The story
One day the sage Narada brought a wonderful golden fruit to Kailash. "This is the fruit of wisdom," he said. Shiva and Parvati had two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya, and both wanted it. So Shiva said, "Whoever goes around the whole world three times and comes back first will get the fruit."
Kartikeya jumped onto his fast peacock and flew away at once. Poor Ganesha! His vehicle was a little mouse. How could he win?
Ganesha thought for a moment. Then he folded his hands and walked slowly around his mother and father, three times. "What are you doing?" asked Parvati. Ganesha bowed and said, "Mother, Father, you are my whole world. Going around you is the same as going around the world."
Shiva and Parvati smiled with joy and gave him the golden fruit. When Kartikeya came back, tired, he saw that Ganesha had already won. In some tellings he went away a little sad to the hills of Palani in the South, and his parents came to visit him there with love.
What we learn
- Our parents are our whole world; honour them.
- Think wisely — clever thinking can be better than speed.
- Being small does not mean being weak.
- Be a gracious winner and a good loser.
A shloka to learn
Vakratunda Mahakaya
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
vakratuṇḍa mahākāya sūryakoṭisamaprabha |
nirvighnaṃ kuru me deva sarvakāryeṣu sarvadā ||
O Ganesha with the curved trunk and big body, shining like a crore suns — please remove the obstacles from all my work, always.
Questions to talk about
- How did Ganesha win the race?
- Why did he say his parents were his whole world?
- How do you think Kartikeya felt? What would you say to him?
- What is one thing you can do today to show love to your parents?
Parents and teachers: read the story aloud, then talk about the questions together. Let children retell it in their own words.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the story of Ganesha and the Race Around the World come from?
It is told in Puranic and folk tradition. This is a simple retelling for children.