Ganesh Chauth

Ganesh Jee is our one of the five main Deities - Shiv, Ganesh, Devee, VIshnu and Soorya. He is not only the one of five main Deities, but also to be worshiped first among all of them. He is the god of wisdom and prosperity

Ganesh Chaturthee is his birthday. He was  born on Bhaadrapad Krishn Chaturthee. Although this festival is celebrated all over India but it is more important and popular in southern India, especially in Mahaaraashtra. There its celebration continues for five, seven, or ten days. Some even stretch it to twenty one days, but ten is the most
popular time for its celebration. In the tradition of the right hand path the first day is the most important. In the left hand path tradition the final day is most important.

Ganesh Jee is invoked before the beginning of any auspicious work so that it is completed without any hurdle, because he is the Deity of removing all hurdles. It is also believed that for the fulfillment of one's desires, his blessing is absolutely necessary. His ride is Mooshak (mouse) and his  most loved food is Modak (Laddoo). He is the son of Shiv and Paarvatee, and the brother of Kaarttikeya - the general of the gods, Lakshmee Jee - the goddess of wealth, and Saraswatee - the goddess of learning. 

There are many stories about Ganesh Jee, you may read them at www.sushmajee.com/ganesh/index-ganesh.htm,  only a couple of stories are given here.

Birth of Ganesh and His Elephant Head
How he was born is an interesting story but there are several versions as how he got the elephant-head,

Legend has it that once Paarvatee Jee was taking bath in Shiv's absence that Nandee came inside, Paarvatee Jee got very embarrassed, so she asked her friends as what to do. She could not trust Nandee in this way. They suggested her to create a man of her own trust, So once when Paarvatee Jee was taking bath she created a boy out of the sandalwood dough that she used for her bath and breathed life into him. She asked him to stand as her guard at the door so that nobody can come in while she was taking her bath. The boy said "All right" and stood at the door as a guard.

Now Shiv was away to kill demon Jalandhar He had killed the demon and came back to his home with a great victory. When he came home he found a boy guarding his house. He wanted to come inside his house but the boy did not allow him to come inside at any cost. The boy always insisted - "I cannot let you enter the house as it is my mother's instruction." Shiv Jee was in a flux. He did not know that he had a son, who was that boy who was claiming that he was his son.

When even after long persuasion the boy did not allow Shiv to enter his own house, Shiv got angry and a fight broke in between both of them. A little later Shiv cut the neck of that boy and entered his house victoriously. When Paarvatee Jee saw Shiv inside the house, she asked him how did he enter the house? Shiv told her the whole story and told also about the killing of that boy.

Paarvatee Jee started crying, saying that she was her son and if he did not bring her son back to life, she will die. Shiv Jee got very sad. He sent his Gan to find a newborn's head whose mother was sleeping turning her face from her child. The Gan went here and there and found a she-elephant who was sleeping  turning her head from her child. They cut her child's head immediately and brought it to Shiv Jee. Shiv Jee also immediately fixed that head on the trunk of the dead boy and brought him to life.
                                                    
Why People do not See the Moon Today?                                    
There is strong tradition that people do not see the Moon today. Once his mother Paarvatee cooked twenty-one types of delicious food and a lot of sweet porridge for him on one of his birthdays. Ganesh Jee ate so much that even his big belly could not contain it. Mounting his little mouse, he embarked on his nightly rounds. His mouse suddenly stumbled upon seeing a huge snake. To adjust His belly, Ganesh put that snake around his stomach as a belt.  All of a sudden, he heard a laughter emanating form the sky. 

He looked up and saw the Moon mocking at him. This was a great insult to Ganesh Jee. he got very angry at this. He cursed the Moon that whoever looks at him on my birthday will be accused wrongly. This curse shattered the pride of the Moon and he asked for his forgiveness and prayed him to take back his curse.

Ganesh Jee calmed down, he said - "My purpose is served. My purpose only to shatter your pride. Although my curse will not go in vain, but I assure you that people will regain their good name after seeing you on the 2nd day of the Shukla Paksh or by listening to the story of Syaamantak Mani." the Moon got satisfied.

That is why people do not see the Moon on this day.


Sushma Gupta
www,sushmajee.com

Ganesh's Head and Ride

Today we will write about Ganesh Jee. He has two special things - one is his elephant head and another his ride - a tiny mouse. You must be thinking what may be the specialty of Ganesh Jee's elephant head and his tiny Mouse? You will really be surprised to know about them. Let us start from his head, then we will come down to his toe - his ride mouse. Ganesh Jee is identified from among thousands by his elephant's head and his ride tiny mouse. Where did they come from? There are a couple of stories about his elephant head and a special story about his ride..

