Stories
A Story • A Reflection • A Lesson
Lesson 1: Respect your Parents and Think out of Box
As per the story, both Karthik and Ganesha were given the challenge of encircling the entire world 3 times. The one who comes first will win. Karthik took off at once on his vehicle, Peacock. However, Ganesha knew that he would never be able to match Karthik's speed and pace with his vehicle-mouse.
So, Ganesha used his wit and encircled his parents as he believed, "my parents are my world", so rather than encircle around them, than wasting time roaming around the globe. As the result, Karthik lost the race.
The story doesn't only teach us to respect our parents and elders but also think out of the box. Your physical weaknesses should not act as an obstacle.
Lesson 2: Duty is Above All
The famous tale of Bal Ganesha teaches us that duty is above anything else. It is believed that after Goddess Parvati created Ganesha, in the absence of Lord Shiva she asked Gannu to guard the door while she bathed, and he obediently followed his mother's instructions.
While he was guarding the door Lord Shiva wanted to enter, however, Ganesha refused. The refusal turned into a fight between father and son, and ended with Gannu being beheaded. Later, Lord Shiva revived his son's head with elephant's head on his body.
The tale teaches us that in any given circumstance, individuals should not back off from fulfilling their duties, and there's no greater virtue than being dutiful and responsible.
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Lesson 3: Don't Act on Impulse. Meditate to Calm Down
Angry mind cannot think straight. Today's learning revolves around the story when Lord Ganesha went for a ride at night, on his mouse. The mouse, as could not bear Ganesha's weight, tripped and both fall down.
The moon started to laugh, which made Ganesha angry. In his anger, he cursed the moon saying that his brightness will diminish each day and anyone who will look at him at the night of Ganesh Chaturthi will be falsely accused of a crime.
The moon beg for forgiveness and to remove the curse. Once, at peace Ganesha realized the way he over-reacted. He removed the curse of diminishing brightness but was unable to remove the other one.
Through his story, one can understand the importance of 'thinking before acting'. When a person is angry she/he cannot make right decision that make them regret later. Hence, rather than flowing into emotional temperature, one must cool down by either reverse counting, meditating, listening to favorite music, sleeping, or doing anything he/she like, except reacting back.
Lesson 4: Curiosity Fuel New Knowledge
As famously said by Albert Einstein "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing". Curious mind lead to findings that are unknown to an individual. Today's lesson from Ganpati highlights a tale that teaches us how curiosity led to new beginning.
When a major drought in the Southern part of the nation struck, Sage Agastya took drops of Ganga river from Lord Shiva in his Kamandalu to create a river in the affected areas. On his way back, when he stopped to take rest he kept his kamandalu on the ground.
Filled with curiosity to know what's inside the vessel, Ganpati disguised as crow and sat on it. Mistakely, Ganga drops fell on the ground and river Kaveri started flowing. The place is now known as Talakaveri, origin of Kaveri river.
Lesson learnt, when you are curious, you open new knowledge horizons. Curious people have the vision to look at things from newer, different, creative and never-seen before perspective.
