32 Forms of Ganesha

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32

Forms of Ganesha

 

Bala

Ganapati -

The beloved child

The elephant-faced child is depicted with four arms and is the color of the

rays of the rising sun. He holds a banana, mango, jackfruit and sugarcane in

his hands and his favourite sweet, the modaka, in his trunk.

Taruna Ganapati

- The

youthful Ganesha

The young Ganapati is shown as being red in colour like the noon-day sun. In

his hands he holds a noose, an elephant goad, modaka sweet, wood-apple,

rose-apple, his broken tusk, a sprig of paddy, and a sugarcane branch.

Bhakti

Ganapati - God

of devotees

Depicted as being of the colour of the full moon of autumn, in his hands a

coconut, mango, banana, and a cup of payasam (kheer / milk pudding).

Veera

Ganapati - The

valiant warrior

In this form Ganapati is shown with a red complexion, eight pairs of arms and a

stern look. In his hands he holds a goblin, spear, bow, arrow, chakra (discus),

sword, shield, large hammer, gada(mace), goad, noose, pick-axe, battle-axe,

trident, serpent and banner.

Shaki

Ganapati -

The powerful one

Holding in one arm the green-coloured Shakti (power personified in female

form), Shakti Ganapati is depicted as being the colour of the sky at sunset. He

holds a noose, a garland of flowers and one hand in the abhaya mudra, offering

blessing to his devotees. This form of Ganapati is part of Tantric worship.

Dwija

Ganapati - The

twice-born

Four-headed, like Brahma, he holds a book, rosary beads, kamandalu (vessel used

during worship), and a danda (staff). He is the colour of the moon and wears

lightning-like bangles on his arms.

Siddhi Ganapati - God of achievement

Of the colour of golden yellow, he holds a mango fruit, stick of sugarcane, a

bunch of flowers and an axe. In his trunk, the fifth hand, he holds a sweetened

ball of sesame seeds

Uchhishta Ganapati - A Tantric deity

Holding Shakti (his female power) in one arm, in his remaining hands he holds a

blue lotus, pomegranate, a sprig of paddy, veena (musical instrument), and

prayer beads. He is depicted as being blue in colour.

Vighna

Ganapati - Creator

of obstacles for the evil

Of golden hue, he is eight-armed and holds, like Vishnu, a shankha (conch) and

chakra (discus). He also holds a sprig of flowers, sugarcane bow, flower arrow,

axe, noose and garland.

Kshipra

Ganapati - Quick-acting

god

Handsome of appearance and red in colour like the hibiscus flower, he holds his

broken tusk, noose, goad and a sprig of the kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling) tree

in his hands and ratnakumbha (pot of precious gems) in his trunk.

Heramba

Ganapati -

Protector of the weak

With five faces and the dark green colour, he rides a lion. Two of his hands

are in the abhaya (protective) and varada (giving) postures. In his other hands

he holds a noose, tusk, prayer beads, garland, axe, big hammer, modaka sweet

and fruit.

Lakshmi

Ganapati - Giver

of success

The goddesses, Siddhi (achievement) and Buddhi (wisdom) in either lap hold blue

lotuses in their hands. His one hand is in the varada (giving) posture, and in

his other hands he has a noose, goad, parrot, a sprig of the kalpavriksha tree,

kamandalu (prayer vessel), sword and pomegranate. In this form he is of pure

white colour.

Maha

Ganapati - The

great one

With a complexion like ripe paddy, he holds his shakti, who has a lotus in her

hand, on his lap. He has three eyes and the crescent moon on his crown. He

holds a pomegranate, gada (mace), sugarcane bow, chakra (discus), lotus, noose,

blue lily, sprig of paddy, tusk, and pot of gems. This again is a Tantric form.

 

Vijaya

Ganapati - The

giver of success

Of red complexion and riding a rodent, he holds a goad, noose, tusk and mango

in his hands.

Nritya

Ganapati - The

happy dancer

Of golden colour, Ganapati in this form dances under the kalpavriksha Tree. He

wears rings on his fingers and holds a noose, goad, axe, tusk and sometimes a

sweet cake in one of his hands.

Urdhva

Ganapati - Tantric

god

Holding a green-complexioned goddess, he holds in his hands a blue flower,

sprig of paddy, lotus, sugarcane bow, arrow and tusk. He himself is of golden

colour.

