The Epic of Ganesha

            As Ganesh sat in his father’s garden, munching down on some ladoos, his brother Karthik was preparing to dash across the Trilok, the three realms. After all, his entire future rested in that one race, and he simply couldn’t understand why Ganesh wasn’t preparing for it. Seeing this, their father, Shiv, called over Ganesh to scold him. Ganesh was startled by his father’s voice, and hurried over to his father.

            “Son, why aren’t you preparing for the race? Do you not want to become the next ruler?”

            “Father, I have already prepared,” Ganesh replied patiently.

            “Well, if you believe so. The race shall start in one hour; I suggest you ‘prepare’ one more time. Good luck my son,” And with these few words of encouragement, he was dismissed, and left to prepare for the most intense race of his lifetime. As if oblivious to the tests he had to face next, Ganesh simply went back to doing what he was doing before, eating ladoos. Anxious to win, Karthik was now warming up, performing every type of exercise known to man and god alike. In precisely one hour, Shiv called Ganesh and Karthik to him, to officially start the race.

            “My sons, the time has come for me to choose an heir. As you both already know, the winner of this race will become my heir, and take over my kingdom, and receive all of my wealth. The race will be a very long and difficult challenge. You will start from this very spot, run all the way to the gates of hell, circle around the earth once, and return here. The first person to complete this task will become my heir. Until then, we shall not speak. Do you both understand?” Shiv questioned in his booming voice.

            “Yes father,” both brothers chimed simultaneously.

            “Then go, prove to me that you deserve to take over my throne.” Karthik dashed off faster than the human eye could register, but the same could not be said about Ganesh. In what seemed to be an act of utter stupidity, Ganesh instead decided that he should take a shower, and jumped into a lake to start bathing. Intrigued, Shiv started talking with his wife Parvati about what Ganesh was doing, but neither of them were able to find a reason in his madness.