Madhu Kaitabha Story And Ganesha

At the time of creation, Brahma is seated on the lotus coming out of the navel of Mahavishnu.

Mahavishnu is asleep on top of Adishesha in the middle of the great ocean.

At that time two Asuras took birth from the ear wax of Mahavishnu.

They were Madhu and Kaitabha.

As soon as they were born, they saw Brahma sitting there on top of the lotus and challenged him: fight with us or we will kill you.

Brahma is a tapaswi, not a fighter.

He requested Lord Vishnu for help.

But the Lord didn’t even hear, because he was fast asleep under the influence of Yoganidra Devi.

Devi had taken over completely.

When Brahma realized this, he prayed to Devi to come out of Vishnu’s body.

She did so. 

Vishnu woke up and started fighting with the Asuras.

Five thousand years went by.

Still, they were fighting.

Fatigue took over Lord Vishnu.

He took  a break 

Then only he realized that Devi had given the Asuras a boon that they will die only when they wish.

So killing them is not going to be easy.

Lord Vishnu prayed to Devi.

She showed a way out.

She enticed the asuras with a beautiful smile.

While they were lost in her beauty, when their brain was not working, the Lord told them: you both are very brave, take a boon from me.

They said, we’re not beggars to take boon from a weakling like you;

you take a boon from us.

The Lord immediately said: then die in my hands.

That's how the Asuras got killed.

When the lord took a break after 5000 years of fighting, something more had happened.

He was completely dejected.

He had almost given up.

What is the point in going back to the battlefield?

This had never happened with him before.

In the earlier kalpas, he had eliminated thousands of Asuras

just like that.

The holy teertha, Naimisharanya got its name because he had destroyed an entire Asura army in a  nimisha, in a second there.

But what is happening now?

Just two asuras, that too who took birth from his own ear wax.

5000 years gone.

They are still there, making fun of him.

Laughing at him.

Terribly upset, the lord changed himself into a Gandharva and started singing sitting in a forest to divert his mind.

The whole world got mesmerized by his singing including Lord Shiva.

Shiva sent two of his assistants, Nikumbha and Pushpadnta.

Go and see who is singing so beautifully.

Bring him here.

They went to Mahavishnu.

Lord Vishnu accompanied them to Kailasa

As soon as Lord Shiva saw him, he realized that it was none other than Mahavishnu.

They embraced each other.

Mahavishnu told Shiva what he was going through.

Shiva asked him: did you worship Vinayaka before getting into the fight?

No, I forgot.

That is the whole problem.

What to do now?

Ganesha only can take you out of the situation.

Lord Shiva gave Mahavishnu the upadesha of Shadakshara mantra.

Lord Vishnu went to siddhi kshetra and observed tapas with that mantra for 1000 years.

Lord Ganesha became pleased and appeared before him.

Then blessed him that he would succeed in the battle.

It was after this that Mahavishnu realized that the Asurs were not dying because Devi had given them the boon of iccha mrityu, that their death will happen only when they ask for it.

Mahavishnu constructed a beautiful temple of Siddhi-Vinayak at the place where he had observed tapas.

Knowledge Bank

Who is Ganesh Ji’s wife?

Ganesh Ji has got two wives, Siddhi and Buddhi. They stand for success and intelligence. In another representation in iconology of Ganesha, he can be seen with a single wife sitting on his lap. In that form, he is called Vallabha-Sahita Ganapathy. Her name is Lakshmi.

Works of Kalidasa

Mahakavyas- Kumarasambhava, Raghuvamsha. Other works- Malavikagnimitram, Abhijnanashakuntalam, Vikramorvashiyam, Meghaduta, Ritusamhara, Shyamala Dandakam.