Vedic Yagya Center P.O. Box 500271 Austin, TX - 78750 Tel: 888 835 7788 Fax: (512)-788-5694 www.vedicyagyacenter.com yagnya@vydic.org The Sacred Ganga (River Ganges) Part I. Ganga origin: GANGA MATA Vedas & Sanatana Dharma always been giving high respect to the river Ganga and treated her a mother as she is the most important source of life and sustenance for all. Ganga is one of the most sacred rivers. River Ganga was always personified as a Goddess in Santana Dharma. She holds a very important place and is treated & respected as a mother by all the Hindus.
Ganga Devi is the eldest daughter of Himavanta, King of the Mountains and his wife Menaka Devi (not the Apsara Menaka). She is therefore an elder sister of the Goddess Parvati Devi. In another version Ganga s origin was from the feet of Vishnu (Vishnu Pada Gaamini) which was collected by Lord Brahma in his Kamadalam (a small round water holding container with a small handle, generally held by Rishis to store the sacred water), when he washed the feet of Vishnu and from then on wards, under the authority of the Lord Brahma. It is believed that bathing in the River Ganga, frees one of all their sins and helps in the attainment of liberation from the ocean of life. Hence every one must try to take bath in the River Ganga at least once in their life time. GANGA MAYYA It is also strongly believed that, when the remaining ashes of the dead person are immersed in the River Ganga, all their sins will be pardoned and they get an easy entrance in to the Heaven. This is the reason many people travel from different and even far off parts of the world to try to immerse the remaining ashes (after the cremation) of their beloved ones in to the waters of the River Ganga. Story of the Ganga Devi s descending to Earth (Ganga Avataranam): Even before the Tretayuga (Sri Rama s Avatar time), One of the very early ancestor s of Sri Rama, there was an emperor Sagara (Lord Sri Rama s ancestor) who had sixty thousand sons through meditational power from one wife and another son who was very handsome, powerful and very good natured person from his elder wife. On one occasion, the emperor performed 999 very grand Ashwavamedha Yagyas of worship for the good of the kingdom. He was performing the 1000 th one, when God Indra stole the Yagyas Ashwa (Yagya s Horse), which was one of the integral parts of the Yagya, and hid it in Kapila Muni s Ashram which was Netherworld, beneath the earth, deep in the bottom of the ocean. So, Sagara had sent all his 60,000 sons in search of the horse and bring it back so that he could complete the Yagya successfully.
All the sons searched entire earth, in and out and found the horse in Patala loka or the Netherworld, next to sage Kapila, who was deep in meditation. Believing that the sage must have stolen the horse, they insulted him and disturbed his deep penance. The enraged sage opened his eyes that were shut in several hundreds of years, looked at the sons of Sagara with fury and they were all instantly burned down to ashes and killed. Anyway, Sagara s elder son somehow found the horse, brought it back and the Yagya was duely completed. But Sagara and his other family members could not do anything to help redeem the souls of his dead 60,000 sons. Hence their souls were wandering in agony as restless souls seeking salvation. Then, later after couple of generations, one of the descendent, King Bhagiratha, son of Dilip and one of the descendants of Sagara, learnt about his ancestors pitiable plight and took a vow to bring Ganga, who was at that time residing only in heaven, down to Earth so that her waters could cleanse their ancestors souls and send them to heaven. Bhagiratha meditated for Lord Brahma for the Ganga to come down to Earth for many years. Then, Lord Brahma agreed to send Ganga to visit the Earth. But at the same time warned Bhagiratha that Ganga, with her might, speed and force could sweep or drown the Earth while descending from heaven to earth, if her nature wan not controlled. He also advised Bhagiratha to Meditate for Lord Shiva, who alone had might & strength to control her. This alarmed Bhagiratha, who then again meditated for Lord Shiva to help him and control the force of Ganga's descent. GANGA DESCENDS FROM HEAVEN Lord Shiva was pleased with Bhagiratha s good intention to redeem his ancestor s souls and determination. He promised to help Bhagiratha. Lord Shiva then opened his matted hair and stood up straight, with His strong hands held on his waist was waiting for Ganga to land on to his head before it landed on the earth. Ganga was so proud of her immense strength, force and speed. She thought that Shiva will not be able to hold her might and landed on to Lord Shiva s head with full force like a huge water fall. She landed with full might and continued to fall relentlessly from heaven. As she was jumping up and down and waving forward and back ward with full fury trying to land on to the earth with full force. Lord Shiva grew his matted hair also tremendously and held her with utmost ease, very effortlessly. Ganga was shocked
