Ganesha and his forms
With the Ganesh Chaturthi festival fast approaching, it will be of great use to know the forms of Ganesha. As per the Hindu holy scriptures, there are 32 different forms of Lord Ganesh. Each of the 32 forms has a special significance and possess unique characters.
While some forms like Maha Ganapathy, Siddhi Ganapathy, and Bala Ganapathy are well known, other forms aren’t well-known to the devotees. This article will help you understand the 32 Ganesha forms mentioned in the scriptures, their salient features, and their unique qualities.
Significance of the 32 Ganesha forms
If devotees worship these 32 forms of Ganesha, the Lord will bless them with 32 different virtues.
Of the 32 Ganesha, the first sixteen forms bless the devotees with wealth, the following five save the devotees from evil eye and black magic, the following six protect against enemies, and the last five (Taruna, Nritya, Dhundhi, Durga, Rinamochana) can dissolve the Naga (Sarpa) dosha.
List of 32 forms of Ganesha
1. Bala Ganapathy: Lord Ganesh is in a child-like form; he has four arms and holds a banana, mango, sugarcane, and jackfruit in each hand. Bala Ganesh holds his favourite ‘Modaka’ sweet in his trunk. This form of Ganesha blesses devotees with abundance and fertility.
2. Taruna Ganapathy: ‘Taruna’ Ganapathy is the youthful form of Ganesha. The Lord has eight arms and holds Modak, noose, goad, wood apple, rose apple, tusk, some paddy, and sugar cane in them. Taruna Ganapathy features a red complexion.
3. Bhakti Ganapathy: Lord Ganesh shines like a full moon in this form; he is fully decked with flowers from head to toe. Bhakti Ganapathy has four hands and carries a banana, mango, coconut, and sweet bowl. He is very sympathetic to the devotee’s prayers.
4. Veera Ganapathy: True to the name, Ganesha looks like a mighty warrior in this form. He has sixteen arms and holds different weapons in each of them. Veera Ganapathy blesses the devotees with Courage and determination.
5. Sakthi Ganapathy: In this form, Lord Ganesh acts as a guardian and a protector. He has four hands, one hand blesses the devotees, and in the other three holds garland, noose, and goad. Shakthi Ganesha has one of his ‘Shakthi’s’ sitting on his knee.
6.Dvija Ganapathy: Dvija means twice-born; this form of Ganesha blesses devotees with knowledge and wealth. He has four hands that hold a ‘Kamandalu,’ Rudraksha, a staff, and sacred scripture.
7. Siddhi Ganapathy: One of the popular forms, he has four hands, holding flowers, axe, mango, and sugar cane. He holds his favourite sweet, Modaka, in his trunk.
8. Uchida Ganapathy: He holds one of his Shaktis on his left thigh. Uchida Ganapathy features six arms, holding a veena, pomegranate, paddy, lotus, and Rudraksha in each hand.
9. Vighna Ganapathy: In this form, Lord Ganesha removes the obstacles of his devotees. He has eight hands that hold Conch, Chakra, noose, goad, tusk, Modak, a bouquet, sugar cane, flower arrow, and an axe.
10. Khsipra Ganapathy: He is very accessible to the devotees. Kshipra Ganesha holds a noose, goad, broken tusk, and spring of Kalpakavriksha in his four hands.
11. Heramba Ganapathy: Lord Ganesha is five-headed in this form. He mounts on a lion and has ten hands that hold an axe, hammer, noose, beads, broken tusk, garland, fruit, and Modak.
12. Sri Ganapathy: Lakshmi Ganesha sits with his wives, Siddhi and Buddhi, on both his thighs. He blesses the devotees with achievement and wisdom. His eight hands hold parrot, pomegranate, sword, kamandalu, spring of Kalpakavriksha, noose, and goad.
13. Maha Ganapathy: Maha Ganapathy is a popular form of Lord Ganesha. He has ten hands that carry a broken tusk, pomegranate, blue lily, sugarcane, noose, lotus, chakra, mace, paddy, and a pot of gems.
