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Thread: Ganesha’s Bou (Wife, Wives)?

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    Ganesha’s Bou (Wife, Wives)?

    Namaste Saivas

    Today a sister-in-law told me that Riddhi and Siddhi are the wives of Ganesha. If we look that up, we find that Riddhi is Prosperity and of course Siddhi is the various Spiritual Power(s) and related to Siddha.

    You know, there are many famous bhajans which speak of “Sri Gauri Nandana” in regards to Ganesha, which align Shakti as His mother and not a consort.

    In Varanasi, we hear of Riddhi and Siddhi as the Fan waving Concubines of (and not consorts) of the Malik or Master (Ganesha) - but there is a sense which is not in any scripture I know of that these ladies are sort of like "jinas" which can become the servants of another Malik at anytime.

    But in regards to Riddhi and Siddhi as literally the “wives” of Ganapati, that is not what I sense from Ganesha when I take darshan or do meditation or bhajan of Ganapati the Son of Shiva.

    Does Ganesha have Bou (wife or wives)?

    I searched the forum to see if there were previous threads on this engaging discussion but I found none.

    Of course, there is no need for jalpa! Nor is this intended to be some deep dive into “Brahman” and such, but simply whether Ganapati has a wife or wives as does Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Muruga and so on (e.g. Shaktis that are married to Deva and not just associates).

    The way I see it, a discussion regarding Ganesha brings blessings even if we may make an honest mistake, such is the wonderful love of Lord Ganapati who by even mention of His name can remove so many obstacles in life with an approving smile from the Commander of the Ganas.

    According to Saiva Siddhanta, Buddhi (Intellect) and Siddhi (Mystic Powers) are the pingala (sometimes called “male”) and ida (sometimes called “female”) nadis (or rivers) which are considered Shaktis, sometimes called “consorts” though it is clear that at a certain plain the Devas such as Ganesh are actually neither a male who marries a female nor visa-versa as we understand from a human perspective.

    Now my unauthorized perspective has been for a long time – though I am not sure where I got such biases – that Pingala is Surya the Sun God’s passion for adventure and that Ida is Chandra the Moon God’s luna-tic (under the influence of the Moon) powers or “mind rivers”. To me, when I hear “Ida” I always think it is a Shakti consort of Chandra Deva, and when I hear “Pingala” I always think it is a Shakti consort of Surya Deva, contrary to advanced Saiva Siddhanta. In authorized Saiva Siddhanta teaching, there is “male” (pingala) and “female” (ida) “channels” (nadis, which I think of as rivers but Saiva Siddhanta calls “paths” or “channels”).

    So in traditional Saiva Siddhanta, these two “shaktis” are not literal “wives”, but according to some are associated definitely with Ganesha. Though I do not normally think of Ganapati with Shaktis on each side of Him (though there are such engaging and beautiful depictions as such with two Devis next to Him which includes a work by my favorite artist Ravi Varma). This idea is comfortable for me nevertheless, because it sort of confirms my sense that Ganesha actually does not have “wives”, at least not as the same as Shiva and Parvati, nor Vishnu and Lakshmi, but as some Saiva’s speak of “Shakti dasees”.

    We also see Ganesha sometimes depicted with the Ashtasiddhi’s or Eight Siddhees which are spiritual attainments acquired by mystics and yogis, depicted as His “consort” Devadasis or simply Dasees, viz:

    1) Anima (becoming small) – the capacity of awareness of your own presence in objects.
    2) Mahima (becoming large) – The capacity of consciousness to permeate all things.
    3) Laghima (Becoming light) – The capacity to go above the gross world of multitude.
    4) Garima (becoming heavy) – The capacity of getting gross forms from own individual consciousness.
    5) Prapti (Achieving) – The capacity to follow your own true nature.
    6) Prakamya (Fulfilling of desires ) – The capacity to realize the multitude of the existence.
    7) Vashitva (Control) – The capacity to do your will.
    8) Ishitva (ownership) – The perfect freedom.

    This was also depicted in an art painting by Ravi Varma:



    Ganapati can reside anywhere, any Loka, but this fixation of seeing Pingala as Shakti of Surya and Ida as Shakti of Chandra seems to me to definitely tie the two famous Dasi Shaktis specifically to this universe and not to Sivaloka for example, since I see Surya and Chandra as Devas currently residing in this universe. So it makes me think, if these Shaktis are associated with Ganesha, then Their role is more specific to where we (souls on Mother Bhumi Earth) live and not Sivaloka. Which can be a good thing if you think about it, They are here to specifically help us if Ganesha so chooses.

    Now a member of the Himalayan Academy by the name Bhavani Param wrote to me the other day, quoting “Dancing with Siva” mandala 5, where the empowered Satguru said:

    “The Gods are souls of high evolution. They are very old and mature souls, mighty beings who live in the Sivaloka. Though neither male nor female, they may be popularly depicted as Gods or Goddesses.”

    So the Satguru is correct there is no question about that. However for whatever reason I still see and will continue to see Gods and Goddess as either male or female, and that some Devas have a Shakti wife or wives despite this enlightened revelation, and some Devas have Shakti Dasis as well as Gana and Angelic Dasis who are not wives but companions or associates or servants, even though I know it is true this is not the same as male and female on Mother Bhumi Earth among humans.

    My current perspective is only true for me because this is what I experience when I want to have their Darshan. It may not be yours. But there is no doubt, they are very old souls, mighty in being, and that Shakti Dasis as well as Shakti Devis do not have bodies like we do. Perhaps the Devas and Devi decide to let others see things as neither male nor female, but they decided not to have me experience this.

