Essays

Brahma was upset. Things had not gone as he had planned. His creation was not as wonderful as he had expected.

There were too many glitches in it and he was starting to get worried. It was then that sage Narada appeared before Brahma and reminded him of something he had forgotten.

According to Hindu practices, Ganesha is worshipped before the beginning of any new venture. Ganesha is regarded as the remover of obstacles, thus ensuring the success of a new venture. Brahma had forgotten this and now his new venture—his creation was not turning out as he had planned. Immediately after that Brahma commenced praying to Ganesha and requested to be forgiven.

Ganesha was quick to forgive Brahma and explained to him the reason for the tradition. He said that as one prayed to him, especially before a new venture, all the thoughts were oriented toward the job on hand, thus ensuring the success of the venture. In this context, he requested Brahma to concentrate on two shaktis—gyana and kriya.

Brahma did so, and the two impulses manifested themselves as two ladies—Siddhi and Buddhi. Brahma requested that they be bom as his daughters and they complied with the request. Satisfied that his creation was all perfect.

Siddhi and Buddhi grew up to be beautiful young girls and Brahma was anxious to see them marry. It was sage Narada again, the eternal jest and meddler who came handy with the idea that they should marry one groom as they were twins. Brahma believed that this would create a lot of conflict.

Narada assured him that no conflict would arise and then went in search of Ganesha. Narada was fond of playing pranks and causing utter confusion. That is just what he was aiming to do in this case.

He informed Ganesha that both Siddhi and Buddhi were insistent on marrying him. Imagine his wonder when Ganesha agreed without any protest to marry both of them. Now Narada went to the sisters and informed them of the groom he had suggested for them.

He expected resistance but again none was forthcoming. He was puzzled and his confusion knew no end—and he could not interpret it either.

Brahma, on hearing the happy news made elaborate arrangements for the marriage and it was conduct in a grand and festive way.

It was then that Ganesha explained the lack of resistance to Narada's marriage proposal. He said that the two sisters were only a manifestation of his shaktis (his impulses). The marriage served to reunite them with him. With the position thus cleared, Narada too joined in the celebration of the marriage in a delirious stance doing the tandav nritya to a frenzy.

Do You Know?

1. Puranas are the religious books that contain most of the popular religious stories. There are many puranas in Hindu religious literature.

2. Swami Dayanand Saraswati claimed that only Vedas hold true to the absolute knowledge and that puranas have led to false stories and misbeliefs.