The name Ganesha is a compound, joining the words Gana meaning a group, multitude, or categorical system and isha ,meaning lord or master. The word gaņa when associated with Ganesha is often taken to refer to the gaņas, a troop of semi-divine beings that form part of the retinue of Shiva.
Lord Ganesha is the embodiment of OM,The primordial sound and symbol of God.The eldest son of Lord Shiva and his wife Goddess Parvati (also known as Shakti) is known by many names: Vinayaka,Vignesh, Ganapathy and Pillayar.He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles.He is also worshipped as the god of education,knowledge,wisdom and wealth.
Ganesha is given dominion over the Ganas, which is a general term denoting all classes of beings,ranging from insects,animals and humans to the subtle and celestial beings.These various beings all contribute to the government of the Creation;everything from natural forces like storms and earthquakes,to the elemental qualities like fire and water,to functioning of the body's organs and processes.If we don't honor the Ganas,then our every action is a form of thievery,as it is unsanctioned.Therefore,instead of propitiating each Gana in order to receive their blessings, we bow to their Lord,Sri Ganesha.By receiving His grace,we receive the grace of all.He removes any potential obstacles and enables our endeavors to succeed.
Design: Made in heavy shining brass.
Brass is well known for its grasping capacity.It grasps the divine spirit upto 30%, when compared to other metals.The spiritual vibrations are attracted towards these shining idols easily.
Dimensions: 7.5 inches (H) x 4 inches (L) X 2.65 inches (W) approx
Weight: 1.6 kgs
Importance of Idol worship: Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors, but shining channels through which the heart of the devotee is attracted to and flows towards God. Though the image is worshipped, the devotee feels the presence of the Lord in it and pours out his devotion unto it. Regular worship, Puja and other modes of demonstrating our inner feeling of recognition of Divinity in the idol unveils the Divinity latent in it. This is truly a wonder and a miracle. The picture comes to life. The idol speaks. It will answer your questions and solve your problems. The God in you has the power to awaken the latent Divinity in the idol. The lives of Mirabai, Sant Tukaram, Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Shri Yogananda are a few instances to prove the point. They proved beyond doubt that idol worship has its own brighter side and through simple faith and intense devotion one can realize God through it.
Idols are the "finite representation of the Infinite". As per Vishnu Samhita (ch 29, v 55-7), persuasively endorses the use of imagery (idols) and puts it:"Without a form how can God be mediated upon? If (He is) without any form, where will the mind fix itself? When there is nothing for the mind to attach itself to, it will slip away from meditation or will glide into a state of slumber. Therefore the wise will meditate on some form, remembering, however, that the form is a superimposition and not a reality."