GANESH JI

AN IMPORTANT ETERNAL HINDU GOD

Vidya-Varidhi & Buddhi Vidhata

(This is how Ganesh Ji described in religious scriptures)

It is interesting to observe that Ganesh JI’s image appears on the opening page of this book. Hindu mythology offers some interesting stories giving reasons for this pre-eminence to Ganesh JI. One such story is as follows. Once when Ganesh  Ji’s mother, goddess Parvati Ji desired to have bath and have privacy for that purpose, she created Ganesh Ji from her sweat and asked him to keep guard. After sometime, Parvati Ji’s husband Shiv Ji returned but was denied entry by this guard Ganesh  Ji since he was not aware of SHiv Ji’s identity. This infuriated Shiv Ji who cut-off Ganesh Ji’s head. When Parvati Ji arrived on the scene and explained that Ganesh Ji was her off-spring, Shiv Ji felt  very sorry. He sent his attendants to search for a child’s head, a child whose mother should be asleep so that she does not have to go through the torture of separation from her child. These attendants found a young elephant in such a position and brought it to Shiv Ji, who then transplanted this young elephant’s head onto Ganesh Ji’s body and brought him back to life. But Parvati Ji still annoyed with the whole episode. At this juncture, Brahma Ji had also arrived on the scene and granted a very special boon in favour of Ganesh Ji, to please Parvati Ji, that Ganesh Ji will henceforth be the first among all gods and will receive top eminence in case of worship. More details on Ganesh Ji are given in the chapter devoted to him.