24 - The Reason for Ganesha having a single tusk 

Narada said - О Narayana, О virtuous one, you are born out of he Amsha of the lord; I have listened to the entire story by your grace, about Ganesha. 

О Brahman, the king of the elephant had two tusks which was fixed on the trunk of the child but how was the child left with only one tusk. Where did the other tusk disappear? You kindly tell me because you are the lord of all and are quite compassionate, besides being the beloved of the devotees and are all knowledgeable.

Suta said - On hearing the words of Narada, the lord smiled and started narrating the story about Ganesha having a single tusk which is part of ancient history and provides welfare to all the welfare. 

О sage, once the king Kartavirya went for hunting in the forest and felt tired after hunting a number of deer. It was already the evening time and the king camped in the forest together with his army. Close by, there was a hermitage of sage Jamadagni. The king was quite unaware of the same and had to fast for the night. 

In the early morning, the king took a bath and getting purified, he adorned himself with ornaments and recited the mantra of Dattatreya with devotion. 

Thereafter, the sage spotted the king and he felt panicky. His lips, throat and palate dried up. Lovingly with his tender voice, he enquired respectfully about the welfare of the king. The king bowed in reverence to the sage who was shining like the sun. The sage on his part offered blessings to the humble king. Thereafter the king narrated the story of his fasting during the night to the sage, hearing which the sage getting panicky invited the king for food in his hermitage. 

The sage lived in his hermitage and narrated the story feeling panicky to Kamadhenu, the sacred cow. 

She spoke to the panicky sage, "O sage, why should you be afraid of anything, when I am there." You are competent enough to serve food to the entire universe through me, what to speak of a king. 

Whatever food stuffs and royal delicious dishes will be desired, you shall be given by me. These will be made available, though they will be difficult to get in the three worlds. Several of the vases of gold and silver, innumerable cooking vases, the betel boxes made of pure gems and delicious food stuffs in the fruits including jack-fruit, mango, wood apple, coconut and delicious sweet balls in heaps, special preparation of wheat and barley flour, heaps of fried sweets, caves filled with sacred food, the milk, curd and ghee flowing in streams were given by the sacred cow. Besides the heaps of sugar, mountains of sweet balls, best of the preparation of paddy, were also given in heaps. The betels scented with camphor were also given. Thus the great sage served the king playfully with delicious food and drinks and also the beautiful garments, ornaments best of other precious material. Thus the food was served to the king. 

The king on the other hand got all the articles in abundance which were beyond the reach of ordinary people. The king felt surprised while looking at the vases. 

The king said - О courtiers all these articles are not only beyond the reach of a man but are also unheard of. These are even beyond my reach. You find out how these have things suddenly appeared. 

The courtier at the command of the king searched the entire cottage of the sage and told the king the astonishing news. 

The courtier said - О lord, listen I have searched the entire hermitage and found the fire altars, the food for yajnas, kusa-grass, flowers, fruits, the skins of black-buck, sruvas and many of the disciples of the sage, the fire altars filled with paddy and there is no trace of wealth anywhere. 

All the people are wearing the bark of trees. They are ascetics with matted locks of hair on their heads. On the one side of the hermitage, there is a sacred white cow having beautiful limbs, the glory of the moon, the eyes resembling the red lotus flowers and the lustre comparable with the full moon. She appears to be burning with her own lustre and she looks like Lakshmi, the beloved of lord. She enshrines in her all the virtues and riches. 

Thus the courtier told everything to the wicked king. Thereafter, the king under the influence of destiny demanded for the sacred cow, as the move of destiny. The meritorious and wise king influenced by the move of destiny demanded the cow from the Brahmana. In the land of Bharata, meritorious deeds emerge from merits alone and sins emerge from evil deeds. By performing good deeds, a person achieves the heaven and is ultimately reborn in the sacred place of merit. Similarly, the sinner has to suffer in the hell and has to be reborn as a degraded person. 

