Ganesha and the Race He Won with His Mind
The race had begun! Kartikeya flew across the sky on his speedy peacock, leaving Ganesha far behind. But Ganesha had only his tiny mouse. How could he ever compete with his brother's fast peacock? Was he about to lose the race before it even began?
In this story
A Race Around the World
One day, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati gave their two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya, an exciting challenge.
“Who can travel around the whole world and come back first?”
Kartikeya quickly climbed onto his peacock.
“I will win!” he said.
WHOOSH!
He flew away as fast as he could.
But Ganesha stayed behind.
He looked at his small mouse and thought, “How can I race around the whole world so quickly?”
Then Ganesha smiled.
He had an idea!
Ganesha’s Clever Idea
Ganesha walked over to his parents, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Then he slowly went around them three times.
Everyone was surprised.
“Why did you do that?” they asked.
Ganesha smiled and said, “My parents mean the whole world to me. By going around you, I have gone around my world.”
Shiva and Parvati were very happy with Ganesha’s clever answer.
Kartikeya Returns from His Journey
Later, Kartikeya returned after travelling around the world.
He was surprised to learn that Ganesha had already completed the challenge in his own thoughtful way.
Ganesha had not won by being the fastest.
He had won by thinking differently.
Moral of the Story
Being smart is not always about being the fastest. Sometimes, understanding a problem in a different way can help you find the best answer.
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