Ganesha or Ganapati is the leader of the Shiva Ganas.

Ganesha or Ganapati is the leader of the Shiva Ganas. He is the first among the gods to receive all the honors. He is called Vighnaraja, or Vighnesvara, lord of the obstacles. Before starting any venture or worshipping other gods, devotees remember Ganesha. The only exception to this rule is when Lord Shiva is worshipped. When you worship the father there is no need to worship the son separately because the son is always found in the heart of his father.

Of all the gods, Ganesha attracts our attention. No one can fail to notice his peculiar features and his unusual placement. His form defies all norms of physical beauty and sense of proportion. But it does not invoke any sense of ugliness or repulsion in those who are devoted to him. Filled with love in their hearts, they see in him a peculiar charm, that is uniquely his own and powerfully appealing. Circumstances made him live with an elephant head, which sits rather confidently on a big pot belly supported by the stout limbs and legs of a sumo warrior. Depending upon his mood and purpose, he carries several objects. An axe, a broken tusk, modakas, a lute, weapons, a book, a rosary and a flower. These objects denote the state of his consciousness.

Ganesha is known by many names. Ganapathi (Lord of the ganas), Vighneswara (lord of the obstacles), Lambodara (potbellied), Vakrathunda (with a curved trunk), Mahaganapathi (great Ganapathi), Parvathinandana (son of Parvathi), Mushikavahana (rider of a mouse), Ekadantaya (one with one tusk), Kumaraguru (child guru), Siddhivinayaka (boon giver), and Balaganapathi (child Ganapathi). Ganeshas posture with one foot on the ground and the other folded up conveys to us that while we must operate in the world there must also be a constant alignment with Atman in and through all our experiences. In the relative, whatever we do, there must be an unwavering focus on our higher spiritual goal. Without this focus, it is impossible to make spiritual progress.!! 🐘✨🌷🕉🌱✨🍚⛏📿
Jai Shri Ganeshaya Namah ~ Jai Shiva Shankar!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