How Ganesha Won The Race

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Diane_Carol_Mark]Diane Carol Mark
Heavy mist from a summer shower settled over tufts of river grasses and hid them from us that afternoon in Paradise. Then, a breeze peeled back those golden shards, leaving beads of dew dancin' off the tops of those wavin' stalks. They were the tiniest of glass ornaments. The riverbank was just damp enough so that when you ran barefoot across her shoreline, your toes left prints that would surely be seen a week later. Miles across the valley glittered a towerin' palace of white marble that we all knew so well. Rose quartz canyon walls cradled that immense city as if the arms of a divine woman held it to her breast. Lights twinkled below her buttes, an' we were all beckoned toward her magic once again.
There was gonna be a competition that day. The Supreme Lord challenged his friends the demigods, the spiritual souls, the evolved spirits, the devoted ones and the child spirits to a rousing contest with a plum an' sweet prize that would be an eternal blessin' upon them. What was that prize? Well, everyone gathered round his white marble dais to hear it. And, once they did, they couldn't get enough of the idea, and they couldn't get it out of their heads either. Imagine... being selected to hold such an honor for all eternity. Well, I guess I didn't say what it was that the good Lord announced that day. It was an honor above all else. The winner of the competition would be known as the wise one, the one to be prayed to first. That soul would remove all obstacles in your path, or if need be, would put troubles there so as to discourage you from walkin' that way. But, they only knew what the prize was. What they didn't know was what they had to do to win it.
After the announcement, everyone scrambled up from his seat on the black and white marble floor and sprinted toward the blue carved gates as if the sun had splashed them with hundreds of energy sparks. They dreamed they was gonna be honored as the great one. They thought how they'd shine and imagined how they'd feel privileged and significant to always and forever be prayed to first.
Now, the elephant child Ganesha, one of the evolved spirits, he strode out of the courtyard swinging his short tail with his mind off in the distance, watchin' the sun shimmer as it settled on the rose quartz canyon walls. He felt relieved that he still had plenty of time for a game of soccer in the forest clearin' near his home. He knew the game would calm any worries he had about all the other great ones who would be challengin' him in the competition the next day. As soon as he cleared the gate, he sprinted across the valley determined to reach the forest long before sunset.
A Rosy Sunrise
At dawn the next mornin', the sky was mostly blue with a thin rosy cloud cover from the sunrise that had just brushed the canyon walls. Your skin felt pretty warm. So, you didn't even wrap a shawl over your shoulders. Everyone jammed into the Supreme Lord's courtyard with a riot of voices. They clamored for a good spot in the hall that stretched as far back as a body could see and then some. Granite pillars were scattered throughout the hall under an immense flat roof that shaded them from the intense sunshine. The roof was segmented into carved squares, each one painted golden. Crystal chandeliers dangled from many, makin' the inner courtyard a sight so bright that a body felt enthusiasm pull him straight up.
There was a hush all over the crowd's heads as the Supreme Lord wrenched open the silver doors on His balcony to greet them that mornin'. It got so quiet that even the noisiest songbirds stopped chirpin' in the magnolia trees that bordered the plaza. He cast His eyes over the crowd, smiled and waved before He spoke. That elephant child was crammed in on all sides. Behind him one of the demigods edged in for a closer look. He shoved Ganesha forward with a fist in his back. Ganesha nearly fell over, but one a his friends grabbed his arm, an' he straightened out okay. Just in time, too, 'cause the Lord started in on His announcement.
"This is gonna be an easy contest," He says from His balcony that swooped the sides of the temple. "The winner will be the one we will always pray to first. He will be the revered one."
Everyone listened without a murmur, but inside was already one-step ahead, believin' that they'd win for sure. They all were itchin' to know what they's gonna have to do to win this contest. It was stillness and silence when the Lord spoke again.
"The first soul who travels around the whole universe an' back again three times, an' who returns first will be the winner."
Now, everyone wanted to be respectful an' all, but that's not what happened. There was a buzz in the courtyard an' then there was a thunderous roll, a clappin' an' a bangin' as everyone spoke up at once. Heads turned and folks shoved each other on all sides as they scrambled outta their seats. But, it weren't over yet. The bell rang, the bronze bell that usually only chimed at the end of ceremonies. Everyone froze up. Time stopped an' no one breathed.
In the silence the Supreme Lord he said, "The competition will start at 11:08 a.m. today and will end when our victor arrives back here on these steps." He turned round, strode through the silver balcony doors and was out of sight just that fast.
Well, there was a frenzy now. They all rushed the gates, stormed outta the courtyard, an' scattered all over the plaza. They gathered in groups, spun 'round, grabbed their brothers, an' chattered fierce as songbirds in the magnolia trees. But, Ganesha he didn't even fidget. He cozied up on the marble floor and closed his eyes deep in thought. And, with the stillness of the moonrise over a river, he relaxed for a long time. His friends tore out an' were fixin' their vehicles, gettin' ready for the race.
They had all kinds a sophisticated vehicles in those days. Some had flyin' machines carved outta gold, some had chariots hooked up to majestic horses, some had mystical birds like eagles only they was bigger an' could carry a man on their backs. But, the elephant boy, he didn't have a vehicle at all. His dad, Lord Siva and his mom, Goddess Parvathi, had always said that when it was time for him to start travelin', he'd have to design and construct his own chariot. Well, on the first count, he really liked playin' soccer with his friends, an' on the second count, he hadn't yet thought too much about acquiring wealth.