О Narada, the people can hardly have a change of rescue when they get entangled in the evil effects of their own actions. That is why the noble people always aspire for the destruction of the deeds. Because it is the same knowledge, it is the same tapas, it is the same wisdom, it is the same teacher, it is the same brother, the same parents and the same sons who really help in the destruction of the karmas. For humans it is the biggest ailment to face the result of good and bad deeds. Therefore, the devotees using the medicine of adoration of Krishna, try to destroy the deeds. After serving the gods in each birth, it is the goddess Durga alone who bestows the devotion of the lord. She preserves the universe and getting pleased she bestows the noble wisdom to the devotees; she is the primeval illusion which over powers the devotees with her influence and cannot regain their senses. Therefore, the king having been influenced with the illusion went to the sage and spoke to him with folded hands, the humble words. 

The king said - О wish fulfilling tree, you give away this Kamadhenu in charity to me which fulfils all the desires. О lord of the devotees, I happen to be one of your devotees. 

In the land of Bharata nothing is beyond charity for a devotee like you because it is heard that the sage Dadhichi gave away his bones in the earlier times for the welfare of the gods. О best of the sages, you are the treasure of tapas and you are competent enough to create a herd of Kamadhenu cows simply with the raising of your eye-brows. 

The sage said - О king, this is just the reverse and you are talking like a wicked person or a cheat. О king, being a Brahmana, how can I give charity to a kshatriya. 

Lord Krishna gave away this Kamadhenu in Goloka to Brahma. Therefore, it is not fit to be given away. О king, Brahma gave her to his dear son named Bhrugu and in turn the same sacred cow was given to me by Bhrugu. Therefore, this cow happens to be my ancestral property. This Kamadhenu who was bom in Goloka is beyond the reach of anyone in the three worlds. Therefore, how can I create such a sacred cow playfully. 

О foolish king, I am not a farmer and the learned people never get influenced by flattery. Of course, have you not been my guest, I would have reduced you to ashes in a moment. Therefore, you get back home. I again emphasise that you get back home and don’t ignite my anger. О degraded one, misfortune has overshadowed you. You should therefore, get back to your house at once and see the face of your wife and son. 

Hearing these words of the sage, the king at the turn of destiny, went back to his army, bowing at the feet of the sage. 

Reaching there, his lips started fluttering in anger. He, therefore, deputed his army-men to forcibly take away the cow from the hermitage. 

On the other hand, Jamadagni, the sage, went to the cow and started crying before her narrating the entire story to her. Finding the Brahmana crying, the sacred cow Surabhi who was indeed the form of Lakshmi herself said to the sage. 

Surabhi said- Whether he is Indra or a farmer, he has the right to give away his own things. Therefore, he can control, preserve or give away his own things in charity. Therefore, О sage, in case you intend to willingly hand me over to the king, then in that case, bowing at your command I shall willingly go to the king. 

But in case you are not willing to give me to the king, I shall never leave your abode. Therefore, you drive away the king with the soldiers provided by me. 

О all knowledgeable one, why are you crying? Your mind has been influenced by illusion because of the meeting with somebody and not within the competence of any individual. What are you to me and what am I to you? But your relationship with me has been established due to the time because the attachment remains till such time as the relationship is there. 

Whatever is known to the mind as its own and till such time as the mind accepts its ownership only up to that time he feels painful by its separation. 

Thus speaking, the sacred cow Kamadhenu created many soldiers equipped with various types of weapons. 

Thereafter, three crores of soldiers appeared from the mouth of Kapila the cow, who were holding swords and shields, five crores of soldiers holding tridents, a hundred crores of soldiers from the eyes holding bow and arrow, three crores of soldiers, carrying staff and three crores of warriors holding shaktis and a hundred crores of warriors holding clubs. Thousands of drummers emerged from the soles of hoofs, besides three crores of Rajaputras from the thighs and from private parts and three crores of soldiers who were Mlecchas. Thus the sacred cow Kapila handed over the entire army of soldiers to the sage and granted him full protection. She said these soldiers will go immediately and fight with the king’s army. You do not have to go there. Thus getting protected with so great an army, the sage was delighted. The messengers of the king went back to him and conveyed the news of the army of Kapila. On realising the possibility of his defeat, the king felt panicky and deputing his messengers he called for more army from his kingdom.