He has only one tusk but four arms (sometimes even more).
Two of the hands hold a noose and a goad. The two other hands display the
varada mudrâ ,  which grants boons, and the abhaya mudrâ, which dismisses fear
from the devotee.  He is escorted by a mouse or a rat (Mooshika). He is red in color and fat-bellied;
his ears have the form of winniwing-baskets. He is red dressed and all is limbs are covered with
red sandal paste. One worships Him with red flowers. Unfailing, charitable, He is the Origin of the Universe. He manifests Himself, at the very beginning of the Creation, alone, before the manifested world, before the Cosmic Consciousness (Purusha) "Whoever meditating on His form will take a prominent place among the Self-realized people".

Ganesha Mantra
Chant this Mantra for Success
Vakrtund Mahakaya Surya Koti Samaprabha Nirbhignam Kurumedaya Sarva Karyashu Sarvada

There are four magick weapons in the four hands of Ganesha.
As with all numbers, there are connections and correspondances which can be made between all sets of 4
(eg. the 4 Vedas, the 4 mobile elements (spirit, the fifth, is represented by the immobile head),
the 4 sacred meters, the four kinds of being etc.).
The four weapons carried by Ganesha can be broken down into two pairs.

The Noose and Goad

Vara and Abhaya Mudra

These are respectively the mudras (or hand-gestures) denoting the granting of boons and the dispelling of fear.
In Hindu mythology, there are three types of cosmic or supernatural beings who have identical magickal powers, who may interbreed without breaking the strict caste rules (all being regarded as Brahmins, the caste of priests, of those who know and repeat the Vedas) and who frequently war with one another.
These are the gods, demons and sages.

Historically, they may have been different competing pantheons of deities, and there is some historical evidence that Ganesh began as a demon (Vighna-asura, or Lord of Obstacles) before becoming incorporated into the Hindu pantheon as Vighneshvara (the remover of obstacles).

On a magickal level, the difference between gods and demons is not in the degree of their power but in their attitude to humanity (sages are human or semi-human).
The sign of dispelling fear (the open-handed gesture showing no weapons ritualized as the salute by armies throughout the world) shows that the entity is not hostile, and the gesture of giving or granting boons shows the promise of gifts.

The Ganapti of the Ganesha Upanishad is a monad, a single deity alone and beyond time.
Fear is a product of attatchment to the world, so transcending the physical (moksha, or liberation) moves one beyond fear.
This is why the Ganesha Upanishad quotes the Arthava Veda, "The one who moves towards knowledge of the timeless is never afraid." The sign of dispelling fear, like the noose and goad, shows that Ganesh is a god of magick, who moves the adept towards knowledge of that which is beyond time and space.

The vara mudra shows that Ganesha may grant boons to the human being.
Traditionally, the role of granting boons is the prerogative of Prajapati, the all-father or creator-god, who is identified with Brahma, Vishnu and Siva in different myths (as well as Ganesha his Upanishad).
Boons are usually granted to those who show their devotion by performing great feats of yoga.
Of course, this idea that the gods reward good deeds was implanted by ruling dynasties as a way of controlling the population.
In reality, it is the yogic practices themselves which lead to Siddhi, or magickal power.
Ganesha is a yogi-god, frequently depicted in yoga postures (or asana) and described as "always situated in the muladhara", the lotus at the base of the spine where the kundalini shakti resides.

Ganesha's boons, then, hint at the quality of rupas which is not shared by mandalas or mantras.
Once having formed a coherent visual image of the deity and gained a good understanding of his symbolism, one may enter into conversation with him, asking him questions relating to the practice of yoga or magick.
This may be done in the form of mental puja (where the deity is visualized and the vizualization takes on a spontaneous life of its own), by invocation (where an adept takes on the form of the god and is asked questions by another)
or in the lucid dream state.

Whatever the approach, the boon (or ability) is usually granted by the deity only as a result of much hard work and practice.

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