In this beautiful Kalamkari painting, the Lord Ganesha both causes obstacles on our way and following propitiation removes the same. Therefore he is called the Remover of Obstacles (Lord Vigneswara).

In the first book the Mahabharata, and is said that he asked Ganesha to aid him in writing it down. It is said that Ganesha imposed a condition that Vyasa narrate the story without pause, and Vyasa made a counter-condition that Lord Ganesh understand the verse before he transcribed it. This is supposed to explain the complicated Sanskrit used in some sections of the Mahabharata, recited by Vyasa when he wanted a break.