The boy stood up, alive once more. Shiva named him — Gana (hosts of demigods) + Isha (lord)—the Lord of all beings.
Shiva declared: “From this day, before any puja, any journey, any new beginning, Ganesha will be worshipped first. He is the remover of obstacles (Vighnaharta) and the bestower of wisdom.” After Ganesha was made the leader of the ganas, he was invited to a grand feast one night. He ate enormous quantities of modaks (sweet dumplings). To cool his stomach, he set out on his mouse (vahana) for a ride.
The gods trembled. Lord Brahma and Vishnu rushed to calm her. Lord Shiva, realizing his mistake, promised to bring the boy back to life.
Shiva grew angry. He sent his ganas (attendants) to subdue the boy, but the boy was no ordinary child. He defeated them all. Finally, Lord Shiva himself raised his trident (Trishul) and in a fierce battle, severed the boy’s head from his body. When Parvati came out and saw her son’s lifeless body, she was devastated. Her motherly love turned into divine rage. She revealed her true cosmic form—Adi Shakti—and declared, “Until my son is brought back to life, I will destroy all of creation.”
The leper king followed the instructions perfectly. He worshipped Ganesha with 21 modaks, durva grass, and red flowers. He listened to this very story. The moment he broke his fast, his leprosy vanished. He regained his kingdom and glory.
The Moon god (Chandra) was watching from the sky and began to laugh loudly at the sight of a pot-bellied god with a snake for a belt.
He ordered his ganas, “Go north (the most auspicious direction), and bring the head of the first living creature you find with its head facing north.” The ganas traveled north and found a dying elephant. They brought its head to Mount Kailash. Lord Shiva placed the elephant head onto the boy’s body and breathed life into it.