["GANESHA AND THE MOON 49","AMAR CHITRA KATHA VED VYASA MAHABHARATA","VED VYASA 511","AAMMAARR CCHHIITTRRAA KKAATTHHAA 522","MMAHAVHAEBADHBVHAYRAARASTAAATA- 1 533","AAMMAARR CCHHIITTRRAA KKAATTHHAA 544","MAHABHARATA - 1 The Eight Avatars of Ganesha Ganesha is revered all over the country not only during Ganesh Chaturthi but before every puja or ritual of worship. But did you know that, according to the Mudgala Purana, Ganesha took eight avatars or incarnations to save the world from demons who personified a dosha, or shortcoming, in human nature? These doshas are also present in gods and it is through them that the demons were born. Ganesha has an elephant head and trunk in every avatar but he trades his vehicle Mooshik (mouse) for other animals in some of his incarnations. 55","AMAR CHITRA KATHA Vakratunda Destroyed the Demon of Jealousy Ganesha\u2019s first incarnation was as Vakratunda meaning \u2018curved trunk\u2019. According to the legend, Lord Indra\u2019s pramaada (heedlessness) gave birth to the demon Matsarasura. Matsara means jealousy and selfishness. After severe penance, Matsarasura received the boon of fearlessness from Shiva. He along with his two sons Sundarpriya and Vishaypriya, conquered the three worlds and created havoc everywhere. All the gods approached Shiva for help but bound by his own boon, Shiva could not do much. Finally, Lord Dattatreya came to their rescue. He gave all the gods the secret of the monosyllabic mantra, Gam, and asked them to call upon Lord Vakratunda. Seated on his vehicle, the lion, Vakratunda arrived and killed both sons of Matsara. Looking at the mighty god, the demon surrendered and asked for forgiveness. Ganesha forgave him and restored the three worlds. Ganesha, in his Vakratunda avatar, shows the world that however powerful or rich you are, wisdom lies in knowing and understanding your limits. 56","MAHABHARATA - 1 Ekadanta Destroyed the Demon of Pride The asura Chyavana had a son, Mada, who was fond of madira or alcohol. Mada was schooled by his uncle Shukracharya, Chyavana\u2019s brother and the guru of the asuras. Madasura told Shukracharya that he wanted to rule the world. Pleased by his nephew\u2019s ambition, Shukracharya gave him the Shakti Mantra \u2018Hrim\u2019. Madasura performed penance for a thousand years invoking goddess Shakti, and received special powers from her. Armed with these new powers, and high on arrogance, Madasura started conquering the three worlds. The gods turned to sage Sanat Kumara for help. Sanat Kumara asked them to invoke Ekadanta. Seated on Mooshika, Ekadanta came to wage war against the demon. However, Madasura lost his courage in front of the mighty god and surrendered, earning Ekadanta\u2019s forgiveness. The Ekadanta avatar shows us that intoxication can fill one with pride beyond control. 57","AMAR CHITRA KATHA Mahodara Destroyed the Demon of Delusion The story of Ganesha\u2019s third avatar, Mahodara, has two versions. The first version talks of the main antagonist, Mohasura, who came to be known as Daitya Raj, or the king of the asuras, because of his devotion to Surya, the sun god. In the second version, Shiva was once in deep meditation when the gods needed him. They asked Parvati to help break his trance. Parvati took an alluring form and distracted Shiva. When Shiva came out of his meditative state, Parvati discarded her alluring form. This discarded energy took the form of Mohasura, the embodiment of delusion, who then went on a rampage against all three worlds. Both stories conclude similarly. The terrified gods went to Surya for help. Surya advised them to pray to Mahodara. Pleased by their prayers, Mahodara arrived on Mooshika to wage war against Mohasura. At this point, Vishnu appeared, advising Mohasura to surrender. Mohasura paid heed to Lord Vishnu\u2019s advice and surrendered himself to Mahodara, becoming his devotee forever. 58","MAHABHARATA - 1 Gajanana Destroyed the Demon of Greed Kubera, the treasurer of the heavens, once visited Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva. He looked at goddess Parvati with lustful eyes, which made the goddess angry. Kubera started shivering with fear. This fearful energy manifested as Lobha. Lobhasura went on to study under Shukracharya, using the mantra \u2018Om Namah Shivaya\u2019 to perform penance, and eventually gain enough power to conquer the three realms. Troubled, the gods approached sage Raibhya who told them to pray to Lord Gajanana. The sheer presence of Gajanana was enough to fill Lobhasura with guilt, who begged for forgiveness. This avatar shows the world that lust is self-indulgent and self-centred. 