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I have read many stories/legends on Ganesh Chaturthi. The name of the demon keeps alternating between Gajasura and Gajamukhasura. One was killed by Lord Shiva and the other by Lord Ganesha himself.
I'll try to put in all that I know - sorry for providing a garbled version of all that I had read on this legend.
Once, the king of demons named Asurendra was defeated by Devendra, the king of devas. Asureandra consulted with Sukracharya on how to take revenge for his defeat. Sukracharya told him that the one who was born to Sage Matanga would be able to defeat Indra in battle. Asurendra sends his wife to seduce Matanga and bear his child. Matanga happens to see a couple of elephants making love and hence transforms himself and Asurendra's wife into elephants to fulfill his desires. The son born to them, thus, had the head of an elephant and was called Gajamukhasura / Gajasura. I usually choose the name Gajamukhasura as only his head was that of an elephant's.
The usual story follows - the demon does great penances to appease Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva grants him the boon that he himself will live inside Gajamukhasura, thus making him invincible.
Goddess Parvati was worried as her husband was absent for along time and asks for Lord Vishnu's help to find him. Lord Vishnu divines that Lord Shiva was living inside Gajamukhasura. Accompanied by Nandi (in the form of a bull) and dressed as a folk entertainer (Gangiedulla vadu - Gangi -folk music entertainer, eddu - bull, vadu - person. Sometimes, it is spelled as Gangi erruddula vadu) to meet Gajamukhasura. The entertainer (Vishnu) made the bull dance to the tune he played in his flute. Gajamukhasura was delighted by the performance and promised anything the entertainer wished. The entertainer asked for Lord Shiva. Gajamukhasura then realises that the entertainer is none other than Vishnu. Though he agreed to fulfill the entertainer's wish and was aware of his imminent end, he prayed to Lord Shiva that his head should be worshiped by everyone and his skin should be worn by Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva agrees to this and Nandi tears open Gajamukhasura and releases Lord Shiva. The events of Goddess Parvati creating Ganesha and Shiva beheading him follows soon after. Thus, while bringing the boy back to life, Shiva uses the head of Gajamukhasura.
Another version of this story says that Lord Shiva was very angry on residing inside Gajamukhasura for so long and one being released, he lopped off the demon's head with his trident. The dying demon, repented saying he wished he could live to do more for Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva sympathised with Gajamukhasura saying he'd try to do something for him. When Ganesha was beheaded by Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu said that the only way to bring the boy back to life is to attach a head facing south to the body. As luck would have it, Shiva had left Gajamukhasura's head facing south. Thus Lord Ganesha was resurrected with Gajamukhasura's head.
The above mentioned story is a Telugu folk tale ( I think). This is one of the many versions (including the slaying of Aditya by Lord Shvia, the gaze of Shani, the elephant-faced Goddess Malini).
As per the stories I've read, Gajasura is the name of the demonic form (an elephant demon) of the demon Nila took to kill Lord Shiva. Gajasura was killed by Ganesha in the ensuing fight.
I have read the same story in many books and places - but the name of the demon in some is Gajamukhasura and in the others its Gajasura.
That's all I know 😳
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