17. Ganesha and The Cat

One early afternoon, Ganesha was feeling lazy. He was sleepy and sat cross legged. His big belly rested over his legs and his eyes whisked in sleep.

Suddenly his mouse Kroncha came running. It squeaked loudly, waking up Ganesha.

Ganesha lifted his brows and asked Kroncha, "Where are you running Kroncha? Whom are you hiding from?"

Kroncha trembled with fear. He stood on his hind feet and joined hands before Ganesha expressing forgiveness for disturbing Ganesha while he had been resting. Kroncha said, "My Lord, there is a cat in vicinity. I am afraid it may hurt me".

Kroncha narrated how the cat had quietly whiskered into their territory. He was afraid that the cat might hurt him. Ganesha laughed and told  Kroncha, "Call all your friends and brothers".

So Kroncha called his brothers and friends. A large team of mice gathered around Ganesha. Ganesha told them about his plan.

The team of mice left with Ganesha who mounted his mouse, Kroncha. Seeing the large number of mice and the elephant trunked human, the cat attempted to run away. 

However Ganesha and his follower mice were very naughty. They had their tricks. The mice circled around the cat and chased it in unison from one side to another. Meanwhile, Ganesha lifted the cat with its tail. He twisted its tail, whirlpooled it, gave with swings and pendulated it hard. The cat yowled and cried in pain. 

But Ganesha and his team of mice jumped- rejoicing the playful act. They cheered Lord Ganesha as he played around the cat. Ganesha teased, laughed and enjoyed the play with the cat. This time he took the cat once by its tail and banged it on the floor. He ran around the cat chasing it from one side to another. The cat struggled to escape from his grasp. 

After the long play, Ganesha began feeling hungry. So he shoo away the cat and asked his team of mice to wait until he returned with ladoos for all of them. The cat disappeared and Ganesha returned to see his mother to ask her for the food. 

However, when Ganesha reached home and saw his mother, he was shocked. His mother, Goddess Parvati was covered with dust and bruised all over. She appeared to be in great pain. 

Ganesha was in panic when he saw his mother's condition. He ran to her,  touched her lovingly and asked her, "Mother, what happened to you? You appear to be hurt and in pain".

Hearing Ganesha's endearing words, Parvati's heart swelled with motherly love. She gave him a hug. Inspite of being hurt, she gave a deeply pleasing, adorable smile and said, "Ganesh, donot you remember you were just playing with me with your troop of mischievous mice? I am the existence. As a mother I reside in the entire existence. See how your play pranks have hurt me at places".

Ganesha was enlightened. He understood that the cat he had been playing with so much notoriety was none other that His own mother - Goddess Parvati. He regretted for causing such  pain to the cat for sake of fun. He understood that His mother, Goddess Parvati who was the mother of entire existence, existed in all the forms of existence. Thus when He played pranks around the cat, causing pain and suffering to it,  his mother was equally pained and suffered.

Ganesha sought forgiveness from his mother. He resolved never to harm any innocent being for sake of his fun and joy.

This story is often related to Ganesha's celebracy.