13-How Ganesh Jee Got Only One Tusk
See also
Ganesh Jee Wrote Mahaabaarat
"Parashuraam and Ganesh Jee"
to know more reasons of his one tusk.
There are several stories about this
One Story
Once Parashuraam
Jee came to Kailaash Parvat to visit Shiv Jee. Ganesh Jee was guarding
the door. He asked him who was he and why had he come there? Parashuraam
Jee said - "I am Parashuraam, his disciple and have come to see him
with an urgent work." Shiv Jee was sleeping so Ganesh Jee stopped
him at the door from going inside - "Father is sleeping, so you cannot
go in, wait till he wakes up." "But I have some urgent work and
I have his permission to see him at any time." Ganesh Jee again said -
"No, he is sleeping, you cannot see him until he wakes up." A fight
ensued between them at this. Ganesh Jee caught him with his trunk and hit him
on the ground. This left Parashuraam Jee unconscious for some time. When he
came into senses he threw his Pharasaa (axe) at Ganesh Jee. Ganesh Jee
immediately recognized it as his father's weapon (his father gave it to
Parashuraam), so he received it with all his humility on his one tusk. This
broke his one tusk and left him with one tusk only.
That is why he is also
called as Ekdant or Ekdanshtra - means who has only one tusk.
Another Story
There is another story about his one tusk. A different legend narrates that
when Ganesh Jee was asked to write down the
epic of Mahaabhaarat, dictated to him by its author sage Ved Vyaas Jee,
taking into note the enormity and significance of the task, he realized the
inadequacy of any ordinary 'pen' to undertake the task. So he broke one of his
own tusks and made a pen out of it. The lesson offered here is that no
sacrifice is big enough in pursuit of knowledge.
In the same reference,
it is also said that as he was writing Mahaabhaarat, his pen broke, and he broke
his one tusk to continue writing.
Yet Another Story
An ancient Sanskrit drama titled "Shishupaal Vadh", presents a different
version. Here it is mentioned that Ganesh Jee was deprived of his tusk by the arrogant
Raavan, who removed it forcefully in order to make ivory earrings for the beautiful
women of Lankaa.
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