MISCHIEVOUS BAL GANESHA

ॐ गंग गणपतये नमो नमः

Om Gan Ganpate Namo Namah

Salutations to the Remover of Obstacles.”

Ganesha was a happy, friendly and delightful child. Being generous, outgoing and always welcoming Ganesha was never short of friends. Among others, Lord Shiva’s gana’s (attendants) were also his companions. Together with Shiva’s ganans, Ganesha would often race down to the foothills of Mount Kailash to play. Lord Shiva’s ganas, besides the very important ones such as Nandi, Sage Bhringi and Chandesvara, included several tortoises, cocks, dogs, wolves, hare, cats, crows, owls, leopards, lions, sheep, buffalo snakes and many others. Naturally then, Ganesha and the ganas had lots of fun. They would spend hours singing, dancing and playing games in a spirit of enthusiastic frivolity.

Like all children Bal Ganesha definitely had a naughty streak in him. He had a delightful sense of humour and often indulged in some harmless pranks. This just added to the laughter and merriment.

Some days Ganesha would hide behind one of the large bushes thick with flowers and leaves and then with his long trunk suck in the milk of the Ocean of Milk on which Lord Vishnu reclined on the multi-headed serpent Ananta Shesha. The mighty Ananta Shesha’s, giant hood provided ample covering over Lord Vishnu’s head and the serpents long, wide body provided a comfortable yet firm bed for the Lord. Ganesh would quietly draw out the liquid from the Ocean of Milk without either Ananta Shesha or Lord Vishnu noticing. He would then spray the milk on the ganas who would run hither and thither trying to avoid the jet spray of milk. Though, in fact they were secretly delighted when Ganesha drenched one of them. They would be most amused when one of their friends got soaked in the forceful spray. Ganesha would laugh uproariously and say, “Oh dear it looks like you got under a cloud burst and got soaked in the rain. Run, run, as fast as you can, before another showers catches you unawares!”

This would leave everyone in peals of laughter. Fortunately as they played down at the foot hills of Lord Shiva’s abode in Mount Kailash they did not disturb Lord Shiva’s meditation.

One day as Ganesha was wandering around he heard the powerful sound of a conch shell. Curious to find out where this mesmerizing sound was coming from, Ganesha moved toward the sound. He reached Vaikunth on Mount Meru. There he saw Lord Vishnu standing tall and blowing his mighty conch. Ganesha hid behind a large pillar and watched Lord Vishnu. Ganesha was very impressed. He thought to himself, “Oh what fun it would be to blow this conch!”

Little Ganesha kept hidden and waited patiently unseen by Lord Vishnu. Then when Lord Vishnu began to meditate, the mischievous Ganesha tip-toed up to Vishnu and very gently took the conch out of Vishnu’s hands. Lord Vishnu was in such deep meditation that he did not even notice that the conch had been removed from his hand. With a sparkle in his eyes and a wide smile the naughty Ganesha sped back to Mount Kailash

When Lord Vishnu emerged from his meditation, he discovered that his divine Paachajanya Shankh (sacred conch) was missing. Vishnu was most perturbed because this was the shankh he always kept with him. He was puzzled about its disappearance and a little annoyed too. Vishnu sat back on the mighty Ananta Shesha and began to consider the various possibilities of where the shankh might be. Finally, he decided to go and search for the lost shankh. He climbed on his great vahana (vehicle) Garuda and together they searched the skies, and the fluffy clouds. They looked for the shankh in the rivers and seas, in caves and forests too. But alas the precious conch was nowhere to be found.

All of a sudden Lord Vishnu heard the distinctive, resonant sound of a conch coming from the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kailash. As soon as he heard the sound he immediately recognized it as the unmistakable sound of his own Paachajanya Shankh. Once again Vishnu hopped on to Garuda and the bird sped as fast as he could in the direction of Mount Kailash. They searched the foothills but to no avail. Then to his astonishment Lord Vishnu discovered that the sound was emanating from the peak of Mount Kailash - Lord Shiva’s abode. Lord Vishnu was bewildered as to why Lord Shiva would be in possession of his shankh

He was even more surprised when getting to the top of Mount Kailash, he discovered a really delighted little Ganesha prancing about and blowing the Panchajanya Shankh with vigour and total abandon. Seeing the smiling Ganesha so happy with his new possession Vishnu realized it wasn’t going to be easy to take back the divine shankh from Bal Ganesha.

He approached Ganesha and rather sternly said, “Ganesha that shankh belongs to me. You must return it immediately.”

Ganesha was in no mood to give back this new toy that he was having so much fun with and naughtily retorted, “Well now the conch is with me so it’s mine. If you want it come and get it.”

Lord Vishnu realized that he would not be able to convince Ganesha to return the conch. Instead he decided to approach Ganesha’s father, Lord Shiva and ask him to retrieve the shankh.

Meeting Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu said, “I come to you Lord because your son Ganesha has taken my shankh and is now refusing to return it to me. Please speak to him and convince him that he must return my valuable conch.”

Unfortunately Lord Shiva could not help Vishnu and said, “I’m truly sorry but I cannot help you get your conch back from Ganesha. I do not have the power to override Ganesha’s wishes. The only way you can succeed in getting back your shankh is to pray and do a puja to Ganesh in the form where his trunk is turned towards the right. If this is done with sincerity I have no doubt that my son will return the shankh to you.”

The Ganesha we see most frequently, at homes and temples, is that of him with his trunk curved to the left. The left side in Hindu philosophy is considered the feminine side – the side that is gentle and compassionate. The left side represents the moon – cool and relaxed. The right side is considered the masculine side symbolized by the sun – fiery and aggressive. When Lord Ganesha is seen with his trunk curved to the right he needs to be propitiated with special puja’s.

Accepting what Lord Shiva had said, Lord Vishnu in complete humility performed the special puja to Lord Ganesha. Vishnu performed the prayers and rituals diligently and exactly as prescribed. Ganesha heard Lord Vishnu’s fervent prayer and without any dispute or rancour willingly handed over the shankh to Lord Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu was overjoyed to get his conch back. He smiled indulgently at Bal Ganesha and shaking his head knowingly and with a twinkle in his eye he said. “I’m sure that this won’t be the last of your mischievous escapades, little Ganesha!

LIFE LESSONS

1. Like Lord Ganesha let us always enjoy life’s blessings.

2. Like Lord Ganesha let us live life with good humour.

3. Like Lord Vishnu let us be humble enough to accept the greatness of others.

4. Like Lord Vishnu let us, instead of getting angry and fighting, learn to placate others peacefully.

5. Like Lord Ganesha let us always be willing to return things we may have taken from their rightful owners.