Lord Ganesha, also known as Vighnahartha or the one who eliminates all obstacles, is on the verge of his arrival. As devotees pave the way for the almighty, there is a wave of spirituality all around us. As the intercessor of joy, success, peace, and prosperity, the Lord also manifests in a novel form of 'Panchamukhi Vinayaka'- five faced Ganesha. According to Hindu mythology, the benefits of this idol  are increased by five folds, literally!

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. The five faces symbolise the five components that make for the human physique.

Worshipping this idol evokes the power to regulate these five senses which include renunciation, divine love, affection, authenticity and brave action.

Worshipping Panchamukhi Ganesha will help a devotee attain Anandamaya Kosha, or Sat-Chit-Ananda, the Pure Consciousness. It is believed that placing Panchamukhi Vinayaka towards the east in one’s home or office would help to ward off evils and bring prosperity. Here's what each of Ganesha's five heads represents.

Annamaya Kosha – This is the food sheath and corresponds roughly to the physical body.

Pranamaya Kosha – This is the vital energy, and it represents the subtle body, nadis, chakras and Kundalini.

Manomaya Kosha – This is the mental sheath which represents the mind and the organs of perception.

Vijnanamaya Kosha– This is the wisdom sheath which represents vijnana, or intellect, the talent which discriminates, determines or will.

Anandamaya Kosha – This is the cosmic bless sheath and represents the eternal centre of consciousness.

It is difficult to get a hold of this idol unless made under custom conditions, but if you are on a lookout, it is available on Amazon and Indiamart. This Ganpati Idol Grows Into a Tree, Watch Video

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 10, 2018 07:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).