56 Vinayaka of Kashi
56 Vinayaka of Kashi

“Those who worship these 56 Vinayaks attain divine knowledge and wisdom even after the death at distant places. Those who recite the DhundhirajStotra and the story of fifty sixVinayaks their souls get purified, these people get success at every step. By recalling and worshipping these 56 Vinayaks at any place pulls out its worshippers out of the abysmal ocean of troubles & sorrow. No hurdles come in the ways of those who recite and listen to these stotras and stories and he become free from all sins”

Names of Fifty-Six Vinayaks (in connection with 56 Ganesh Yatra)

Lord Ganesha protects the Vishwanath temple and the entire Kashi region being established in a Sevenfold configuration in all eight directions.

Kashi Mandala: 56 Vinayakas and 3 Khandas.
Kashi Mandala: 56 Vinayakas and 3 Khandas. 

Fifty-Six Vinayaks

Devotees can take all darshans in seven fold/days. 

This sevenfold configuration has eight constituents in each are follows.

First Fold

In this manner in the outer circle of Kashi these eight vinayaks are positioned which provide siddhis to its worshippers and punishes the non worshippers.

  1. Shri Ark Vinayak 
  2. Shri Durg Vinayak 
  3. Shri Bheem Chand Vinayak 
  4. Shri Dehli Vinayak 
  5. Shri Udand Vinayak 
  6. Shri Pashpani Vinayak 
  7. Shri Kharv Vinayak 
  8. Shri Siddhi Vinayak 

Second Fold

In this manner these eight Ganesha of the second circle keep on destroying the hurdles of the inhabitants of Kashi.

  1. Shri Lambodar Vinayak 
  2. Shri KootDant Vinayak 
  3. Shri ShaalKantak Vinayak 
  4. Shri Kushmand Vinayak 
  5. Shri Mund Vinayak 
  6. Shri VikatDant Vinayak 
  7. Shri Raj Putra Vinayak 
  8. Shri Pranav Vinayak 

Third Fold

In this manner describing the significance of the vinayaks of the third fold, Lord Vishwanath said that these Ganeshaspotect the entire region of Kashi with full concentration.

  1. Shri Vakratund Vinayak 
  2. Shri EkDand Vinayak 
  3. Shri Pachassya Vinayak 
  4. Shri Heremb Vinayak 
  5. Shri Vighna Raj Vinayak 
  6. Shri Varad Vinayak 
  7. Shri Modakpriya Vinayak 
  8. Shri Trimukh Vinayak 
See also  List of Temples Where Men Are NOT ALLOWED (9 Temples)

Fourth Fold

In the fourth circle, these eight Ganesha destroy the hurdles and troubles of their worshippers. One must worship them.

  1. Shri Abhayapradd Vinayak 
  2. Shri Singh Tund Vinayak 
  3. Shri Kuditaksh Vinayak 
  4. Shri KshipraPrasadanVinayak 
  5. Shri Chintamani vinayak 
  6. Shri Dant Hast Vinayak 
  7. Shri Pichandil Vinayak 
  8. Shri Udand Mund Vinayak 

Fifth Fold

These are the vinayaks that lie in the fifth circle of the Kashi.

  1. Shri ShoolDant Vinayak 
  2. Shri Kali Priya Vinayak 
  3. Shri ChaturDant Vinayak 
  4. Shri Dwitund Vinayak 
  5. Shri Jayeshth Vinayak 
  6. Shri Gaj Vinayak 
  7. Shri Kaal Vinayak 
  8. Shri Nagesh Vinayak 

Sixth Fold

Just remembering the names of the Vinyaks present in the sixth fold of the configuration the person gets all the divine attainments.

  1. Shri Manikarni Vinayak 
  2. Shri Asha Vinayak 
  3. Shri Shristhi Vinayak 
  4. Shri Yaksh Vinayak 
  5. Shri Gaj Karna Vinayak 
  6. Shri Chitraghant Vinayak 
  7. Shri SthoolJhang or Mitra Vinayak  
  8. Shri Mangal Vinayak 

Seventh/ Last Fold 

The below-mentioned five Vinayaks are the five main Vinayaks of the seventh circle.

  1. Shri Mod Vinayak 
  2. Shri Pramod Vinayak 
  3. Shri Sumukh Vinayak 
  4. Shri Durmukh Vinayak 
  5. Shri Gan Nath Vinayak 
  6. Shri Jyan Vinayak 
  7. Shri Dwar Vinayak 
  8. Shri Avimukta Vinayak: It removes all the troubles & sorrow of the worshippers of AvimuktaKshetra.

The Story

During Padma Kalp, from Kashi Khand, a severe drought hit the entire earth. Lord Brahma wanted to save humanity from this drought. He saw King Ripunjay and renamed him as King Divodas and requested him to cover whole earth under his throne and save humankind. They made a deal for humansity, all God and Godly deity will live in heaven. After much time, drought land also flourished and King Divodas had made a flawless new kingdom that was never seen before, then Lord Shiva wanted to go again in Kashi. But he can’t enters in the Kashi , because of King Divodas deal. Lord Ganesh, enters the city and to find out the loopholes in his kingdom, after Yoginis and Surya Deva. Later, Lord Ganesh was successful in his mission, and then Lord Shiva enter again in Kashi. Lord Ganesh established himself in fifty-six forms. 

Further Reading

Isabelle Bermijn. “An Investigation into the Fifty-Six Vinayakas in Banaras and Their Origins.” Doctoral Thesis, University of London, 1999.

See also  Sir C V Raman on Sanskrit

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