Ganesha Purana

The Ganesha Purana (Sanskrit:गणेश पुराणम्; gaṇeśa purāṇam) is a Sanskrit text that deals with the Hindu deity Ganesha (Gaṇeśa). It is an upapurāṇa (minor Purana) that includes mythology, cosmogony, genealogy, metaphors, yoga, theology and philosophy relating to Ganesha.

The text is organized in two voluminous sections, one on mythology and genealogy (Krida-khanda, 155 chapters), and the other on theology and devotion (Upasana-khanda, 92 chapters). It exists in many versions. The text's composition and expansion date has been estimated to be the late medieval period, between the 13th- to 18th-century CE, during a period of political turmoil during the Islamic rule period of South Asia. The text shares the features and stories found in all major Puranas, and like all Puranas, it is, states Bailey, also a cultural object and reflects the cultural needs and mores, in the environment it was written.

The Ganesha Purana, along with the Mudgala Purana, Brahma Purana and Brahmanda Purana, is one of four Puranic genre encyclopedic texts that deal with Ganesha. The four texts, two Upa-Puranas and two Maha-Puranas, differ in their focus. The Brahmanda Purana presents Ganesha as Saguna (with attributes and physical form), the Brahma Purana presents Ganesha as Nirguna (without attributes, abstract principle), Ganesha Purana presents him as a union of Saguna and Nirguna concept wherein saguna Ganesha is a prelude to nirguna Ganesha, and the Mudgala Purana describes Ganesha as Samyoga (abstract synthesis with absolute reality and soul).

The Ganesha Purana is significant because it is, with Ganapati Upanishad, the two most important texts of the Ganapatya sect of Hinduism. The Ganapatyas consider Ganesha as their primary deity, and the mythology of Ganesha found in this Purana is part of their tradition. The text is also significant because it relates to Ganesha, who is the most worshipped god in Hinduism, and revered as the god of beginnings by all major Hindu traditions, namely Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. The text integrates ancient mythology and Vedantic premises into a Ganesha bhakti (devotional) framework.

The Ganesa Purana is divided into two sections. The Upasanakhanda (upāsanākhaṇḍa) or "section on devotion" has 92 chapters, and the Kridakhanda (krīḍākhaṇḍa) or "section on the divine play (of Gaṇeśa)" has 155 chapters. The Kridakhanda is also called the Uttarakhanda (uttarakhaṇḍa) in the colophons. Chapter 46 of the Upasanakhanda includes a stotra (hymn) that is the source text for one of the best-known versions of the Ganesha Sahasranama (hymn of praise listing 1,000 names and attributes of Ganesha).

The text has five literary units, found in all Puranas: khanda, mahatmya, upakhyana, gita and a narrative unit. It is structured as a recitation by sage Vyasa, traceable to sages in the mythical Naimisa forest in Hinduism.The composition style is didactic and mythic, the imagery and framing of story is similar to the other Puranas. The text has four idiosyncrasies, states Bailey, in that it contains no pancalaksana content, minimal didactic presentation of dharmashastra, the myths are structured as involving Ganesha's intervention in ancient Hindu mythology, and the mythical plots invariably present Ganesha as the life and inner principle of all other Hindu deities.

Upasanakhanda: Abstract meditation or Bhakti Puja

The Upasanakhanda, or the first part of the Ganesha Purana, presents two modes of worship. One is meditation and mystic contemplation of Ganesha as the eternal Brahman presented in Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, the metaphysical absolute and Paramatma (Nirguna, supreme spirit), where he is same as the Atman (soul, innermost self) within oneself. The second approach, suggests the Ganesa Purana, is through preparing an image of god (Saguna, murti), decorating it with flowers, presenting it offerings and festively remembering him in Puja-style homage. The Upasanakhanda presents these ideas in a series of episodic stories and cosmogony, that weaves in ancient mythologies as dynamic empirical reality and presents Ganesha as the Vedantist Brahman, or the absolute unchanging reality.

Kridakhanda: The Ganesha Gita

Chapters 138-48 of the Kridakhanda constitute the Ganesha Gita, which is modeled on the Bhagavad Gita, but adapted to place Ganesha in the divine role. The discourse is given to King Varenya during Ganesha's incarnation as Gajanana.

