Devi Crushing Lord Ganesh

Devi Crushing Lord Ganesh

Paramar Dynasty,10th Century AD,Indore Museum

         A rare piece indeed. Lord Ganesh is generally shown as sitting by a Devi, either with Goddess Swaraswati or Goddess Lakshmi or with the Seven Mothers (Sapta Matrike ). But here He is being trampled under the weight of the Goddess. 

       The Goddess here is a form of Shakti. Historically this piece indicates the rise of the Shakti cult during the medieval period. But philosophically it makes a very strong statement : when reason and wisdom is crushed, destruction prevails. Destruction is important and necessary to get rid of that which is bad or evil. But to destroy reason, intellect and wisdom only invites chaos, anarchy and annihilation.