yesterday, on my way to the ballard sedentary sousa band rehearsal, i was struck with the inspiration for what to do to my art-car… and it seems perfectly obvious once i think about it, which makes me wonder why i didn’t think of it before. it’s “Ganesha the car”, so what it needs is a Ganesha Yantra on the roof.

this is the text from a bunch of different web sites about Ganesha Yantra:

Ganesh, the elephant-headed god, is invoked at the beginning of every undertaking to seek his help in removing obstacles and assure success. Ganesh is known as the ’Remover of Obstacles’ from our paths. The worship of Ganesh may be peformed through a Yantra. The Yantra is composed of six triangles which are closed on all sides, with a central triangle and ’bindu’ inside. The Swastik is the sign of Lord Ganesh.

The Ganesha Yantra
The basic form of the Yantra is always a six pointed star in the center surrounded by Lotus petals which vary in multiples of eight. The central six-pointed star represents the harmonious combination of masculine and feminine energies in dynamic equilibrium, it is India’s symbolic version of the Yin-yang. The Ganesha Yantra for instance has sixteen petals instead of the normal eight, and they are inscribed with sacred syllables and mantras, which vary from the Mahaganapati Yantra, which have only eight petals.

Design and Significance
The outer boundary wall of the smaller size Yantras may have large liminal gaps, [they are thresholds of potential, of awareness, or transformations].In large Yantras however there is enough space to draw a convoluted outer wall with multiple layers. This keeps the liminal gaps active but also filters the energy generated by the Yantra from rushing outwards in an uncontrolled and promiscuous manner. Within each lotus-petal is a bija mantra, that contains in ‘sound-seed-form’ the power of a god or attribute that influences the manifestation of desirable qualities. These are highly intricate and not all well understood, but they undeniably work. Sufficient to say that almost every god with any stature in India is represented in most Yantras so worshipping or meditating with a Yantra is to worship all the gods at once. The Yantra is a micro-cosmos and it is always directly in contact with, and influencing, the macro-cosmos or larger universe outside. Hence any worship or meditation or affirmation directed towards it finds the desired outcome being easily manifested in the larger physical reality. The Yantra is a machine too, apart from being the symbolic energy body of the god, a machine to bring about transformation by focusing your intent. The Yantra should always be treated with great respect, kept in a place of honor and moved as little as possible (well, i’ll have to forgo that one, since it’s gonna be on my car… oh well). Ideally only one person should handle it at all times. It is recommended that some daily meditation upon the Yantra be practiced as the patterns subtly influence and transform the thought-forms of the mind gently guiding them into habits of prosperity thinking which after all is more important than merely hoping for prosperity.

Panch Dhatu Shri Yantra Literally ’ Loom” or later, meaning “Instrument” or even ” Machine”

In actual practice a yantra is a symbolic representation of aspects of divinity usually the Mother Goddess. It is an interlocking matrix of geometric figures, typically circles, triangles and floral patterns that form fractal patterns of great elegance and beauty. Though drawn in two dimensions a yantra is supposed to represent a three dimensional object. Three-dimensional yantras are now becoming increasingly common. The Yantra is primarily a meditation tool both for serious spiritual seekers as well as sculptors in the classical tradition. Before creating their artifact in wood stone or metal, they draw up a yantra that represents the attributes of the god they wish to sculpt. Intense meditation upon it causes the fully formed image to leap into the mind’s eye with an intensity that is remarkable for its imprinting ability for then they do not need to use a sketch till the completion of the image.

The yantra is mistakenly thought to be a symbol purely of the manifold aspects of the Mother Goddess. This is an understandable error as most yantras are indeed connected to the Goddess the most famous one being the Shri Yantra, an abstract representation of Laxmi, Goddess of Fortune. However, there are yantras for Ganesha and Kubera too, male deities, though they share a common Yaksha origin with Laxmi. The Yaksha were the original chthonic deities of India and the yantra system seems to have been incorporated into the Vedic worldview at a later stage.

Within the body of the more complex yantras are inscribed the monosyllabic mantras, the bija or seed mantras, that are supposed to constitute the spiritual body of the goddess or god. The design always focuses the attention onto the center of the yantra usually a dot or bindu, which is the Locus Mundi, the center of all things and represents the Unmanifested Potential of all creation. The other figures usually symbolize the various stages within the unfolding of creation. Thus every yantra is a symbolic representation of both the deity as well as the universe, as the mother goddess not only permeates the substance of the universe she is, literally, the Universe itself. Abstract geometric representations of the universe are called mandalas however. Thus every yantra is a mandala, though not all mandalas are yantras.

Ganesh is the foremost God. He is worshipped first on all auspicious occasions, whether it is a marriage or a religious function. Ganeshji is also invoked and worshipped before any festival, or a new project or venture that a Hindu undertakes. He is the remover of all sankat (obstacles) and is an extremely benevolent god, fulfilling the wishes of those whom pray to him sincerely. The worshiper of this Yantra is blessed with success in work & business, good luck & new opportunities in career, fulfillment of wishes & desires and achievement of goals & objectives.

The one who does Pooja of Ganesh Yantra is blessed with success in his work, business, undertaking & desires. Ganesh Pooja is must before starting any work. It is most auspicious. He is worshipped for siddhi, success in undertakings, and buddhi, intelligence. He is worshipped before any venture is started. He is also the God of education, knowledge and wisdom, literature, and the fine arts.

Guru Adi Shankaracharya has recommended that every home shall establish Ganesh Yantra on its outer door or wall to get protection from all evils.

Ganesh, the benement and design God of wisdom & remove all obstacles Ganesh puja is must before starting any work. It is most asupicious Ganesh is always invoked before any important work is undertaken be it the starting of a business, the building of a house of a house or the writing of a book or even undertaking a jounery.

The one who do upasane & puja of Ganesh Yantra is blessed with success in his work, business, undertaking & desires. Ganesh puja is must before starting any work.It is most auspicious. The sadhaka is blessed with success in his work, business, undertaking and desires. Ganesh puja can be performed through idol or through Ganesh yantra. Ganapati or Ganesha, the Lord of Ganas, the elephant faced God, represents the power of the Supreme Being that removes obstacles and ensures success in human endeavors. Ganesha is revered as the son of the Shiva and Parvati, and is always honored first in most worship services and rituals. Ganesha is also known as Ganapati, Vigneswara, Vinayaka, Gajamukha and Ainkaran. He is worshipped for siddhi, success in undertakings, and buddhi, intelligence. He is worshipped before any venture is started. He is also the God of education, knowledge and wisdom, literature, and the fine arts.

Ganesh yantra is written in accordance to canons in auspicious lagna & mahurta and tantras be recited and yantra is purified. This yantra is composed of six triangles, closed on all the sides with a central triangle and binds inside. The Beej word (Gang) is recited for purifying the yantra. Guru Adi Shankaracharya has recommended that every home shall establish Ganesh Yantra on its outer door or wall to get protection from all evils.

aum ekadantaye vidmahe vakratundaye dhimahi tanno buddhih prachodayat
aum vanishwaraye vidmahe hayagrivaye dhimahi tanno hayagriv prachodayat