Notes :
Ganesha is the representation of Brahm and is of the Form of the Samashti Pranara. If the letters ‘a,’ ‘u’ and ‘m’ represent severally ‘Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra,’ Ganesha represents ‘Aum’ or ‘Om’; and He is by preeminence therefore the Deity of the Pranava; and His Temples are therefore True Pranava alayas, without which no place, however insignificant, it may be, is found to exist throughout the length and breadth of India. As Pranava is the chief Mantra of the Hindus, and as nothing can be done without uttering it, hence the universal practice of invoking Pillaiyar before beginning any rite or work or treatise. ‘Pillayar Shuli’ which heads this page is of course the Pranava symbol. The two feet here described are His Gnana Sakti and Kriya Sakti. The God is given the Elephant head as that is the one figure in nature which is of the Form of Pranava. See the subject further discussed in the notes to fourth Sutra. The author of ‘Dravida Bhashya’ points out how this couplet in praise of Ganesha or Ganapathi comprises in itself the subject matter of the whole of the Twelve Sutras. The two couplets indicate the subject into two chapters, general and special, and the four divisions of the two lines indicate the sub-division of the subject into four ‘Iyals’ or ‘sub-chapters’ and the twelve words the couplet contains indicate the twelve sutras and it is then pointed out how the subject matter is itself compressed in these words.