There was only one problem. "I have no scribe to write the story down," thought Vyasa. "The words and rhythms tremble on my tongue. If I stop to write them, the rest of the story might die inside me, and that would be a terrible thing. I must find someone who can write it down as fast as I recite, so that people who live long years from now can know this story".

Vyasa prayed to Brahma for his help. Brahma advised him to go to Ganesha, since he is the remover of all obstacles.

Again, Vyasa prayed, this time to Ganesha. In a while, Ganesha appeared before him.

Vyasa implored, "O dancing god with the elephant head, who can hold the world in your great belly, do me the honor of being my scribe. Write down the story with which my mind overflows, so others may read it and learn from it".

"What is this story?" rumbled Ganesha.

Vyasa said, "It is the story of life and death, good and evil, war and peace".

Ganesha laughed, and his enormous belly shook. "All right, Sage Vyasa," he said, "I'll be your scribe, but on one condition. In telling your story you must not rest or stop for any reason. If you do, I'll stop writing and go away".

Vyasa thought. At length he said, "You of the long trunk and lotus feet, I bow to you. But I, too have a condition. I won't stop while I tell my story, but you must understand all that I narrate, as I narrate it. You must grasp every word before you write it".

"Oh, very well," said Ganesha. He then sat down and asked Vyasa to start.

All the time, as Vyasa chanted the verses, Ganesha wrote, fast and furious. Vyasa was careful not to pause, but as time went on he grew a little tired. So once in a while, just to give himself time to think about the next part of the story, he would throw in some difficult words or long, roundabout sentences. Ganesha grumbling to himself, would have to stop a moment and try to understand what Vyasa had said before writing it down.

At length the great poem came to an end, with the last faint echoes of the very last words. Ganesha yawned carelessly, stretched and rubbed his great belly in satisfaction.

The completion of this epic poem which came to be known as the Mahabharata, took three years and one hundred thousand verses.

References:

Krishnaswami, Uma, Illus. by Maniam Sen. The Broken Tusk, Stories of the Hindu God Ganesha: Calcutta: Rupa & Co, 1997

These unique artworks come along with a suitable gift box, and also a wooden stand - as shown in the accompanying image on the left.