The devotee should meditate on Ganesha whose splendor is like the rising Sun, who holds the noose and the gesture of fearlessness in his left hands and the boon-bestowing mudra and a goad in his right hands, whose face resembles that of the elephant, whose dress is red in colour, who is rendered beautiful by means of different ornaments, who is pleasing and who is extremely competent in removing all kinds of miseries.
The above is a visualization of Ganesha described in a medieval manual pertaining to Ganesha sadhanas. Ganapati being the Lord of beginnings, and the controller of the Muladhara Chakra in Tantra, is one of those few devatas whose upasana can bring a balance between the material aspects of life as well as open the path to higher spirituality.
The Ganesha Purana mentions that in Satya Yuga the Lord takes the form of Vinayaka, in Treta He becomes Mayūreśvara who has six arms, with a white complexion, and rides a peacock. In Dwapara His form is Gajānana with four arms, a red complexion and riding a mouse, while in Kali He will take the form of Dhumraketu (Dhūmraketu), with two arms, smokey complexion, and mounted on a horse..
Of the various names of Ganesha twelve are considered most important. When chanted regularly these twelve are said to protect the devotee from all kinds of troubles that may visit him.
vakratuṇḍā, ekadantā, kṛṣṇapiṇgākṣā, gajavakrā, lambodara, vikaṭa, vighnarājā, dhūmravarṇa, bhālacandra, vināyaka, gajapata, gajānana.
