1 - Conversation between Narada and Narayana 

Offering salutation to the back of the humans, Narayana, Sarasvati, the goddess of speech as well as Vyasa, reciting the slogan of victory, the recitation of the Puranas should be started. 

Narada said - I have listened to the Prakrutikhanda which is like nectar and the best of all and bestows knowledge even to the foolish people. Now I intend to listen to the Ganeshakhanda because the birth of Ganesha provides prosperity and all welfare. How was the best of gods Ganesha born from the womb of Parvati? How did the goddess achieve him as a son? Of which god does he belong to be the part and how was he born? Was he born with human contact or without it? 

What is the extent of his divine glory, his prowess, the tapas, his intelligence and the spotless popularity? How was he considered to be adored first of all inspire of the presence of Narayana, Shiva and Brahma in the universe? In the Puranas, his birth is treated to be quite mysterious. How did he get the face of an elephant, one tusk and the protruding belly? О virtuous one, you kindly tell me the whole story in detail because it is quite pleasant and I feel quite anxious to know about it. 

Narayana said - О Narada I am revealing the astonishing secret you to and you listen to it. The one who removes mental agony because of the commission of sin, is the remover of all obstructions, grants all welfare, is the essence of all, is quite pleasant to listen, bestower of pleasure, the cause of moksa and the destroyer of sins.

When the gods were troubled by the demons, the goddess emerged from the tejas of the gods and she destroyed the demons. Thereafter she was born as a daughter of Daksha. 

She was known as Sati there. In the earlier times the same Sati protesting against the denouncement of Shiva, ended her life and was reborn as Parvati from the womb of Mena. 

Himalaya the king of the mountains pleasantly gave away Parvati in marriage to Shiva. Lord Mahadeva accompanied by Parvati retired to a secluded forest.

Reaching the bank of the Narmada they came across an orchard where they prepared a flowery bed and both of them enjoyed the conjugal pleasures there. 

О Narada, they continued to enjoy the conjugal pleasures using various means of make up or -decoration of the body up to a thousand divine years. 

With the very touch of the limbs of Parvati, Shiva was infatuated with passion and fainted.  Similar was the case with Parvati. While indulging in love-sport they lost the sense of day and night. 

In the forest there echoed the sweet voice of geese, ducks and other birds like cuckoos.  Several types of flowers blossomed there, the black-wasps emitted the hissing sound and fragrant breeze pervaded the entire forest. It was a quite pleasant and charming place which was devoid of wild animals. Finding both of them so indulging in conjugal pleasures, the gods felt concerned. They went to Brahma and taking him with them they reached the abode of Vishnu. 

Brahma offered his salutation to him and he narrated the entire story of lord Vishnu, while other gods stood there like puppets. 

Brahma said - Lord Shiva is inactive because of his indulging in the conjugal pleasures for a thousand years. The great yogi is not detracting himself from the love-sport. 

О lord of the universe, what type of child will they produce after the end of this love-sport you kindly tell me? 

The lord said - О creator of the universe, don’t get worried about this. Everything will be well done because those who take refuge with me can never face trouble.

You do something by which the semen of lord Shiva falls on earth. You should accomplish this with the help of all the gods because, in case the semen of Shiva is implanted in the womb of Parvati, in that case a son will be born to her who will be the destroyer of all the gods and the demons. 

Thereafter Indra accompanied by other gods, at the command of Narayana, reached the bank of Narmada. Thereafter Brahma retired to his respective abode. 

The gods feeling upset in their mind stood in the valley. 

Thereafter Indra said to Kubera and Kubera spoke to Varuna, Varuna spoke to Vayu, Vayu spoke to Agni, Agni spoke to Surya, Surya spoke to Chandrama and Chandrama spoke to Ishana. 

Thus, the gods were conversing among themselves to detach Shiva from his conjugal pleasure inciting one another to obstruct the love sport of lord Shiva. 

Indra then stood at the entrance gate, turning his face and spoke to lord Shiva. 

Indra said - О Mahadeva, О yogishvara, I offer my salutation to you. О lord of the universe you are the cause of the universe and remove the danger of the devotees. What is all this that you are doing? Thus, speaking Indra left the place; thereafter the sun-god stood at the gate and feeling panicky in his mind he said. 

Surya said - О Mahadeva, О preserver of the universe, О best of the gods, О virtuous one, О lord of Parvati, I bow in reverence to you. What is all this that you are doing? Thus, speaking Surya feeling panicky left the place; thereafter Chandrama arrived and turning his face to the other direction he also spoke. 

Chandrama said - О lord of the three worlds, О three-eyed lord, I offer my salutation to you. You pervade the soul. You are complete in yourself; your voice is auspicious for the ear; what is all this being done by you? 

Thus, speaking Chandrama the lord of the night kept quiet feeling panicky in his mind; thereafter the wind-god standing at the gate also spoke similarly.

The wind god said - 0 lord of the universe, 0 friend of the universe, I bow in reverence to you, you are the seed for dharma, artha, Kama and moksa and you are eternal; what is all this being done by you? 

Shiva who was completely well-versed in the yogic practices, on hearing the prayer could not discard the conjugal pleasure getting afraid of Parvati though he wanted to discontinue the same. 

Feeling panicky Shiva saw that the gods were starting to offer prayer again and as such he discarded the conjugal pleasure and separated himself from the embrace of Parvati. 

Feeling remorseful from fear and shame, Shiva dropped the semen on the earth from which Karttikeya was born. 

Thereafter the pleasant story of the same will be recited but currently you listen to the story relating to the birth of Karttikeya.