How Ganesh Jee Got One Tusk?

13-How Ganesh Jee Got Only One Tusk

There are several stories about this

One Story

Once Parashuraam Jee came to Kailaash Parvat to visit Shiv Jee. Shiv Jee was sleeping so Ganesh Jee stopped him at the door from going inside. A fight between them ensued at this. Ganesh Jee caught him with his trunk and hit him on the ground. This left him unconscious for some time. When he came into senses he threw his Pharasaa (axe) at Ganesh Jee. Ganesh Jee immediately recognized it as his father's weapon (his father gave it to Parashuraam), and received it with all his humility on his one tusk. This broke his one tusk and left him with one tusk only.

That is why he is also called as Ekdant or Ekdanshtra - means who has only one tusk.

Another Story

There is another story about his one tusk. A different legend narrates that when Ganesh Jee was asked to write down the epic of Mahaabhaarat, dictated to him by its author sage Ved Vyaas Jee, taking into note the enormity and significance of the task, he realized the inadequacy of any ordinary 'pen' to undertake the task. So he broke one of his own tusks and made a pen out of it. The lesson offered here is that no sacrifice is big enough in pursuit of knowledge.

In the same reference, it is also said that as he was writing Mahaabhaarat, his pen broke, and he broke his one tusk to continue writing.

Another Story

An ancient Sanskrit drama titled "Shishupaal Vadh", presents a different version. Here it is mentioned that Ganesh Jee was deprived of his tusk by the arrogant Raavan, who removed it forcefully in order to make ivory earrings for the beautiful women of Lankaa.