The story goes as follows:

Sage Pulatsya was in a conversation - In the meantime, Vyasa's disciple Great Muni Sanjay greeted Guru Bhishma and asked him a question.

Sanjay asked:

“Could you please tell us the order in which deities are to be worshipped? Who should be worshipped first? What rituals must one follow? Who should be offered prayers in the end? How will this impact or reward the humankind?”

Vyas stated:

“The first prayer must always be offered to Ganesh, who is also known as Vinayak (Lord of all living beings), as he is the son of Parvati and is believed to remove all obstacles not only in this life but the afterlife too.”

Parvati and Maheshwar were blessed with two children. Skanda and Ganesh. They’re considered to be the bravest and mightiest deities.

The Gods were delighted upon seeing them and they offered Parvati a pure and divine sweet (Modak) made out of nectar with utmost devotion.

Ganesh and Skanda instantly asked Parvati, their mother for the modak. She was pleasantly surprised by their reaction and said to them:

“My dear children, the Gods have conferred this sweet to us as their blessing. This modak is the ultimate symbol of wisdom and divinity. Let me tell you both the importance of this food. Even if one gets a mere whiff of this divine treat, one is sure to obtain a long, healthy life.

Between the two of you, the one who has the finest understanding of scriptures, is skilled in all weaponries, is knowledgeable, well-informed, has eloquence in his words; someone who is intelligent, compassionate, extra-ordinary and with many achievements to his credit, will be the seeker of this Modak. Both your father and I together have decided this.”

Vyas further added-

“As soon as these words came out of his mother’s mouth, a sharp-minded Skanda perched on his peacock and went to see the Gurus in Tribhuvan. But the wise Lambodar (Ganesh) simply took a quick bath, walked around his parents in a circle and completed a loop. Then, with great happiness on his face, he went and stood in front of them. His brother, Skanda came shortly after and stood ahead of him. Both Parvati and Maheshwar were stunned on seeing this.”

Parvati asserted:

“You could go and pray at all of the holy shrines but it still doesn’t come even close to the power of worshipping the parents. That certainly holds the highest, most supreme place. And this is why I offer this modak- this ultimate blessing from Gods to Heramb (Ganesh). With this, he will always have the honour of being the deity to be offered the first prayer to, whatever occasion may be.”

Vyas continued-

Lord Shankar, along with his wife Parvati bestowed the ultimate boon upon Lord Ganesh.

Lord Shankar proclaimed-

“Offering the first prayer to Ganesh will ensure contentment and approval from all Gods, Goddesses and even the ancestors”

पुलस्त्य उवाच -

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे पूर्वं व्यासशिष्यो महामुनिः। नमस्कृत्य गुरुं भीष्मं संजयः परिपृच्छति ।। १

संजय उवाच --

देवांनां पूजनोपायं क्रमं ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम् ।अग्रे पूज्यतमः कोऽसौ को मध्ये नित्यपूजने ।। २

अन्ते च पूजा कस्यैव कस्य को वा प्रभावकः। किं वा कं च फलं ब्रह्मन्पूजयित्वा लभेन्नरः || ३

व्यास उवाच

गणेशं पूजयेदग्रे अविघ्नार्थं परेह च। विनायकत्वं प्राप्नोति यथा गौरीसुतो हि सः ।। ४

पार्वत्यजनयत्पूर्वं सुतौ महेश्वरादिमौ । सर्वलोकधरौ शूरौ देवौ स्कन्दगणाधिपौ ।। ५

तौ च दृष्ट्वा [* च त्रिदशाः श्रद्धया परयाऽन्विताः। सुधयोत्पादितं दिव्यं तस्यै ददुः प्रमोदकम् ।।६

दृष्ट्वा तु मोदकं ताभ्यां जनन्यामर्थितं तदा । ततस्तु विस्मिता देवी सुतावेवाप्यभाषत] ।।७

पार्वत्युवाच

इदं तु मोदकं पुत्रौ देवैर्दत्तं मुदाऽन्वितैः।महाबुद्धीति विख्यातं सुधया परिनिर्मितम् || ८

गुणं चास्य प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुतं वा समाहितौ। अस्यैवाऽऽघ्राणमात्रेण अमरत्वं भवेद् ध्रुवम् || ९

सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदः। निपुणः
सर्वतन्त्रेषु लेखकश्चित्रकृत्सुधीः।। १०

ज्ञानविज्ञानतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वज्ञो नात्र संशयः ।पुत्रौ धर्मादधिकतां
प्राप्य सिद्धिशतं व्रजेत्।।

यस्तस्य वै प्रदास्यामि पितुस्ते संमतं त्विदम् ।। ११

व्यास उवाच

श्रुत्वा मातृमुखादेवं वचः परमकोविदः। स्कन्दस्तीर्थं ययौ
सद्यः सर्वं त्रिभुवनस्थितम् ।। १२

बर्हिणं स्वं समारुह्य
त्वभिषेकः कृतः क्षणात्। पितरौ प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा लम्बोदरधरः सुधीः || १३

लम्बोदरं (ततश्चासौ) मुदा युक्तः पितुरग्राग्रतः स्थितः।
पुरतश्च तथा स्कन्दो देहि मां हि ब्रुवन्स्थितः

ततः सुतौ समीक्ष्याथ पार्वती विस्मिताऽब्रवीत्।। १४



पार्वत्युवाच

सर्वतीर्थाभिषेकैस्तु सर्वदेवनतैस्तथा । सर्वयज्ञव्रतैर्मन्त्रैर्योगैरन्यैर्यमैस्तथा।।
१५

पित्रोरर्चाकृतस्यैव कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्। तस्मात्सुतशतैरेषोऽधिकः
शतगणैरपि।। १६

अतो ददामि हेरम्बे मोदकं देवनिर्मितम्। अस्यैव का(एतस्मात्का)रणादस्य
अग्रे पूजा मखेषु च वेदशास्त्रस्तवादौ च नित्यं पूजाविधासु च।। १८

व्यास उवाच

पार्वत्या सह भूतेशो ददौ तस्मै वरं महत् ।।१९

महादेव उवाच

अस्यैव पूजनादग्रे देवास्तुष्टा भवन्तु च सर्वासामपि देवीनां
पितॄणां च समन्ततः ।।

तोषो भवतु नित्यं च पूजितेऽग्रे गणेश्वरे ।। २० ।।