Kartikeya Vs Ganesha
Sibling rivalries are quite common in our families, the literature that we read and movies that entertain us. Even the all-knowing, almighty gods were not immune to this. What happened when Lord Kartikeya, the god of war, went head to head with Lord Ganesha, the god of wisdom?
Once upon a time, sage Narada visited Kailash mountains, the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and offered them a unique fruit. He said that the fruit contained all the wisdom in the universe. Both the parents were in a dilemma about whom to give the fruit as they loved both, Ganesha and Kartikeya, equally.
After a dialogue with Parvati, Shiva decided to present his sons with a challenge in which both of them had to circle the world three times. And the one who will finish first will win the race and also the fruit of wisdom.
Click here to read about the story of Ganesha’s birth.
Fascinated by the unique fruit, Kartikeya and Ganesha both agreed to take part in the competition. Kartikeya was quite confident that with the help of his Vahana (Vehicle) Mayura (Peacock), he would win the race in no time. Meanwhile, Ganesha was unsure because he knew that his vehicle Mushak (Mouse) could hardly run let alone surpass Kartikeya’s Mayura in this contest. But Ganesha was never the one to accept defeat easily. Thus, he resolved to compete with his most prized weapon, his knowledge.
On the day of the competition, many had gathered to see the event. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati admired their children as they came forward with their respective vehicles. Kartikeya and Ganesha took blessings from their parents and the people who had joined them. As the race started, Kartikeya’s peacock flew into the air and the crowd cheered. But Shiva noted that Ganesha still hadn’t moved from his place. Parvati asked Ganesha to make haste or he would lose the challenge.
At his own pace, Ganesha walked towards the throne where his parents were seated and started circling them. He walked around them thrice and stood before them with folded hands. When asked about this strange act, he answered with utmost humility that his parents meant the world to him as they created him and the whole universe wasn’t vast enough to hold their love. Therefore, he circled them thrice. Pleased with Ganesha’s quick wit, Shiva declared him the winner of the contest, and the fruit of wisdom was bestowed upon him. This is how Ganesha used his knowledge to win the contest.
Some legends say that Kartikeya felt that his parent’s decision was unfair. So, he left Kailash and went to the Palani Hills in the South Indian region. That’s why Kartikeya known as Murugan is one of the most worshipped deities in the South.
There are other versions of the story where Kartikeya was the one to challenge Ganesha as he didn’t think Ganesha to be worthy of the title Prathampujya (The first one to be worshipped.). Ganesha won the challenge with his intelligence and Karthikeya accepted his defeat.
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