Shiva Purana 4 min read
Ganesha Circles His Parents
Two brothers raced around the world. One understood that the world is where love stands.
A divine fruit of wisdom was brought to Kailash, and Shiva and Parvati set a contest for it: whichever of their two sons first circled the whole world would win.
Kartikeya mounted his peacock and shot away, crossing rivers, deserts and oceans, determined to finish before his brother had begun.
Ganesha looked at his small mouse, then at his parents seated together. He rose, walked slowly around them once, and bowed. “My world is here,” he said. “Why should I travel past it?”
When Kartikeya returned, tired and triumphant, the fruit was already in Ganesha’s hands — and no one, not even the racer, could argue with the answer.