Panchmukhi Ganesha depicts Lord Ganesh in five faces. "Panch" is literally "Five", and "Mukhi' means "Faced". 

The names Panchmukhi Ganesha's faces are derived from the fact that each one faces a different direction. 

Panchmukhi Ganesha can be described as the embodiment of all potencies. 

The Pancha Koshas, or five sheaths of the subtle anatomy of human beings, are represented by each Panchmukhi Ganesh head. 

These are the Annamaya Pranamaya Manomaya Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya.

What is Panchamukhi Ganapati's each face?

• Annamaya Kosha: This is the food sheath that corresponds roughly with the physical body.
• Pranamaya Kosha: This is the vital energy. It represents the subtle body and the nadis.
• Manomaya kosha - This mental sheath represents the mind as well as the organs and perception.
• Vijnanamaya kosha - This wisdom sheath represents vijnana or intelligence, the ability to discriminate, determine or wills.
• Anandamaya kosha - This is a cosmic blessing sheath that represents the eternal center for consciousness. The fifth head of Ganesh represents the highest level of yogic experience, Anandamaya kosha (or Sat-Chit–Ananda) the Pure Consciousness with no qualification.

Panchamukha Ganapati has the ability to ward off bad spirits and prevent bad things from happening. 

It would be a great idea to place Panchamukhi Vinayaka, or five-faced Ganesha, facing east in your home, or at work. 

Anandamaya Kosha or Sat-Chit–Ananda will be possible if a devotee worships Panchamukhi Ganapati. 

Panchamukhi Vinayaka is thought to be a way to bring prosperity and ward off evils by placing it towards the east of one's house or office.

What does Panchamukhi Ganapati mean?

Five senses are present in our bodies: sight, smells, touch, taste, hearing and the senses of touch and smell. 

There are five elements in the creation: Earth water fire air and earth. Five senses and five elements make up God. 

Panchamukhi Ganapati is the form of Divinity that can remove any obstacle from these five.

Lord Ganapati, another name for Lord Ganesha, is the lord over all these Ganas. This particular form is the Panchamukhi Ganapati, as there are five main groups.

Southern India is a popular place to worship the Panchamukhi Ganesha. Panchamukhi Vinayaka worship helps devotees to attain spiritual realization of Anandamaya Kosha (the Pure Consciousness). 

In Nepal, the five-headed Ganesha is known as Heramba Ganpati. This form is essential in Tantric worship for Ganesha. 'Panchamukhi Vinayaka'- five faced Ganesha.