Looking for Lord Ganesh


Book Description

Anika has recently emigrated from India and is having a difficult time adjusting to life in a new country - not to mention life in a new school. Remembering the advice her grandmother gave her, she prays to Lord Ganesh, the Hindu elephant god. But Lord Ganesh is slow to respond and Anika takes to the internet to attract his attention. When her problems begin to resolve themselves, she can breathe a sigh of relief. But has Lord Ganesh truly been helping her, or has she been relying on her own inner wisdom all along? This is a sweet and witty story about staying true to one's beliefs and finding strength in unlikely places.




Book of Ganesha


Book Description

Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, is easily the most recognizable and loveable of Hindu deities. But pinpointing his various attributes is not quite so simple. He is at once the portly, merry, childlike god and the sage, complex philosopher. He is the presiding deity of material wealth and the lord of spirituality. He removes all impediments for his devotees but creates all manner of difficulties for the transgressors, man or god. And associated with every aspect of Ganesha-be it his extraordinary birth, his elephant head, his broken tusk, his vehicle (the mouse), his appetite, his anger-are scores of myths, each more colourful than the other. In this thoroughly researched and delightfully narrated book, Royina Grewal gives us the many stories of Ganesha, exploring their significance and how they reflect the times and the cultures during which they originated.




Ganesha's Sweet Tooth


Book Description

The bold, bright colors of India leap off the page in this picture book retelling of how Ganesha helped write the epic Hindu poem, the Mahabharata. Ganesha is just like any other kid, except that he has the head of an elephant and rides around on a magical mouse. And he loves sweets, but when Ganesha insists on biting into a super jumbo jawbreaker laddoo, his tusk breaks off! With the help of the wise poet Vyasa, and his friend Mr. Mouse, Ganesha learns that what seems broken can be quite useful after all. With vibrant, graphic illustrations, expressive characters, and offbeat humor, this is a wonderfully inventive rendition of a classic tale. Praise for Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth “Pink elephants haven’t looked this good since Dumbo.” —The New York Times “Beautifully presented. . . . So sweet we almost want to pop it in our mouths.” —Entertainment Weekly “Stylish. . . . A fresh and comedic introduction to a Hindu legend, with a winning combination of both eye candy and actual candy.” —Publishers Weekly “Bright, elaborately detailed illustrations. . . . Grade-schoolers. . . . will enjoy the story’s turnarounds and focus on luscious sweets, and many will be ready for the classic Hindu myth.” —Booklist




Ganesh (Mini Book)


Book Description

The life and legends of the god Ganesh in your hand, accompanied by a glorious gallery of historical imagery and art, including paintings by the renowned Indian artist, Indra Sharma. Son of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati, Ganesh is the elephant-headed deity known most often as a remover (and sometimes creator) of obstacles. Worshipped in Hindi faith at the outset of new meetings and ventures, Ganesh is seen as a figure of prosperity and protection. This publication in the mini book scale collects traditionally styled Indian artwork by Indra Sharma and others, and a selection of writings on the history and philosophy of this deity to inspire thoughts and worship for followers of the deity, and fascinating insights for anyone interested in world religions in general. • Features the elephant-headed god’s origin tale, as well as other teaching stories, inspirational quotes, and a guide to understanding the symbols found in ancient and contemporary depictions of the deity. • A wide range of artwork including gorgeous original pieces from noted painters Indra Sharma, Mahaveer Swami, B. G. Sharma, and others • Also includes high-quality reproductions of ancient artworks, and images of traditional sculptures and temples dedicated to Ganesh.




99 Thoughts on Ganesha


Book Description

In the game of cricket, having scored 99 runs, when a batsman stands poised on the threshold of that much coveted century, he experiences the moment that is best associated with Ganesha. Fear and uncertainty envelope him; between him and his achievement stand hurdles, both real and imaginary: a possible spin from the bowler can overwhelm him, his own anxiety can paralyze him, cheering fans can distract him. He needs divine intervention then. He needs to focus, get rid of all hurdles, perform, get the final run, and achieve what he so longs for. In other words, he needs to think of Ganapati. This book brings together 99 meditations to better understand the stories, symbols and rituals of that adorable elephantheaded Hindu god who removes hurdles and brings prosperity and peace. Known variously as Ganapati, Gajanana, Vinayaka or Pillayar, he can help all of us score a century in the game called life.




Ganesh and the Little Mouse


Book Description

"The kingdom's annual around-the-world race is here! Will Ganesh & the Little Mouse stand a chance? This heartwarming tale of true friendship and love is a modern take on the Hindu classic." --Page [4] of cover.




How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head


Book Description

The magical story of how Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati, was brought back to life with the head of an elephant • The story of one of the most beloved characters in Indian lore, made accessible for Western children • Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition Any Indian child can tell you how the beloved god Ganesh got his elephant’s head--now American children can know as well. For centuries Indian children have grown up hearing Ganesh’s story--how his mother, Parvati (an incarnation of the great mother goddess), created a small boy from sandalwood soap and commanded that he guard the palace against all intruders while she took her bath. How her husband, Shiva (the fearsome god of destruction), didn’t take kindly to being barred from his own home. How Shiva beheaded the boy during the cosmic war that followed, but then, when he realized that the balance of the entire universe was at stake, brought the boy back to life by grafting an elephant’s head onto his body and made him the people’s intercessor against the powers of destruction. Ganesh’s timeless story teaches children about the steadfast power of dedication to duty, the awe-inspiring power of a mother’s love for her child, and the gentle power of compassion, which holds the world together. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.




Ganesha, the God of Prosperity


Book Description

Ganesha is a large print book about Lord Ganesha, also known as 'Ganapati', who is proclaimed as one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu tradition.




The Story of Hanuman


Book Description




Story of Syamantaka Mani


Book Description

Lord Ganesh wards off obstacles in his devotees life. Before starting any work he is the God who has to be worshipped first. The endearing elephant God known by many names is believed to bring good fortune and remove obstacles. The elephant head represents immense wisdom and perfection. The big ears represent always willing to listen to new ideas. The small mouse represents our desires which should be small enough and also indicates that we should not be greedy.Lord Ganesh has four hands in one of his forms in which he is holding noose, hook modaka which is a kind of a sweet which is believed to be very dear to lord Ganesh and an axe. Devotees of Lord Ganesh worship the god by offering him "laddu" and "Durva" grass.It is said that anyone who looks at the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi day will incur the curse of lord Ganesh. If anyone sees the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi by mistake they will undergo false blame put on them and they will be inviting insult. It is said that those who read the story of syamantakamani will be freed from the curse of lord Ganesh. Syamantakamani was gifted to an ardent devotee of lord Sun whose name is Satrajitu. The lord Sun was pleased by the penance performed by Satrajitu. Afterwards his brother Prasena takes the jewel when he goes for hunting. Later that jewel goes into the hands of a lion which was killed by Jambavanta who was a great devotee of Lord Rama.On the other side lord ShriKrishna is blamed for the lost precious jewel syamantakamani. Therefore he comes searching for it. He finds that jewel in the hands of Jambavanta. A great battle takes place between lord ShriKrishna and Jambavanta. Then Jambavanta realizes that lord Krishna is the incarnation of lord Rama and after which he gets his beautiful daughter Jambavati married off with lord ShriKrishna. Meanwhile he gives the jewel syamantakamani to lord Krishna and like this the story goes on.............