Which Puranas describe Ganesha pacing around a piece of ground with the name of Rama scratched on it?

Question

Tulsidas in the Bala Kanda of His Ramcharitmanas writes:

I greet the name "Rama" of the chief of Raghus, which is composed of seed-letters representing the fire-god, the sun-god and the moon-god (viz., Ra, A and Ma respectively). It is the same as Brahma (the creative aspect of God), Vishnu (His preservative aspect) and Shiva (His disintegrating aspect), and the vital breath of the Vedas; It is attributeless, peerless and a mine of virtues. It is the great spell which Lord Mahesvara mutters and which, when imparted by Him at Kashi (the modern Varanasi) leads to emancipation. Its glory is known to Lord Ganesha, who is worshipped before all others as a glory of the Name. The oldest poet (Valmiki) is acquainted with the glory of the Name, inasmuch as he attained to purity by repeating It in the reverse order. Hearing the verdict of Lord Shiva that the name is as good as a thousand other names of God, Goddess Bhavani (Parvati) dined with Her consort after uttering It only once. Noticing such partiality of Her heart for the Name, Hara (Lord Shiva) made that lady, who was the ornament of Her sex, the ornament of His own person (i.e., made Her a part of His own being by assigning to Her the left half of His body). Shiva knows full well the power of the Name, due to which deadly poison served the purpose of nectar to Him.

What I am interested is the part in bold. In the footnotes of the Gita Press's English translation of the Ramcharitmanas on that very page, it is stated:

We read in the Puranas how there was a scramble for precedence among the gods, each of whom claimed the first position for himself. They approached Brahma for a ruling. He told them that they should race round the world and that whoever finished the round quickest of all would be accounted the highest. Ganesha, who rode on no better animal than a rat, naturally lagged behind. He met on the way the celestial sage Narada, who advised him to scratch the word "Rama" on the ground and pace round It, as the word comprised in Itself the entire creation. Ganesha did accordingly and was naturally the first to finish the round of the universe. Brahma appreciated this act of Ganesha and conceded his title to precedence over all the other gods. Since then Ganesha has uninterruptedly enjoyed the right of being worshipped first of all.

My question is which Puranas describe Ganesha carving the name of Rama on a piece of ground and pacing around it?

Answer 1

I don't which purana describe that Ganesh revolve around the name of rama that has been written on ground

However, I think this is just an interpretation

As रा शक्तिः इति विख्याता मः शिवः परिकीर्तितः। शिव शक्ति आत्मकं ब्रह्म राम रामेति गीयते।।

~जराख्य संहिता

Meaning

Ra---shakti M----shiv

Aatman of both Shiv shakti, self effulgent brahman is said as Ram

Shri Ganesh not revolved around his parents Uma Shankar but also he revolved around "Ram" naam

Now about ramcharitmanas

**महिमा जासु जान गनराऊ।

प्रथम पूजिअत नाम प्रभाऊ।।**

Its glory is known to Lord Ganesha, who is worshipped before all others as a concession to the Name

अहम् पुज्योभव लोके श्रीमन्नामनुकीर्तनात्। अतः श्रीरामनाम्नास्तु कीर्तनं सर्वदा उचितम्।।

(Ganesh puran quoted in old edition of gita press Kalyan ank)

Ganesh ji says:- It is by the grace of ram name, I am first worshipped in all of the lokas. So, Ram naam should always be chanted.

Again

लम्बोदरोऽपि श्रीरामनाम महात्मयं उज्जवलं। श्रृत्वा च धारितं चित्ते ततः पुजे सुरासुरैः।।

(Skandpuran)

It is by the grace of Shri Ram naam that has been hearing and remembering by ganesh, that he became first worshippable.

Answer 2

I don't know which scripture says about Lord Ganesha circumambulated Lord Rama's name.

But in most puranas Lord Ganesha circumambulated around his parents viz Shiva-Shakti.

Sri Shiva Purana 2.4.4.19.:

Gaṇeśa said:—

37. By worshipping you, Pārvatī and Śiva, I have intelligently circumambulated the earth extending to the oceans.

38. Is it not the verdict of the Vedas or the Śāstras or any other sacred code? Is it true or otherwise?

39. “He who worships his parents and circumambulates them, will certainly derive the fruit and merit of circumambulating the earth.

40. He who leaves his parents at home and goes on a pilgrimage incurs the sin of their murder.

41. The holy centre of a son consists of the lotus-like feet of his parents. The other holy centres can be reached only after going a long distance.

42. This holy centre is near at hand, easily accessible and a means of virtue. For a son and wife, the auspicious holy centre is in the house itself.”

43. These things are mentioned frequently in the Śāstras and the Vedas. Now, are they going to be falsified by you?

44. If so, your very forms will come false. Even the Vedas will become false. There is no doubt about it.

45. Let my auspicious marriage be celebrated and that too very quickly. Otherwise let the Vedas and Śāstras be declared false.

46. Of the two alternatives whatever is excellent shall be followed, O parents, embodied virtues!

As for RaMa Nama.:

The name RaMa not only belongs to Lord Dasarathi Rama, as before him there was another Rama viz the Rama of Bharghava clan aka Parshu Rama and after him also there was another Rama viz the Rama of Yadava clan aka Bala Rama. Now, What's the meaning of the name RAMA.:

RAMA = RA + MA. The mantram "RAMA" is composed of a combination of Rākaram (RA) which is AgniRoopakam (of the form of Agni) and Mākaaram (MA) which is Somaroopakam (of the form of Soma).

Rama Rahasya Upanishad.:

"The true meaning of the king among the Rama mantras, as well as of the eight-lettered Narayana and five-lettered Shiva mantras, is spoken of as thus: Where yogi-s revel in the 2 syllable mantra viz. ‘Ra ma’ where the ra syllable denotes fire wherein abides illumination..... The sound ' ma ' , is known as ' maya (Prakriti/Soma)' indicating prosperity ; being itself the seed - letter ( bijakshara ) is also equal to Brahman itself .

Now,

"Uma is herself in the form of Vishnu and Vishnu is himself in the form of Chandrama (Soma). Rudra is himself in the form of Brahma and Brahma is in the form of Hutasana (Fire). This whole world is a combination of Agni and Soma (Amruta)". (Rudra hridayopanishad 1: 5,8,9).

So, RAMA nama is essentially the combination of Shiva and Shakti in Mantra form. Shiva and Shakti being inseparably united as Ardhanareeshwara, RAMA nama is nothing but Lord Shiva (Ardhanareeshwara) in Mantra of NaMa form. Just like Krishna-Pinglam, Neela-Lohita, Sa-Uma (Soma), Sa-Amba (Sāmba), etc etc.

Rama Rahasya Upanishad.:

"I worship Rama, who has three eyes, who wears the crescent moon, who bears the trident, who is anointed with ashes, and who has the matted hair. Meditating thus, completely recite And the person dedicated to the offering should chant the mantras one lakh times while offering bilva leaves, fruits, flowers, gingelly seeds and lotus”. (RRU 2.32, 2.34).

"I worship the three eyed one, Who is Abhirama (Sita), the pinnacle of beauty, Who wears the crescent as ear ring, And who holds the noose, the goad, the bow and the arrow". (RRU 2.33).

I hope this clarifies all your queries. Prd..