Lord Ganesha Mantras

Once, while Lord Shiva was away, Goddess Parvati wished to bathe undisturbed. From the turmeric paste of her own body she fashioned a boy, breathed life into him, and set him at the door as her guard, bidding him let no one enter. When Shiva returned and the boy — not knowing his own father — barred his way, a fierce quarrel broke out, and in his anger Shiva severed the boy's head.

Parvati, beholding her slain son, was overcome with grief and rage, and threatened to dissolve all creation unless he were restored. To pacify her, Shiva sent his ganas to bring the head of the first living being they found sleeping facing north — and they returned with the head of a mighty elephant. Shiva set it upon the boy and breathed life into him once more.

So the boy lived again, elephant-headed and radiant. Shiva embraced him as his own son and blessed him: that he would be Ganapati, lord of all the ganas; Vighnaharta, the remover of obstacles; and the first among the gods to be worshipped, before any undertaking or any other deity. This is why every prayer, every puja and every new beginning starts with the name of Shri Ganesha.