and angered and struggled even more to show her might and tried very hard to escape from Lord Shiva s matted hair. All the Gods, angels, souls, creatures along with Bhagiratha were standing in awe looking at this divine scene. Ganga with her sacred, white, pure milk like look and with her divine shine like that of 1000 moons shining at the same time and descending from heaven to the head of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva, shining like 1000 suns put together radiantly standing with his might and holding Ganga within his matted hair. Many water creatures like all kinds of fishes, crocodiles, huge whales all flowing down in the Ganga waters. Added to that, so many Gods, angels and Rishis came down to view this wonderful sight, their divine energy and meditational forces all come out at the same time was so illuminating that in matter of moments they could all see no longer. In the mean while many suddenly started jumping in to the flow to cleanse all their sins. It was sight so divine that this can only be visualized but cannot be described in words well enough to capture a vision so pure, beautiful and incomparable. Lord Shiva, was very playfully holding and with a smile tied up Ganga tightly in his matted hair and held her tightly not letting her escape at all. Ganga tried very hard but was now very tired and bowed with humility and remained in Lord Shiva s head in His hair knot with a smile. The flow from the Heaven stopped abruptly. Lord Shiva with Ganga flowing from his matted hair knot is known as Kapardi. Ganga came sweeping down arrogantly and fell on Shiva's head. Shiva calmly trapped her in his matted hair, so that she could only be let out in small streams. Shiva's touch further sanctified Ganga. As Ganga travelled to Patala to release the SHIVA AS KAPARDI pained souls, she also created a different stream to remain on Earth to help purify unfortunate souls there.
Bhagiratha who was dismayed in shock and with amazement so far suddenly realized that the Ganga for which he worked so hard for so long was now captive in Lord Shiva s matted hair knot. He again meditated to Lord Shiva and prayed to the Lord to release Ganga for the redemption of his 60,000 ancestor s souls. Lord Shiva was pleased with Bhagiratha and let out a very small amount of Ganga water and thus Ganga flowed following Bhagiratha. Bhagiratha was leading and Ganga was following. Ganga was so happy and she was jumping up and down, going here and there and running like a young, beautiful maiden adorning herself with flowering bushes and trees that came in her way. Ganga was flowing from the mountains and in to valleys washing up everything from her path in an uncontrollable happiness. In her joyful mood she forgot the force of her might and started sweeping of villages in her way. GANGA FOLLOWING BHAGIRATHA Ganga as Jahnavi : Thus flowing in this way, she has accidentally wiped off the small hut of a Maha Rishi called Jahnu, whose meditation was also disturbed by her turbulence. He immediately meditated upon a mantra and with his mantra Shakti (Power) filled the whole Ganga in to his right palm and drank it all in one gulp. Suddenly, Bhagiratha realized that Ganga was not following him any longer. Looking at Rishi Jahnu, he understood, what must have happened. Then again, Bhagiratha prayed to Rishi Jahnu, asked his forgiveness and requested him to release Ganga water. Rishi Jahnu released Ganga from his right ear with his meditational power for Bhagiratha. Hence, Ganga has acquired the name "Jahnavi" (daughter of Jahnu). Ganga as Tripadaga : Finally, Bhagiratha with HIS utmost determination succeeded in taking Ganga water to the Nether world. When the ashes of the 60,000 ancestors of Bhagiratha were immersed and touched by the Ganga, their souls got salvation and all were happy. Hence Ganga is also called "Tripathaga" (One who travels in three worlds) as she is the only river to follow from all the three worlds Swarga loka (heaven), Prithvi or
Bhoo loka(earth) and, Patala loka (Netherworld) means the one who travels in the three worlds. Ganga as Bhagirathi : Because Ganga came down to earth due to Bhagiratha's sincere efforts, hard penance and strong determination, the Ganga river is also known as Bhagirathi. This is the reason, there is a popular term known as "Bhagiratha prayatna or Bhagiratha Yatnam" which is used to describe valiant efforts or difficult achievements which needs unbreakable determination. We will continue with other interesting facts and legends about Ganga in our next issue February 2013 News letter.