Ganesh's Birth and the Elephant Head

On Kailash, all the ganas, like Nandi and Bhringi, belonged to Shiv. Parvati's friends Jaya and Vijaya said: Devi, you should have a gana of your own who obeys only you. One day, before bathing, Parvati shaped a beautiful boy from the ubtan on her body and breathed life into him.

She told the boy: you are my son. I am going to bathe; stand at the door and let no one in. The boy took a staff and stood firm at the door. Soon Shiv himself arrived and began to walk in.

The boy stopped him: my mother has ordered that no one may enter. Shiv sent his ganas, but the boy defeated them all. The devas came too, but no one could move him. At last, in a fierce battle, Shiv cut off the boy's head with his trident.

When Parvati learned of it, her grief turned to fury. She brought forth many shaktis, powers that began to destroy creation. Narad and the devas begged her with folded hands to be calm. Parvati said: let my son live, and let him be honoured above all; only then will I be calm.

Shiv sent his ganas north and said: bring the head of the first creature you meet. They found an elephant with a single tusk. Its head was placed on the boy's body, and he came back to life. Shiv accepted him as his son, made him lord of all the ganas, Ganesh, and gave the boon that he would be worshipped first before every auspicious task.