Ganga, also known as
Jaahnavi, Vishnupadi, Bhagwatpadi and Bhagirathi along with various other
names, is one of the most sacred rivers in Hinduism. The legend of Ganga’s
birth exists in her names. Vishnupadi and Bhagwatpadi, she has been carrying
these both names since her birth. When Lord Narayana (Vishnu) in his Vamana
Avatar asks the demon king Bali for three feet of land and when he extends his
left foot covering the entire universe, he makes a hole in the universe with
his toe. From that hole, the divine and pure water of Brahma-Universe emerges.
Washing the feet of Narayana, Ganga flows in the universe. Hence, being touched
by the red lotus feet of Narayana, the holy water of Ganga becomes reddish
pink. Thus she receives her name of Vishnupadi and Bhagwatpadi, for flowing
from the lotus feet of the supreme god himself. Then according to the will of
Narayana, Ganga descends to Brahma Loka as the divine river of gods. She
resides there along with other gods and is entitled as the goddess. And so she
is the river of heaven.
Then many years later,
Bhagirath pleases Lord Brahma with his vigorous penance and requests him to let
Ganga descend on earth so that he could liberate the souls of sixty thousand
sons of his ancestor King Sagar who were destroyed by Sage Kapil on their
mischief. Brahma agrees to let Ganga descend on earth. However, he reckons a
barrier in her descent. Ganga is the river of universe and therefore her flow
is vigorously fierce. Has she descended on earth in her full glory, her furious
flow would destroy the earth. On Brahma’s advice, Bhagirath strives to please Lord
Shiva to hold the mighty flow of Ganga while she descends on earth. Lord Shiva,
pleased by Bhagirath’s request, agrees to this.
Ganga, upon seeking Narayana’s
permission and Brahma’s blessings, descends on earth in her full glory, while
Shiva holds her flow in his long hair-locks. For Shiva is her bearer on her descend,
she is also believed to be his consort. Then Ganga travels behind Bhagirath,
creating her own path on earth and meets to Sagara in the end. Thus, she
receives the name of Bhagirathi. Ganga is also the only river to flow in all
three worlds: Swarga, Bhoomi and Patala. For Ganga descends in the heart of
Himalayas and starts her journey from there, she is also a daughter to the
mountain king, Himalaya (King Himavan) and sister to Himalaya’s daughter
Parvati along with hundred sons of Himalaya.
Ganga was a consort to
King Shantanu of Bharat Race, as described in the epic Mahabharata. King
Shantanu is said to be an incarnation of ocean himself. Hence, fulfilling her
destined nature and a previous curse, she wedded him through Gandharva Vivaha.
She had eight sons with Shantanu. However, seven of them had to die due to the curse
of their previous birth and only one of them lived for the same curse. Bhishma.
Bhishma, named on his birth as Devavrata, is known as the mighty son of Ganga,
who lived in the last centuries of Dwapar Yuga. Being born in Satyayuga,
cherished in Treta and Dwapar Yuga, Ganga still flourishes in Kali Yuga.
Ganga (Or as they call
her, River Ganges) still has unique importance in India both religiously and
spiritually. And her glory still thrives in people’s heart. Her source is
called Gomukh, near Gangotri. She flows from those glaciers and meets the ocean
at Bay of Bengal. She is also a lifeline to most of the North-Indian population
and fame of the many cities like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Patna, Allahabad,
Varanasi, Kanpur, Kolkata and many more.
