Who is ganesha according to jainism
According to Jainism:
- The canonical Jain texts do not mention Ganesh (Ganesha) as a Jain deity. He is not part of the Jain tirthankara lineup or core Jain cosmology.
- Some Jain communities, especially among Śvetāmbara Jains, do worship Ganapati at the beginning of auspicious works or ceremonies. In these contexts, Ganapati is regarded as a god who helps with beginnings and removal of obstacles, similar to how Kubera functions in broader Indian tradition. The Digambara tradition, however, does not emphasize Ganapati worship in its texts or temples as a standard practice.
- The Jain depiction of Ganesh in those contexts often aligns him with the general Hindu iconography (elephant head, pot-belly, etc.), but his role remains outside the central Jain spiritual framework. He is sometimes treated as a separate devotional figure rather than a spiritual authority within Jain dharma.
If you’d like, I can summarize the contrasts between Digambara and Śvetāmbara views in more detail.