59","AMAR CHITRA KATHA Lambodara Destroyed the Demon of Anger During the celestial churning of the ocean, Vishnu took the form of the beautiful and charming Mohini to trick the asuras. However, he did not notice that Shiva had become enchanted by this avatar of his. Upon realisation, Vishnu immediately reverted back to his original form. This made Shiva sad and angry, and this anger manifested into a terrible demon named Krodhasura. Krodhasura became Shukracharya\u2019s student, and prayed to Surya, becoming powerful enough to wreak havoc on the three worlds. To stop Krodhasura\u2019s rampage, Ganesha took the form of Lambodara and appeared with a potbelly large enough to accommodate the anger of the demon. Lambodara managed to subdue Krodhasura and peace was restored. 60","MAHABHARATA - 1 Vikata Destroyed the Demon of Desire Kamasura was born of Vishnu and Vrinda, the wife of the demon Jalandhara. He embodied trickery, lust and the consequences of lust. Kamasura took refuge with Shukracharya and was told to observe severe penance and meditate on Shiva. Kamasura then received a boon by which he conquered the three worlds and created trouble for all the gods. On sage Mudgala\u2019s advice, the gods began to chant \u2018Om\u2019 in a place called Mayuresa Kshetra, thus summoning Ganesha in the avatar of Vikata, atop a peacock. In his Vikata avatar, Ganesha was able to easily defeat Kamasura. This avatar shows the world that desire has no end, and that satisfaction and happiness come from within. 61","AMAR CHITRA KATHA Vighnaraja Destroyed the Demon of Attachment Once, goddess Parvati was relaxing in the company of her friends in a forest when her burst of laughter manifested into a handsome boy. Surprised by her creation and swayed by her ego, she named him \u2018Mama\u2019 which in Sanskrit means \u2018Mine\u2019. She told him to always follow the right path and pray to Lord Ganesha. Mama decided to retire to the forests to meditate on Lord Ganesha but met the demon Sambara on the way. Sambara lured him into the world of the asuras and the good-natured Mama became the demon Mamasura. He married Mohini, the daughter of an asura chief, and started his campaign to rule all three worlds. Defeated, the gods turned to Ganesha for help. So he took on the avatar of Vighnaraja \u00ad\u2014 the remover of obstacles. Riding on the great serpent Sheshnaag, Vighnaraja tamed the demon of attachment and restored peace. Vighnaraja symbolises that there is no pleasure in worldly attachments. The soul only seeks truth and divinity and everything else is an illusion. 62","MAHABHARATA - 1 Dhumravarna Destroyed the Demon of Ego This is the last avatar of Ganesha. Once Brahma gave the right to rule over the \u2018world of action\u2019 to his grandson, Surya. Surya grew proud. He thought that since the entire world was governed by karma or action, he had become the ruler of the whole world. As this thought passed his mind, he sneezed and from his sneeze manifested a demon. The demon went to Shukracharya who gave him the name Ahamkarasura, as he was born from the sun\u2019s ego. Shukracharya also asked him to do penance and meditate on Ganesha. Terrified by Ahamkarasura\u2019s growing power, the gods looked to Ganesha for help. Ganesha took the form of Dhumravarna and defeated the proud demon. This avatar reminds us that \u2018ahamkar\u2019 or ego is the root cause of self-destruction. 63","AMAR CHITRA KATHA Ganpati Bappa Morya! People believe that when they immerse Ganesha\u2019s likeness in water at the end of Ganesh Chaturthi, they also immerse all their negative traits, be it pride, arrogance, desire, delusion, greed, anger or jealousy. Devotees believe that Ganesha\u2019s potbelly is large enough to take away all their flaws and suffering. 64","He is the remover of obstacles. He is the god of wisdom and success. He is the first god to be worshipped before a new beginning. He is Ekadanta, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati. On the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, Amar Chitra Katha brings you Ekadanta \u2014 Tales of Ganapati. This book is a collection of stories about the beloved deity who can teach mighty gods a lesson, but is delighted by the simple sight of modaks and laddoos! These stories have been taken from some of our popular titles \u2014 Mahadeva, Ganesha and the Moon and Mahabharata."]
Search
