T WAS NOT SO LONG AGO THAT SEEKERS REQUESTED THAT WE PUBLISH MORE ABOUT THIS MYSTICAL GOD, MOST BELOVED OF THEM ALL. So we did. Now, into your hands we present a lovable Loving Ganesha. Why did we choose that name of all names? Because everyone, young and old, thin and hefty (especially the latter) loves Ganesha. Of course, He loves us all very, very much. He is the God of unfailing laws, such as gravity, retribution and karmic responses. In matters of less gravity, He is the lover of all things sweet. He is also the Prince of Culture and Patron of the Arts. Everyone loves music, art, drama and the dance. He, in His joyous ponderousness is the Remover of Obstacles, and that is just what He did for us -- removed the obstacles we faced in publishing Loving Ganesha, and in producing this second edition, and those you faced in finding it. Many months of research and effort went into this gem. Help was given by mathadipatis, acharyas, swamis, pandits, "Ganeshologists," Sanskrit scholars, brahmacharis, brahmacharinis, housewives, husbands and children, experts in all fields of knowledge about Hindutva's elephant-faced Lord, to be worshiped first before starting any quest. This book is lovingly dedicated to my satguru, the venerable sage of Sri Lanka, Satguru Yogaswami, whose ashram in Colombuthurai rested across the road from the Varasitthi Vinayagar Temple in the northern Tamil domain. May Loving Ganesha bring to you a deeper, subtler appreciation of Hinduism -- the venerable Sanatana Dharma.