20 - The Reason for the joining of the elephant head on the trunk of Ganesha 

Narada said - You are the Amsha of the lord and are like him in wisdom, glory and prowess; therefore, you kindly listen to my question. 

I have listened to the astonishing story about the birth of Ganesha and have also listened to the cause of the obstruction from the mouth of the lord. Why was the head of the elephant placed on the trunk of Ganesha who happens be the son of the lord of the three worlds? Therefore, for the removal of my doubt I want to know the reason for the same. О Brahmana, inspite of the heads of various types of other creatures and animals having been available in the universe, why was the head of an elephant alone fixed on the trunk of Ganesha? 

Narayana said- O Narada there is a mystery behind the joining of the elephant with the trunk of Ganesha which is difficult to be found in the Vedas and as well as Purana but I shall tell you the same. You listen to him.

It enables one to overcome all the miseries; bestows all the fortunes, removes all the troubles, is quite mysterious and removes all the sins. The story of Mahalakshmi also bestows all the welfare, pleasure, moksha and bestows dharma, artha, kama and moksha to all the people, I shall narrate to you an ancient story of the Padmakalpa which is quite secretive, but was told to me by my father in the ancient time. 

Once Mahendra journeyed for the Puspabhadra river. He was then intoxicated with the possession of Mahalakshmi, having all the riches and was passionate. 

There was an orchard in the secluded place on the bank of that river which was quite beautiful and was located in the thick forest and was inaccessible to all the creatures. The hissing sound of the black-wasps and the sweet voice of the cuckoos was heard there. The orchard was scented with the fragrant air of the flowers. He saw Rambha there who had arrived from Chandraloka in order to relieve herself from the fatigue of the love-sport and was passionate at the same time. 

For enjoying her desired love-sport, she was proceeding to the abode of the god of love. She was therefore, moving along arrogantly, having a passionate mind. 

She had a developed body, beautiful lines of teeth and was appearing like a damsel of sixteen years. Her lips were like the blossomed lotus flower and was feeling uneasy in carrying the weight of her breasts. She was moving like an intoxicated elephant. 

Her face which wore a serene smile was resembling the full moon of the winter season, she cast her side glances sharply and had beautiful hair and was adorned with a beautiful garland of jasmine flowers. She was clad in beautiful costumes sanctified by fire and was wearing the gem-studded ornaments. Her forehead was adorned with a spot of kasturi and vermilion; she had the eyes like the blue lotuses which were quite sharp and having a dark complexion. She was wearing kundalas studded with gems. She was having beautiful temples and her breasts were quite tough and well-built, which were quite attractive for those well-versed in the art of making love. Finding such a beauty there was surprising who was quite graceful and clad in the best of costumes. She was quite voluptuous, beloved of gods, neat and clean who moved at will, was the best of the apsaras, quite charming, possessing eternal youthfulness, bestowed with all the virtues, quite peaceful and could attract even the mind of the sages. Indra felt injured with her side glance and getting attracted towards her, he spoke with an unstable mind. 

Indra said - О beautiful damsel, where are you going? О charming one, where are you going? О virtuous one, О damsel, I have come across you after a long time. 

I had been in search for you. I have learnt about you through my messengers. Therefore, my mind has been attracted towards you and I am desirous of no one else, except you at the moment. 

Because the one who is desirous of scented clean water could never desire for the dirty water; Similarly, the one who is desirous of the sandal-paste does not desire for the mud. The one who is desirous of the lotus, doesn't desire for the mud. 

The one is desirous of nectar will never fall for the wine. The one who is desirous of milk will never accept the dirty water, the one who enjoys the flowery bed can never sleep on the bed of weapons. 

Similarly, one who is desirous of the heaven can never aspire for the hell, the one who consumes the best of food can never get interested in dirty food. The one who enjoys the company of the people of wisdom, never likes the company of the ladies. Who will prefer the ornaments of iron in preference to the ornaments of gold, who is the fool who would like to leave the place instead of embracing you? Because who is the fool who would aspire for any other river leaving the Ganga. You increase the passion on every step in a person with your organs of senses." 

О Narada, thus speaking Indra got down from the elephant and stood before her with passionate intentions. 

