Where will you find Swayambhu Ganapati and Mahaganapati ?

Swayambhu Ganapati, the famous Ganapati Murtis in India

1. Three and a half seats (piths) of Ganapati in Maharashtra

2. Eight Vinayaks (Ashtavinayaks) in Maharashtra

The eight Vinayaks are famous. The eight powers (ashta-siddhi) are the consorts of Ganapati. Each of the eight Vinayaks have become famous as being representative of one power. The eight Vinayaks are also associated with the eight directions.

3. Twenty-one seats of Ganapati according to the Purans

4. Twelve famous Ganapati Murtis in India

5. Mahaganapati

Ganapati along with Riddhi-Siddhi [Divine Energy (Shakti)]. ‘The Ganesh created by deity Parvati is an incarnation of Mahaganapati. She sculpted a form out of mud and invoked Ganapati into it. Before the creation of the universe, since The Supreme God (Mahat) principle existed in an unmanifest and eternal form, it is called Mahaganapati. When Mahaganapati is worshipped for attainment of the Final Liberation (Moksha), it is customary to choose a Ganapati Murti with the trunk curved towards the right. But in such circumstances, as far as possible the Murti is made of earth. Rarely does one comes across gold and silver Ganapati Murtis with the trunk curved towards the right’.

‘It is believed that every male deity has a specific Energy (Shakti), for example Brahma – Bharati, Vishnu – Lakshmi, Shiva – Parvati. Thus it is not surprising that devotees of Ganapati believe in one Energy of Ganapati in the Parabrahman form. There is a sculpture which portrays Ganapati embracing His Energy, seated on His lap. Even today one can see such paintings. So also, sculptures with “Siddhi” and “Buddhi”, His two consorts seated on either side of Him are also available. In the science of Tantra, Ganapati along with His Energy is referred to as “Mahaganapati”.’

Reference : Sanatan Sanstha’s Holy text ‘Ganapati’