Stories of Ganesha for 6-8-year-olds

myNachiketa
16 hours ago
4 min read

Ganesha, the beloved son of Bhagwan Shiva and Devi Parvati, is one of the most loved Gods in Hinduism. Known as the remover of obstacles, he blesses his devotees with wisdom, kindness, and intelligence. myNachiketa brings you 5 delightful and meaningful stories of Ganesha. Through these tales, children will see how Ganesha guides, protects, and teaches us important life lessons in simple yet wonderful ways.

1. The Birth of Ganesha

Once, Goddess Parvati wanted someone who would always stay with her when Bhagwan Shiva was away. So, while preparing for her bath, she took some turmeric paste and carefully shaped it into the form of a little boy. With her powers, she brought the clay boy to life, and that is how Ganesha was born.

Parvati was overjoyed and told Ganesha, "You are my son. Guard the door and do not let anyone enter while I bathe." Ganesha obeyed her mother and stood to guard the gates.

Soon, Bhagwan Shiva returned home. When he tried to enter, Ganesha stopped him, saying, "My mother is inside, and I cannot allow anyone in." Shiva, surprised by the little boy’s boldness, tried to reason with him, but Ganesha firmly refused. This angered Shiva, and in a fit of rage, he struck off Ganesha’s head.

When Parvati came out and saw what had happened, she was heartbroken. She demanded that Shiva restore Ganesha’s life. To calm her, Shiva promised to bring him back. His attendants searched for the head of the first living creature they saw, which happened to be an elephant. They brought it to Kailash, and Shiva placed it on Ganesha’s body, reviving him.

From then on, Ganesha became the beloved elephant-headed god, worshipped as the remover of obstacles.

Moral: One should always stand by their duty, in every situation.

2. How Ganesha wrote the Mahabharata

When sage Vyasa wanted to write the Mahabharata, the biggest epic in the world, he needed someone who could write as fast as he spoke. Ganesha agreed but set a condition: Vyasa must recite without stopping. Vyasa agreed but made his own rule—Ganesha must fully understand each verse before writing it down.

As Vyasa began narrating and Ganesha started writing at a fast pace. While writing, his pen broke, but he didn’t want to stop. So, he broke one of his tusks and used it as a pen. That’s why he is called ‘Ekadanta,’ which means the one with a single tusk. Ganesha wrote swiftly with his tusk, which he had broken to use as a pen. Whenever Vyasa needed time to think, he would speak a verse so deep and complex that Ganesha paused to reflect on its meaning. This gave Vyasa enough time to compose the next section.

Together, they completed the Mahabharata, a treasure of wisdom and devotion, which has guided humanity for ages.

Moral: Great tasks are accomplished with patience, intelligence, and teamwork.

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3. Why Ganesha is Worshipped First in All Poojas

Long ago, the gods argued about who should be worshipped first in rituals. To solve this, Shiva and Parvati announced a race: whoever—Kartikeya or Ganesha—circled the world first would win.

Kartikeya immediately flew off on his fast peacock, determined to win. But Ganesha, with his round belly and little mouse, knew he could never match his brother’s speed.

Instead of rushing, Ganesha thought deeply. For him, his parents were everything. He quietly folded his hands, circled Shiva and Parvati three times, and said, “You are my whole world.”

When Kartikeya returned after his long journey, he was surprised to see Ganesha already there. Ganesha used his wisdom to win the race, so the gods declared Ganesha the winner. From that day on, everyone agreed that Ganesha must be worshipped first before starting any puja or important work.

Moral: With true wisdom, one can achieve greatness in life.

4. Ganesha and the Proud Moon (Ganesh Chaturthi story)

One night, Ganesha was happily riding his mouse after enjoying a big feast of sweets. Suddenly, the mouse stumbled, and Ganesha rolled to the ground.

The moon in the sky saw this and burst out laughing. Embarrassed and angry, Ganesha cursed the moon, saying it would remain invisible forever. The moon was shocked and begged for forgiveness.

Ganesha felt a little sorry, but a curse could not be undone. So, he lessened it: the moon would shrink bit by bit each day and disappear for one day, called Amavasya. After that, it would slowly regain its shine, becoming fully bright on the full moon day, called Purnima.

He told the Moon, "You may shine again, but on Ganesh Chaturthi, people must avoid looking at you. If they do, they will invite misfortune."

This is why, even today, people avoid looking at the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi. It reminds us not to laugh at others’ weaknesses.

Moral: Do not be proud of your qualities, look down upon others, as everyone is special in their own way.

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5. Ganesha and the bowl of Kheer

One day, a little boy walked around a village carrying a fistful of rice and a spoonful of milk. He asked villagers to make kheer (a sweet rice pudding) with it. Everyone ignored him because they knew it was impossible.

At last, a poor old woman agreed to help him. The boy thanked her and said, “Please make the kheer in a big pot.” The woman was puzzled but did as he asked. She mixed a small amount of rice and milk with some sugar and let it cook. The boy said, “I will be back soon. Don’t eat the kheer until I return.”

The woman kept her promise but fell asleep while waiting. When she woke up, she was amazed to see the big pot full of kheer! She was very hungry, but she didn’t eat the boy’s portion and only ate what was left after keeping a spoonful aside for him.

After a few days, the boy returned. The woman felt guilty and asked for forgiveness. The boy smiled and said, “I am Ganesha. You haven’t broken any promise. You saved kheer for me.”

Ganesha ate the spoonful she had saved and, pleased with her honesty, blessed her with knowledge and good health. Moral: Being honest and thoughtful brings blessings and happiness.