Shiva and his attendants, the ganas, were astonished at being refused entry into his own home. The boy even defeated the ganas. At last, in a fierce battle, Lord Shiva severed the boy's head with his trident.
Mother Parvati came out and, seeing her son in this state, was filled with grief and fury. Her anger made the whole of creation tremble. When the gods prayed to her, the Mother set a condition: her son must come back to life and be honoured among all the gods.
Shiva sent his ganas towards the north and told them to bring back the head of the first living creature they found. The ganas came upon an elephant. Shiva placed the elephant's head on the boy's body and gave him new life. And so he came to be called "Gajanan", the elephant-faced one.
Lord Shiva made him the leader of his ganas, and so he is called "Ganapati" and "Ganesha". He also gave him a blessing: in every auspicious undertaking and every act of worship, you will be worshipped first.