Legend of Lord Ganesha and Shami Patra is mentioned in the Mahapuranas and Upapuranas, which are ancient Hindu religious texts. Lord Ganesha is also known as Gajananeti, Gaurisuta, Kripalu, Lambakarna, Namasthetu, Omkara, Shubhagunakanan, Umaputra and Vakratunda. The tale is related with the worship of Ganesha with Shami Patra, also known as Vanhipatra. Shami Patra (Prosopis Cineraria) is a species of flowering tree that belongs to the pea family.
The legend states that once Goddess Parvati demanded to know from Lord Shiva, the cause of Ganesha`s preference of Shami Patra. Then her husband, Shiva, narrated the tale. There was once a king named Priyavrat, who was a great and religious ruler. The King had 2 wives named Prabha and Kirti. Priyavrat had a son named Padmanan with his wife Prabha. As his son was very intelligent, so his thread ceremony was performed when Padmanan was merely 5 years of age.
One day Prabha insulted Kirti, who decided to commit suicide as she could not bear the humiliation. But then a priest named Deval stopped Kirti and advised her to worship Ganesha. Thus she engaged herself in deep meditation and offered Shami Patra infused with sacred mantra to the Lord, instead of Durva grass (Bermuda grass). Lord Ganesha was pleased with her offering. Kirti later gave birth to Shiraprasadan. When her son became 4 years of age, he was poisoned and eventually died.
Then Sage Gutsamand, a devotee of the Lord, appeared and suggested Kirti that she should worship and please Ganesha with Shami Patra. She followed the advice of the sage and prayed to the Lord, who became pleased with her devotion. Thus Shiraprasadan came back to life by the blessings of Ganesha. Later, Prabha was affected by a severe disease and King Priyavrat treated Kirti with respect.
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