Elements of Hindu Iconography v1.c9.60

v1.c9.60

The following account is given in the *Śiva-mahāpurāṇa* of the circumstances under which Gaṇapati came to be married: when Gaṇapati and Subrahmaṇya attained marriageable age, Pārvatī and Śiva consulted each other as to which of them should be married first. It was resolved that he, who successfully circumambulated the earth first, should have his marriage celebrated first. Subrahmaṇya began the race, got ready his peacock-vehicle and started on the trip round the earth. But Gaṇeśa was indifferent at the time and utterly unmindful of his brother going in advance in the race, for he felt sure that he himself would in any case come out successful. As soon as Subrahmaṇya was out of sight, Gaṇeśa came near to his parents and circumambulated them seven times, and quoted a Vedic text to the effect that, if a son made seven pradakṣiṇās, circuits, round his parents, he obtained the merit of having circumambulated the earth. The parents were highly pleased with the wisdom of Gaṇeśa and married to him two fair damsels named Buddhi and Siddhi. To the former was born the son named Kṣēma, and to the latter the son named Lābha. When all this had taken place Subrahmaṇya returned, and demanded the prize promised by his parents. He was then informed how the prize in the race had been won by Gaṇeśa, and was asked to wait for his own turn to come in the matter of marriage. Feeling disappointed and angry, Subrahmaṇya retired to mount Krauñcha to do penance there and live the life of celibacy.