Ganesha took many forms to show the path to success. Of them, eight are particularly significant. First, in his incarnation as Vakratunda or the one with a curved trunk when he vanquished the demon Matsarasura. Matsara means jealousy and the anger born thereof. His boon of fearlessness from Shiva helped him and soon he was tormenting everyone, heady with power. Vakratunda cut him down to size. He says, however well endowed you are, wisdom lies in  knowing and understanding your limits.

Second, his avatar as Ekdanta or the one-tusked one was to subdue Madasura or the demon of vanity. In this avatar Ganesha stresses the need to not let illusions enter your head and intoxicate you with pride. For this essential to understand that you are a part of the divine and that the divine energy is acting through you. So give up pride in the self.

Third, Ganesha as Mohadara teaches us to get rid of moha or attachment by killing the demon Moha. Fourth, as Gajanana he kills the demon Lobha or greed. Fifth, as Lambodara he overcomes krodha or the demon of anger. Lust is another demon of undoing and so sixth is Ganesha’s incarnation as a deformed Vikata who destroys the demon Kama. Seventh, as Vignaraja, he destroys the ogre of self-indulgence.

In his eighth incarnation as Dhumravarna he cuts at the root of it all, ahankara or arrogance. Brahma felt the sun, the sustainer of life, deserved the post of the minister of life actions and so appointed him as such. With this, sun became so arrogant, that when he suddenly sneezed, the personification of arrogance, Ahantasura, was born. The terror he was wrecking and the misery he was bringing by his sheer arrogance was unimaginable. Ganesha, in the incarnation of Dhumravarna, appeared as the smoke-coloured deity riding a rat. Ahantasura was overcome. Arrogance is the root of self-destruction, says Dhumravarna. Even though the sun is so powerful, his arrogance created havoc in the world.

Ganesha is elephant-faced, pot bellied and with short legs because he has no ego. And that is why the attributes which would otherwise be seen as disproportionate and strange now become endearing. We all have the above negative energies in some measure in us and we need to overcome them to control the ego. It is divine power that makes us powerful, beautiful, desired… so do not ascribe it all to ourselves, says Ganesha and that remains the most valuable lesson to success.