Why Elephant Head was Used as Ganesha’s Head? Who Cursed Shiva to Cut Ganesha’s Head?

Curse on Shiva

Deity Sun got arrogant because of his powers and the dependency of world on his energies and light. He started considering himself superior and demanded more respect and prayers from the devotees.

Once He didn’t rise to make people realize his importance. Shiva got furious over his arrogance and warned him but he neglected. So Shiva hit him with his trident and he got unconscious.

Read Complete Story of Lord Shiva from Creation of World till birth of Kshem and Labh in single article.

Rishi Kashyap, one of the Saptarishi and the father of Sun, saw him in this condition. With anger, he cursed Shiva that one day He will have to attack his own son like He did with his son.

Shiva accepted the curse and explained him that Sun wasn’t dead. He just killed the arrogance inside him. He enlightened Sun that with great powers comes great responsibilities. Arrogance is the poison and it leads to death.

Rishi Kashyap realized that he made a terrible mistake in anger. He asked Shiva to emaciate the curse but Shiva informed him that curse can’t be emaciated. It will happen at the right time because it’s all part of destiny and it will bring goodness in the world.

What happened when Rishi Kashyap cursed Narayana in his Narsimha avatar? Read complete story.

Shiva cut Ganesha’s Head

Because of the effect of curse, Ganesha became stubborn and misbehaved with Shiva, deities, Nandi and Saptarishi. In anger, Shiva cut his head with the trident. This way curse of rishi Kashyap fulfilled.

Read full story of birth and cutting head of Ganesha.

Why Only Elephant Head was Used as Ganesha’s Head?

There was an elephant, Gajasur, who did a hard austerity of Shiva. He wanted to become very intelligent so he asked Shiva to reside in his abdomen.

Shiva was about to fulfill his wish but Narayana appeared and asked Gajasur to ask something else because Shiva can’t reside in his stomach. If that happen, the whole world will become unstable.

Gajasur asked Narayana for the solution. He informed that one day his head will be used as the head of Shiva’s son. That son will be the obstructionist and mongolar. He will be very intelligent and the provider of knowledge. This way Gajasur will become extremely intelligent.

Because of this boon, when Shiva cut the head of Ganesha, Narayana told Sudharshan Chakra to get the head of first creature it’ll see and only if he willingly donate. Gajasur was waiting for that moment and willingly donated his head.

This way Ganesha got the head of elephant.

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