Database and Lore

Vinayaki (NSFW)

Vinayaki.....perhaps one of the lesser known Hindu Goddesses out there. She is often known but not so much that even the people of Hinduism know enough about her. The question is who is she and what part does she play in mythology? The elephant is widely worshiped in India and the neighboring states. They are a symbol of strength, beauty, wisdom, and power to the society. It is not uncommon to see how sacred the elephant is to the people of India and the surrounding nations that it only makes sense that the they appear just about everywhere. One of the most revered is the great god Ganesh (Ganesha), an elephant god of Hinduism. Ganesh is known for his many powers and is the patron of sciences, art, intelligence, wisdom, and more. There were a few well known possibilities in how Ganesh had come to existence with most believing that Shiva and Parvati as the parents of the great god. Ganesha would also be known for the name Ganapati and Vinayaka. But this often has become a great mystery of the opposite gender/female elephant goddess that appears in India. Statues would depict a topless elephant goddess that appears very much like Ganesh. Sometimes she was depicted as pudgy or pregnant, the statues would be named Vinayaki as the female aspect of Ganesh. She would be depicted holding an axe, gourd or pot, mace, food, and other various items. Much mystery surrounds this goddess and how she came to be. One belief is that she is simply Ganesh himself in which some have simply transformed into a female form of him. Another belief is that the elephant headed goddess maybe a creation or matrika of the god Shiva sent to defeat the demon Andhaka. Another possibility is that she is the shakti of Ganesha and even has similar powers to him as well. Whatever the case is, Vinayaki does hold a place in Hindu society just like the many gods and goddesses that live and prosper in some of the first areas where human civilization would come to thrive. In Tales of Heroes, the Hindu deities, mythical characters, and creatures form 50% of the population of the Coalition of Deities and for all good reason. It was the Hindu mythics that had the necessary resources to help construct the Lintarsha Crystal that would destroy Cataclysm. Even with such horrific losses against Cataclysm, many of the Hindu mythics survived and continue to flourish. Many of the Great Ones or the most powerful deities in the Coalition, are the surviving deities such as Vishnu, Parvati, Ganesh, and Shiva (just to name a few). The Great Ones of Hinduism sometimes call themselves the Vedicians named after the Vedic itself. The Vedicians are known for their amazing myriad of magical abilities, having two, four, to even ten arms, and have the ability to take up multiple different forms. It is not surprising that when a battle gets out of control, that a Hindu deity will come to finish the battle. Their concepts of balance towards the world made them the perfect reflection of the Coalition of Deities ideals and rules. There is much mystery of Vinayaki even in Tales of Heroes. Some say that she is Ganesh although there isn't enough evidence to suggest that. Others have even claimed that she is Ganesh's sister which have many even wondering if that was possible. Whatever the case is, the elephant goddess lives a quiet and peaceful life mostly to herself but sometimes in the company of a mortal of her choice. She usually chooses to be a silent one but does engage in social activity when she has to. Her good nature allows her to get along with many of the deities of the Coalition. Much like the Hindu mythics, there seems to be not much about her until you really get to know her. On the few missions, she was more than capable of holding her own being able to fight to defend others in battle and at other times summoning food to help feed those that couldn't take care of themselves. She is generous and kind to those around her while being open minded towards other beliefs and possibilities. This combination of openness and stoicism has made her a choice for the odd missions that the Coalition needs to carry out. If you find yourself in her presence, you are considered to be in good hands. Sitting comfortably, the elephant goddess poses much like the other Hindu deities to symbolize herself and the position she holds to others that worship her.