SHIVA (HIS SONS)
Ganesh:
Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, is the son of Shiva and Parvati. One of the most beloved deities in the Hindu pantheon is the elephant-headed god Ganesh, who is worshipped first in all Hindu rituals, as he is the harbinger of good fortune and the lord of wisdom. There is a popular story describing how he came to have an elephant’s head on a plump human body.
Parvati was alone in the forest awaiting Shiva’s return from a long retreat. Not knowing when He would come, she decided to create a son. Before beginning her daily bath, she formed Ganesh from the dust on her body. She gave her young son the task of guarding her bathing place, to ward off any intruders who might disturb her privacy. Shiva arrived back unexpectedly, and wishing to see Parvati immediately went to the bathing place. Here He was denied entry by Ganesh, who had never seen his father. Shiva was furious at being prevented from seeing His wife, and not knowing Ganesh was His son, cut off the boy’s head.