This is a Hindu myth, recorded in the Shiva Purana, a text compiled over many centuries, whose oldest parts scholars date to around the 10th or 11th century CE. It explains why the elephant-headed god is called on first in every prayer, and how a boy came to wear that head. The story begins with a lonely wish. The goddess Parvati was married to Shiva, but his attendants answered to Shiva alone. She wanted one servant who was loyal only to her. So she took the scrapings of her body ointments, mixed them with turmeric paste, shaped a boy, and breathed life into him. He was radiant, handsome, and absolutely obedient. She handed him a staff and posted him at the entrance to her inner rooms with a single order: let no one pass, whoever they are. Then she went to bathe. Someone was bound to come to that door.
How Ganesha Got His Elephant Head
In the Shiva Purana, Shiva beheads the boy guarding Parvati's door, then replaces the head with an elephant's.
A Guard at the Door
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the story of Ganesha's elephant head come from?
This version is told in the Shiva Purana, a Hindu text most scholars date to the 10th or 11th century CE. It is a myth, not a historical record. Other texts tell it differently, such as the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, which blames the gaze of Shani.
Why is Ganesha worshipped before other gods?
In the myth, Parvati demanded that her son be worshipped first among all gods as a condition for sparing the universe. Shiva agreed and named him Ganapati, Lord of the Ganas. He is also called Vighneshvara, the Remover of Obstacles, and is invoked first in every prayer and ritual.
How did the elephant head come to be used?
Shiva told his followers to bring the head of the first living creature they met facing north, a direction considered auspicious. They found a powerful elephant. Some versions say it had only one tusk. Shiva joined the head to the boy's body and breathed life into him.
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