Gana
(“host”) In Hindu mythology, a collec-
tive term for a group of minor gods
who are the god Shiva’sservants and
attendants. The members of this gana
are often represented in frightening
forms—smeared with ash, bearing
skulls and weapons, physically mal-
formed, and grinning and laughing
horribly. The members of the gana are
Shiva’s followers, supporters, and
minions, who are ready to do his bid-
ding when commanded. The leader of
the gana is the god Ganesh(“Lord of
the Host”).
Ganapati
(“Master of [Shiva’s] host”) Another
name for the god Ganesh. See Ganesh.
Gandaki River
One of the tributaries of the Ganges, it
flows southward from Nepal, joining the
Ganges at the city of Patna in the state of
Bihar. Although the river’s source is now
extremely poor, in the time of the
Buddha it contained major urban cen-
ters, particularly the city of Vaishali.
Gandhari
A character in the Mahabharata, the
later of the two great Hindu epics.
Gandhari is the wife of the blind king
Dhrtarashtraand the mother of the
Kauravas, a group of boys who are the
epic’s antagonists. Gandhari shows her
devotion to her blind husband by always
covering her eyes with a blindfold, thus
sharing his sightlessness. As is often the
case in Hindu mythology, her sonsare
born in an unusual manner. Gandhari
receives a blessing (ashirvad) from the
sage Vyasathat she will give birthto one
hundred sons. Soon after, she becomes
pregnant. However, her pregnancy lasts
for more than two years. When she
grows impatient and tries to hasten the
delivery, she gives birth to a great lump
of flesh. Vyasa advises Gandhari to
divide the lump and place each piece in
a pot of clarified butter (ghee).
Eventually the pots break open, reveal-
ing one hundred handsome boys and a
single daughter, Dussala.
All of Gandhari’s children are killed
by her nephews the Pandavas in the
Mahabharata war. Just as Gandhari is
about to curse the Pandavas, Vyasa
reminds her that her sons’ deaths are
the result of their own misconduct. After
the war, Gandhari retires to the forest
with her husband and a few others. They
live in retirement for six years before
they are killed in a forest fire.Gandharva
In Hindu mythology, a class of demigods
who are celestial singers and musicians.
The gandharvas occasionally interact
with humans. One of their divine gifts is
the ability to bestow good singing voices
to girls. Since the Gandharvas are always
watching from above, they are consid-
ered to be the witnesses in a Gandharva
marriage, one of the eight forms of mar-
riage recognized in the dharma litera-
ture. The gandharva marriage was a
marriage contracted by consensual sex-
ual intercourse. See also Marriage, eight
classical forms.Gandharva Marriage
One of the eight forms of marriage rec-
ognized in the dharma literature, the
treatises on religious duty. A Gandharva
marriage takes place when a man and
woman have sexual intercourse by
mutual consent, but without consulting
anyone else. The marriage is so named
because gandharvas, who are demigods
and celestial musicians, are said to be
the witnesses. Although the gandharva
rite created a valid marriage, it was con-
sidered one of the four reprehensible
(aprashasta) forms of marriage because
it was done without parental consent,
performed without religious rituals, and
was rooted in lust. These marriages were
recognized not to sanction and legit-
imize promiscuous behavior, but to pro-
vide the woman with the legal status of aGandharva Marriage