The Grand Assembly
By and by the crowd glided into the courtyard grounds on their vehicles anxious for the bell to ring and feelin' nervous knowin' it was gonna be a tough race. Some of them felt hopeful, but by now, many of those high souls trembled. There was a few, however, who felt overly confident and didn't care any which way about how fast their vehicle was. They knew they were smarter than the rest and they'd win for certain. Imagine bein' the wise soul who would be prayed to first forever. That was all they thought about.
The crystal chandeliers that covered most of the ceilin' were all lit up. There was an arc of mustard yellow flowers strewn across the top of all the gates. Blue festoons, orange umbrellas and metallic sparklers decorated the courtyard. With all the color and lights the palace shimmered; it was a festival like no other.
By this time, Ganesha crossed his legs and sat heroically on the cool marble floor in the front row. He never left at all; he only got up a couple of times for some water that mornin'. He sat like an owl on a tree branch who keeps his eyes open, but is listenin' an' watchin' everythin' all around him. That owl doesn't miss even a leaf turnin' over on the forest earth. Then, Ganesha straightened up prepared to stand.
The crowd was pretty unruly. They pushed and shoved from all sides. As they tried to squirm through the back gate at the last minute, some got crushed. Then, there was the spectators. They was the most disruptive when ladies screamed as the competitors rushed in and nearly trampled them.
The men's side was total chaos. Hands flailed through the air from side-to-side when men shouted an' shoved from all directions as they rushed toward the front, hopin' for a sterlin' view of the Supreme Lord once He appeared. When He strode into the hall from his palatial residence on the right side of the courtyard, everyone thought He floated across the marble. As He reached the dais, they counted the last seconds before the bell would ring without even breathin'. And, just as planned, at 11:08 a.m. sharp, the gong rang out across the land. For a moment, no one budged. And then, as if an earthquake split the grounds, the crowd sprinted for the exits. From the back, spectators stampeded forward like cows with their hooves slammin' against the marble floor as they rushed to grab the competitors open seats.
But, a group of service folks formed a chain hand-by-hand and shielded the competitors from the spectators. The Supreme Lord watched the spectacle as He swayed in His red velvet rocking chair on the veranda. He chatted with his friends who stood next to him on each side. A few boys ran in and out of the temple grabbin' boxes and carryin' them back outside. Pretty soon there was an awful tall stack of boxes that leaned against the powder blue temple walls. Everyone guessed they was filled with sweets to be handed out as soon as the race was won and the celebration began.
A Hero's Insight
Then, that small elephant child Ganesha, he just rose up an' stood in his spot in the front row. Nobody noticed him at first, until he started to spin round and round. A few of the service coordinators couldn't take their eyes off him. His head glittered under light that streamed from the crystal chandeliers. His ivory tusks sparkled in a rainbow of colors, an' his elephant trunk swung gently from side-to-side as he twirled 'round.
After he spun around twice, he had the attention of the Supreme Lord. All the Lord's friends on the veranda stopped talkin' an' observed the elephant boy as he glowed with light, growin' brighter as he turned. The boys who hauled boxes onto the veranda froze up, and for the next few moments nobody even breathed.
That elephant boy, well he turned round in place just one more time. And, then Ganesha stood there real quiet like. He was a statue just gazin' at the Supreme Lord who by that time rose and strode toward him.
The Lord's robe swished gently in the mornin' breeze as He drew closer. Ganesha blushed and looked down when the Lord reached his side. Then, that elephant boy fell to his knees to kiss His Feet an' touch His robe.
"Tell me, are you back from your journey?" the Supreme Lord asked.
Ganesha drew in a deep breath an' his eyes became moist he felt so much energy bein' close to the Lord. "The universe is everywhere," he said. "It's here as much as there, Lord. So, I just turned round three times... it's the whole universe, Lord. I never had to go nowhere else."
Well, the smile that broke across the Lord's face that mornin' was one that none who saw it would ever forget. His eyes glistened an' His lips stretched that grin clear across His cheeks. You could tell by lookin' in His eyes how happy He felt, an' that His Love flowed ever so strong toward that elephant boy.
Surely, the wisdom of the ages was embodied in that small child. As the legend goes, the Lord selected Ganesha as the winner of the contest that day. And, ever since and forevermore, we all pray to him first to honor and to respect the wisdom he learned us that day, that early mornin' in Paradise when he gave us the idea that the universe is all and one everywhere. An' we need not go anywhere. But, we step in our own space and that's our holy ground.
Ganesha, that small elephant boy, will always be there for us as the aspect of the Lord who will remove obstacles or who will place stumbling blocks in our way if that way is not our path. We are grateful and humbled by his sagacity, his innocence and the love that he showered on us that mornin'. Praise be.
An ancient legend from the Puranas retold by Diane Carol Mark.
Diane Carol Mark brings a personal touch to her writing from fourteen years of extensive Asian travel. In addition to writing as a career for over ten years, Diane is a professional fine artist who lives in the Pacific Northwest. Dailey Swan Publishing has scheduled her novel Gold: The Zen of Dr. Shu Li for publication in July 2012. She has studied in an Intensive Individual Writers Program with author and teacher, Tom Bird. Her editor is the renowned Paul McCarthy, New York editor of nine #1 New York Times and international bestselling authors.
See her blogs at http://oracleofthewest.com
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