Hindu Ganesha god or Hindu Ganesh god is the Hindu Elephant-God. He is known as the obstacle remover, the god of success, the god of domestic harmony. He is the eldest son of Parvati and the God Shiva, the destroyer and the most powerful Hindu Trinity. There are many legends to explain how Ganesh got an elephant head. According to a legend, during Ganesh's topknot ceremony, Shiva was supposed to cut the child's hair. Suddenly, the uninvited guest, Rahu, the mythical god of darkness, blew a strong wind, which resulted in the mistaken cut to the child's head. Thus, the Buddha fixes an elephant head on the beheaded body.
Some legends said that Ganesh was an ordinary boy but was beheaded in battle. Shiva's emissaries were asked to go into the forest and bring back the head of the first animal they saw. And they found an elephant and it worked.
Lord Ganesh was known as a super brilliant man. Once there was a competition between Kumarswami and Vinayak, which later was called Ganesh. The winner would become a new leader of all the Gods. To choose the best one, Shiva created a test. He said that who made three rounds of the earth sooner than the other will become a new leader. Vinayak thought that his parents pervaded the whole universe and going around them was more than going around the earth. As a result, he was able to complete the test before Kumarswami. Shiva announced that Vinayak was the winner and became the supreme god of universe. Later, he was named as Ganaadhish, Ganapati and Ganesh. This God of knowledge and the remover of obstacles is also the older son of Lord Shiva. Lord Ganesha is also called Vinayak ( knowledgeable ) or Vighneshwer (god to remove obstacles). He is worshipped, or at least remembered, in the beginning of any auspicious performance for blessings and auspiciousness.
He has four hands, elephant's head and a big belly. His vehicle is a tiny mouse. In his hands he carries a rope (to carry devotees to the truth), an axe (to cut devotees' attachments), and a sweet dessert ball -laddoo- (to reward devotees for spiritual activity). His fourth hand's palm is always extended to bless people.
A unique combination of his elephant-like head and a quick moving tiny mouse vehicle represents tremendous wisdom, intellegence, and presence of mind.
Story of Gajamugasuran There was an asura called Gajamugasuran. He did deep penance and worshipped Lord Siva, who granted him several boons, by which he became extremely powerful. He put the Devas and rishis to great trouble. He forced the Devas to do 1008 Thoeppukaranams in the morning, 1008 in the afternoon and 1008 in the evening. (Thoepukaranam means to sit down and stand up holding one's ears with crossed hands, left ear with right hand & right ear with left hand).
The Devas prayed to Lord Siva to rescue them from this evil asura. Lord Siva sent Lord Vinayaga to overcome Gajamugasuran. Vinayagar went with several weapons such as bow & arrow, sword, axe, etc. However, since Gajamugasuran had been granted the boon that he be destroyed by no weapon, none of these weapons used by Lord Vinayaga were effective. Vinayagar broke off his right tusk and used it to kill Gajamugasuran. Gajamugasuran still rushed at Vinayaga in the form of a mooshikam (small mouse). Vinayagar crushed the ego and vanity of Gajamugasuran and sat on the mooshikam. The humbled Gajamugasuran bowed before Vinayagar, who accepted the mooshikam as his vahana.
Lord Vinayaka is the source of everlasting wisdom. He crushed ego and vanity and reduced it to the size of a mooshikam and used it as his vahana. Lord Vinayagar can be pleased by doing Thoepukaranam.
Some legends said that Ganesh was an ordinary boy but was beheaded in battle. Shiva's emissaries were asked to go into the forest and bring back the head of the first animal they saw. And they found an elephant and it worked.
Lord Ganesh was known as a super brilliant man. Once there was a competition between Kumarswami and Vinayak, which later was called Ganesh. The winner would become a new leader of all the Gods. To choose the best one, Shiva created a test. He said that who made three rounds of the earth sooner than the other will become a new leader. Vinayak thought that his parents pervaded the whole universe and going around them was more than going around the earth. As a result, he was able to complete the test before Kumarswami. Shiva announced that Vinayak was the winner and became the supreme god of universe. Later, he was named as Ganaadhish, Ganapati and Ganesh. This God of knowledge and the remover of obstacles is also the older son of Lord Shiva. Lord Ganesha is also called Vinayak ( knowledgeable ) or Vighneshwer (god to remove obstacles). He is worshipped, or at least remembered, in the beginning of any auspicious performance for blessings and auspiciousness.
He has four hands, elephant's head and a big belly. His vehicle is a tiny mouse. In his hands he carries a rope (to carry devotees to the truth), an axe (to cut devotees' attachments), and a sweet dessert ball -laddoo- (to reward devotees for spiritual activity). His fourth hand's palm is always extended to bless people.
A unique combination of his elephant-like head and a quick moving tiny mouse vehicle represents tremendous wisdom, intellegence, and presence of mind.
Story of Gajamugasuran There was an asura called Gajamugasuran. He did deep penance and worshipped Lord Siva, who granted him several boons, by which he became extremely powerful. He put the Devas and rishis to great trouble. He forced the Devas to do 1008 Thoeppukaranams in the morning, 1008 in the afternoon and 1008 in the evening. (Thoepukaranam means to sit down and stand up holding one's ears with crossed hands, left ear with right hand & right ear with left hand).
The Devas prayed to Lord Siva to rescue them from this evil asura. Lord Siva sent Lord Vinayaga to overcome Gajamugasuran. Vinayagar went with several weapons such as bow & arrow, sword, axe, etc. However, since Gajamugasuran had been granted the boon that he be destroyed by no weapon, none of these weapons used by Lord Vinayaga were effective. Vinayagar broke off his right tusk and used it to kill Gajamugasuran. Gajamugasuran still rushed at Vinayaga in the form of a mooshikam (small mouse). Vinayagar crushed the ego and vanity of Gajamugasuran and sat on the mooshikam. The humbled Gajamugasuran bowed before Vinayagar, who accepted the mooshikam as his vahana.
Lord Vinayaka is the source of everlasting wisdom. He crushed ego and vanity and reduced it to the size of a mooshikam and used it as his vahana. Lord Vinayagar can be pleased by doing Thoepukaranam.
