What Is The Difference Between Mahaganapati And Ganesha?

Many gods and goddesses are prayed to in Hindu mythology, and some of them have multiple forms. One such god who is also the most beloved of almost all Hindus due to his benevolence is Lord Ganesha. Hindus start all their auspicious events after praying to Him, as he is believed to be the remover of all obstacles. Lord Ganesha has many forms with Mahaganapati and Ganesha respected as symbols of prosperity, wisdom and obstacle-remover. Read below to know the subtle differences between them for a richer spiritual journey. Legend Of Mahaganapathi and Ganesha According to sacred texts, Ganesha is Parvati and Shiva’s son. The legend goes that once Shiva left to meditate, leaving Parvati alone. Without her beloved husband, Parvati felt lonely, and to fill the void, she crafted a son (Ganesha) using sandalwood paste and gave him life. One day, she asked him to stay and guard her while she took a bath. The same day, Shiva returned and tried to get into Parvati’s chamber, not knowing that it was his father. Ganesha stopped him, and there was a fight in which Shiva beheaded his son, unaware of the identity. Upon learning this, Shiva was filled with great grief, and Parvati demanded that he bring Ganesha back to life. Shiva sent his people to look for a new head, and they got an elephant's head. Shiva placed it on the body and brought Ganesha back to life. Lord Ganesha’s story is of themes like creation, transformation, reconciliation and protection, which are the basics of spiritual growth.

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Mahaganapati’s origin is also fascinating, like that of Lord Ganesha. According to the Brahmanda Purana, a fierce battle ensued between the demon Bhandasura and the goddess Maha Tripura Sundari’s army. During the fight, the demon was created from Kama Deva’s ashes, and his commander used Jayavigna Yantra, a magical device, to weaken the opponent’s army. The Goddess’s soldiers got tired, lazy and started to retreat. Seeing this, Sacikesani, the army commander, told her of the situation. The goddess, instead of getting worried, gave a smile, and a male with an elephant head emerged. He had ten arms with a lotus flower, gems, a noose, a chakra, a mace, sugarcane and other objects. He came as Lord Mahaganapati, standing with his consorts Siddhi and Riddhi. He went to the camp, destroyed the Yantra using his tusks and revived the spirits of the soldiers, defeating the demon’s forces. Pleased with this, the goddess declared that Mahaganapati be worshipped first before the start of any religious event or auspicious activity. This explains why Ganesha is revered before other gods in all Hindu rituals. Significance Of Mahaganapati There are 32 forms of Ganesha, and Mahaganapati is the 13th. Maha means great and comes because of his great powers and stature. This form of him resembles that of his father, with a crescent moon on the head and three eyes. He is shown wearing bright red, has ten hands and on his left lap sits his consort Siddhi Lakshmi, who is the goddess of purity and nutrition. In those 10 hands, he holds many symbolic items like a lotus, his broken tusk and a Ratna Kumbah (precious gems) among other things. The elephant's head symbolises knowledge, and the 10 hands indicate his powers. Lotus: To represent enlightenment and purity, and education. Mace: Strength Pomegranate: Is a symbol of purity Chakra: Weapon of Lord Vishnu Broken Tusk: It indicates there should be give and take for a successful relationship Noose: Control of desires Lotus: Spiritual evolution Ratna Kumbha: Success and affluence Paddy Sprig: Fertility Sugarcane: Desire and love His power is such that the Mahaganapati idol is worshipped in the Dwaraka temple of Lord Krishna, as it is believed that Krishna himself prayed to Ganesha to overcome obstacles. He is said to be the giver of happiness and wealth and is revered by his devotees as a remover of obstacles. Worshipping this form of Ganesha is said to bring many benefits, including prosperity and merit. Regularly praying to Mahaganapati helps devotees achieve glory and success. There is a specific mantra made for the praise of Mahaganapati and to ask for his blessings. It showcases Maha Ganapathi’s attributes, praises his form and seeks his blessings. Chanting this dutifully is among the best ways to honour him. The Mantra goes as follows. “Hastheendhraanan mindhuchoodmaroona chchaayam trinetramrasaath Aashlishtam piryayaasapadhmakarayaa svaanthasthayaa samsthitham Beejaapoorakadhekshu kaarmukalasath chaktraabja paashothpala Vreehyaagrasva vishaanratnakalashaan hasthairva hanthambhaje.” Conclusion Mahaganapati, or Lord Ganesha, is one of the most powerful forms of deities. His devotees believe that he is stronger than the holy trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Ganesha is an embodiment of Sattwa, Tamas, and Rajas offered to him by Shakti. Shakti is another form of Parvati, his mother, who sits on his lap, empowers him to create, preserve and destroy.

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