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