Dhundhi Vināyaka

Dhundhi Vināyaka is the chief Gaṇeśa of Kāśī. He guards everyone who enters the holy city. Bhagavān Śiva himself praised him in a hymn on his return to Ānandavana.

Chapter 57 of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa (Uttarārdha) of the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa tells of Bhagavān Śiva’s entry into Kāśī. He met the fifty-six Vināyakas, who stand in seven rings of eight around the city. He then praised Dhundhi in a hymn of fifty-seven verses called the Sarvasaṃpatkara (“that which brings all prosperity”). The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa gives a second account of how Ḍhuṇḍhirāja came to live at the heart of Kāśī.

The fifty-six Vināyakas of Kāśī

When Bhagavān Śiva entered Kāśī with his great company, he first met the Vināyakas. They guard all the gates of the holy city, on every side and in every part. The Kāśī Khaṇḍa lists fifty-six Vināyakas in seven rings (āvaraṇas) of eight Vināyakas each. In each ring the eight stand in the eight directions. Each Vināyaka has his own name, place and task. Together they make a full net of protection around the Mukti-kshetra (the field of liberation). Bhagavān Śiva himself bowed to each of these Vināyakas before going deeper into the city. This is told in the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57.

The name Dhundhi: the seeker

At the centre of all these rings of Vināyakas is Dhundhi, the chief Vināyaka of Kāśī. Bhagavān Śiva explained the name. The root dhundh means “to seek, to search”. Gaṇeśa wanted the most auspicious place in all three worlds to live in for good. He searched (dhundhati) everywhere. He found that only Kāśī, the eternal city of his father Bhagavān Śiva, was that place. So he set himself there for good, at the heart of Kāśī, as its own Vināyaka. This is why he is Dhundhi, the one who searched and found. This is told in the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57.

Śiva’s hymn: the Sarvasaṃpatkara

Before going into the inner parts of Kāśī, Bhagavān Śiva stopped. He offered a hymn of fifty-seven verses to Dhundhi Vināyaka. The hymn is called Sarvasaṃpatkara (“the bringer of all prosperity”). Bhagavān Śiva praised Gaṇeśa at the gateway of his own eternal city. Dhundhi is the guardian who must be honoured before anyone comes near Viśveśvara. A person who enters Kāśī without first acknowledging Dhundhi is held to have entered it in an incomplete way. This is told in the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57.

Dīvodāsa’s departure

Chapter 57 follows directly from Chapter 56. In Chapter 56, Gaṇeśa took the form of an old astrologer in Kāśī during the reign of Dīvodāsa. He caused disturbance and hurried Dīvodāsa’s leaving by showing bad dream-signs and making astrological predictions. When this task was done, Bhagavān Śiva welcomed Gaṇeśa back at the time of his own return. This is told in the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57.

Worship of Dhundhi Vināyaka

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa lays down these rites:

• Festival day: Caturthī (the fourth day) of the bright half of the month of Māgha.
• Offering: laddus of gingelly (sesame) seed (tila-modaka).
• Vrata: Naktavrata, which means eating only once, after sunset.
• Rite: homa (fire offering) with gingelly seeds.

Anyone who goes to Viśveśvara in Kāśī with a wish is told to bow first to Dhundhi. The Kāśī Khaṇḍa states plainly that Gaṇeśa removes all obstacles from the path of his devotees. His grace is needed to receive the full fruit of living and of pūjā in Kāśī. This is told in the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57.

The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa: the making of Ḍhuṇḍhirāja

The Krīḍā Khaṇḍa of the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa gives another account of how Ḍhuṇḍhirāja came to live at the heart of Kāśī, and it places this in the Kṛtayuga. Mahotkaṭa was living in the city in the Kṛtayuga. Then the asura Dairāsada, the son of Bhasmāsura, attacked Kāśī. Mahotkaṭa did not meet the attack with battle alone. He drew on his own tejas (divine radiance) and made fifty-six forms of himself. Each form was a fully empowered Gaṇeśa. He set them in seven rings of eight around the holy city. These are the Shaṭpañcāśat Vināyakas (the fifty-six Vināyakas): 7 rings times 8 directions makes 56.

At the centre of all seven rings, Mahotkaṭa set up Ḍhuṇḍhirāja as the lasting chief guardian. All fifty-six Vināyakas spread out from him, and their power of protection returns to him. The Krīḍā Khaṇḍa gives its own meaning of the name. From the root dhundh (to search), Ḍhuṇḍhirāja is “the master who searched”. He searched all three worlds for the most auspicious place and found it to be Kāśī. By this setting up in the Kṛtayuga, Ḍhuṇḍhirāja became the eternal guardian of Kāśī. This was long before Bhagavān Śiva’s own return and his hymn. This is told in the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 39 to 43.

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57
• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 39–43