The son of Shiva. Since Shiva made him the lord of the ganas, he is known as Ganapati. His face is that of an elephant. He is one of the most revered of Hindu gods. His vehicle is the mouse. Powerful vision and high intelligence are his hallmarks. In India, all tasks start with a prayer to him to prevent obstacles. All literary works have a mention of him in the beginning. Journeys are begun with a prayer to him and idols can be found in many places, as a check against obstacles.

There are several stories regarding his birth.

Once Shiva and Parvati took the form of monkeys and were frolicking. Parvati became pregnant, but Shiva passed it on to Vayu, who gave it to Anjana. This baby was Hanuman. Then Shiva took the form of an elephant and Parvati a female elephant. Parvati again became pregnant and this was Ganapati as per Uttararamayana.

Shiva had a habit of peeping in while Parvati bathed. Parvati didn’t like this, and once, after she had completed an oil bath, she made the dirt in the form a boy and using Ganga water, brought him to life. She then made him the gatekeeper of her bath. This was Ganapati. When Shiva came as usual to watch Parvati, Ganapati blocked him. In the battle that followed, Ganapti’s head was severed. Seeing an angry Parvati, Shiva ran out and seeing an elephant, killed it and placed its head on Ganapati’s body, and brought him back to life, as per Matsyapurana.

Once Parvati prayed to Vishnu for a child. Vishnu himself incarnated as her son. All the gods arrived to congratulate her. Shani was also there, but kept his gaze fixed firmly on the ground. When Parvati questioned him, he said that he had been cursed by his wife that if he gazed at a baby, it would die. When Parvati asked him to look at the baby, he did, and its head was severed and flew away to Vaikuntha. Parvati was furious and cursed Shani into becoming lame. Vishnu felt pity on her and replaced the child’s head with that of an elephant. As per Padmapurana, Ganapati got an elephant’s vision and intelligence from then.

Once the gods requested Shiva to produce a child which would remove obstacles. Shiva looked at Parvati and from that energy a child was born. When the devastris began looking at it fondly, Parvati became jealous and cursed that it would have an elephant’s head and a potbelly. Shiva wasn’t happy with this and said that the child would be known as Ganesha and he would be above the ganas and vinayakas. He would have supreme knowledge of the vedas, and all would respect him. Shiva also said that those who disrespected him would perish, as per Varahapurana.

Once, during the time between Dwaparayuga and Kaliyuga, women, kiratas and shudras got a chance to see the moon in swargaloka. The devas weren’t pleased and asked Shiva to solve it. Shiva entrusted this to Parvati, who used the dirt from her body to create a four handed, elephant headed ugly being. He was asked to stop evil people from entering swarga. This is Ganapati as per Skandapurana.

Once Parashurama reached Kailash to see Shiva. Shiva was sleeping and Ganapati refused to let Parashurama in. In the battle that ensued, Ganapati’s tusk was broken as per Padmapurana.

Once, a raging summer engulfed southern India. The land became barren and Agastya requested Shiva for help, and some holy water. Shiva sent Kaveri, who was meditating nearby, in Agastya’s kamandalu. Indra didn’t like this and asked Ganapati to topple the kamandalu. Ganapati did so in the form of a crow. Agastya fought with it but after getting back to his true form, Ganapati blessed him. He also filled up the kamandalu again. Agastya took it back to southern India and gave it to devotees. This is the river Kaveri as per Skandapurana Aranyakanda.

Ganapati had 2 wives – Siddhi and Buddhi. When Subramanya and Ganapati reached marriageable age, Shiva said that whoever circled the earth and came back first would get married first. Subramanya immediately set out on his vehicle, while Ganapti sat still for a while and then circled his parents. When asked for the reason, he said that Parvati and Shiva were the world and circling them was equivalent to circling the earth. Thus Ganapti got married first.

Ganapati is known for removing obstacles. The devas decided to make Subramanya their commander for vanquishing Tarakasura. Indra was about to crown him when his hands froze. Shiva said that if Ganapati was not worshiped before beginning a task, it would not be completed. Indra did the needful and the ceremony was completed as per Kathasaritasagara Lavanakalambaka Taranga 6.

After the Kurukshetra war, Vyasa sat down to meditate and in his mind, the Mahabharata developed. Brahma visited him around then and Vyasa asked him to suggest someone who could write it down for him. Brahma suggested Ganapati who appeared before him. But he didn’t like the idea of writing for Vyasa. So he put the condition that he would write only if the words poured incessantly out of Vyasa’s mouth. Vyasa said that he would do so, but Ganapati should write only after he understood the meaning. They both agreed and the epic was written in three years as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 1 verses 74-80.

Ganapati is also known as Vinayaka, Vighnaraja, Dwaimatura, Ganadhipa, Ekadanta, Heramba, Lambodara, Gajanana.