Ekadanta: The Story Behind One-Tusked Form Of Ganapati

We all know about Lord Ganesh. His playful behaviours, his pure soul, and, most importantly, his kind heart are what make us love him. Lord ganesha is the son of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. He is also blessed with a boon or aashirvad that in any and every puja, Lord Ganesha is the one who will be worshipped first. There are many names by which Lord Ganesh is known. Some of them include names like Gajanan, Ganapati, and Ekadanta.

The names Gajanan and Ganapti relate to his elephant head. However, do you know about the name Ekadanta? What is the meaning of Ek Dant? The name Ekadanta refers to the meaning of someone having only one tooth. This relates to the fact that Lord Ganesh has only one tooth.

Stories of Lord Ganesha Being Ekdanta

There are three primary mythological Ganesh story in English attributed to who broke the teeth of lord ganesha and Why is Lord Ganesha called Ekdanta? If you are also curious to know about the mythologies associated with Lord Ganesha’s one tooth, then read the entire blog for the same. Moreover, if you want to read more such interesting stories about our Lords, then check InstaAstro’s website or download the app for the same. There, you can read more such amazing stories about Gods and other topics. Now, let us begin to know why Lord ganesha have only one tooth.

Ekadanta: Sage Parshuram’s Anger

Ganesh is known as Ekadanta, or the one with one tusk, and there are multiple folk tales related to it. As is depicted in folklore and the idols of Ganapati, there is one tusk which is always missing. The first one is that of Sage Parshuram’s anger, which caused this mishap. One day, Lord Shiva went into his mediation chamber, making little Ganesha his keeper. He was asked not to allow anyone in till God finished his session. Meanwhile, Parshuram dropped by to seek Shiva’s blessings.

As he advanced towards the door to God’s meditation chambers, Ganesha intervened and stopped him from stepping in. This enraged the sage, and he threw his axe at Ganesha. Through Divine vision, the little God came to know that the axe was a gift from his father and its powers demanded respect. Hence, instead of avoiding the weapon, he let the axe hit him. The impact was sustained by his tusk, which broke, and since then, Ganesha came to be known as ‘Ekdanta’.

Lord Parshuram

Also Read: Astrological Remedies For How To Become Rich?

Ekadanta: Ganpati’s Anger Over Chandra Dev

The second tale about the broken tusk of Ganesh goes like this. One day, the chubby lord was returning from a dinner thrown by Chandra Dev (Moon God). He had eaten quite a bit and was completely stuffed. On his way, a snake bounded out of the bushes, causing Ganesha to fall off his vehicle. As he fell, his stomach burst open, scattering around the content of his lavish dinner. When Chandra Dev saw this, he burst out laughing.

Ganesha got enraged at the laughter and broke his tusk and threw it at him in anger, making a huge mark on its face. He further cursed the moon that he shall never shine. This led to the whole world being sunk into darkness. Seeing this, many gods and goddesses tried to appease Ganesha and reason with him. Finally, the one-tusked god agreed to soften his curse by allowing him to rise out of the darkness. He added that now the moon shall always have to go through the waxing and waning phase every 28 days. Thus Ganesha came to be known as ‘Ekadanta’.

Lord Ganesha

Also Read: Navagraha- Remedies For Weak Planets

Ekadanta: Writing the Mahabharata

Another very popular story associated with the broken trust of Lord Ganesha is related to the writing of the Mahabharata. Ved Vyasa went to Lord Shiva to ask him for help. Ved Vyasa wanted someone to write Mahabharat with his as he spoke. However, there was a condition that the person would not stop writing it, and the literature would be completed in one flow. Lord Shiva was confused at first, but then he suggested that Lord Ganesha could do this task. Lord Ganesha accepted this and also wrote the epic continuously.

However, while he was writing the epic, the feather that he was using to write it broke. Lord ganesha remembered the condition of writing it in a flow. Thus, he broke one of his tusks and used it to complete the epic. According to legends, it is stated that it took almost 3 years for Ganesha and Ved Vyasa to complete the epic. Thus, he came to be known as Ek Dant Ganesh.

Ganesha and Ved Vyasa

Conclusion

These 3 tales about Lord Ganesh’s tusk have been mentioned in ancient scriptures and holy texts. However, it is still a debatable topic about which one actually is the reason behind the one tusk of Lord Ganesha. However, on the other hand, these tales teach us an important lesson by Lord Ganesha. These include respecting elders and performing one’s duty with complete devotion and focus. If you like this blog and want to read more such exciting blogs, then check InstaAstro’s website by clicking here, or download the app for the same. There, you can also talk to India’s best astrologers, who will provide you with solutions and answers to all your questions and problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which epic was written by lord ganesha?

The epic Mahabharat was written by Ganesh. Ved Vyara spoke the story of Mahabharata, and Lord Ganesha wrote it. It is believed that while writing, Lord Ganesha Used his tusk to complete the epic.

2. Why did Lord Ganesha not let Parshuram enter?

According to lord Ganesh story, his father, Lord Shiva, asked him to guard the door as he was going in for meditation. As Ganesh was doing so, Parshuram came in to seek lord Shiva’s blessing. However, as his father had asked him not to let anyone enter, he stopped Lord Parshuram.

3. Why does Ganesh have an elephant head?

Mata Parvati made Lord Ganesha. She asked him to guard the door as she was bathing. However, Lord Shiva came, and Ganesha did not let him enter. In anger, Lord Shiva cut off Lord Ganesha’s head. However, when he realised his mistake later, he found the head of an elephant and joined it back to bring Lord Ganesha to life.

4. Who is Lord Ganesha's wife?

Lord Ganesha is depicted in many places as celibate. However, some places have showcased him having 2 wives. These include Riddhi and Siddhi. Riddhi and Siddhi are said to be the daughters of Lord Brahma.

5. Where is Ganapati's original head now?

It is believed that the original head of Lord Ganesha rests in Chandra Mandal.

6. Who are the children of Lord Ganesha?

According to some traditions that show Lord Ganesha as married, he is said to have three children. These include his sons, Shubh and Labh and his daughter, Mata Santoshi.

Also Read: How Lord Narasimha Saved His Devotee Prahlad

For interesting Astrological Facts and Videos, follow us on Instagram and read your daily horoscope.