Rambha who was always desirous of great love-sport listening to the words of Indra, smiled for a moment and stood before him bowing her head. At that very moment she felt sensations in her body. 

Displaying her side glance, the breasts and the thighs, she attracted the mind of Indra towards her. She then spoke sweet words which were quite short and full of essence and were quite soft. By uttering such words, she started speaking words just to overpower him. 

Rambha said - 1 shall go to the place wherever I have the desire to go. How are you concerned with it? I can never satisfy you because it is no use making friends with the wicked people. 

As the black-wasps extract nectar from all the flowers but stays at the place where he gets the best of the taste. 

Similarly, the passionate ladies also roam about like the black-wasps always. A person enjoys the company of several others due to his unstable mind like the wind god. 

The men are also like the tender branches of the tree and are like the limbs of the damsel. The passionate lady is unstable like a crow. She enjoys the nectar and then departs at once. 

Till such time the task is not established only she remains there. As the fire is enshrined in the wood, similarly, she also remains at a place till such time her task is not established.

When the tank is filled with water the aquatic animals remain there till that time only and when the water starts drying up, all of them shift to other places. 

You are the lord of the gods and are liked by the damsel. The passionate women are always desirous of the passionate men. The passionate women always like the young, passionate, peaceful, person clad in the best of garments, beautiful, loveable, virtuous, wealthy and the one who possesses a neat and clean personality. They never like the persons with a wicked nature, old ones, weak in love-sport, miser and foolish people. 

Therefore, who would be the foolish lady to neglect so meritorious a person like you. I happen to be your slave; we shall always obey your command. You can make use of me as it pleases you. 

Thus speaking wearing a serene smile on the face and casting a side glance, she looked at Indra. At that point of time she was burning with passion and also becoming shameless. She therefore, went before him. 

Indra who was well-versed in the art of making love, well understanding her passionate sentiments held her and started enjoying her company on the bed of flowers. 

It was a secluded place and the unrobed beautiful damsel having the lips like ripe wood apple, beautiful teeth, kissed him. 

О sage, they enjoyed the conjugal pleasure variously and both of them appeared as the incarnations of love. 

They were deeply engrossed in the conjugal pleasures and they lost the sense of day and night. Infatuated with passions they had lost all the senses. 

After enjoying the love-sport in the forest, Indra entered the river Puspabhadra for water sport. 

Не with great pleasure enjoyed the water-sport with her and then he came on to the bank of the river and again returned to the water enjoying the love-sport again and again. 

In the meantime, the sage Durvasa arrived here who was moving from Vaikuntha to Kailasa. 

Finding the sage Durvasa there, Indra was taken aback. He at once came and bowed to him in reverence. The sage pronounced his blessings on Indra. The sage Durvasa then handed over the Parijata flower to Indra which he had received from Narayana. 

О virtuous one, О merciful sage, after handing over the flower narrated its glory to Indra which was unprecedented. 

Durvasa said - О Davendra, this is the flower given by the lord which removes all the obstructions and the person on whose head it is placed, will be victorious all round. 

He will be adored by the people first of all and will be the foremost of the gods. Mahalakshmi will not part company from him and follow him like a shadow. 

He will equate himself with Vishnu in knowledge, lustre, wisdom, prowess. He will be more powerful than all the gods and will be valorous like Vishnu. 

The degraded person who will not honour this flower or place it on his head, his fall from his caste is imminent and he will be deprived of all fortunes. 

Thus speaking Durvasa went to the abode of Shiva. (Intoxicated with the presence of Rambha with him), Indra threw away in arrogance, the garland of Parijata flowers on the head of an elephant, which at once relieved him of all the glories. Finding Indra in such a pitiable condition, Rambha went back to the heaven because degraded women are unstable and are desirous of a person like her alone and not of anyone else. 

The great elephant also left Indra and entered the forest and getting intoxicated he started enjoying the company of other cow elephants forcibly defeating other elephants. Being a female the cow elephant was overpowered by the elephant of Indra. He then produced many off shoots from that cow-elephant. Lord Vishnu cut off the head of the same elephant and fixed it on the head of Ganesha. 

О son, I have narrated to you the story of fixing the elephant head which removes all the sins. What else do you want to listen to from me?