How Ganesh ji Got His Elephant Head

Long, long ago, Shiv ji and Maa Parvati lived on Mount Kailash. Shiv ji had Nandi and many ganas who always did as he said. One day Maa Parvati's friends, Jaya and Vijaya, said to her, "Maa, you should also have someone of your own, someone who listens only to you." Maa Parvati liked the idea.

One day, as she was getting ready for her bath, Maa Parvati took the fragrant paste (ubtan) from her body and shaped a lovely little boy. Then she breathed life into him. The boy opened his eyes, smiled and said, "Mother, what would you like me to do?" Maa Parvati hugged him with love and said, "You are my son. Guard the door. Do not let anyone in until I say so." The boy picked up a stick and stood at the door.

Soon Shiv ji came home. The boy stopped him and said, "My mother has told me that no one may go in." Shiv ji explained that this was his own home, but the boy would not move. Shiv ji's ganas also tried hard to make him understand, but he did not let anyone pass. The quarrel grew bigger and bigger. At last Shiv ji became angry. He raised his trishul, and the boy's head was separated from his body.

When Maa Parvati came out and saw this, her heart filled with sorrow. Her sorrow turned into anger, and all the devtas became worried. With folded hands they pleaded with her. Maa Parvati said, "Bring my son back to life, and give him the honour of being worshipped first of all."

Shiv ji told his ganas, "Go towards the north. Bring back the head of the first creature you meet." The first creature they met was an elephant, and they came back with its head. Shiv ji placed the head on the boy's body and filled him with life again. The boy sat up, smiling.

Shiv ji hugged him as his own son and said, "From today he will be the lord of all my ganas. His name will be Ganesh. Before every good work, he will be worshipped first." All the devtas blessed Ganesh ji, and Maa Parvati's eyes filled with happy tears.

That is why, even today, before we begin anything new, we say "Shri Ganeshaya Namah" and remember Ganesh ji first of all.