Puranic Stories · Shiva Purana
Even Lord Shiva himself was not exempt from the consequences of forgetting Shree Ganesh's own decreed precedence, as the Shiva Purana's account of the battle against the demon Tripurasura makes memorably clear.
A Battle Prepared in Haste
As Shiva readied himself to confront the powerful demon Tripurasura, the urgency and scale of the preparations were such that, in the rush, the customary invocation of Shree Ganesh before any significant undertaking was overlooked entirely.
An Axle Broken at the Worst Moment
Just as Shiva mounted his chariot to depart for battle, its axle broke beneath him, a sudden, undeniable halt to his preparations that made the oversight impossible to ignore, forcing a pause at the very moment speed seemed most essential.
What This Story Reveals
Only once Shiva recognized his omission and properly honored Shree Ganesh did his chariot find its way forward again, the story standing as vivid proof that Pratham Pujya applies without exception, a principle even Shiva himself, its own original source, was not spared from having to observe.