Gaṇeśa Installed at Dharmāraṇya
Vyāsa tells Yudhishṭhira how Gaṇeśa came to be installed as the Gaṇādhipati (chief of the gaṇas) in the south of Satya Mandira at Dharmāraṇya. The account begins with Gaṇeśa’s birth. Pārvatī shaped a boy from the paste of her body and gave him life. He guarded her door and was struck down by Bhagavān Śiva. Bhagavān Śiva then gave him the head of the daitya Gajāsura, and the boy rose again.
Yudhishṭhira’s question
The holy layout of Satya Mandira had been described. Dharmeśvara stands in the east, Gaṇādhipati in the south, Sūrya in the west and Svayambhū in the north. Yudhishṭhira then asked Vyāsa how Gaṇeśa came to be installed in this holy city.
Vyāsa replied: “I have told you how Dharmeśvara came to be. Now hear the cause of Gaṇeśa’s birth.”
Pārvatī makes a son
One day Pārvatī was rubbing ubṭan (body-paste) on herself before her bath. She took the paste that fell from her body. With great skill and love, she shaped it into a beautiful figure. She looked at the figure and breathed life into it.
The figure came alive before her and stood up, full of awareness, looking at her with devotion. He asked: “O Mātā! What shall I do at your command?”
Pārvatī answered: “Stand guard at this door. Let no one come in until I have finished my bath.”
He agreed and stood at the door fully armed.
Bhagavān Śiva arrives and the battle
While Pārvatī was bathing, Bhagavān Śiva (Mahādeva) came to his own home and tried to go in. The boy at the door did not know him and would not let him enter. He said: “No one may enter while Mother is bathing. That is my order.”
Bhagavān Śiva was surprised, and then angry. He insisted on entering his own home, but the boy stood firm. A fierce battle broke out between Bhagavān Śiva and the boy. They fought with weapons. The boy struck Bhagavān Śiva on the forehead with his paraśu (axe), and Bhagavān Śiva raised his triśūla (trident). In the heat of the fight the triśūla cut off the boy’s head, and it fell to the ground. A great uproar rose in all the worlds.
Pārvatī’s grief and the answer of Bhagavān Śiva
Pārvatī came out and found her son lying fallen. She wept in deep grief, and the world felt the force of a mother’s sorrow.
Bhagavān Śiva was full of regret for what he had done. He said to himself: “What have I done without cause?” He looked around and saw nearby the great Gajāsura, a mighty mahādaitya who had been killed in battle. Bhagavān Śiva took the boy’s body, lifted up the fallen head of Gajāsura, and set the elephant’s head on the boy’s body.
At once the boy stood up, now with the splendid elephant head of Gajāsura. All the worlds rejoiced. The devas and munis who had gathered cried out with joy, and Pārvatī was filled with happiness. Bhagavān Śiva then gave the elephant-headed boy the name Gajāsura (later known as Gaṇeśa and Gaṇādhipati) and blessed him.
The devas’ stotra to Gaṇeśa
The devas were full of joy at the boy’s return to life and at the wonder of the elephant head. They praised Gaṇeśa with a stotra (hymn of praise), the Devatā Gaṇeśa Stotra. It says: “Namaskāra to the Sureśa, to the pati of the gaṇas. Namaskāra to the Gajānana. O ādi-daivata of Mahādeva, O one who is pleased by bhakti (devotion), O Deva, O Gaṇādhyaksha, namaskāra to you.”
Gaṇeśa was glad at the stotra. He asked the devas what they wanted.
Gaṇeśa is installed at Dharmāraṇya
The devas said: “O Mahābhāga! Stay here and fulfil our aim. In Dharmāraṇya, be the guardian of the brāhmaṇas, the vāṇikas (merchants), the brahmachārins, the householders who keep dharma, and all who belong to the varṇāśrama (the order of life by varṇa and āśrama). O Gaṇeśvara! By your grace, let the dvijas live here with wealth and ease. O Mahābhāga! Guard all the powerful vāṇikas. O Deva! Guard them as long as the moon, the sun and the earth last.”
Gaṇeśa agreed. The devas worshipped him gladly with flowers, dhūpa (incense) and tarpaṇa (offerings of water).
It was then declared that, just as every good rite begins with the pūjā of Gaṇeśa, all works shall first honour Gaṇeśa. This holds for marriages, the upanayana, yajñas and every holy rite.
Gaṇeśa was installed in the south of Satya Mandira as its lasting Gaṇādhipati.
Sources
- Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa, Pūrvārdha, Chapter 12