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".
(you're listening to:) Ganesha Hymn (Aarti) From Subhamoy Das
Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh! Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva. Ek dant dayavant, char bhuja dhari Mathe par tilak sohe, muse ki savari Pan chadhe, phul chadhe, aur chadhe meva Ladduan ka bhog lage, sant kare seva.
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva, Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva... Andhan ko ankh det, kodhin ko kaya Banjhan ko putra det, nirdhan ko maya Surya shaam sharan aye, safal kije seva.
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva, Mata jaki Parvati, Pita Mahadeva...
English Translation of the Hindi Hymn:
Glory to you, O Lord Ganesha! Born of Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, and the great Shiva.
O Lord of compassion, you have a single tusk, four arms, A vermilion mark of on your forehead, and ride on a mouse. People offer you betel leaves, blossoms, fruits And sweets, while saints and seers worship you.
You bestow vision on the blind, chastened body on the leprous, Children on the sterile, and wealth on the destitute. We pray to thee day and night, please bestow success upon us.
Glory to you, O Lord Ganesha!
32 Forms of Ganesh in Agamic Scriptures 1: Baala Ganapati - Red colored image of a four armed Ganesha. 2: Dharuna Vinayakar: Red colored image of an eight armed Ganesha. 3: Bhakti Vinayakar: Grey colored image of four armed Ganesha. 4: Veera Vinayakar: Red colored image of 16 armed Ganapati. 5: Shakti Ganapati: Red colored image of 4 armed Ganapati, seated with his consort to his left. 6: Dwija Vinayakar: White colored image of four faced Ganesha with 4 arms. 7: Siddhi Vinayakar: Golden colored image of four armed Ganapati. 8: Ucchishta Ganapati: Blue colored image of six armed Ganapati with his consort. 9: Vigna Vinayakar: Gold colored image of eight armed Ganapati. 10: Kshipra Ganapati: Red colored image of four armed Ganesha bearing a ratna kumbham. 11: Heramba Vinayakar: Black colored image of ten armed Ganesha with five faces, seated on a lion. 12: Lakshmi Vinayakar: White colored image of eight armed Ganesha with two consorts. 13: Makara Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with a third eye, 10 arms, bearing a ratna kumbham, with his consort. 14: Vijaya Vinayakar: Red colored image of 4 armed Ganesha on the mooshika mount. 15: Nritta Vinayakar: Gold colored image of Ganesha in a dance posture. 16: Urdhva Vinayakar: Gold colored image of six armed Ganesha with his consort. 17: Ekakshara Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with a third eye, seated on a lotus. 18: Vara Vinayakar: Red colored image of 4 armed Vinayaka with a third eye. 19: Dhryakshara Vinayaka: Gold colored image of four armed Vinayakar, decorated with Chaamara ear rings. 20: Kshipraprasaada Vinayakar: Red colored image of six armed Ganapati. 21: Haridra Vinayakar: Yellow colored image of four armed Ganapati. 22: Ekadhanta Vinayakar: Blue colored image of four armed Ganapati. 23: Srishti Vinayakar: Red colored image of four armed Ganapati seated on his mooshika mount. 24: Utthanda Vinayakar: Red colored image of 10 armed Ganesha with his consort to his left. 25: Ranamochana Vinayaka: Crystal image of four armed Vinayakar. 26: Dundi Vinayakar: Four armed image of Ganesha bearing a tusk, a garland, an axe and a gem studded vessel. 27: Dwimukha Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with two faces and four arms. 28: Trimukha Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with three faces and six arms seated on a golden lotus. 29: Simha Vinayakar: White colored image of Ganesha with eight arms (with an arm bearing a lions face). 30: Yoga Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha in the posture of a yogi. 31: Durga Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with eight arms. 32: Sankatahara Vinayakar: Red colored image of four armed Ganesha clothed in blue, seated on a lotus peetham with his consort to his left.
Chant this Mantra for Success
Vakrtund Mahakaya Surya Koti Samaprabha Nirbhignam Kurumedaya Sarva Karyashu Sarvada
Ganesha is also known by other names:
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.
"They [warriors] take trained elephants to battle, kings ride on royal trained elephants. The best of men are self-trained... In days gone by this mind of mine would stray wherever selfish desire or lust or pleasure would lead it. Today this mind does not stray and is under the harmony of control, even as a wild elephant is controlled by the trainer."
