Moor’s Last Sign Pre-IOP Research

Dina Zhang, Adrienne Pham

Topic: The imagery of elephants

Elephanta (Bombay)：

(Library book)
The famous SHIVA cave temple at Elephanta, a small island in the harbour of
Bombay (Mumbai), is hollowed out from solid rock.

The temple is famous for a colossal sculpture of Shiva with three heads, one each
Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. This sculpture thus presents Shiva as supreme among
divinities and embodies the Hindu Trimurti, or trinity.

(wikipedia)
a network of sculpted caves located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri (literally
"the city of caves") in Mumbai Harbour,

the first is a large group of five Hindu caves, the second, a smaller group of two
Buddhist caves. The Hindu caves contain rock cut stone sculptures, representing the
Shaiva Hindu sect, dedicated to the god Shiva

Shiva:

(Library book)
“The beneficent one” is the divinity at the center of the largest Hindu religious
sect. His divine family includes the amusing elephant-headed god Ganesha, Shiva and
(his wife Parvati) Parvati’s Elder son, and Karttikeya. Shiva, is famed as Lord of Dance.
He is also the Lord of Chaos, who destroys all the universe with his final dance. But of
course, he may dance that same universe into existence again, if he so chooses.

(Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva)

Shiva is a major Hindu deity (god), the “Destroyer or Transformer” of the

Trimurti (the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. It is the cosmic functions
of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahmā the
creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Śhiva the destroyer or transformer.)

Followers of Hinduism who focus their worship upon Shiva are called Shaivites
or Shaivas

Festival

(Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtra)
 Lord Ganesha's devotion is celebrated by Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganesh's birthday) in
August–September of every year.

Lord Shiva's devotion is celebrated by taking part in Maha Shivaratri (Night of

Shiva) festival. In modern times, the Elephanta island in Mumbai, Lord's Shiva island in
local mythology, originated the Elephant Festival.

Significance of Elephants

http://www.is.wayne.edu/mnissani/elephant/elephant.htm

represents royalty, power, wisdom, fertility, longevity and more (Encyclopedia of

Religion 82).

The main use of the elephant in eastern religious art is in the representation of Ganesha,
the great Hindu God (Carrington 223). As a Hindu religious symbol, the elephant is
highly favored.

The most widely worshiped Hindu god deity is Lord Ganesha: The Elephant God. He is
one of five prime Hindu deities. Ganesh, as he is commonly called, is an elephant-headed
god who has an extensive legend. He represents "perfect wisdom" and is highly loved and
worshiped by his devotees. Ganesh is considered to be the "remover of obstacles" and a
"bestower of prosperity (Gentz 382)." Ganesha is also called Ganapati. "Ga means
‘knowledge’, na means ‘salvation’, and pati ‘lord’ (Ganesha 1)". His image can be found
at the entryway of temples and in places of business. Followers of Ganesh always pray to
him before beginning any new venture in life to remove any obstacles that would block
their way. Ganesha is also "the patron of literature--he combines the natures of the two
most intelligent beings--man and the elephant (Alexander 77)."

Legend of Ganesha
Legends of Lord Ganesha differ in some points from region to region but the most
popular tale states that his mother Parvarti, who possessed mythical powers, was lonely
for a child. While her husband, Lord Shiva was away on a penance journey, she allegedly
took dead skin cells from her own body and formed a son that she named Ganesh. One
day while she bathed, she placed Ganesh at the door of her chamber to guard her privacy.
She forbade him to let anyone enter her door. Lord Shiva returned that day and not
knowing that he now had a son, attempted to enter Parvarti’s chamber. Ganesh, unaware
that this was his father, would not allow him passage. In a rage, Lord Shiva beheaded the
child. Upon Parvarti’s discovery of what happened she became inconsolable and
demanded that Lord Shiva bring the boy back to life. He then ordered his servant to go
out and bring him back the first available head he came upon. The legend goes on to say
that the servant came upon an elephant that was sleeping. He severed the head of the
elephant and presented it to Lord Shiva who in turn attached it to the body of the boy he
had slain. Lord Shiva brought him back to life and bestowed upon him "a boon that
people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any vigil" (Hinduism
2).

Elephant Head, wide mouth, and large ears:

The large head symbolizes wisdom, understanding. The wide mouth represents the
natural human desire to enjoy life in this world. The large ears represent the capacity to
listen to others.

Trunk -

The trunk represents efficiency, adaptability, and is the smasher of all obstacles.

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/elephant-meaning.html
Symbolic elephant meaning deals primarily with strength, honor, stability and
patience, among other attributes.

To the Hindu way of thought, the elephant is found in the form of Ganesha who is the
god of luck, fortune, protection and is a blessing upon all new projects. Ganesha in all his
magnificently vibrant elephant glory, is intent on bulldozing obstacles on your behalf
(funnily, male elephants are termed "bulls").