Ganesh Chaturthi 2004

From the Ganesha Purana

Lord Brahma told this story.

Once, at Kailasa, Narada brought Lord Shiva a rare fruit. Both Ganesha and Kumara asked for it. Shiva asked Brahma whom to give it to, and Brahma said, "To young Kumara." Ganesha was angered. When Brahma went home to create the worlds, Ganesha put obstacles in his way and frightened him with a fierce form.

The Moon saw that fierce form and laughed at Ganesha with his companions. Ganesha cursed him: "From now on no one in the three worlds should look at you. Whoever sees you will carry a great sin."

The Moon grew pale and sank into sorrow. The gods, led by Agni and Indra, went to Ganesha, praised Him and begged mercy for the Moon, for the whole world suffered without him. Ganesha said, "My word can never be untrue, yet I will not turn away those who come to Me for shelter. Whoever sees the Moon on the Chaturthi of the bright half of Bhadrapada, knowingly or unknowingly, will suffer false blame and sorrow."

The gods told the Moon to seek refuge in Ganesha. On the southern bank of the Ganga, the Moon chanted Ganesha's one syllable mantra for many years. Ganesha appeared, red and four armed, and the Moon begged forgiveness. Ganesha restored his beauty, but kept the rule for Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. He added that on the Chaturthi of each dark fortnight, when people keep His vow, He is to be worshipped at moonrise and the Moon worshipped too. "Stay on My forehead as a crescent," He said. The Moon set up an image of Ganesha, and the sages named Him Bhalachandra, the one with the moon on His brow.

From the Bhagavata Purana

The Sun god gave his devotee Satrajit a shining jewel, the Syamantaka, which gave a great weight of gold every day. Krishna asked Satrajit to give it to King Ugrasena, but Satrajit refused. His brother Prasena wore the jewel out hunting, and a lion killed him and took it. Jambavan, king of the bears, killed the lion and gave the jewel to his child as a toy.

When Prasena did not return, Satrajit said that Krishna had killed him for the jewel, and people whispered it. To clear His name, Krishna followed Prasena's trail with some townsmen, found him and the lion dead, and entered Jambavan's cave alone. Krishna and Jambavan fought for twenty eight days. Then Jambavan recognised Him as his Lord and gave Him the jewel and his daughter Jambavati. Krishna returned the jewel to Satrajit before the assembly. Ashamed, Satrajit gave Krishna his daughter Satyabhama, with the jewel. Krishna married Satyabhama but let Satrajit keep the jewel.

The Vishnu Purana, telling the same story, gives its blessing: whoever remembers how Krishna was cleared of false charges will never be falsely accused.

Another story

This is the katha traditionally told in the Vinayaka vrata. Krishna happened to see the Moon (some say its reflection in milk) on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi, and so the false blame of the jewel fell on Him. Krishna also kept this vrata, and by its power He won Jambavati and the Syamantaka jewel.