Each year during the 4th ascending moon phase of Virgo, we celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the lord of wisdom and the cosmic principle of Jupiter, as well as the birthday of Sripada Srivallabha, the first avatar of Lord Dattatreya in Kali Yuga. Dattatreya being the cosmic teaching principle, Sripada also expresses the energies of Ganesha.
Sripada & Dattatreya
3 September 2011, I did a painting uniting Ganesha and Dattatreya, called “Sagittarius: The Tree of Wisdom and the Waters of Life”. Here is the description.
The Tree of Wisdom and the Waters of Life
Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, representing the teacher and the search for wisdom. In the Eastern teachings the cosmic Jupiter is symbolised by Ganesha, the elephant-headed God, the incarnation of divine wisdom. The principle of the Teacher on the cosmic plane is Lord Dattatreya, the higher potency of Lord Maitreya, who is worshipped as the world teacher. Dattatreya is illustrated as a youth with 3 heads. The tree related to Jupiter, wisdom and meditation, is the Ficus Religiosa.
I started with a photo of a statue of Ganesha reading a book of wisdom. Behind him there is the trunk of a Ficus Religiosa. In its crown there are the three heads of Lord Dattatreya. Above you see the eyes of Lord Narayana. Looking into these magical eyes leads you to the inner dimensions. The brilliance of the higher energies is visualised in the white flame between the eyes, hinting at the third eye, the divine opening.
I created with crayons the movements of the ascending and descending etheric flow and the flames surrounding the heads of Dattatreya. I was fascinated by the innocence of the childlike looks that are full of divine peace and radiance.
As for Lord Ganesha, he seems to enjoy sitting there under the Ficus tree and reading the book of eternal wisdom. Everything is a part of the flowing movements and the mystery of Creation.
03 September 2011, pencils, crayons and photo work
