GANESHA

Ganesha is one of the most popular deities in the Hindu

pantheon. He is closely associated with the daily lives of
millions of Hindus even today. As he is reputed to be a remover
of obstacles he is propitiated before the beginning of any new
venture whether it is the building of a new house, the writing
of a book, the beginning of a journey or the starting of a new
business. His images adorn the walls of innumerable business
establishments across India. It is customary for businessmen to seek his
blessings each morning before they get down to business. Ganesha is
also the god of wisdom and prudence.

Ganesha is represented as a short, pot-bellied man with yellow

skin, four arms and an elephant's head with only one tusk. In
his four hands he customarily holds a shell, a chakra (discus),
a mace and a water-lily. His unusual steed is a rat. Ganesha is
the second son of Shiva and Parvati. There are many versions
of how he was conceived. The most popular version is narrated
hereunder.

One evening Vishnu Ji appeared as a priest in front of Shiv ji

and requested him to let him be their son. Bemused, he gave
his concent. The priest (Vishnu Ji) then transformed himself
into a beautiful child, to delight the new parents. On this happy
occasion all the gods came over to bless the new child. Vishnu
Ji(himself) blessed him as a repository of knowledge. Brahama
ji blessed him with fame and to let the foremost god for worship and
Lakshmi ji blessed that she will dwell whatever this child is adored.
Similarly other god and godesses also blessed him with other qualities.

At birth, Ganesha was a perfectly normal boy. How he got an

elephant's head is another story. Parvati was so pleased at his
birth and so proud of his beauty that she invited all the gods
and goddesses to come to Kailash and admire him. All the
celestial beings came and admired and blessed the boy except
Sani (Saturn), Parvati's own brother. This was because Sani
had been cursed by his wife and the impact of the curse was that as
soon as he looked at someone that person was instantly reduced to
ashes.

Sani was somewhat reluctant to cause the incineration his own

sister's newborn baby but Parvati was feeling so elated that
she threw caution to the winds and pleaded with Sani to at least cast his
eyes once upon the boy. Sani, perforce, to please his sister, came and,
holding his newborn nephew in his arms, hesitatingly gave him one look.
That was enough to do the damage. Ganesha's head flew off as soon as
his uncle looked at him. Parvati started crying bitterly but Brahma, who
was present at this time, comforted her and said that if the head of the
first creature that was found would be cut off and transplanted on
Ganesha's neck he would live. So Vishnu, who was also present, set off
on Garuda in search of any animal he may find. He had to travel all the
way down Mount Kailash before, at the foothills, he found an elephant
dozing on a riverbank. He immediately cut off the elephant's head and
came back.Thus, this is how Ganesha got his pachyderm head. That he is
pot-bellied is not a sign of any particular ugliness. The Hindu idea of
beauty portrays both men and women with pot-bellies as these are signs
of well-fed prosperity.

The elephant's head that Vishnu brought for Ganesha was

perfect in all respects, with two tusks, but the pot-bellied god
is habitually shown with only one tusk. The story behind how
he lost one tusk makes interesting telling.

One day, when the goddess was about to get a bath

in the water of a pool inside a cave, she took the precaution of
positioning Ganesha, her favorite son, at the entrance of the
cave. She strictly instructed him not to let anybody in while
she was inside. So it was that Ganesha stood guard while his
mother bathed inside till he saw his father ambling towards
the cave. Coming up to the cave entrance, Shiva demanded admittance
but Ganesha stood his ground bravely and refused to allow his father in.

Shiva was astounded at this. He protested that no-one had the

right to keep him away from his wife but Ganesha did not
budge from his post saying that he would not disobey his
mother's instructions. Shiva, hot-tempered as he was, flew
into a terrific rage and attacked his own son. Ganesha parried
his father's attack and both fought for quite some time. All this
while Parvati unwittingly went on bathing inside, unaware that
her ablutionary precaution was causing unforeseen dissension within
her family. Son and father fought till, at last, Shiva hurled his trident, his
supreme weapon, at his son. Ganesha would not parry this as, to do so,
would be to show great disrespect for his father. So he took the blow
from the trident on one tusk, which broke off. At this point in time,
Parvati emerged from her bath and, perceiving what has been going on,
hastened to bring amity back to her family. Since then Ganesha,
benevolent initiator, has had one tusk.

According to another legend, Ganesh Ji was produced from the

sweat of Parvati Ji who deputed him to gaurd his palce when
she was wanted privacy while having a bath. When Shiv Ji
arrived, Ganesh Ji did not allow him in, as he was unaware of
the identity of Shiv Ji. This enraged Shiv Ji who cut off Ganesh's head.
When Parvati Ji discovered this and explained the truth to Shiv Ji he felt
sorry. Shiv Ji the orderd his attendants to bring head of any baby whose
mother may be asleep. Attendants saw a baby elephant in such a
position and brought his head which was then transplanted by Shiv Ji on
Ganesh Ji's body. To further console Parvati Ji, who was still in tears
seeing an elephant's head on his son's body, Brahama Ji annocunced
that Ganesh Ji will have precedence over other gods in the matter of
worship.