Happy Birthday Ganesh - The Story of Ganesh Charturthi

“At sunrise I offer my humble supplication to Lord Gananatha, who is the cause of this manifestation, who awards boons to the demigods such as Brahma and others, who abounds in the Agamas, who awards the results of the activities of dharma, artha, and kama, who is the cause of liberation for the human race, who is beyond words, who is the beginning, and who has unlimited appearances.” – Ganesh Purana, Chapter 3

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FOR GANESH WISDOM, READ Ganesh Puran & Ganesh Gita 

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This year we celebrate Ganesh Charturthi starting on September 13th, 2018.  The festivities will continue for 10 days until the fourteenth day of the waxing moon period (Anant Chaturdashi). Ganesha Chaturthi (गणेश चतुर्थी) is one of the most looked forward to festivals of the Hindu calendar. This unique and joyous celebration honors the birth of Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity personified as a remover of obstacles and the force of beginnings and wisdom.

On the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadrapada, Hindus from around the world come together in puja and celebrations at temples and in each other’s homes. Many Hindus will make or purchase painted clay images of Ganesh and install him in public pandals (temporary shrines) where his presence is venerated for ten days and then finally immersed at the end of the festival in a body of water, often a river or lake.
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It is believed that Ganesha bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival.  While Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated primarily in India, it is universally attended by Hindus around the world and is most visible in nations like Nepal, the United States, Canada, Mauritius, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Fiji, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana.
–The Shiva Purana and Linga Purana below tell the story of Ganesha’s birth/creation, how he became associated with obstacles and beginnings, wisdom and blessings, and how he received his elephant head. The stories also demonstrate Ganesha’s strong powers of determination and devotion which he transmits to those who  call upon his energy into their lives. A happy Ganesh Chatuthi to all.

STORY OF GANESH’S BIRTH 

From The Shiva Purana 
International Gita Society

GANESH

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Once Narada had a desire to listen to the tales of Ganesha. Brahma replied- “There were various Ganeshas in different Kalpas. During the period of ‘Shweta-Kalpa’, Ganesha was born to Shiva and Parvati, when they went to Kailash mountain shortly after their marriage.  “Once while going to take her bath, Parvati instructed Nandi, to stand guard at the entrance and not to allow anybody to enter the premise without her permission. Lord Shiva arrived there by chance. Despite of Nandi’s refusal to allow him, in he went inside. Parvati did not like this.

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One day it happened so that Once again, Parvati wanted to take her bath. She made an idol from the dirt of her body. She made the idol alive and instructed him not to allow anybody without her permission. She also gave him a stick for his protection. Incidentally lord Shiva arrived once again. He tried to enter inside but Ganesha refused to let him go inside. But when Shiva tried to go inside forcibly, Ganesha hit him with his stick. Lord Shiva became furious and ordered his ganas to kill him.

-The ganas of Shiva attacked Ganesha but all of them were no match for him. After being defeated by Ganesha, the Shivaganas went to Shiva and narrated everything. While the Shivaganas were narrating their stories, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and some other deities arrived there. Lord Brahma then went to Ganesha to convince him, but as soon as Ganesha saw him he tried to attack lord Brahma. Brahma came back without achieving anything.  After this lord Shiva himself came to fight Ganesha.

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SHIVA SEVERS GANESHA’S HEAD –LATER GIVEN

ELEPHANT HEAD

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A fierce battle was fought between Shiva and Ganesha. When Lord Shiva realized that Ganesha was dominating the fight, he severed his head with his trishul. Parvati became extremely furious at the death of Ganesha. Her anger resulted into the manifestation of innumerable goddesses, who started creating havoc on the deities.

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The deities became frightened and they were forced to take the refuge of Parvati. They eulogized her and requested to be pardoned. Parvati told them that they could be saved only when Ganesha becomes alive and becomes worshippable just like thee (deities).

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The deities went to lord Shiva and requested him to make Ganesha alive once again. Lord Shiva instructed them to go in the northern direction and bring the head of any creature they might find and join it with the trunk of Ganesha. The deities followed the instruction and went in the northern direction.

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They found an elephant which had only one tusk. They severed the elephant’s head and joined it with the trunk of Ganesha. By the blessings of Shiva, Ganesha became alive once again. The deities worshipped Ganesha and returned back to their respective abodes.

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GANESHA’S MARRIAGE

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Both Kartikeya and Ganesha grew up to become handsome youths in due course of time. Shiva and Parvati started to think about their marriage. When Ganesha and Kartikeya came to know about the plan of their marriage both of them started quarreling among themselves as to who should get married first.

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Lord Shiva and Parvati devised a plan to sort out this problem. They told them that whoever between them return after circumambulating the earth, will get married first of all. Kartikeya and Ganesha agreed. Kartikeya proceeded on his journey to circumambulate the earth.

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Ganesha was very intelligent. He requested his parents – Lord Shiva and Parvati; to sit at a place together and circumambulated them for seven times and said- “According to Veda, Circumambulating one’s parents give virtues equivalent to that of circumambulating the whole earth. So now you must get me married first.”

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Lord Shiva and Parvati were very impressed by his intelligence. They decided to get him married with Siddhi and Riddhi-the daughter of Vishwaroop Prajapati. In due course of time two sons were born to them Kshem and Labh.

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While Kartikeya was returning after circumambulating the whole earth, he met sage Narada on the way. He told Kartikeya about Ganesha’s marriage. Kartikeya became very sad and felt like having been cheated by their parents. When Kartikeya reached Kailash mountain he made salutations to lord Shiva and Parvati and without saying anything, went to Kraunch mountain to do his penance.

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Parvati was very sad. She went to Kraunch mountain to meet Kartikeya accompanied by Shiva. When Kartikeya saw them coming he moved to another place. Lord Shiva and Parvati followed him and ultimately met him. Both these places have religious significance. Having a darshan of Kartikeya on the full moon day of Kritika nakashatra is considered to bestows immense auspicious and destroyes all the sins of a man.

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ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF GANESH’S BIRTH
IN LINGA PURANA

From The Ling Purana 
International Gita Society

THE ORIGIN OF LORD GANESH

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Once, the deities requested Lord Shiva to device some means so that they no longer had to live under the threat of the demons.The most merciful Lord Pinaki Shiva then took the incarnation of Ganeshwar.

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He had a human body but his heard resembled like an elephant. He held a trident in his hand. All the deities eulogized Lord Ganesh–the Lord of wisdom and the remover of all obstacles.

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Lord Ganesh is the first deity to be worshipped in any ritual as he is believed to remove all the obstacles. A devotee of Lord Ganesh is free from the fear of failures and achieves success in any endeavour he undertakes.