Legends

As one legend goes, Goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva, while bathing created Ganesh out of the dirt of her body. She then placed him at the entrance of the house. She instructed him not to allow anyone while she went in for a bath. Lord Shiva who returned home was stalled by Ganesh at the entrance. Shiva got enraged and beheaded Ganesh. When Parvati came out after her bath, she was astonished and inconsolable as she saw Ganesha's head severed from body. Shiva realizing what he had done, and in order to appease Parvati ordered his celestial army (gana) to bring him the head of any living being they saw sleeping with its head facing the north. These ganas found an elephant in that position. They cut off the elephant's head brought it back to Shiva. The head was joined to the body and Lord Shiva restored this half elephant-half man to life and made him the leader (pati) of his army. Thus Ganesha also got the name Ganapati (lord of army). Shiva also blessed him with a boon by saying that people should worship him before embarking on any venture.

According to another legend, there was a demon called Gajasura who was a devotee of Lord Shiva. Gajasura went on a prayer to worship Lord Shiva which was supposed to have lasted for several years. Lord Shiva was moved and granted Gajasura a boon. Gajasura had other evil motives, which Lord Shiva was not aware of. He asked the Lord Shiva to reside in his stomach. Parvati, Shiva's wife, who was not aware of this incident, became anxious about her husband's whereabouts. She then sought Lord Vishnu's help. Lord Vishnu told her not to worry and assured her that he would find her husband. To locate Shiva, he set out with Nandi - the vehicle of Shiva. Under the guise of a street player, he with Nandi reached the demon Gajasuras kingdom. Nandi regaled Gajasura by dancing to the tune of Vishnu. The monster who was pleased with the performance of Nandi decided to reward him.

Nandi asked Lord Shiva to be set free. Gajasura then realized that the street player was none other than Lord Vishnu. He had no option but to set Lord Shiva free. Subsequently, he offered his apologies to Lord Shiva and also begged him make him immortal. Shiva acceded to the wish by beheading Gajasura and carried the head along with him. When Shiva returned home, he was confronted by Ganesha, who was made out of Parvati's mud as narrated in the first legend. He was enraged with Ganesha and severed the latter's head. To restore Ganesha back to life, he installed Gajasura's head on Ganesha.

Ganesh is said to be highly fond of sweet pudding (Modak). During one of his birthdays, he was said to be going around from one house to another to eat sweet puddings offered to him. He overate and that night when he was about on his mouse, it suddenly tripped, as it had seen a snake and got scared. Ganesha fell down and in the process and his stomach broke out and the puddings tumbled. But irrepressible as he was, he stuffed them back into his stomach. He then held a snake stuck it around his tummy so as to protect these puddings from falling out again.

The moon-god (Chandra) who was witnessing all of this reportedly was amused and burst out into laughter. This infuriated Lord Ganesh, who pulled out one of his tusks, and flung it on him. He then cursed the moon-god by saying that no one should look at him on the Ganesh Chaturthi day. If anyone tries to defy this curse, they will beget bad luck. But anybody inadvertently looking at the moon can be saved from the curse by repeating or listening to the story of how Lord Krishna vindicated his character in the Syamantaka jewel tale. There is a reference to the above story in 'Srimad Bhaghavtham'.

The Syamantaka story begins with Satrajit, who procures a jewel named Syamantaka from the Sun-God (Surya). He is requested to part with it by Lord Krishna, as the latter says that the jewel would be safe in his custody. But Satrajit refuses this request. Once when Prasena, Satrajit's brother goes out hunting with the jewel adorning his body, he is killed by a lion. Jambavan a devotee of Rama, who witnesses this, kills the lion and gives it to his child as a plaything. When Prasena does not return, Satrajit suspects Krishna of killing Prasena. Lord Krishna disturbed by this accusation goes in search of the jewel and finds it in Jambavan's child hand. Jambavan finding Lord Krishna in his cave attacks him by mistaking him to be a thief who has come to steal the jewel. They fight each other for 28 days, after which Jambavan gets worn down by Krishna's strength. He then finds out that Lord Krishna is in fact his Lord Rama. Feeling remorse over this episode, Jambavan begs forgiveness and returns the jewel. He also begs Krishna to marry his daughter Jambavanti. Krishna after marrying Jambavanti returns to Dwaraka with the jewel. He returns the jewel to Satrajit. Satrajit then regrets for having falsely accusing him, and to compensate for this, he offers Krishna the jewel and his daughter Satyabhama in marriage. Krishna accepts to marry Satyabhama but does not accept the jewel.

There was once a dispute between Lord Ganesha and his brother Lord Subramanya or Karthikeya as to who was the more powerful of the two. They asked Lord Shiva to intervene and decide as to who was greater. Shiva declared that the person who would tour the whole world and return first would be proclaimed the winner. Subramanya set off on this world tour by riding his vehicle, the peacock. But Ganesha encircled his parents and chanted mantras in their praise. As the World was manifested in their parents, Ganesha was declared the victor. His mother Parvati presented him with a fruit on the occasion of this victory.