Ekaakshara

Ganapati - Of

the single letter (Gam)

Red in colour, clad in red silk, wearing a garland of red flowers and with the

crescent moon on his crown, he is three-eyed with short arms and legs. He

carries a pomegranate, noose and goad in his hands. His fourth hand is in the

varada (wish-giving) pose. He sits in padmaasana (yogic lotus pose) and rides

the mouse.

Vara

Ganapati - The

giver of boons

Of red complexion, he has three eyes and wears the crescent moon on his head.

He holds the noose, goad, a dish of honey in his hands, and a pot of jewels in

his trunk. In the Tantric representations of the deity, he is shown with a

goddess on his lap.

Tryakshara

Ganapati - Of

the three letters AUM (OM)

Of golden colour, he has fly whisks in his flapping ears. He holds a noose,

goad, tusk, and mango fruit in his hands and a modaka sweet in his trunk.

Kshipra-Prasada

Ganapati - Who

rewards promptly

Adorned with ornaments and seated on a throne of kusha grass, in his form his

huge abdomen stands out. He holds a noose, goad, lotus, pomegranate, tusk and a

sprig of the kalpavriksha tree.

Haridra

Ganapati - The

golden one

Yellow in colour with bright yellow raiments, he holds a noose, goad, tusk and

modaka sweet in his hands.

Ekadanta

Ganapati - Of

the single tusk

Blue in colour and with a huge abdomen, he holds in his hands an axe, rosary

beads, laddu (a sweet) and his broken tusk.

Shrishti

Ganapati - The

creator

Riding a large rodent and of red complexion, he holds in his hands a noose,

goad, tusk and mango.

Uddanda Ganapati - Punisher of evil

This Tantric deity carries on his lap his shakti (power) a green-coloured

female form holding a lotus in her hand. In his ten hands he holds a pot of

gems, lotus, blue water lily, gada (mace), sugarcane, sprig of paddy, noose,

garland, pomegranate and tusk.

Runamochana Ganapati

- Who

releases humanity from bondage

Of white crystal-like mien, he is clad in red silk garments. He holds a goad,

noose, rose apple and his tusk in his hands.

Dhundhi

Ganapati - Of

Kashi

Often of sindura or red colour, he has prayer beads, his tusk, a ratnakumbha

(pot of gems) and an axe in his hands.

Dwimukha

Ganapati - The

god of two faces

Bluish-green in colour, wearing red silk garments and a gem-studded crown, he

holds in his four hands, a noose, goad, tusk and a pot of gems.

Trimukha

Ganapati - The

three-faced deity

Seated in the middle of golden lotus seat with a complexion as red as the

palasa flower, this form of Ganapati is shown with the left hand in an abhaya

(protective) pose and the right in the varada (reward-giving) pose. He also

holds a sharp goad, prayer beads, noose and pot of nectar.

Simha

Ganapati -

Riding a lion

With the lion as his vehicle, in this form Ganapati is white in colour and also

holds a lion in one hand. In his other hands are a sprig of the wish-fulfilling

tree, the veena (musical instrument), a lotus, a bunch of flowers and a pot of

gems.

Yoga

Ganapati -

The great yogi

Holding himself in a yogic stance, and bound in a yogic girdle, he is the colour

of the easily morning sun and wears garments of the blue of Indra. In his hands

he holds prayer beads, staff of the yogi, noose and sugarcane.

Durga

Ganapati - The

saviour

Of a huge body and burnt-gold complexion, he holds prayer beads, an arrow, goad

and tusk in his right hands and a noose, bow, flag, and rose apple fruit in his

left. His garments are of red colour.

Sankatashara

Ganapati - Remover

of sorrow

Seated on a red lotus seat and clad in blue, his complexion is that of the

rising sun. On his lap he holds his shakti, (power) who is of female form,

green in colour, holdinga blue flower in her hand. In his hands he holds a

goad, noose, and a vessel of payasam (milk-sweet). His right hand is in the

varada or boon-giving pose. When not in the Tantric form, Sankatahara Ganapati

is represented in celibate form.

 

Source: Eprarthana.com

 

 

-- devishakti_india( divyabhakti )( http://spiritualhinduism.blogspot.com

)