The god Indra (after whom India is named) has as his vehicle the king elephant Airavata, who represents ultimate force. Indra's goad is therefore a symbol of his mastery of the universe. Ganesh combines the form of human and elephant - he is his own power. The goad can represent his ability to direct that power. This is reminiscent of the magickal tradition of thelema (way of will), a Greek term coined by Aleister Crowley from his motto "Do what thou wilt".
Many philosophies draw a distrinction between power (the elephant) and the purpose for which it is used (decided by the rider). Before thelema, European ceremonial magicians believed magickal power was bestowed from outside. Thelema says that magickal power stems from the divine spark (or True Will) within the self, and that self-knowledge is therefore part of the process of gaining magickal power. Ganesh's elephant head, human body and goad show that he exists at the point of spontaneity (Sahaja), where Will and action coincide. The Sanskrit word Gaja (meaning elephant) is comprised of the syllables Ga (meaning goal) and Ja (the origin), which can be interpreted in the same way.
The noose is thought by right-hand path tantrics (those who interpret references to sexual intercourse and intoxication in the tantras as symbolic and not actual) to be to catch desire, lust, etc. (as in the previous quotation from the Dharmapada) The Naths have no wish to reject these experiences any more than any other aspect of physical existance. Rather than avoiding anything which disrupts the stillness of the mind, Nath adepts find a point of awareness within the self from which to observe the inner processes (open our third eyes), even when subjected the greatest degree of intoxication, lust or fear. It is this inner awareness that allows us to discriminate between the real and the unreal. Ganesha's noose, then is to trap illusion.
The process of using the physical world as a matrix for learning enables nathas to evolve more quickly than those of our fellow beings who take a more cautious approach. Our Sadhana (magickal practices) are known amongst the Tibetan sects as vajrayana (the lightning path) for this reason. Naths tend to be more pragmatic about reincarnation than our collegues on the right, seeing each lifetime as another wasted opportunity. The noose can symbolise execution, the message in that case being quite obvious: get on with it, because you'll be dead very soon.
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.
Pavarti gave Ganesh instructions that he was to stand guard at the entrance of her apartments and that he was to admit no-one until she gave word that it was OK to do so. Ganesh took up his post and undertook his assignment enthusiastically.
In due course the Lord Shiva returned from his war and went to enter. Ganesh, according to his instructions, forbade him entry. Shiva was enraged by Ganesh’s impudence and drew his sword and cut off Ganesh's head.
Pavarti emerged to find Ganesh decapitated and flew into a rage. Even though he was immensely powerful Shiva was upset with Pavarti’s rage. He swore to make amends by taking the head of the first living thing he found to replace Ganesh’s head. The first animal he came across was an elephant. Accordingly he took the head from the elephant an placed it on Ganesh’s body.
Thus Ganesh is depicted with an elephant’s head. Because of his role as protector of Parvarti's door he is associated, in Hindu culture, with protecting entrances.
Ganesha's 108 HOLY NAMES Praise to the Peerless One Praise to the Ruler of Obstacles Praise to the Son of Gauri Praise to the Lord of Categories Praise to the Skanda's elder Brother Praise to the Inexhaustible One Praise to the Pure One Praise to the Skillful One Praise to Him who presides Praise to Him fond of the twice-born Praise to Him who contains fire within Praise to the Bestower of Indra's Power Praise to the Bestower of Speech Praise to the Inexhaustible One Praise to the Bestower of All Fulfillment Praise to the Son of Siva Praise to Him who is fond of night Praise to Him who is the soul of all Praise to the Creator Praise to the Resplendent One Praise to Him worshipped by all Praise to the Auspicious One Praise to the Pure One Praise to Him fond of intelligence Praise to the Peaceful One Praise to Him who is celibate Praise to Him with an elephant's face Praise to Him who has two mothers Praise to Him adored by sages Praise to the Destroyer of Obstacles Praise to Him who has one tusk Praise to Him who has four arms Praise to the Ingenious One Praise to the Powerful One Praise to Him who has a large belly Praise to Him with winnow-like ears Praise to Him who is lion-like Praise to the prime knower of Brahman Praise to the Embodiment of Time Praise to the Lord of Planets Praise to Him who is Love Praise to Him with eyes of sun & moon Praise to Him wielding noose & goad Praise to Him with rhythmic actions Praise to Him who transcends qualities Praise to Him who is without