There are a few legends attributed to the manifestation or birth of Lord Ganesha; however, the most accepted one is that He was formed by Goddess Parvati, from the material of Her own body.

There are a few legends attributed to the manifestation or birth of Lord Ganesha; however, the most accepted one is that He was formed by Goddess Parvati, from the material of Her own body. She then instructed Ganesha to guard, while she had her bath. It was during this time that Lord Shiva came there to meet His consort Parvati, however the steadfast Ganesha did not allow entry to Him. The enraged Shiva, sent His demigods or “Ganas” to conquer Ganesha, but they had to taste defeat. This made Lord Shiva to tackle with Ganesha directly and in the battle, Shiva severed the head of Ganesha. Goddess Parvati, who returned after Her bath, became extremely furious after witnessing Ganesha, without head.

Lord Shiva then ordered His “Ganas” to travel in the northward direction and to come with the head of anything that they happened to see first. It so happened, that they saw an elephant and its head was fitted to the body of Parvati’s manifested son. Lord Shiva then also declared that Ganesha will be the leader of His followers and from this time forth, will be worshipped first in the beginning of all religious activities for successful outcomes.

The Hidden Meaning Behind Ganesha’s Elephant Head is that It can be explained as “Tatvamasi” from the Upanishads.
“Tvam” = You, yours or me, mine (referencing the human body)
“Tat” = That, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Self
The mind needs to change from focusing on worldly things to finding the highest Truth. When Lord Shiva put a new head on Lord Ganesha, it was symbolic of changing one’s mind to a mind which is free from thoughts, desires, and attachments.! ✨🐘🕉🌀🎨🐚🔔✨