Viiraka is Nandin/Nandirudra in Jayadratha's Haracaritacintaama.ni (chapter 4). He practices tapas and is then appointed as the first among the ga.nas (pramathaprathama) by "Siva. (The story is longer than this and contains a lot of details of Kashmirian holy places etc)

He does not seem to be identified with Ga.ne"sa or Skanda (but is also called "son" by "Siva), nor is he a form of "Siva, although he is given a "Siva-like form by the god (verses 74-75): he becomes a four-faced Rudra with a trident, a bull to ride, a tiger skin to wear etc

I hope this helps.

Judit Törzsök

(Univ. Lille III.)

> Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2013 12:16:51 -0400
> From: andrew.nicholson@stonybrook.edu
> To: indology@list.indology.info
> Subject: [INDOLOGY] "vIraka"
>
> Dear learned colleagues,
>
> In Kurma Purana 2.7 there is a section praising Siva, in which classes
> of beings are named and he is identified with the best in each of
> those classes; this is similar to the section extolling Krsna at BhG
> 10.21-39.
>
> In the final quarter of 2.7.10 is "gaNeSAnAM ca vIrakaH". Can any of
> you help me identify who this "vIraka" (mannikin, little man) is? Is
> it a reference to some specific form of Siva, or perhaps to Skanda or
> Ganapati himself?
>
> Many thanks for your help.
>
> Andrew
> ___________________________________
> Andrew J. Nicholson
> Associate Professor
> Dept. of Asian and Asian American Studies
> and Dept. of Philosophy
> SUNY Stony Brook
> Stony Brook, NY 11794-5343 USA
> Tel: (631) 632-4030 Fax: (631) 632-4098
>
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