When we talk about Lord Ganesha, how can we miss the multitude of stories linked with his birth?
I did touch upon the same topic in my last series on Ganesha, but the interest just keep growing with the day and the stories associated with the same.
There are multiple stories putting Shiva and Parvati in different situations resulting in the birth of Lord Ganesha. Some stories indicate that Shiva and Parvati were in such compassion that the entire universe was afraid. Due to their fear, they allowed the offspring to have a mixed feature set - a human and an elephant. The other story says that Parvati was so moved by the elephants that she requested Shiva to take the form of an elephant and this lead to Ganesha. In yet another story, Pavati is said to be attracted to her own son - Ganesha and hence Shiva punishes him just like Brahma by chopping his head off, later replacing the same with that of an elephant at the behest of Parvati. In another version, Parvati yearns for a baby and requests Shiva for the same. Shiva creates a doll out of clothes that comes to life with the love from Parvati.
All of these stories have a little diversion from the popular stories we all have heard of Ganesha being created as a doll and brought to life by Parvati. Shiva cut Ganesha's head unknowingly, while the latter was only following his mother's orders.
All in all, every text iterates that Ganesha was his mother's son and has more resemblance to her. The different stories have one central idea - Ganesha was born out of Parvati's yearning, compared to Shiva's compassion. Parvati wanted the child more than Shiva and even offered him to get back to his mediation but leave the child for her. The lack of compassion from Shiva, is probably the reason for Ganesha's other name - Vinayaka = Vin + nayaka - without the nayaka.
The very idea of Ganesha being only Parvati's child opens up a pandora's box in today's social structure. The idea hints towards a matriarchal society at the same time, converts Parvati into Maa Gauri and Shiva into Shankara. The idea transforms a sanyasi into a grihastha or a householder emphasizing the role of a householder in propagating the mother nature. The idea also propentiates the importance of engagement with the nature to understand it. While Shiva withdrew himself from the confines of the household, Parvati tied him in the form of Shankara. And Ganesha is a reminder of the same fact.
To resolve a problem, one must involve themselves with it rather than looking at it from outside. Only when you imbibe the issue into yourself, will you realize the way to get out of it. Ganesha helps in both ways and hence is also known as Vighnharta.
I did touch upon the same topic in my last series on Ganesha, but the interest just keep growing with the day and the stories associated with the same.
There are multiple stories putting Shiva and Parvati in different situations resulting in the birth of Lord Ganesha. Some stories indicate that Shiva and Parvati were in such compassion that the entire universe was afraid. Due to their fear, they allowed the offspring to have a mixed feature set - a human and an elephant. The other story says that Parvati was so moved by the elephants that she requested Shiva to take the form of an elephant and this lead to Ganesha. In yet another story, Pavati is said to be attracted to her own son - Ganesha and hence Shiva punishes him just like Brahma by chopping his head off, later replacing the same with that of an elephant at the behest of Parvati. In another version, Parvati yearns for a baby and requests Shiva for the same. Shiva creates a doll out of clothes that comes to life with the love from Parvati.
All of these stories have a little diversion from the popular stories we all have heard of Ganesha being created as a doll and brought to life by Parvati. Shiva cut Ganesha's head unknowingly, while the latter was only following his mother's orders.
All in all, every text iterates that Ganesha was his mother's son and has more resemblance to her. The different stories have one central idea - Ganesha was born out of Parvati's yearning, compared to Shiva's compassion. Parvati wanted the child more than Shiva and even offered him to get back to his mediation but leave the child for her. The lack of compassion from Shiva, is probably the reason for Ganesha's other name - Vinayaka = Vin + nayaka - without the nayaka.
The very idea of Ganesha being only Parvati's child opens up a pandora's box in today's social structure. The idea hints towards a matriarchal society at the same time, converts Parvati into Maa Gauri and Shiva into Shankara. The idea transforms a sanyasi into a grihastha or a householder emphasizing the role of a householder in propagating the mother nature. The idea also propentiates the importance of engagement with the nature to understand it. While Shiva withdrew himself from the confines of the household, Parvati tied him in the form of Shankara. And Ganesha is a reminder of the same fact.
To resolve a problem, one must involve themselves with it rather than looking at it from outside. Only when you imbibe the issue into yourself, will you realize the way to get out of it. Ganesha helps in both ways and hence is also known as Vighnharta.
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