Demon King Bali wanted to spread peace among world. So he organized a yajna where he invited all the deities, demons, humans, yaksha, gandharv etc. But as soon as yajna began, they all started fighting on the issue of whose adorable God will get the first sacrifice.
King Bali tried to convince everybody and reminded them the purpose of yajna but nobody listened and kept arguing. Bali requested Brahma dev to solve the issue so He suggested to choose someone else apart from Trinity Gods and Goddesses.
How Ganesha Became Pratham Pujya?
To decide the first reverend (Pratham Pujya), Shiva advised to organize a race in which the participants needed to circle around the world three times and return back. The one who will complete the race first, will become the first reverend deity.
Race started and all the deities got mounted on their divine vehicles. Kartikeya was mounted on peacock, Indra on Eravat, Sun on 7 horse chariot etc. Ganesha was mounted on his rat.
With the signal they all flew with the speed of wind except Ganesha, whose rat was merely walking. Unlike others, Ganesha took the rounds of Shiva and Parvati and told that his world lies within his parents only.
Delighted with the love and devotion of Ganesha, Shiva announced him the winner and granted as the first reverend god (Pratham Pujya Ganesha).
Kartikeya returned back first after taking rounds of the world three times. He saw that Ganesha was already declared first reverend, although he wasn’t seen in the race anywhere. He felt cheated and asked for clarification.
Shiva enlightened everybody with the facts that the first reverend should be someone who is intelligent and remover of pains of people. Bravery is secondary. The primary thing in life is to understand the situation and find solution of it in best possible way.
Ganesha is the remover of pain and troubles. He is intelligent and solves the issues with patience and kindness. For him, his parents are everything. The world lies inside them. Without any doubt, he is the pratham pujya.
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