According to Ganesh Purana, the following story is stated to highlight the mahima (greatness) of Durva (Sacred Grass). And its importance in Ganesh worship.
Once Yama Dharmaraja was seating on his throne in his court, he was surrounded by his kingsmen, rishis, devas and munis. Celestial damsels like Tilottama were dancing in the court. Looking at Tilottama’s beauty, Yama got attracted to her. In order to control his emotion, he moved out of the court and ran towards the exit. However in the process his semen fall on the ground. From that semen rose a demon named as Analasur. Analasur was very ferocious. His eyes were so red that they appeared to be emitting fire. He had huge teeth, a body was red in color and smell that of a fire. He made life of one and all miserable. Hence rishis, munis, devas and others approached Lord Narayana for annihilating the demon. Lord Narayana advised them to pray to Lord Ganesha as he was the fittest person for this job.
All the Gods invoked Lord Ganesha to help defeat Analasur. A fight ensued between Analasur and Lord Ganesha in which Lord devoured demon. However it created a terrific burning sensation in the stomach of Lord Ganesha. This sensation could not be mitigated by any means. The devas, rishis and munis tried to cure with various remedies without any result. Finally a sage suggested that they cover the Lord Ganesha with the sacred grass. All the people gathered around made bundles of 21 durvas, invoked mantras and covered Lord Ganesha. This relieved the burning sensation of the Lord.
Lord Ganesha stated that henceforth he will be satisfied and will grant required boons to anyone who worships him with 21 durvas. The stock of this durva may contain 3 or 5 blades.
There are number of stories that illustrate how people got benefited by offering durvas to Lord Ganesha. As one story goes, there was a king in Avanti who was just, noble, benevolent with a great respect for brahmins, sages and scholars. He honored them when they visited his court. Once a brahmin came to court wearing only loincloth. He came for alms, gifts and to prove his knowledge and intelligence. On seeing his condition the king felt sorry, but without his own knowledge, he smiled. The brahmin felt that he was insulted for his poor condition and in an anger cursed the king that he would become a bull. Further he stated that he will slog all day and eat only grass. The queen felt that the brahmin has cursed her husband for no fault of him. She in turn cursed the brahmin that he will become a donkey and carry out his duty with washer-man. Again the brahmin got wild and cursed the queen that she will earn her living by selling grass. Eventually they all took birth according to the curses. Queen born again and eventually started selling grass. King born as a bull and brahmin born as a donkey. In course of time, during a storm, by effect of previous karma and by coincidence all three of them took shelter in one Ganesha temple on a chaturthi day. The bull and the donkey grabbed a bunch of grass as they were without food for whole day. The lady was also without food for the whole day and she was tired. She tried to drive the animals and in the process all three of them ran around idol of Lord Ganesh. A bunch of grass from the mouth of bull and the donkey fell on the Ganesh idol. The people gathered in the temple drove away all the three outside into the storm. They died outside the temple. When the people came out of the temple, they found that all three of them were carried in the celestial car to the heaven. The angels who were carrying them told people around that they are being carried to heaven under the order of Lord Ganesha as he was pleased by their worship on chaturthi day by observing a fast and offering durva without their knowledge.
Once Yama Dharmaraja was seating on his throne in his court, he was surrounded by his kingsmen, rishis, devas and munis. Celestial damsels like Tilottama were dancing in the court. Looking at Tilottama’s beauty, Yama got attracted to her. In order to control his emotion, he moved out of the court and ran towards the exit. However in the process his semen fall on the ground. From that semen rose a demon named as Analasur. Analasur was very ferocious. His eyes were so red that they appeared to be emitting fire. He had huge teeth, a body was red in color and smell that of a fire. He made life of one and all miserable. Hence rishis, munis, devas and others approached Lord Narayana for annihilating the demon. Lord Narayana advised them to pray to Lord Ganesha as he was the fittest person for this job.
All the Gods invoked Lord Ganesha to help defeat Analasur. A fight ensued between Analasur and Lord Ganesha in which Lord devoured demon. However it created a terrific burning sensation in the stomach of Lord Ganesha. This sensation could not be mitigated by any means. The devas, rishis and munis tried to cure with various remedies without any result. Finally a sage suggested that they cover the Lord Ganesha with the sacred grass. All the people gathered around made bundles of 21 durvas, invoked mantras and covered Lord Ganesha. This relieved the burning sensation of the Lord.
Lord Ganesha stated that henceforth he will be satisfied and will grant required boons to anyone who worships him with 21 durvas. The stock of this durva may contain 3 or 5 blades.
There are number of stories that illustrate how people got benefited by offering durvas to Lord Ganesha. As one story goes, there was a king in Avanti who was just, noble, benevolent with a great respect for brahmins, sages and scholars. He honored them when they visited his court. Once a brahmin came to court wearing only loincloth. He came for alms, gifts and to prove his knowledge and intelligence. On seeing his condition the king felt sorry, but without his own knowledge, he smiled. The brahmin felt that he was insulted for his poor condition and in an anger cursed the king that he would become a bull. Further he stated that he will slog all day and eat only grass. The queen felt that the brahmin has cursed her husband for no fault of him. She in turn cursed the brahmin that he will become a donkey and carry out his duty with washer-man. Again the brahmin got wild and cursed the queen that she will earn her living by selling grass. Eventually they all took birth according to the curses. Queen born again and eventually started selling grass. King born as a bull and brahmin born as a donkey. In course of time, during a storm, by effect of previous karma and by coincidence all three of them took shelter in one Ganesha temple on a chaturthi day. The bull and the donkey grabbed a bunch of grass as they were without food for whole day. The lady was also without food for the whole day and she was tired. She tried to drive the animals and in the process all three of them ran around idol of Lord Ganesh. A bunch of grass from the mouth of bull and the donkey fell on the Ganesh idol. The people gathered in the temple drove away all the three outside into the storm. They died outside the temple. When the people came out of the temple, they found that all three of them were carried in the celestial car to the heaven. The angels who were carrying them told people around that they are being carried to heaven under the order of Lord Ganesha as he was pleased by their worship on chaturthi day by observing a fast and offering durva without their knowledge.
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