, not to you.

Please not that I'm not trying to enter a debate on whatever an elephant faced godess is an heresy toward Sanatana Dharma (Even if, frankly, I don't see the problem) I do not worship Sri Ganesha in this form and honestly don't care. The primary aim of this tread was to share this beautiful and ancient aspect of God and learn more about it, not to start a debate on who's got the bigger phrase out of scriptures. I am sorry to disappoint you but maybe you can start you own tread debating about what you want to debate ?

I need to hit the books for exact quotes and passages, and I can't for now so it will wait until tomorrow. However Elephant faced Godess is seen in Matsya purana (where she is a part of Matrikas) and also figures among the Saktis in Agni purana.
However the direct link with Sri Ganesha (as a Sakti or female form of Sri Ganesha) is find in Sakta scriptures, like Devi Purana.

This is then an aspect of God worshipped by Sakta. What is the problem exactly, I fail to understand it ?

I am amazed and find beautiful every aspect of God and enjoy the art and skill mastery of Sanatana Dharma. I don't want to play who's got the bigger one as honestly, there is no problem or anything for me. I would like to know more about Vinayakî directly from Sakta devotees as they are more likely to know about the 64yoginis and the Matrikas more in detail, that is all. It is all out of curiosity to learn more and share the beautiful mastery of temple and Murti Art .

Quick assumptions about random people because they don't agree with you should not be part of a reasonable answers, and it lead to personnal attacks and distract the correct course of the tread which is not about pyramids setup or how Islamic invasion to India brough "fake" breast naked elephant goddess out of nowhere.

Aum Namah Shivaya

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I am familiar with the devas and devatas. I know of no female form of the son of Shiva, Genesh. Maybe Ganesh had a daughter. More likely if such images occurred in architectual commissions, they were designed at the behest of a wealthy eccentric.

From my understanding there is an upapurana called the Devi Purana that talks about Gananayika who seems to be also called Vinayaki as the shakti of Ganesha. There are so many Tantric Goddesses all called by many different names. Even if they are not talked about in the puranas they could be in the Tantras. No single source could have all the names.

Though the first six are unanimously accepted by texts, the name and features of the seventh and eighth Matrika are disputed. In Devi-Mahatmya, Chamunda is omitted after the Saptamatrika list,[39] while in sculpture in shrines or caves and the Mahabharata, Narasimhi is omitted. The Varaha Purana names Yami – the Shakti of Yama, as the seventh and Yogishwari as the eighth Matrika, created by flames emerging from Shiva's mouth.[40] In Nepal, the eighth Matrika is called Maha-Lakshmi or Lakshmi is added omitting Narasimhi. In lists of nine Matrikas, Devi-Purana mentions Gananayika or Vinayaki – the Shakti of Ganesha, characterized by her elephant head and ability to remove obstacles like Ganesha and Mahabharavi omitting Narasimhi.[41]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrikas

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

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

Some of the hymns of the Vedas show that the supreme Lord is female. Rgvsdoktam Devi Suktam and the Vedoktam ratri Suktam are just two examples. The Devi Bhagavata Purana contains teachings that show Devi as supreme. Vedas just like latter Hindu texts have very different teachings. My view that the Devi is supreme, Vinayaka belief that God has no sex (I don't even see how this can be argued against.), and your views, all have some support from scriptures.

 

[Vinayaka]

(I don't even see how this can be argued against.)

Oh, you can argue against anything at all, if you want to. Not that an argument has to make sense of course.

 

[Ashoka]

Here is something interesting:

She is a combination of Ganapati and Lalita Tripura Sundari. She is prayed to for peace and unity, and her worship must have initiation. I have been told, however, that one could worship Her as Ganesha and still recieve the same good results.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam,

Those pictures are very beautiful and inspiring Thank you very much Sivoham

Aum Namah Shivaya