14. Vijaya Ganapathy: This Ganesh blesses the devotees with victory and success. He sits on a giant mouse and has four hands that carry a mango, noose, goad, and broken tusk.
15. Nrtya Ganapathy: Lord Ganesha is merrily dancing in this form. He is seen dancing under the sacred Kalpakavriksha tree and holds a goad, noose, modak, and broken tusk in his four hands.
16. Urdhva Ganapathy: devotees following tantric philosophy worship this form of Ganesha. The Lord sits in a tantric posture with one of his Shaktis on his thigh, and his six hands carry lotus, paddy, sugarcane, an arrow, broken tusk, and blue lily.
17. Ekakshara Ganapathy: In this for, Lord Ganesh is three-eyed like his father, Lord Shiva. He sits in a padmasana pose on his mount, mouse. Ekakshara Ganapathy has four hands that hold a noose, a goad, a pomegranate, and one hand showing the Abhaya mudra.
18. Vara Ganapathy: He blesses the devotees with several boons and has a third eye and crescent moon. Vara Ganapathy holds a noose, goad, and a Kalash of honey in his hands. His trunk holds a pot of jewels.
19. Tryakshara Ganapathy: Tryakshara Ganesha is a representation of the most sacred syllable and elemental sound, OM. His four hands hold a noose, goad, mango, and broken trunk.
20. Kshirpra Prasāda Ganapathy: In this form, Ganesha rewards or punishes you according to your karma. He sits on a grass throne, and his hands hold the noose, goad, lotus, pomegranate, broken tusk, and a small kalpakavriksha branch.
21. Haridra Ganapathy: Haridra Ganapathy sits on a royal throne and displays a calm demeanour. He features a golden complexion and holds broken tusk, modak, noose, and a goad in his four hands.
22. Ekdanta Ganapathy: Ekdanta means the one with a single tusk. He is very benevolent and was the one who wrote Mahabharata on the Meru mountains. Ekadanta Ganapathy holds an axe, modak, prayer beads, and his broken tusk.
23. Srishti Ganapathy: this form of Ganesha features a red complexion and is very bubbly. He holds a noose, goad, mango, and broken tusk.
24. Uddanda Ganapathy: he is the deliverer of justice and looks fierce. He sits with one of his Shaktis and has ten hands carrying a pot of gems, a blue lily, sugar cane, mace, lotus flower, a sprig of paddy, pomegranate, noose, garland, and his broken tusk.
25. Runamochana Ganapathy: he frees the devotees from guilt and bondage and gives them moksha (liberation). Runamochana Ganapathi’s four hands carry a noose, goad, rose apple, and broken tusk.
26. Dhundhi Ganapathy: in this form, Lord Ganesha guides the spiritual life of his devotees. He helps them to traverse the path of godliness and attain liberation.
27. Dvimukha Ganapathy: Lord Ganesh has two faces in this form and can see in all directions. His four hands hold a noose, a goad, a broken tusk, and a jewel pot.
28. Trimukha Ganapathy: he has three faces and sits on a golden lotus. Trimukha Ganapathy represents the holy trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh.
29. Simha Ganapathy: in this form, Lord Ganesh rides on a lion instead of his usual mount, mouse. He blesses the devotees with strength, Courage, and confidence.
30. Yoga Ganapathy: in this form, Lord Ganesha displays a yogic posture. His legs are tied up in the yogic stance, and his four hands hold a yoga staff, a sugar cane stalk, a noose, and prayer beads.
31. Durga Ganapathy: this form of Ganesha symbolizes victory over darkness. He has eight hands that hold a bow, arrow, noose, goad, prayer beads, broken tusk, and a rose apple.
32. Sankatahara Ganapathy: he is the one who banishes the sorrows of his devotees. Sankatahara Ganesha sits on a lotus flower and holds his Shakthi on his left thigh. He has a noose, goad, a bowl of payasa in his hands and displays Varadha mudra.
This Ganesh Chaturthi, try worshipping the above 32 forms of Ganesha and succeed in your life.
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