STORY OF SHREE VARADVINAYAK

In the ancient period there was a great King, Bhima of Koudinyapur. He had no children; hence he & his wife left the kingdom and came to the forest for the penance. There they came to the Ashrama of Vishwamitra. The King prostrated before him. Sage Vishwamitra gave him Ekashar Gajanan Mantra & ask him to chant it in temple. After doing the same, some year later, he got a son of extremely good character. He was named Rukmaganda. He was beautiful and has golden luster. When he became a youth he learned & also received Ganesh Mantra from his father.

Once Rukmanganda went to forest for hunting. When he became tired and thirsty he went to a nearby hermitage of Vachaknavi. The Sage asked him to go inside and wait as he had to go out for bathing. The King went in and requested the Rishi’s wife Mukunda for some water. But Mukunda became enamoured by the prince’s beauty and asked him to fulfill her desire. As Rukmanganda was of ectremely good character he Flatly refused. The sage’s wife became angry and cursed him to became a kushta rogi (i.e. leprosy). He came out and started entreating Lord Ganesh. His body became white and his colleagues could not recognised him.

Once Narad Muni came to this place and asked him to take bath in Chintamani Lake and worship the Ganesha there, Rukmangada did as adviced and was cured.

After Rukmangada left, Mukunda became very much lovesick. His beautiful form was constantly in her mind. Once she was half asleep in a lonely place in the forest. At that time, King Indra, knowing her plight, took the form of Rukmangada and had pleasure with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Vachaknavi named him as Gritsamada and taught him all Vedas & Mantras. Gritsamada was lustrous and intelligent. Once Rishi Gristsamada went to the assembly of a Magadha Raja. Other sages like Atri, Vishwamitra also were there. During an intellectual discussion Gritsamada was establishing his theory forcefully. Suddenly Atri said, “You are not Vachaknavi’s own son. You are the son of Rukmangada. How can you be equal to us go back.”

Gritasamada came back insulted and asked his mother to tell the truth. Mukunda told him the facts. Gritsamada cursed her to became a thorny plant bearing BHOR FRUITS. Nobody will touch these fruits because of thorns. Mukunda also became angry and said, “Through I am a sinner, I am your mother, I curse you that a cruel rakshas (i.e. demon) will born from you.”

At that time there was a voice from heaven ‘Gritsamada is Indra’s son’ both mother & son were shocked. Mukunda was converted into the plant of BHOR. Gritsamada felt ashamed and came out of the Ashram. To wash away his ill fame he thought of propitiating Gajanana. He remembered the greatness of the following mantra taught by his father Vachaknavi. “OM GANANAMTVA GANAPATHIM HAVAMAHE KAVIM KAVINAAM UPAMASRA – VASTHAMAM!

He went to forest called PUSHPAK. With single-minded meditation he performed penance for six thousand years eating just leaves. Shri Gajanan appeared before him. Gritsamada prostrated before him and asked for following boons “Let this forest became holy. Let devotees get attainment (Siddhi) of their aims here. You must stay here permanently to fulfill the desire of devotees coming here. Give me knowledge of Brahma.”

Lord Ganapati said “O Gristsamada, you will be counted as one of the best vedic brahmins. You will be drashta rishi of the mantra sukta. “Gananamtva, You wil be the founder of the Ganapatya Sampradaya. You will get a brave son who cannot be defeated by anybody other than Shankar. This forest will be called as Bhadraka in kaliyuga. People giving aims and bathing here will get their desire fulfilled.” Giving these boons Ganapati disappeared. There Gritsamada built a temple and the idol installed there was called “Varadavinayaka”. The idol is facing east and its trunk is left-turned. If the coconut received as prasad during Maghi Chaturthi is consumed he will be blessed with a son. Moreover, if Vinayaka is served, devotees definitely get his darshan. Hence there is heavy rush during Maghi Utsav.