Herambar

 

The next name is herambar. To my knowledge no one has given a convincing meaning for this name by splitting the word to its root words. Perhaps, I have not understood properly? There is a great scholar by the name bhaskara rayar who should be respectfully listed as one among several celebrities. His annotation for the lalita sahasranam is considered very insightful. Such a person has also written annotation for the ganesh sahasranam. I checked what the explanation he has given for heramba is. Herambar is given the meanings "the person who established the saivaite tradition" and "the one with extraordinary valor" in that annotation. While the scholar is a highly respected one, unfortunately when I read it I some how could not find the link between those two names and him, perhaps because of my inabilities. Researchers say that the buffalo in Tamil (which is erumai), became heramba!

 

While Sanskrit is famous for being able to split the letters in words to its roots to derive the meanings, there are several exceptions to that. The names which came because of a meaning are called "yaukikam". What can be etymologically derived is called yaukikam. However words which do not have a reason, but are just names for name sake are called "ruti". The word heramba comes in this ruti category.

 

When pandavas were ruling in the indraprasta before going to the forest, dharma raja wished to perform the raja suya yagna, and prior to that he sent his four brothers to win in all four directions. At that time the one who went to the south and won kingdoms was sahadevan. The bharatham mentions that one of the kingdoms that he won is called herambam. May be that only is the Mysore in latter days? Mysore is a variation mahisur – mahisa oor -- a place with mahishu. Mahisham means buffalo. Some say there is link between herambam and buffalo! People of that kingdom lost to sahadevan. However, we come to know that they were always boasting about themselves. Therefore, those who boast are called "herambar". That form of lord vigneswarar that was mostly worshipped there could have been called 'heramba ganapathi".

 

This is merely my guess. It could even be wrong. What I think finally the lord vigneswarar chose to keep this name for himself telling us, "do not worry about the meaing, is the sound in heramba pleasing to the ears, is it not majestic like me, is it not suitable to call me with that name, they just call me so—do not look at the dictionary."

 

Though he may not been living in heramba kingdom, the lord herambar is popular all over India. Beginning with the bala ganapathi, the heramba ganapathi also appears in the 16 ganapathi statues. The name also comes in the 16 names that are looking at.