THE LIVING ARCHIVE
About Ganesha’s Broken Tusk
The Ganapati Atharvashirsha describes Ganesha with a single tusk and four arms, carrying a tusk, a noose and a goad, with another hand granting a boon. The tusk is therefore both a feature of his appearance and an object held in his hand. This meditation establishes the image without providing one universal origin story.
More About Ganesha’s Broken Tusk
Ganesha’s single tusk has multiple explanations; the writing of the Mahabharata is one later traditional account.
AT A GLANCE
