Satrajita of Dwaraka had a gem called Syamantaka. It was dazzling. If it was worshipped with devotion it used to give plenty of gold every day. Once Prasena, Satrajita's brother, went out hunting. He was wearing the Syamantaka. A lion killed him and went to a cave, carrying the gem. A bear by name Jambavanta killed the lion and gave the Syamantaka to his child to play with. This Jambavanta was not an ordinary bear; he was the heroic follower of Shri Rama.

Prasena did not return to Dwaraka. Satrajita suspected that Krishna himself had killed him for the sake of the Syamantaka. The rumor soon spread. Krishna had not done anything wrong. So when he heard about Satrajita's suspicions he was unhappy. He went in search of Prasena. He found the corpse of Prasena. There were footprints of a lion nearby. Following these footprints, Krishna entered the cave of Jambavanta. He fought with Jambavanta for twenty-eight days. At last, Jambavanta understood that Shri Krishna was Shri Rama himself. Then he offered him the Syamantaka.

Krishna gave the Syamantaka to Satrajita and put an end to the evil rumors. However, he was surprised at what had happened. He asked the sages, "how could such things be said of me even when I had not done anything wrong". Great sages told him the story of Ganesha's curse and said, "You saw the Moon on the fourth day."Then Krishna worshipped Ganesha. Siddhi-Vinayaka Vrata, the worship of Ganesha is performed on the fourth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada. The devotees believe that those who see the Moon on that day will not suffer, if they listen to the story of the Syamantaka.

Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom and bliss. He is the Lord of Brahmacharis. He is foremost amongst the celibates. He has as his vehicle a small mouse. He is the presiding Deity of the Muladhara Chakra, the psychic centre in the body in which the Kundalini Shakti resides.

The significance of riding on a mouse is the complete conquest over egoism. The holding of the ankusha represents His rulership of the world. It is the emblem of divine Royalty.

Ganesha is the first God. Riding on a mouse, one of nature’s smallest creatures and having the head of an elephant, the biggest of all animals, denotes that Ganesha is the creator of all creatures. Elephants are very wise animals; this indicates that Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom. It also denotes the process of evolution—the mouse gradually evolves into an elephant and finally becomes a man. This is why Ganesha has a human body, an elephant’s head and a mouse as His vehicle. This is the symbolic philosophy of His form.

Once Ganesha & His brother Lord Subramanya had a dispute. The matter was referred to Lord Shiva for final decision. Shiva decided that whoever would make a tour of the whole world and come back first to the starting point had the right to be the elder. Subramanya flew off at once on his vehicle, the peacock, to make a circuit of the world. But the wise Ganesha went, in loving worshipfulness, around His divine parents and asked for the prize of His victory.

Lord Shiva said, “Beloved and wise Ganesha! But how can I give you the prize; you did not go around the world?”

Ganesha replied, “No, but I have gone around my parents. My parents represent the entire manifested universe!”

Thus the dispute was settled in favour of Lord Ganesha, who was thereafter acknowledged as the elder of the two brothers. Mother Parvati also gave Him a fruit as a prize for this victory.