According to Yuvraj Krishan, the Ganesha Gita shows that ninety percent of its stanzas are, with slight modifications, taken from the Bhagavad Gita. Their topics are the same: karma yoga, jnana yoga and bhakti yoga. However, Ganesha replaces Krishna in the divine role, states Yuvraj Krishan.

In contrast, Greg Bailey states that while Bhagavad Gita is a strong possible source, the Ganesha Gita has only 412 verses in this section and skips a large number of verses in Bhagavad Gita, and it is incorrect to presume that the text is identical in all respects and merely replaces Ganesha for Krishna. The discussion develops differently, and the character of Varenya is far weaker than the inquisitive philosophical questions of Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, as Varenya asks questions of Ganesha. However, agrees Bailey, that the theology found in Bhagavad Gita and Ganesha Gita are substantially the same.

Kridakhanda: Ganesha in four Yugas

The Kridakhanda of the Ganesha Purana narrates the stories of four incarnations (Avatars) of Ganesha, each for the four different yugas. The 155 chapters of this section are separated into the four Yugas. Chapters 1 through 72 present Ganesha in Krita Yuga, chapters 73 through 126 present Ganesha's story in the Treta Yuga, while chapters 127 through 137 present his stories in Dvapara Yuga. Chapter 138 through 148 present the Ganesha Gita, followed by a short section on Kali Yuga (current era) in chapter 149. The rest of chapter 149 through chapter 155 are interlocutory, following the literary requirements of a valid Puranic genre.

Ganesha is presented as Vinayaka in Krita Yuga, with ten arms, huge, very generous in giving gifts and riding a lion. In Treta Yuga, Ganesha is in the form of Mayuresvara (Mayūreśvara), who has six arms, with a white complexion, and rides a peacock. He manifests in the form of Gajanana (Gajānana) in Dvapara Yuga, with four arms, a red complexion and riding a mouse. He is born to Shiva and Parvati in the Dvapara yuga. In the Kali Yuga, he is Dhumraketu (Dhūmraketu), with two arms, of smoke complexion, mounted on a horse. He fights barbarian armies and kills demons in the Kali Yuga, according to Ganesha Purana.

​

https://www.vyasaonline.com/ganesh-purana/

There are 18 Maha Puranas and many Upa Puranas.

What are the Puranas?

Puranas are the like the magnifying glass of the Vedas due to which our Sanatana Dharma and Vedic Society is still prevalent.

Puranas highlight the great history and geography of Bharatavarsha with the help of Dharmic stories like that Raja Harishchandra, Dhruva, etc.

It is because of the Puranas that everyone in our country irrespective of Jati and Varna knows and follows our Vedic Dharma and its Values.

In Devi Bhagavata there is a sloka with which we can easily remember the 18 Maha Puranas.

The sloka goes like this;

Ma**dwayam Bha**dwayam chaiva

Bra**trayam Va**chatustayam |

A NA PA LINGA KU Ska**ni

puranani prudhak prudhak ||

As you can you see certain letters in the words are highlighted.

The first letter of each word is the key.

• Madhvayam- ‘Ma’ is the starting letter.

There are 2 Puranas which start with letter Ma.

• Matsya Purana
• Markandeya Purana
• Bhadwayam- ‘Bha’ is the starting letter.

There are 2 Puranas which start with letter Bha.

• Bhavishya Purana
• Bhagavata Purana
• Bratrayam- ‘Bra’ is the starting letter.

There are 3 Puranas which start with letter Bra.

• Brahma Purana
• Brahmanda Purana
• Brahma Vaivarta Purana
• Vachatustayam- ‘Va’ is the starting letter.

There are 4 Puranas which start with letter Va.

• Varaha Purana
• Vayu Purana
• Vamana Purana
• Vishnu Purana
• A na pa lin ga ku skani- Each letter highlights one Purana.
• A - Agni Purana
• Na - Narada Purana
• Pa - Padma Purana
• Lin - Linga Purana
• Ga - Garuda Purana
• Ku - Kurma Purana
• Skan - Skanda Purana

This sums up all the 18 Maha Puranas.

