Kubera and Ganpathi

[Guest guest]

Lord ganesh is also known as Ganapathi. He was the son of Lord Shiva. He was a

short, fat boy with an elephant's head. He was full of fun and frolic. He gave

trouble if people took no notice of him. He stopped them from doing their work.

He liked good food and wanted plenty to eat. Everyone tried to please him by

offering him fruits, sweets and other nice things to eat.

Kubera was the richest man in the world. He was so rich that nobody could say

how much wealth he had. He was very proud of his wealth and thought he was

greater then anyone else in the world. He had the habit of showing off his

wealth and he wanted people to know how great he was. He liked them to come

begging for his help. Kings, nobles and all-important people went to him at one

time or another seeking his help and he always helped those who went to

him.Kubera liked to spend his wealth in every possible way. He built big

temples and huge palaces. He held festivals. He arranged feasts. He gave rich

gifts to rajas and noblemen. He gave help to the poor. But, with all his

spending, his wealth only increased, and he had to find new ways of spending

it. He thought long about this and decided to invite the gods themselves to big

feasts. Lord Shiva was his favorite god. It was owing to Shiva's blessings that

he had become so rich. So Kubera wanted to invite Shiva and his

family to a feast.Kubera went to Kailash, offered his prayers to Shiva and said,

"O Lord, I am grateful to you for all your blessings. I am now the richest man

in the world. I have helped the rich and the poor alike. Now everybody sings my

praises.""Well, well," said Shiva. "I have heard all this, but what brings you

here now?""My Lord," said Kubera, "I have come here to invite you and your

family and friends to feast at my house. I shall call all the important people

in the world. They all want to meet you to pay their respects to you."But Shiva

very politely declined the offer saying that he is too old for the same. Kubera

insisted that my Lord you cannot do this injustice to me. And if you cannot

come at least send Devi Parvati along with the children. Shiva said my dear

Kubera my wife would not go alone and the children would not go without their

mother.Kubera was very disappointed. He fell at Shiva's feet and said: "My

Lord, what will

people think of me now? I told them that I was coming here to invite you. They

all think that you never refuse anything I ask you."Shiva said: "I think I can

help you in one way. I shall ask my Ganapathi, my little son, to attend a feast

in your home."Kubera agreed. He fixed a date for a feast for Ganapathi and

returned home.Kubera made arrangements to hold the biggest feast ever held in

the world. A huge dining hall was built and new kitchens were set up. Silver

vessels and gold plates and dishes were specially made. Foodstuffs of all kind

were stored. He engaged hundreds of cooks and other servants.Kubera invited

many kings and their families, the nobles and their friends, and all the other

important people of the world.As the day of the feast approached, guests began

to arrive. Kings, queens, princes, and princesses came wearing colorful

costumes and costly jewels. Kubera received them and put them up in splendid

guesthouses. On the day of the feast, he and

his family wore the finest clothes and richest ornaments. They waited with the

guests for the arrival of Ganapathi.Ganapathi arrived at the appointed time.

Kubera received him with respect and courtesy. He was going to introduce him at

once to other guests, but Ganapathi said that he was very hungry and wanted his

food first.Kubera took Ganapathi to the dining hall, which was beautifully

decorated. There were thousands of brightly lit lamps, and a sweet scent arose

from sprinkle perfume and burnt incense; music was played. In the center of the

hall was spread a beautiful and very costly carpet. In front of it were gold

plates, and dishes filled with delicious food and fruits of many

kinds.Ganapathi sat down and started eating. He was very hungry and quickly ate

up all the food that had been served. The plates were refilled and Ganapathi did

not take long to empty them again. Once more all the plates and dishes were

filled, but Ganapathi gobbled up all the food. More

and yet more food was brought and it was eaten as soon as it was served.Kubera

ordered quicker service and people started running between the kitchen and the

dinning hall, bringing in more and more food and quickly removed the empty

plates. Ganapathi was still so hungry that those who served could not keep pace

with his eating. Soon he had eaten all the food prepared for thousands of

people, and he was still asking for more.Kubera ordered more food to be cooked.

But Ganapathi stood up and said that he was so hungry he could not wait. Kubera

prayed for time but Ganapathi was impatient. He went to the kitchen and ate all

the food as it was being cooked. He went to the storeroom and ate all the

foodstuffs kept there. Still he was hungry. He came out and asked Kubera to

give his something more to eat. Kubera was helpless.Ganapathi went to Kubera's

palace and ate up whatever food he could find there. He went to the rooms where

Kubera kept his gold and ate that up.

Still he was not satisfied. He turned to Kubera and said, "You wanted me to eat

here. Give me some food or I shall have to eat you." Kubera took fright and

started running. Ganapathi ran after him. Kubera ran faster and Ganapathi was

just behind. They ran and ran for a long time until they reached Kailash.

Kubera cried aloud to Shiva to come and save him. Shiva came out and Kubera

fell at his feet.Shiva looked kindly at Kubera. Shiva asked kubera to give up

his pride and serve Ganesh a handful of rice. Kubera went back to his palace.

By this time, Ganesha's stomach had become very huge but the child was very

hungry. When kubera served a cup of rice with humility , Ganesha's hunger was

satisfied..Kubera prayed to Shiva and begged to be forgiven for being too proud

of his riches.

This is why we should never take undue pride in our material or spiritual

accomplishments.The old saying, 'PRIDE ALWAYS LEADS TO FALL' was proved to be

true in the above story..

Om Shree Ganeshaya Namah..Sai bhakt,

Deepa H

Debu7366

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