    Let me make it simple in terms of going to a temple and having darshan. If I go to see Muruga Who is with Devayani (Devasena) and Valli, that definitely His two consorts are there and they are His consorts. Other Devas may have “girl friends” if you will or Shakti partners. Or in the example of Sita and Ram, they have a very special connection – but they are also personalities of Their own, and one is Devi and the other is Deva.

    But if I go to see Ganapati typically the before mentioned Shaktis are not there, and even if They were I do not have the same idea as Consorts but rather Dasis “only” (I put in quotes to emphasis that being a Dasi does not mean some unworthy status – any such Dasi is very, very powerful and worthy!) …

    To me, Ganapati is the Commander of Shiva’s Armies or Ganas. And these Shaktis which may be associated with Him from time to time, they are also present as part of the vast retinue of servants that includes the Ganas, and indeed can be Shaktis but … not the same as Parvati for example.
    So in my idea of darshan with Lord and Commander Ganapati is, Ganesha does not have a wife or wives.

    And, I always see Ganesha as a Brahmacharya Deva.

    My Mother-In-Law is the Mother Matriarch of the family, and she is a devotee of Santoshi Ma. She has never told me that Riddhi and Siddhi are the literal “wives” of Ganesha, though I suspect that this mention today by the sister-in-law has something to do with Santoshi Mother. Because Ganesh is a very important Deva to the family, and I notice Ganesha is associated with Santoshi Mother, and upon checking the internet I noticed in Wikipedia mention that Riddhi and Siddhi told Ganesh to create Santhoshi Mother from fire.

    This is certainly wonderful if it is true, but again the Mother Matriarch never told this to me so I am not sure why the sister-in-law thinks Ganesh has two wives called Riddhi and Siddhi.

    In household worship at my place, also Ganesha is with Lakshmi, and even sometimes with Saraswati. That does not mean to me they are married, but engulf all the blessings that can be granted for a material stability that can lead to spiritual nadis.

    In Bengal, Ganesha is “married” to the banana tree thus called Kalo Bo and She is dressed in a white sari with a red border. I noticed today that the sister-in-law called the wives as Bou. So this makes me suspect also of the Bengali influence. Of which is wonderful.

    So what do you think? Whatever is considered, there is no right or wrong answer as far as I am concerned. Because, even though my personal sense or experience with Ganapati is as a Bachelor, that does not mean that one day He may decide to have a direct Consort or Consorts of his Very Own in the future (or even at this very moment!).

    As the mantra of a great Tamil and Lankan mystic says, “I do not know”. This mantra I take to heart.

    Om Shri Gaṇeshāya Namah!

    Om Namah Sivaya

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    Re: Ganesha’s Bou (Wife, Wives)?

    Vannakkam ShivaFan

    To the best of my understanding, the belief of Ganesha having consorts is generally from the northern Indian perspective. Murugan, on the other hand, is worshipped as a bachelor there, and is more commonly known by the name, Skanda.

    While that is the case in the north, the situation in the south, interestingly, is somehow reversed. In the south, it is Murugan who has 2 consorts, while Ganesha is typically worshipped as a chaste bachelor.

    It is also amusing to note that some of Ganesha's 32 main forms have Their own consort(s) or shakti(s) as well.


    Aum Namah Shivaya

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    Re: Ganesha’s Bou (Wife, Wives)?

    Namaste Equinox
    32 Ganeshas with 64 Shaktis, that is both wonderful and interesting!

    But of course, these Shaktis are non-human or Divine. But I have to admit when I first read this interesting fact, it made me pause.

    Because I have 8 Shaktis who are females, of which all 8 give me a headache from time to time. But of course these ladies are all humans as far as I know so there is no question that Ganeshas Shaktis which are Divine do nit give him headaches like mine do.

    However all of my Shaktis know how to cook things like samosas so that makes life wonderful. Except two, who do not know how to cook properly. But they all like to dress up.

    Om Namah Sivaya

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    Re: Ganesha’s Bou (Wife, Wives)?

    Vannakkam ShivaFan

    32 Ganeshas with 64 Shaktis
    No I meant only some of His 32 forms. I counted and only 8 of the 32 seem to have Shaktis. Of the 8, only 1 has two Shaktis. The remaining 7 have one Shakti each. I wonder if this varies from source to source.

    Here's a website to get an idea of the forms and Their Shaktis:

    http://www.shreeganesh.com/32forms.htm

    Because I have 8 Shaktis who are females, of which all 8 give me a headache from time to time. But of course these ladies are all humans as far as I know so there is no question that Ganeshas Shaktis which are Divine do nit give him headaches like mine do.

    However all of my Shaktis know how to cook things like samosas so that makes life wonderful. Except two, who do not know how to cook properly. But they all like to dress up.
    Haha... That's a lot of Shaktis.



    Aum Namah Shivaya

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    Re: Ganesha’s Bou (Wife, Wives)?

    Namaste Equinox

    Thanks, now I see my mistake in math! Thanks for correcting me!

    You know, a thought just occurred to me. There is no divorce in Hinduism. There may be examples of Deva shunning his wife, or sending Her off, but as far as what we call divorce in the West, I cannot think of such an example among the Divine or the shining ones.

    There is no ceremony for divorce in Hinduism. Perhaps, though rare, some might have more than one wife, but never a ceremony for divorce. A Satguru said, a marriage is more than a union of those who marry, it is also a union of two families. It is not just between two individuals. This Satguru says that there is no religious ceremony for divorce.

    So that makes me very happy. One should love your wife, a commitment for life and to the extended family! Jai Devi!

    Om Namah Sivaya

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