welcome to indian divinity - hindu mythology and articles
Indian Mythology - Hindu Mythology Articles, Facts @ Indian Divinity.com Indian Mythology - Hindu Mythology Articles, Facts @ Indian Divinity.com Indian Mythology - Hindu Mythology Articles, Facts @ Indian Divinity.com Indian Mythology - Hindu Mythology Articles, Facts @ Indian Divinity.com
Ganga Home -› Lesser Gods -› Ganga
«Prev   [1]   [2]   Next»
Ganga descending to earth
GANGA DESCENDING TO EARTH
Bhagirathas penance
BHAGIRATHA PERFORMING PENANCE
Shiva checking gangas fall
SHIVA CHECKING GANGA'S FALL
bhagiratha leading ganga
BHAGIRATHA LEADING GANGA
Dalip had no son from any of his two wives. With god Shiva's blessings he did get a son named Bhagirath who was deformed. When this boy became young a sage blessed him and he turned into a healthy and handsome prince. Bhagirath now addressed prayers regularly to different gods for the restoration of his sixty thousand relations suffering on account of a curse. He performed severe penance and prayed earnestly for a very long time. Both god Shiva and goddess Ganga were ultimately propitiated. As Ganga had to fall from heaven to earth, Bhagirath was afraid lest the earth be crushed by her fall.

Ganga swept down in three great installments and Shiva standing on Mountain Himalaya, caught Ganga in his matted hair to mitigate the impact. At length Shiva allowed a part of Ganga to fall on earth and Bhagirath blowing the conch given to him by god Vishnu led Ganga to seas. Later she was taken to patal (nether region) and so all the sixty thousand sons of Sagar were purified and saved from doom.

On way to the nether region what happened to Ganga is no less interesting. Accompanying Bhagirath Ganga asked him at what spot his sixty thousand relations were lying whom she was to deliver. As he could not inform the location Ganga before entering the sea divided herself into a hundred streams so as to ensure the salvation of the cursed wherever they might be laying.

When Ganga was thus falling from heaven on the earth, the gods prayed to Brahma that they also needed Ganga in the heavens to wash off their sins. At this Brahma assured them that a part of Ganga would main in heaven too. Thus the goddess Ganga is called MANDAKENEE in heavens, GANGA on earth and BHAGIRATHI in patal.

Ganga
GANGA
This goddess bears a great importance in holy books. Purana declare that the sight, the name and the touch of Ganga take's away all sins and that bathing in Ganga bestows blessings of the highest order. Not only those who bathe in Ganga obtain SWARGA (heaven), but also those whose bones, hair, etc., are left in the river. All the land over which Ganga flows is to be regarded as hallowed ground.

The cremation of a dead body at the banks of Ganga and throwing the remains in its water even when the dead bodies burnt elsewhere is thought propitious. It is preferred that bones of the deceased be brought to Ganga and cast into holy river. It is said that this leads to salvation of the deceased.

Hindus particularly choose this river for holy rituals because the merits of works performed here become manifold in their results. Another name of Ganga is VISHNUPADI, the one flowing from the foot of god Vishnu. Vishnu Purana says that Ganga encloses Brahma's great city situated on Mount Meru and then divides into four mighty rivers flowing in four directions. GANGAJAL, the water of Ganga, is held so sacred that with this in hand no Hindu dare speak untruth. Those who die within specified limits around Ganga, called GANGAKSHETRA (the land of Ganga), are believed to go to the heavenly world and all their sins washed off.

«Prev   [1]   [2]   Next»
 
  © 2000 - . All rights reserved. Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Reference
  a mayukhi.com site :: concept by webonautics.com :: design by creativefusionstudio.com
an infotainment channel - webonautics.com