Ganesha
Speak with Ganesha →Also known as: Ganapati · Vinayaka · Pillaiyar · Vighnaharta
Ganesha is the elephant-headed remover of obstacles and lord of beginnings, invoked before any new venture, journey, or study.
Tradition
Puranic / Pan-Hindu
Domain
Beginnings · Wisdom · Removal of Obstacles · Arts & Sciences
Vahana
Mushika (Mouse)
Sacred day
Tuesday (also Wednesday in some traditions)
Sacred colors
Red, Yellow
Number of arms (typical)
4
Weapons / attributes
Parashu (axe), Pasha (noose), Ankusha (goad)
Consort
Riddhi & Siddhi
Parents
Shiva & Parvati
The story
According to the Shiva Purana, Parvati created Ganesha from the turmeric paste of her bath to guard her chamber. When Shiva returned and was barred entry by the unfamiliar boy, a fierce battle ensued and Shiva severed the boy's head. Seeing Parvati's grief, Shiva ordered the head of the first creature his messengers found — an elephant — to be placed on the boy, restoring him as Ganesha. He was then made leader (Ganapati) of Shiva's ganas (attendants) and granted the boon that he would be worshipped first before any other deity. The broken right tusk has many origin stories — most commonly, that Ganesha broke it himself to use as a stylus to transcribe the Mahabharata as Vyasa dictated, refusing to let the recording be interrupted.
Iconography
Elephant-headed; pot-bellied; usually four-armed; holds modaka in one hand; broken right tusk; sits or stands on a small mouse.
Mantras
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye Namah
Salutations to Ganapati, source of beginnings.
Recommended count: 108
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ। निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha / Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarvakaryeshu Sarvada
O curved-trunk one of vast form, brilliance of ten million suns — make all my undertakings free of obstacles, always.
Festivals
Ganesh Chaturthi
Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi (Aug-Sep)
10-day public festival — clay murti welcomed at home, worshipped daily with modak offerings, then immersed in water on the final day (Anant Chaturdashi).
Sankashti Chaturthi
Each lunar month, fourth day of the waning fortnight
Monthly fast on Krishna Paksha Chaturthi for relief from troubles; the moon-rise marks the breaking of the fast.
Recommended practices
- Recite Ganapati Atharvashirsha 11 times daily for 21 days before starting any major venture.
- Offer 21 durva grass blades on Tuesdays.
- Wear a tiger-eye or red coral set in silver, after a small Ganesha puja.
Scriptural references
- · Ganesha Purana
- · Mudgala Purana
- · Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita