The story
The sage Vyasa had the whole story of the Mahabharata in his mind — more than a hundred thousand verses! He needed someone to write it down as he spoke. Brahma advised him, "Ask Ganesha, the lord of wisdom."
Ganesha agreed — on one condition. "Once you begin speaking, you must not stop, not even for a moment. If you stop, I will stop writing." Vyasa smiled and set his own condition: "And you must understand every verse before you write it down."
So they began. Whenever Vyasa needed time to think, he would speak a very difficult verse, and while Ganesha paused to understand it, Vyasa composed the next ones! The story went on for days and nights.
Once, in the speed of writing, Ganesha's pen broke. Not wanting to stop, he broke off one of his own tusks and went on writing with it. That is why Ganesha is called Ekadanta, "the one with one tusk".
What we learn
- Finish what you start — even if it means sacrifice.
- Think before you write or speak.
- Learning and knowledge are precious.
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
- What were Ganesha's and Vyasa's conditions?
- Why did Ganesha break his tusk?
- What does "Ekadanta" mean?
- What is something you want to finish, even if it is hard?
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 this story come from?
It is told in Mahabharata tradition. This is a simple retelling for children.