Parabrahman

That’s a thoughtful question 🙏

Whether Lord Gaṇeśa is regarded as Parabrahman depends on which philosophical or devotional lens you look through:

1. 

Advaita Vedānta (Śaṅkara’s teaching)

• Parabrahman = Nirguṇa Brahman (formless, beyond all attributes).
• Gaṇeśa, like all deities, is a manifestation of that Brahman.
• In this sense, yes—Gaṇeśa is ultimately non-different from Parabrahman, though worshipped in saguna (with form) aspect.

2. 

Smārta Tradition (based on Advaita)

• The Smārta system recognizes five main deities (Śiva, Viṣṇu, Śakti, Gaṇeśa, Sūrya) as equally valid forms of Parabrahman.
• Here, Gaṇeśa is directly worshipped as Parabrahman.

3. 

Gaṇapatya Tradition (a sect of Hinduism)

• In this devotional movement, Lord Gaṇeśa himself is the Supreme Parabrahman, the source of all creation, even higher than Śiva or Viṣṇu.
• Some texts call him Parameśvara Gaṇapati — the ultimate reality.

4. 

Vaiṣṇavism and Śaivism

• Vaiṣṇavas: See Gaṇeśa as a great deity, but subordinate to Viṣṇu (who is Parabrahman).
• Śaivas: Regard Gaṇeśa as the son of Śiva–Pārvatī, with great cosmic importance, but not the Supreme beyond all.

✅ Summary:

• Yes, Gaṇeśa is Parabrahman in Smārta and especially Gaṇapatya traditions.
• In Advaita Vedānta, he is a form of the same ultimate Brahman.
• In other sects (Vaiṣṇava, Śaiva), he is not Parabrahman, but still immensely revered.

Would you like me to show you some scriptural references (Upaniṣads and Purāṇas) that directly describe Gaṇeśa as Parabrahman?