▁also ▁has ▁wr ath ful ▁inc arn ations , ▁such ▁as ▁D urg a , ▁K ali , ▁Sh ital a ▁De vi , ▁T ara , ▁Ch and i , ▁and ▁the ▁Mah avid y as ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁bene vol ent ▁forms ▁like ▁Kath y ay ini , ▁Mah aga uri , ▁Kam al at m ika , ▁B hu van esh w ari , ▁and ▁L al ita . ▁ ▁G anes ha ▁▁ ▁G anes ha ▁( S ansk rit : ▁; ▁I AST : ▁; ▁), ▁also ▁sp elled ▁Gan esa ▁or ▁Gan esh , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁Gan ap ati ▁( S ansk rit : ▁, ▁I AST : ▁), ▁Vin ay aka ▁( S ansk rit : ▁; ▁ ▁I AST : ▁), ▁and ▁P illa i yar ▁( T amil : ▁), ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁de ities ▁best - known ▁and ▁most ▁widely ▁wor sh ipped ▁in ▁the ▁H indu ▁p ant he on . ▁ ▁Gan esa ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁son ▁of ▁Sh iva ▁and ▁is ▁given ▁the ▁primary ▁importance ▁in ▁all ▁Sh iva ▁tem ples ▁with ▁all ▁worship ▁starting ▁from ▁him . ▁ ▁Local ▁legend ▁states ▁the ▁T amil ▁word ▁P ill ay ar ▁spl its ▁into ▁P illa i ▁and ▁y aar ▁meaning ▁who ▁is ▁this ▁son , ▁but ▁sch ol ars ▁believe ▁it ▁is ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁S ansk rit ▁word ▁pul is ara ▁meaning ▁ele ph ant . ▁ ▁K . ▁A . ▁Nil ak anta ▁S ast ri