Om Maha Ganadhipathaye Namah
Here follows what Mahamuni Sootha described ; The origins of Lord Gajanana and the bad effects of sighting the moon and the necessary procedures to be followed to eliminate or come out of these bad effects.
Once upon a time a Rakshasa (demon) who resembles a Gaja (Elephant) underwent a rigorous tapas (meditation) in order to impress Lord Shiva and seek his blessings. The elated Lord Shiva appeared to his devotee and inquired the Rakshasa about the reason behind such rigourous penance. Gajasura requested Lord Shiva to remain within his stomach.
Lord Shiva known for his humble blessings for his devotees, fulfilled his devotees’ wish by entering Gajasura’s stomach and staying there happily.
Meanwhile, Goddess Parvathi started searching for Lord Shiva as she could not find him in ‘Kailash’(The heavenly abode of Lord Shiva). After a long search, she realised that Lord Shiva is in the stomach of Gajasura. She wanted her husband to be released out of Gajasura.So, she prayed to Lord Vishnu requesting him for the release of her husband.
She was confident that Lord Vishnu can do the needful as he rescued her husband earlier from the clutches of Bhasmasura, the demon. Lord Vishnu consoled Goddess Parvathi and said that he would try his level best. Afterwards, Vishnu called for a meeting with the rest of the gods such as Brahma etc. In the meeting, it was decided that the best way to save Lord Shiva is to impress Gajasura is to perform an ensemble along with a a decorated ox (Shiva’s Vehicle). With that suggestion, the Nandi (Ox) was decorated very nicely with a lot of bells around its neck. It is a well known practice to decorate an ox in such a nice way and play the shehnai (Indian Flute) as well as the Melam (Indian Drums).
When the drums along with other musical instruments are played, the ox gets excited and starts shaking its body, head and stamping its legs. Such a performance or dance by the ox is used to thrill many demons and especially Gajasura. So, Vishnu along with the rest of the Gods with the other musical instruments accompanied the decorated Nandi to the Gajasurapura, th town of Gajasura.
With such a great dance and music performed in front of Gajasura, he was thrilled and impressed and asked Vishnu who is in the form of the lead performer,what they would like to have from Gajasura. It used to be ‘Dharma’ to agree and give what was asked, in those days by Kings.
So, Vishnu as a response to Gajasura, introduced his team starting with the decorated ox as the vahana of Lord Shiva.He also said that the Nandi is wishing to have a ‘Darshan’ of its Lord, Shiva. So, the team had come here to Gajasurapura to see Lord Shiva and request Gajasura to release Lord Shiva.With that,Gajasura realised that the team leader is none other than Lord Vishnu himself, who was known to eliminate the Rakshasas(demons) and thought that it would be difficult to escape from Vishnu. So, he prayed to Lord Shiva who was in his stomach, to bless him in such a way that his head would be ‘pooja worthy’ in all the three worlds (triloka) and his skin to be used by Lord Shiva himself after Gajasura dies.Vishnu accorded to his request and then encouraged the Nandi to do his job , of getting his Lord. Vishnu increased his pace of chanting and playing of music in order to excite the Nandi to do that. The Nandi, with great power, plunged on to Gajasura, who did not resist much to the act of the Nandi. The Nandi could break open the stomach of Gajasura and had his darshan of Lord Shiva and released him. That’s how the significance of Gajasura’s head being used or prayed was described in the Sacred Texts.