Each of these 18 Maha Puranas have some common characteristics. They are called Lakshanas.

There are 5 such common lakshanas which can be highlighted with the help of a sloka.

The sloka goes like this;

Sargascha pratisargascha

Vamso Manvantarani cha |

vamsaanucharitam chiva

puranam panchalakshanam ||

The pancha lakshanas are;

1. Sargascha - Creation
2. Pratisargascha - Periodic Annihilation and recreation of the Universe
3. Vamsah - Vamasas or dynasties of Rishis and Devatas
4. Manvantarani - Cosmic cycles presided over by various Manus.
5. Vamsaanucharitam- Historical accounts of the Royal Dynasties.

Check out the videos where I talk about Manvantara and Sankalpa Mantra.

There are 2 parts to it which talks about the Age of the Universe and Current age of the Universe.

Video 1 - The age of the Universe- https://youtu.be/C-qH5P4BerI

Video 2 - The current age of the Universe- https://youtu.be/t5m5XyND-1A

You can find all this in my new video where I explain the 18 Maha Puranas in 18 min.

The link is below.

18 Maha Puranas in 18 Mintues

Pass on the info to as many people as possible so that we can understand our Puranas better and understand the history and geography of our great country!

Do follow me here u/zestynimbu and on twitter for more such information. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel too if you like the content I post. Thank you for your support.

Namaste.

The Puraanas are the books of ancient Indian History, culture and civilisation along with mythology of Hindu Religion and its several sects. Along with some description of creation of Universe, moral education, and history of Kings, they emphasise on incarnation of God in different gods and goddesses as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and their incarnations. Each Purana is devoted to the main deity of a particular sect, i.e Vaishnav, Shaiva or Shakti showing supremacy of one over other - reflecting the sectarian approach. On account of gradual additions, alterartions, and distortions for hundred of years continuously in the Puranas, particularly under the influence of upheaval of Buddhism and Jainism and then under the Islamic and Chritian rulers in India, aome irrational, illogical, unethical, unscientific, inhumane and ANTIVEDIC concepts have crept in the Puranas. Such concepts are multiplicity of Gods and their incarnations; their feuds for supremacy, idol worship, social discrimination, casteism, and several other superstitions are totaly UnVEDIC. Therefore their illogical teachings, unbelievable narrations, and unscientific concepts contrary to the Vedas are quite discardable. However, there historic accounts are of great use as ancient culture. Strictly speaking Puraanas need a drastic "purification" through cross examination before they can be acceptable for common public consumption. Even the Pauranics (the believers of the Puraanas) are not unanimous about the number and source of the Puranas.

Given below is one of the counts available:-

Eighteen (18) Maha Puranas:

Brahm

Padma
Vishnu
Shiva (or Vayu)
Shrimadbhaagvata
Narada
Markandeya
Agni
Bhavishya
Brhmvaivarta
Linga
Varaaha
Skanda
Vamana
Koorma
Matsya
Garurha
Brahmaanda

In addition, there are eighteen (18) Upa-Puranas, and eighteen (18) Aup-Puranas which are also called Ati-Puranas as follows:

Eighteen (18) Upa- Puranas:

Bhaagvat

Maaheshvara
Brahmaand
Aaditya
Saura
Nandakeshvara
Saamba
Kaalikaa
Varuna
Ushanas
Maanava
Kaapila
Durvaasas
Shivadharma
Vrehannaaradiya
Naarasinha
Sanatkumaara

Eighteen (18) Aup-Puranas or Ati-Puranas:

Kaartava

Riju

Aadi

Mudgala

Pashupati

Ganesha

Surya

Paramaananda

Brehaddharma

Mahaabhagavata

Devi

Kalki

Bhargava

Vaashishtha

Kaurma

Garga

Chandi

Lakshmi

​

http://www.vedicgranth.org/other-granths/puraana

Could anyone kindly point me towards SrimadBhagvad Mahapuran audio or video recordings/podcast. Preferably, covering the whole Purana or pretty big chunk and just plainly described but with devotion and absolutely without the fanfare and monkey business that often goes in the name of Bhagwad Katha these days. Preferably in Hindi/Sanskrit but English r any north Indian language would do just fine.

​

Thanks much

HariOm!!