Ganesha and the Vedas: The word ‘Veda’ means Knowledge.

The word ‘Veda’ means Knowledge. The Vedic literatures are a vast body of knowledge comprising lakhs of verses. The Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, atharva Veda, Mahabharata (which includes the Bhagavad-Gita Gita), pancaratra, the Ramayana and the puranas comprise Vedic literature.

Vyasaveda, the great sage was specially empowered to compile the Vedic literatures. He composed lakhs of verses in Sanskrit. When he needed someone to write down the verses for his epic Mahabharata, he wondered who could assist him.” Who can write as fast as I think?” He pondered. Just Then Lord Brahma appeared.Vyasadev bowed down and said O lord Brahma! Please resolve this dilemma.” Brahma replied “Let Lord Ganesha be the one to write down your poetry.” Hearing this Vyasadev called for Ganesha. Ganesha readily agreed to the proposal. I will write,” ha said,” but I have a condition. I will write down the Sanskrit verses only if you recite without any pause. If you stop speaking, then I will stop writing.

Hearing this Vyasadev smiled and replied, ‘ I agree to speak without stopping but I too have a condition. Before you write, you must fully understand the meaning of what I have spoken. If you don’t understand, you must stop writing and continue only after you understand the meaning”.

In this way Vyasadeva and Ganesh started to write together. Vyasadeva continued to recite. After few verses he put some difficult word which Ganesha could not understand. Therefore he had to stop and think. During this pause Vyasadeva got enough time to think of the subsequent verses. In this way the work went on for many days. Ultimately thousands of verses were compiled by Vyasadev and written by Hindu God Ganesha. In this way the entire Mahabharata was completed.