The Mythological Explanation of Ganesha

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The Mythological Explanation of Ganesha

But parallel to all the rationalization of this phenomenon, mythology has an

equally enthralliing account that explains the birth (or more properly the

creation) of this curious half-man, half-elephant God called Gajanana or

Ganesha. All Hindus know that Ganesha is an unique deity. He is no ordinary

God, but is like the first among equals. All Hindu prayers start with the

invocation "Shree Ganeshaaya Namaha" meaning Salutations to You O Ganesha.

Mythology has an explanation to offer for Ganesha's elephant head as well as

for his being a first among the Gods. The divine couple of Shiva and Parvati

had remained childless for a long time after the birth of their first son

Kartikeya.

Parvati makes Ganesha from Clay and Infuses Life in the Idol

Parvati's motherly instincts made her yearn for a son and Shiva's long absence

from home intensified her yearning due to loneliness. On day a bright idea came

to her mind, she decided to mould a statue of clay in the form of a son. Having

created this the idol satisfied her yearning for a son. She used her divine

power to bring the clay idol to life. Happy as she was to have the company of a

son, she went about her chores, many a times leaving the boy in charge of the

house.

Shiva Confronts Ganesha

One fine day while Parvati was busy with her daily ablutions, Shiva turned up

and saw Parvati's son Ganesha, guarding the entrance to his house.

Shiva - the Lord of Mount Kailas who is portrayed as the Destroyer in the Hindu

trinity (trimurti) along with Brahma (the Creator) and Vishnu (the Preserver).

Shiva is also known as Nataraja or Nateswara (Lord of dance). Shiva is

characterised by an angry temperament and we are told has a third eye on his

forehead that emits fire if opened. The unfortunate Madana who dared disturb

Shiva's meditation was reduced to ashes when Shiva opened his third eye,

enraged by Madana's having disturbed his Tapasya (meditation).

Strangers as they were to each other the son (Ganesha) refused allow Shiva to

enter the house. Taken aback at being prevented from entering his own house,

Shiva asked this tiny sentinel who he was. On being told that he was Parvati's

son Shiva was confounded and enraged, at this insolence. In a fit of anger

Shiva chopped off his head and threw it away.

Shiva fetches an Elephant's Head for the Beheaded Ganesha

When Parvati heard about this outrage she lost her temper and she demanded that

Shiva restore her son to life immediately. Compelled to appease Parvati, Shiva

set out to find the head of her son. Hard as he tried, he could not find the

head that he had chopped off and thrown away in disgust. As he could not find

the head he wanted, he thought of fitting the headless body with the head of

any living being that he would come across. Having so resolved he came across a

baby elephant and true to his word, Shiva chopped off the elephant's head,

carried it to his beloved and to pacify her, he fitted it to the lifeless body

of her son and revived him. This was how the Lord Gajanana or Gaja-Mukha came

into being.

Ganesha become the first among the Gods

To atone for his deed Shiva also granted a special status to Gajanana by issuing

a divine decree that thence forth Gajanana would be the first to be invoked in

every prayer and only after this, could the invocation of any pther God takes

place. This was how the elephant-headed Ganesha got to acquire his privileged

position. In deference to the decree of lord Shiva, Hindus today, continue to

regard Ganesha as the first God to be invoked in any prayer.

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Read from the beginning at:

http://www.gujaratisamaj.org/chaturthi.html

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