Ganapatya?

**<3Vinayaka<3** · 20 August 2012, 02:47 PM

Hi

I'm kind of new to Hinduism. I have been Buddhist for many years but shared a flat with a Hindu for two years. That combined with a trip to Asia made me a Ganapati devotee. The thing is, to recently I have worshipped Sri Ganesha as a Buddhist, but now I have begun to change my liturgy and practices to a more Hindu fashion. I also call my self Hindu and not Buddhist anymore.

The thing is that I don't know which kind of Hindu I am. What I have understood there are five major groups: Shaivism, Vashnavism, Smartism, Shaktism and Ganapatya. The last one isn't always mentioned, but it sounds tempting since my main deva is Ganapati.

All Hindus I know are Hindus by birth, so they don't know the terminology and sometimes even their family sect. I just need some guidance, where I can begin. I'm good in Buddhist philosophy and I know the main differences between the two religions. I deeply prefer the positive view on life as Hinduism offers compared to the quite dark view of Buddhist cosmology.

Jai Ganesha!

**Omkara** · 21 August 2012, 02:44 AM

Hi,sorry to have to break this to you,but the ganapatya sect has been dead for centuries,and there is no extant literature for you to reconstruct their practices from.People of all sects worship Ganesha though.It is only that they do not consider Him to be the supreme being.You can find a very helpful book on ganesha worship in the library I have compiled.The link is in my signature(just below this sentence ).The title of the book is simply Ganesha.
P.S. Smartas consider Ganesha as one of five different symbolic representations of the supreme being,so if you want to consuder Ganesha as the supreme being that could work out for you.Also see the book 99 secrets of ganesha by devdutt pattanaik.
Regards

**Eastern Mind** · 21 August 2012, 06:13 AM

Vannakkam Vinayaka: Welcome to HDF. I hope your stay here is fruitful.

I've heard that the Ganapatya sect is still alive, but is very small, somewhere. Not really sure though.

The worship of Ganesha, however, is very much alive, especially within Saivism. Temples are dedicated to him where he is installed as the main deity. Pillaiyarpatti, Uchi Pillaiyar are just two examples. In Maharashtra, especially at Ganesha Chaturthi time, there is a large colorful spectacle for him. But there are literally thousands of smaller temples and shrines everywhere in India.
The first major South Indian temple in the US was for Ganesha. I believe there is one just across the straight from you in Denmark.
He is kind of like the welcomer to Hinduism, and many people come into contact with Hinduism through Him. That's because mystically, His seat is the muladhara chakra, the mystical starting point on the path to moksha.
Here's some links to more info: http://www.himalayanacademy.com/reso..._contents.html http://www.saivism.net/sects/ganapatya.asp

Aum Namasivaya

**ShivaFan** · 28 August 2012, 08:55 AM

Namaste Vinayaka

Ganesh is BELOVED in Saiva Siddhanta. See the link from Eastern Mind above. Fantastic literature is found there, including for Ganesh.

Om Namah Sivaya

**<3Vinayaka<3** · 01 September 2012, 12:19 AM

Nandri/Thanks to you all. I found your help most fruitfull.

Sadly it is a little confusing with the existence of the Ganapatya sect. If it still exists, it is the sect of most interest to me. Now it stands between Shaivism and Smartism. The reason is that most Hindus I know are Shaivites, but I really like the Smarta idea of that the Devas and Devis are aspects of THE Supreme God. Anyhow, I do know that I love Ganesha and so it seems like all Hindus do. So why really bother to choose one sect? All ways lead to God anyhow and many of my fellow Hindus have no clue what sect they are a member of, but they know they are Hindus and they love God.

-^- �m -^-

**Eastern Mind** · 01 September 2012, 07:51 PM

Vannakkam Vinayaka: Yes that's very true. Most Hindus don't know. Still they are a member of a sect. Just because you don't know God exists doesn't mean He doesn't. Just as there are Smartans who pass for Saivites, there are lots of Saivites who would pass for Ganapatyans. None of it really matters. Ganesha is Ganesha.

Aum Namasivaya