--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from August 29, 2014


Surpakarna Ganesh – Story of the Surpakarna form of Ganesha

Surpakarna Ganesha is one among the names of Ganapati. The story of Surpakarna form of Ganesh is associated with Agni, the Hindu fire god. Surpa means winnowing basket and indicates the big ear of the elephant-headed god. Legend has it that once Agni, the fire god, was cursed by a group of Rishis to lose his luster. They cursed him to become extinguished and be lost forever. This curse made Agni powerless. He started losing his luster. There was commotion in the universe. Without fire there was no yajna, there was no food and there was imbalance in the universe. Ganesha took pity on Agni and in order to save the universe fanned Agni into life again with his ears. He used his ears like a surpa or winnowing basket. For this divine act, Ganesh earned the name Surpakarna.