Kshipraprasādana

Kshipraprasādana was a prince of Madra deśa (the land of Madra). His father was King Priyavrata of Madra, and his mother was Priyavrata’s senior queen, Kīrti. His name means “the one who quickly confers grace”. The infant was poisoned at birth. He was revived through the puṇya (merit) of the śamī pūjā of the ṛshi Gṛtsamada. Later, in Kāśī, Ḍhuṇḍhirāja gave him the name Paraśubāhu. The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa tells his story in Chapters 33–35 and 48–49 of the Krīḍā Khaṇḍa.

Birth and the poison

Queen Kīrti gave birth to Kshipraprasādana in the court of Madra deśa. The child was poisoned at birth and lay dying. No ordinary means could revive him. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 33)

Revival through the śamī pūjā

The ṛshi Gṛtsamada was present. Over the years he had gathered much puṇya through the pūjā (worship) of Gaṇeśa with śamī leaves. This is one of the strongest of the pūjā practices of Gaṇeśa. Out of deep compassion, Gṛtsamada gave all of this puṇya to the dying child and dedicated it to his revival. The power of the śamī pūjā puṇya revived Kshipraprasādana from the edge of death. The child opened his eyes and lived. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 33–34)

The name Paraśubāhu

Kshipraprasādana and his mother Kīrti went to Kāśī. There they worshipped Ḍhuṇḍhirāja, the form of Gaṇeśa at Kāśī, with offerings of śamī, mandāra and dūrvā. Ḍhuṇḍhirāja appeared in a shining form with ten arms. He gave the young man a new name, Paraśubāhu. It means “one whose arms are as strong as a paraśu (axe)”. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 49)

A rule of one thousand years and Gaṇeśa-svarūpa

Ḍhuṇḍhirāja told Paraśubāhu what lay ahead. He would rule his kingdom for 1,000 years, in full righteousness and plenty. At the end of that reign he would reach Gaṇeśa-svarūpa, the state of being one with Gaṇeśa himself. (Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 49)

Sources

• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 33–35, 48–49