HOW GANESH GOT HIS ELEPHANT HEAD
Ganesh is the God who removes all obsticles . . . of Indian folklore. His mother is Parvati (The Great Mother Goddess) and she created her son from sandlewood and paste!
He is the magical son of a magical Goddess and his step father is none other than Shiva the Destroyer!
Parvati wanted to take a long and luxurious private bath and so had her little son become the guardian of her bath door. Her enchantment made him as powerful as a God.
Her husband Shiva wasn't aware that Parvati had created the boy and became outraged when this little child was so powerful as to deter him from his wife at her bath door.
Shiva cut the boy's head off in one blow which then enraged his mother!
Her cries shook the universe and the Goddess Kali sprang from her forehead!!
Suddenly the entire universe was knocked off balance and a battle between the Gods and Goddesses began!
The Great God Vishnu saw that a mother had been 'wronged' and apologised to Parvati. A suitable head would be found for the boy and he went in search for one!
Vishnu found a baby elephant and with a spinning chakra on his finger sliced the head off and 'passed on to the animal all of his love and compassion'.
Brahma the Creator placed the baby elephant head on to the body of the boy and passed to this child his 'wisdom and resourcefulness'.
The child was found to be cunning, wise, loyal and insghtful. He was given the name Ganesh and his soul assignment became as helper to people on earth 'whenever they are in trouble or need.'
To this day, many people in India and around the world pray to Ganesh first thing everyday for his blessings & divine presence . . . to clear obsticles away in their lives.
This very short bit of story was taken (paraphrased by me) from a lovely children's book: How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head by Harish Johari and Vatsala Sperling.
