Essay on Lord Ganesha

Ganesha is the elder son of the Mahadev Shiva. He is believed to be the leader of all the forces driven by Lord Shiva. He is always the first one to be worshipped before beginning any auspicious work or a praying service. He is said to be the lord of obstacles and impediments- The Vighnaraja. No one begins a new venture without worshipping the Lord Ganesha to invoke his blessings for well being and positive results. This is not followed while worshipping Lord Shiva, his father and the almighty of this universe.

This is because when a father is being worshipped, his son is included in the prayers of the father as the son is always found in the heart and mind of a father.

• What makes Lord Ganesha so worshipped?
• It is not unknown a fact that Lord Ganesha has most unique features which makes an unusual place for him in the pantheon of all the Hindu Gods. Irrespective of Lord Ganesha’s differentiable looks and his age, Lord Ganesha is one of the most worshipped gods in Hindu mythology. Each and every Hindu is drawn towards Lord Ganesha with an unparalleled devotion.
• His childlike mannerisms and giving nature attracts devotees of all age towards religious life and the ultimate destiny of life.
• It is often said that making friends with Lord Ganesha is extremely easy. One simply needs to recall his name with innocence and he will hold your hand for the rest of your life.

His origin and the reason behind his grotesque looks

• There are a lot of speculations about the birth of Lord Ganesha and how he has the elephant-like face. It is believed that Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva created Ganesha out of her own skin. Due to a misunderstanding between Ganesha and his father Lord Shiva, he beheaded Ganesha.
• Following the rigorous behests by Parvati, Lord Shiva fixed an elephant head on the body of Ganesha in order to bring him back to life.

How he became the leader of all Gods?

It is believed that Lord Shiva wanted to appoint one of his sons as the head of other Gods. He gave both of them a challenge that whoever circles around the universe and reaches back first will be given the exalted position as the leader of Gods. Kartikey took to his peacock and started his journey while Ganesha stayed back and circled around his parents signifying them as his universe. Impressed by the innocence and devotion of Ganesha, Lord Shiva made him the leader of all gods.