(1) One Story About Ganesh's Elephant Head: Gajmukhaasur
Most people know its most common story, when Shiv Jee was away, Paarvatee Jee created a child from the dirt of her body and brought him to life. Thus neither Shiv Jee knew the child nor the child knew Shiv Jee.

Why Shiv Jee was away? There was a great Asur named Gajaasur. He did lots of Tap and pleased Shiv Jee. When Shiv Jee asked him to ask for any boon, he asked him to live in his belly. Shiv Jee had to comply with his boon and started living in his belly. When Paarvatee Jee did not see Shiv for some time, she sought the help of Vishnu. Vishnu took Nandee and started playing flute in front of Gajmukhaasur's house. He got very happy to hear the flute and asked Vishnu to ask for a boon. he did not know that he was Vishnu. Vishnu asked him to return Shiv to Him. Gajmukhaasur did that and in this process he died. While dying he asked the last boon from Shiv - "My head should be worshiped first and by all." Shiv said - "So be it." He came back with the head of that Asur.

When Shiv came back to home, Paarvatee Jee was taking bath and she instructed Ganesh to guard the door. Shiv wanted to enter his house that Ganesh faithfully stopped him to enter in his own house as he also did not know who was he. A fight ensued between both of them and at last Shiv severed his head. Seeing this Paarvatee started crying. To calm down Paarvatee Jee, Shiv Jee immediately fixed Gajmukhaasur's head on the severed trunk of Ganesh. He came back to life and Paarvatee Jee got happy. Later Shiv blessed Ganesh to be worshiped first and by all. That is how that Ganesh Jee got an elephant's head and that Asur's head is worshiped first and by all.

(2) Another Story About Ganesh's Elephant Head: Indra, Durvaasaa and the Elephant
Another story goes like this that Shiv and Paarvatee had a son after a long time, so they were very happy. They celebrated their son's birth All Devtaa, Gandharv Apsaraa etc were invited. Paarvatee Jee was sitting carrying her son in her laps, and Shiv Jee was sitting beside her. When the celebration was over all invitees came to see the child, bless him and present gift to him. All came one by one, blessed the child, present their gift and went away to their abodes. Only Shani Dev was not seen. He came in the last. He did not look at the child, just blessed him and went forward. Shiv and Paarvatee Jee insisted him to at least have a look at the child in spite of showing Shani's disinterest in looking at the child many times. He said - "You know my sight is not good, it might harm the child, I do not want to harm the child." But Shiv and Paarvatee did not listen to him and still insisted to have a look at the child. At last Shani had to have a look and as soon he cast his half look, the child's head was severed off.

Paarvatee Jee started crying. Shani told them about his warning and asked for their forgiveness and went away. Shiv Jee was also sad, but he acted fast. he sent his Gan to look for a mother who was sleeping facing opposite to her child, and bring such a child's head. When the Gan searched, they could find only a she-elephant sleeping like this. All human mothers were sleeping clinging their children to their breasts. They immediately cut the head of that elephant child's head and brought to Shiv Jee. Shiv Jee immediately fixed that head on the severed trunk of the child and the came back to life.

Who Was This Elephant?
(1) One story goes like this that Once Indra was roaming around that he saw Rambhaa Apsaraa. he asked her to satisfy him, which she did. Time went by. Once Durvaasaa Rishi was passing by from there. Indra saw him, he got up and greeted him. Seeing him in this condition, Durvaasaa understood, so he did not think proper to stay there, he just handed a flower to Indra saying - "whoever will have this flower on his head, he will be raised by the whole world." Indra took the flower and came back to Rambhaa. He threw that flower on an elephant. Elephant is only an elephant, he threw that flower on the ground and crushed it under his feet. Both Indra and the elephant forgot this incident. Because the way the elephant treated the flower he lost his head; and since he had Durvaasaa's flower on his head at least once his head is worshiped by all.

Ganesh's Ride: Who Is the Mouse?
Now let us see who is the mouse of Ganash Jee? There was a Raakshas whose name was Gajmukhaasur. He had a head of elephant and the body of human being. Once he did severe Tap for Brahmaa Jee. Brahmaa Jee got pleased and asked him to ask for a boon. he asked for immortality, but Brahmaa Jee told him that it was not possible, so he asked that he should be killed by a similar creature like him - head of an elephant and body of a human being. Brahmaa Jee said -  "So be it." and went away. So when Ganesh got such a body, he killed him with his broken tusk. Gajmukhaasur's dead body changed into a mouse and approached Ganesh Jee to bless him. Ganesh Jee blessed him and used him as his ride. Thus Ganesh's mouse is none other than an Asur whom only Ganesh could kill.

Thus both, Ganesh's head and ride, are specially blessed Asur and elephant.

Sushma VGupta
www.sushmajee.com