Lord Ganesh- 53
Criticism of The Ganesh Purana
The Ganesh Purana that I have read is wonderful, but there are a few things that have been unsettling me.
Remember, the Puranas (losely translated to history) were traditionally passed down through oral storytelling and were often narrated or performed publicly for people in streets, temples, gatherings or by Gurus to they shishyas. Over centuries, as these stories travelled from one narrator to another, some details, interpretations or even the original intent may have undergone changes.
Firstly, it portrays Maa Uma, the Divine Mother of Lord Ganesha, as rather weak. Quite often, the (eventual) writer has made Maa Uma faint. I don’t know why!
Maa Uma was the One who was a match for a great Yogi like Shiva Bhagwan. Only She could have Lord Shiv as Her husband, and She performed intense Tapasya for it, beyond the capacity of general society!
See, Maa Uma is the Supreme Goddess, the very One who took the form of Maa Kali, before whom even Lord Shiva had to lie down! She is strong and fierce, yet loving. But somehow, at certain places, this Purana portrays Her as unusually attached to Her son, with mannerisms that seem weaker than those of ordinary human mothers.
Well, you may insert a face-palm here, just as I did!
And yes, I disagree with these portrayals. Perhaps some writer wished to insert his own idea of what makes a good woman — extremely soft-hearted and delicate — and decided that fainting would do the job. Or maybe he simply fancied portraying women fainting! Perhaps it was even considered a womanly quality back then. Who knows?
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Secondly, Lord Ganesha is generally said to be unmarried, but in this Purana, He has two wives — Riddhi and Siddhi.
Now, notice something interesting about the story. The advent of His wives comes up only after Lord Ganesha has killed the Asuras — the demons, the troublemakers, the personification of hindrance in any task we undertake.
Crudely speaking, Riddhi means material prosperity, while Siddhi means spiritual accomplishment or growth.
So, you see, prosperity of every kind showers upon us when Lord Ganesha removes the obstacles i.e. killed the demons. Meanwhile, we must continue performing our karma, staying on the right track and doing what the situation demands. That’s the grace of the Lord Vighnaharta!
And isn’t that beautifully reflected in the story? Once the obstacles were removed, the fire sacrifices resumed, and people began singing His glories. Their lives started coming back on tracks- prosperity and auspeciousness blossomed in life.
Tantrik explanation go beyond the scope of what I have shared here.
You may or may not agree with my interpretation, and that’s perfectly okay! Adding to this, I am still a learner.
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Adding Sri Nirupa Maa’s response on this topic which brings forth a different perspective:
Om Tat Sat!
