[Advaita-l] Ganesha

[U.K Anumula]

Thanks to Mr. Jaldhar Vyas for explaining the sakhas issue which I raised 
earlier.  I would however request any of the members to give the names of at 
least some of the sakhas other than Krishna Yajurveda.

A friend of mine sent me the following regarding worship of Ganesha.  I will 
be grateful for comments from the very erudite members of this group.

"When we go to Ganesh temples we  hold the left ear by the right arm and the 
right ear by the left arm and kneel several times (in odd numbers).  This is 
generally known as "thoppikkaranam."  in Tamil.This was also prescribed 
sometimes as a punishment to children, in past !

Those interested to know its  etymology. Here it is.

It has come from Sanskrit "dorbhiaam-karnam grihiitvaa" meaaning holding the 
ear with two arms; dorbhihkarnam got changed as thoppikkaranam.

For the usage of the word dorbhi see the following vaagdevii vandana -

dorbhiryuktaa chaturbhisphaTikamaNimayImakSamaalaaM dadhAnA

hastenaikena padmaM shukamapi cha kare pustakaM chaapareNa.

bhAsA ku.nde.ndu sha.nkhasphaTika maNi nibhA bhAsamAnA samAnA

devii vaagdevateyaM nivasatu vadane sarvadaa suprasannaa

"dorbhiryuktA chaturbhiH" means having four arms."

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