GANESA, or GANESH  , in Hindu mythology, the god of wisdom and prudence, always represented with an elephant's head possibly to indicate his sagacity . He is the son of Siva and Parvati . He is among the most popular of Indian deities, and almost every act, religious or social, in a Hindu's life begins with an invocation to him, as do most books . He typifies not the wisdom of knowledge but that worldly wisdom which results in financial success, and thus he is particularly the god of the Hindu shopkeeper . In his divine aspect Ganesa is ruler over the hosts of heaven, the spirits which come and go to do Indra's will .