Symbolic Significance of Lord Ganesha's Shape and Form

The image of Ganesha is a composite one. Four animals viz., man, elephant, the serpent and the mouse have contributed for the makeup of his figure. All of them individually and collectively have deep symbolic significance. The image of Ganesha thus represents man's eternal striving towards integration with nature. He has to be interpreted taking into consideration the fact that though millenniums rolled by, man yet remains closer to animal today than he was ever before.

The most striking feature of Ganesha is his elephant head, symbolic of auspiciousness, strength and intellectual prowess. All the qualities of the elephant are contained in the form of Ganpati. The elephant symbolises devotion, patience and truth. A large forehead is an indicator of a brilliant mind.  The elephant is the largest and strongest of animals of the forest. Yet he is gentle and, amazingly, a vegetarian, so that he does not kill to eat. He is very affectionate and loyal to his keeper and is greatly swayed if love and kindness are extended to him. Ganesha, though a powerful deity, is similarly loving and forgiving and moved by the affection of his devotees. But at the same time the elephant can destroy a whole forest and is a one-man army when provoked. Ganesha is similarly most powerful and can be ruthless when containing evil.

Again, Ganesha's large head is symbolic of the wisdom of the elephant. His ears, which appear like large winnowing baskets, have a philosophical significance too. Just as one uses a winnowing basket to separate grains from dirt, one must use discrimination (viveka) to separate the real (Brahman) from the unreal (Maya). His large ears, like the winnow, also sift the bad from the good. Although they hear everything, they retain only that which is good; they are attentive to all requests made by the devotees, be they humble or powerful. Another explaination for his large ears is as follows: Ganapati meaning leader of the ganas (public) as a leader should listen to everybody Lord Ganesha therefore has large ears. It is also important for a leader not to let out all that he knows or all that he has been told ; that is why Lord Ganapati has a large stomach.

He also has a nose to scent out the smallest problem; which a large trunk does with sensitivity. Ganesha's trunk is also a symbol of his  discrimination (viveka), a most important quality necessary for spiritual progress. The elephant uses its trunk to push down a massive tree, carry huge logs to the river and for other heavy tasks. The same huge trunk is used to pick up a few blades of grass, to break a small coconut, remove the hard nut and eat the soft kernel inside. The biggest and minutest of tasks are within the range of this trunk  which is symbolic of Ganesha's intellect and hiss powers of discrimination.

The Modaka or cake he holds in his trunk indicates that, beneath the outer layer of sordid self, lies the Atman which is sweet and which must be discovered by everyone. His corpulent figure conveys prosperity the laddoos he is always shown with are meant to reward devotees for spiritual activity. Ganesha rides on a mouse, signifying the unity of the small with the big. Ganesha's mouse, by gnawing its way through everything, is said to symbolize the god's ability to destroy all obstacles. Ganesha is also known as Ekdanta, or the one with one tooth., because one of his tusks is broken. In his upper hands he holds a hook and a noose. The noose is for pulling man along the right path, the hook is for goading forward the recalcitrant. In this manner Ganesha helps us in overcoming obstacles and ensures success. The fourth hand's palm is always extended to bless people. The snake that runs round his hip is indicative of Energy in all forms. A unique combination of his elephant - like head and a quick moving tiny mouse vehicle represents tremendous wisdom, intelligence and presence of mind. Also, his corpulent body , awkward gait, broken tusk and guffaw tell us that outward beauty has no relation to inner perfection.