Paraśurāma and Gaṇeśa at Kailāsa
Paraśurāma went to Kailāsa to thank Bhagavān Śiva. At the gate, Gaṇeśa stopped him. In the clash that followed, Paraśurāma’s axe broke one of Gaṇeśa’s tusks. Pārvatī grew angry, and her anger was calmed only when Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and Rādhā came. This episode is in the Madhyama Bhāga of the Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Chapters 41 to 43.
Background
Paraśurāma had done the work given to him. He had killed Kārtavīrya Arjuna, protected brāhmaṇa dharma, and wiped out the adharmic kshatriyas twenty-one times. Now he wished to climb Kailāsa-parvata and honour Bhagavān Śiva. From Śiva he had received the Pāśupatāstra and the Trailokya-vijaya kavaca. He came to the holy mountain full of respect and glad at the victory of dharma. (Chapter 41)
Gaṇeśa at the gate
At the gate of Kailāsa stood Gaṇeśa, the son of Śiva and Pārvatī. He had been set there as the everlasting dvārapāla (gatekeeper) of his father’s home. Gaṇeśa refused to let Paraśurāma in. He said that Bhagavān Śiva must not be disturbed.
Paraśurāma was used to no power in the three worlds standing against him, and he was taken aback. The two stood face to face. Gaṇeśa, with his divine strength and the authority of his post, blocked the way. Paraśurāma, fierce and unbending, insisted on his right to enter. (Chapter 41)
The tusk is broken
The confrontation grew. The 100 sons of Kārtavīrya who had survived also pressed Paraśurāma at that time. In the heat of the fight, and angry at being refused entry, Paraśurāma hurled his divine paraśu at Gaṇeśa. It was the axe he had received from Śiva himself. Because his own father had given the axe, Gaṇeśa felt he could not disrespect it by turning it aside. He took the blow on his own tusk, and the tusk was cut off. From that day Gaṇeśa has been known as Ekadanta, “the one with a single tusk”. (Chapter 41)
Pārvatī’s anger
Pārvatī saw her son wounded. Her grief and anger had no limit. She faced Paraśurāma with all the force of a mother’s rage. She called him an unworthy brāhmaṇa who had dared to hurt the son of Maheśvara. Kailāsa shook. Even the devas and gaṇas who had gathered fell silent before her anger. (Chapter 42)
Kṛshṇa and Rādhā arrive
At this moment Bhagavān Kṛshṇa came to Kailāsa with Rādhā. Their coming changed everything. The sight of Rādhā and Kṛshṇa filled the holy mountain with the glow of devotion.
With his usual grace, Kṛshṇa stepped in between them. He acknowledged the grief of Pārvatī, honoured the righteousness of Paraśurāma, and affirmed the glory of Gaṇeśa. Rādhā also gave her kind presence. Through their mediation, Pārvatī’s anger slowly eased. (Chapter 42)
The names of Gaṇeśa
During this peace-making, the Purāṇa lists the names of Gaṇeśa. Among those explained here are:
- Ekadanta: the single-tusked, for the tusk broken by Paraśurāma’s paraśu.
- Vighneśa: master of obstacles, for his part in placing and removing obstacles.
- Dvaimātura: the one with two mothers. Pārvatī and Gaṅgā are both counted as his mothers in different accounts.
- Gajavadana: the elephant-faced.
- Lambodara: the large-bellied.
- Heramba: the proud and powerful.
The Purāṇa says that Gaṇeśa is to be honoured first in all undertakings. His part as guardian of thresholds, in the cosmic, the sacred and the personal sense, is confirmed again in this very episode, where he was tested. (Chapter 42)
Paraśurāma’s stotra
Paraśurāma was now at peace and humbled. He composed a stotra (hymn of praise) to Pārvatī, Kṛshṇa, Gaṇeśa and Rādhā. He praised Pārvatī as the Ādi-Śakti (the first power), the mother of the cosmos. He praised Kṛshṇa as the eternal upholder, whose grace had settled an impossible situation. He praised Gaṇeśa as master of beginnings and remover of obstacles. He praised Rādhā as the śakti (power) of the highest love.
All four gave Paraśurāma their blessings. Śiva also, once he was told of the episode, gave him an audience. (Chapter 43)
Sources
- Brahmāṇḍa Mahā Purāṇa, Madhyama Bhāga, Chapters 41–43