blemish Praise to Him who is without impurity Praise to Him who is Self-Attainment Praise to Him whose feet sages worship Praise to Him fond of pomegranates Praise to the Bestower of Boons Praise to the Unchanging One Praise to Him who works incessantly Praise to Him fond of the twice-born Praise to Him who is free from fear Praise to Him who wields the mace Praise to Him who wields the discus Praise to Him holding a sugarcane bow Praise to the Bestower of Wealth Praise to the Unborn One Praise to Him holding a blue lotus Praise to the Lord of Wealth Praise to Him who rejoices in praise Praise to the Support of Mountains Praise to the Intricate One Praise to the Destroyer of Impurity Praise to Him who wears the moon Praise to the Beloved One Praise Destroyer of Wickedness Praise to the Attentive One Praise to Him who is our refuge Praise to Him who grants prosperity Praise to the Pleasant One Praise to the Giver of Devotees' Desires Praise to the Peaceful One Praise to the Bestower of Pure Bliss Praise to Existence/Knowledge/Bliss Praise to the Wise One Praise to Him full of compassion Praise to Him who has self-control Praise to Him unfearful of the Supreme Praise to Him feared by powerful men Praise to Him with a beautiful throat Praise to the Lord of the Wise Praise to the God worshipped by Rama Praise to the Controller of Destiny Praise to Him who wears a cobra Praise to Him who has a stout neck Praise to Him who acts independently Praise to Him fond of the Sama Veda Praise to Him who has no other Praise to Him who has a stout trunk Praise to the First-Born Praise to the Courageous One Praise to the Lord of Speech Praise to the Bestower of Fulfillment Praise to Him fond of durva & bilva Praise to the Form of the Formless Praise to the Wondrous Form Praise to Him who is fond of Paravati Praise to the sweet ocean of Love Praise to the Supporter of All Worlds Praise to the Source of Illusory Power Praise to Him who rides the mouse Praise to the Rapturous One Praise to the Content One Praise to the Benign One Praise to the Giver of All Fulfillment
NOOSE
The noose, usually held in Ganesha's left hand, is unlike the more warring weapons of the other Deities. It is a gentle implement, used to capture and then hold obstacles or difficulties, to direct us along the right path much as a rider guides his steed by the use of the bridle and reins.
MODAKA
The modaka is a sweet, round cake made of rice and sugar, and offered in Ganesha worship, The modaka is looked upon as the sweetest of all things sweet: as Siddhi, the gladdening fulfillment or joy hidden within everything.
TUSK
The single broken tusk held in Ganesha's fourth hand is considered the symbol of sacrifice. For the elephant the tusks are beauty and pride and strength. But, in order to save the Mahabharata, Ganesha broke His own tusk. Thus He teaches us the noble principle of personal sacrifice.
AUM SRI GANESAYA NAMAHA
This is the mantram of Lord Ganesha. It is chanted aloud and recited in silence each day by His devotees, bringing with it His blessings. OM or AUM is also considered the sacred invocation of Ganesha, and He is often said to be the Pranava Aum, the first creative sound of the universe.
MULADHARA CHAKRA
In the center of His trunk hangs a small bell. This is the watchman's bell. Ganesha is often called "The Gatekeeper", seated upon the four petals of the muladhara chakra. Here he rules over memory and knowledge, guarding the gate to the seven psychic centers or nerve ganglia of memory, reason, will, cognition, love, divine sight and into the 1008-petaled Crown Chakra.
COCONUT
The coconut is especially sacred to Lord Ganesha and many husked coconuts are offered during His worship. It is broken at time of worship to symbolize the shattering of the ego, which must be surrendered or it obstructs true worship through its desires. The "kumbam" illustrated above, a coconut in a small pot with five mango leaves, represents Lord Ganesha in puja.
PRANAVA AUM
The Pranava Aum is another form of Lord Ganesha in which He is embodied in the Primal Sound: Aum, also spelled Om. In the Hindu cosmology all of creation comes forth not from light, but from sound - really from Soundless Sound. It signifies the formless aspect of Ganesha. As a mantram, it may be chanted by anyone. It helps to calm and quiet the mind and emotions.
GOAD
The goad, usually held in Ganesha's right hand, is used to remove obstacles or difficulties from our path, when He judges that right in relation to our karma and dharma. Like the rider urging his horse on with the use of spurs, Lord Ganesha propels us forward on the Eternal Path with His goad.
MUSHIKA VAHANA
Each of the Hindu Gods rides upon a vahana or mount. It is the tiny mouse that attests to the all-pervasiveness of Lord Ganesha. It is the mouse who carries Lord Ganesha's grace into every nook and cranny. Moving silently under cover of darkness, seldom visible yet always at work, mushika is the unseen grace which influences our lives.