Mahaganapati ( sa, महागणपति, ), literally "Ganesha, the Great"), also spelled as Maha Ganapati, and frequently called Mahaganadhipati, is an aspect of the Hindu god

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...

. He is the representation of Ganesha as the Supreme Being Paramatman and is the most important deity of the Ganesha-centric

Ganapatya Ganapatya is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Ganesha (also called Ganapati) as the Saguna Brahman.thirty-two forms of Ganesha Thirty-two forms of Ganesha are mentioned frequently in devotional literature related to the Hindu god Ganesha (Ganapati). The Ganesha-centric scripture ''Mudgala Purana'' is the first to list them. Detailed descriptions are included in the ''Shiv ...

, worshipped as a representation of the ultimate truth Para brahman. Mahaganapati is depicted as elephant-headed with ten arms carrying various objects and is accompanied by a goddess.

Iconography

Like all aspects of Ganesha, Mahaganapati has an elephant head. Sindoor, is generally used for his red colour, in depictions. His colour is a reference to the dawn. He is often depicted with a

third eye The third eye (also called the mind's eye or inner eye) is a mystical invisible eye, usually depicted as located on the forehead, which provides perception beyond ordinary sight. In Hinduism, the third eye refers to the ajna (or brow) chakra. In ...

on his forehead, a crescent moon over his head, ten arms which hold; a lotus, a

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...

fruit, a gada (mace), a

chakra Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...

(discus), his own broken tusk, a

pasha Pasha, Pacha or Paşa ( ota, پاشا; tr, paşa; sq, Pashë; ar, باشا), in older works sometimes anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignita ...

(noose), a jewelled water vessel or a pot of jewels, a blue lotus, a rice sprig and a sugarcane bow.Subramuniyaswami p. 71Rao p. 55 An alternate depiction replaces the pomegranate with a mango and the gada with a ''

shankha A Shankha ( conch shell) has religious ritual importance in Hinduism. It is the shell of any suitable sea snail which had a hole made for the performer's embouchure. In Hindu history, the shankha is a sacred emblem of The Hindu preserver god ...

'' (conch) and elaborates that the jewelled pot contains ''

amrita ''Amrita'' ( sa, अमृत, IAST: ''amṛta''), ''Amrit'' or ''Amata'' in Pali, (also called ''Sudha'', ''Amiy'', ''Ami'') is a Sanskrit word that means "immortality". It is a central concept within Indian religions and is often referred t ...

'' (ambrosia). Yet another description suggests that the objects in his ten hands are gifts from other deities and symbolize his powers to perform the tasks of all deities and his supremacy over the pantheon. He sometimes holds a

citron The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...

fruit with numerous seeds, a symbol of the power of creation and a representation the god

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...

. The sugarcane bow is associated with

Kamadeva Kama ( sa, काम, ), also known as Kamadeva and Manmatha, is the Hindu god of love and desire, often portrayed alongside his consort, Rati. The Atharva Veda regards Kamadeva as the wielder of the creative power of the universe, also descri ...

, the god of love; while the rice paddy functions as an arrow bestowed by the Earth goddess

Prithvi Prithvi or Prithvi Mata ( Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, ', also पृथिवी, ', "the Vast One") is the Sanskrit name for the earth, as well as the name of a devi (goddess) in Hinduism and some branches of Buddhism. In the Vedas, her ...

; both symbols of fertility. The chakra is a common weapon of

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

, while the gada represents his boar

avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appear ...

Varaha Varaha ( sa, वराह, , "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. Varaha is most commonly associated with the leg ...

. The jewelled pot – which may be depicted in his trunk – denotes

Kubera Kubera ( sa, कुबेर, translit=Kuberā) also known as Kuvera, Kuber and Kuberan, is the god of wealth, and the god-king of the semi-divine yakshas in Hinduism. He is regarded as the regent of the north (''Dikpala''), and a protecto ...

, the god of wealth. It also represents the fortune and blessings bestowed by Mahaganapati on his devotees. Rao classifies Mahaganapati as one of the five Shakti-Ganesha icons, where Ganesha is depicted with a

shakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and r ...

, that is, a female consort. A white-complexioned shakti sits on his left lap. She holds a lotus (a symbol of purity) in her left hand and hugs the god with her other hand. In the Dasboddhi Ganesha temple in

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...

, the shakti with Mahaganapati is identified as Mahalakshmi, the "great"

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with '' Maya'' ("Illusion"). A ...

, the goddess of wealth and fortune. A text calls her Pushti ("nourishment"). The left hand of the god holds a blue lotus and embraces the goddess. Various deities and

demons A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, anime ...

surround the god.

Worship

Mahaganapati represents Ganesha as the

Supreme Being In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

and thus the most important deity of the

Ganapatya Ganapatya is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Ganesha (also called Ganapati) as the Saguna Brahman.Grewal pp. 120–1 The icon symbolizes happiness, wealth and magnificence of Ganesha. Mahaganapati is the patron of the Maha-ganapatya sect, one of the six chief schools of the Ganapatyas. They regard Mahaganapati as the great Creator. Mahaganapati is believed to have existed before the creation of the universe and will exist after its dissolution (

pralaya Pralaya ( sa, प्रलय, , Apocalypse or the Annihilation of the Universe, translit=Pralaya) is a concept in Hindu eschatology. Generally referring to four different phenomena, it is most commonly used to indicate the event of the diss ...

). He creates the god

Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...

, who aids in creation of the universe and all other beings. One who meditates on this form of Ganesha is said to obtain Supreme Bliss. In a Tantric context, Mahaganapati is associated with six rituals of abhichara (uses of spells for malevolent purposes) by which the adept can cause the target to suffer delusions, be overcome with irresistible attraction or envy, or to be enslaved, paralysed or killed. Mahaganapati is enshrined in the Ranjangaon Ganpati temple, one of the eight

Ashtavinayak Ashtavinayaka ( mr, अष्टविनायक) literally means "eight Ganeshas" in Sanskrit. Ganesh is the Hinduism/ Hindu deity of unity, prosperity, learning, and removing obstacles. The term refers to eight Ganeshas. Ashtavinayaka ...

temples. According to local legend, Mahaganapati had aided his father Shiva to fight the demon Tripurasura. Shiva had forgotten to pay his respects to Mahaganapati before starting the battle against the demon. An enraged Mahaganapati caused Shiva's chariot to fail. Shiva realized his mistake and paid his respects to his son and then was successful in defeating the demon.Grewal pp. 133–4

Notes

References

* * * * * {{Ganesha Forms of Ganesha