Heramba:The esoteric God of Good Fortune!
The Brahma Vaivarta Purana explains the meaning of Heramba: the syllable "He" denotes helpnessless or weakness, while "ramba" is protection of the weak, to save them from harm; thus Heramba means the "Protector of the weak and good people".
Heramba Ganapati is regarded as the 11th among the 32 different forms of Ganapati.The idol has five heads and ten arms.This form is popular in Nepal and important in Tantric worship of Ganesha.Herambasuta was a Tantric exponent who belonged to the Ganapatya sect. The tenth century work Śaṅkaravijaya mentions the cult of Ucchiṣṭa Gaṇapati led by Herambasuta whose followers wore a prominent red tilak on their forehead.
Heramba Vinayaka:Varanasi
The Skanda Purana lists Heramba Vinayaka as one of the 56 Vinayakas in the vicinity of Varanasi.Heramba is described as having five elephant heads, four facing the cardinal directions while the fifth at the top looking upwards.
The colours of Heramba's heads closely relate to five aspects of Sri Ganesha's father Shiva – Ishana, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Vamadeva and Sadyojata. Each head of Panchamukhi Ganesh symbolises the Pancha Koshas or five sheaths in the subtle anatomy of human beings. They are the Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya, and Anandamaya.
Heramba Vinayaka:Nepal
The idol is golden yellow in colour although sometimes, he is described to be white in complexion.He rides the majestic lion, the king of jungles. However in Nepal, Heramba is sometimes depicted with a lion as well as Dinka,the mouse as his Vahana.
Heramba Ganesha displays the protective Abhaya Mudra pose in his main right hand, and holds in his other hands, his own broken tusk, the japa mala of Rudraksha beads, a garland, his favorite sweet Modak, a fruit, a noose, a battle axe, a hammer, and the wish-granting posture.
Heramba Vinayaka:Mysore
Sankashti Chaturthi also called as ‘Sankata Hara Chaturthi’ is a significant day for Lord Ganesha followers. It is observed on the Chaturthi of the Krishna Paksha,every month if the Hindu calendar. On Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi the main deity of worship is the ‘Heramba Maha Ganpati'.
While there is no temple dedicated completely to worshipping Heramba Maha Ganpati but he is worshipped as a subsidiary deity in the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple, at Varanasi.The Thiyagaraja swamy temple Thiruvarur, Tamil nadu,ancient temples in Mysore & Orissa are dedicated to this rare form of Ganapati worship.
The shloka to worship Heramba Ganesh :
Abyavara Dhahastaha Pasha danthaakshaamalaa
Shruniparashu dhadhaano mudhgaram modhakam cha
Falamadhigatha simhaha
pancha maatangavaktro
Ganapati rathigourahapaathu
herambanaam
