Glory - Significance & Merits of the Divine Ganga River
Pouranic reference to Ganga River
Several sacred scripts including Nadi-Sooktha (Rig-Veda) have made reference to the holy ganga. Sacred texts like Bhagavatha Purana, Ramayana, Bhagawadgita, Agni Purana, Padma Purana, Brahma Purana etc. have eulogized the significance and merits of Ganga river. is said that a mention of Ganga was made in Rig-Veda that appears in the Nadi-Sookta.
Epic Mahabharatha took a turning point with the entry of Goddess Ganga (due to a curse from Lord Brahma) who, as a mortal woman married the Kuru King Shantanu. She gave birth to eight sons who were Ashta Vasus in their embodiment and the 8th child was the hero of Maha Bharatha, Bheeshma Pithamaha. He was also known as Gaangeya or Ganga-Puthra. In Mahabharata Bheeshma explains the glory and significance of Ganga to Pandavas lying on the bed of arrows. In the epic Mahabharatha we find Arjuna extracting water from Pathala Ganga with his arrow to quench the thirst of Bheeshma Pithamaha.
During Vedic times Sages used to have their hermitage on the banks of Ganga River. Even now many Sadhus live on the banks of Ganga River. Sage Valmiki had his ashram on the banks of river Ganga that was known as Brahmavarta where Lord Brahma had performed Ashwamedha Yaga. In the Epic Ramayana, Goddess Sita Devi during her exile lived in the Ashram of Sage Valmiki on the banks of river Ganga.
Several sacred and divine pilgrim centers like Badrinath, Kedarnath, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Kashi, Prayaga, Bithoor etc. are all located on the banks of river Ganga. Bindu–Sar near Gangothri is referred to as the spot where Bhagiratha is believed to have performed his penance for the descent of Ganga. Famous temple of Badrinath is on the banks of river Alaknanda one of the six head streams of Ganga. The place where Ganga meets Yamuna and Saraswathi has become a famous pilgrim center Prayaga the Theertharaj. Gangasagar the island at the mouth of river Ganga is said to be the location of Sage Kapila Mahamuni’s hermitage which is associated with the penance of Bhagiratha and the descent of river Ganga. Kapila Muni was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
As per Dharma Sindhu, Goddess Ganga is depicted as Chaturbhuja (four hands) with Water Pot (Kalasha) in one hand and Lotus in the other. With the other two hands portrayed with Varada mudra and Abhaya mudra. Mounted on a white Crocodile (Makara) as her pedestal, Ganga Devi is symbolized having three eyes (Trinethri) with Moon (Chandrakala) on the forehead, wearing white silk attire, with auspicious glimpse.
Religious & Spiritual significance of Ganga
People in Hindu religion will be longing to have darshan of Ganga and take bath in the Divine River Ganges at least once in their life time or even die on the banks of river Ganga which is considered as highly sacred. To pour Ganga water in the mouth of a dying person is a custom among the Hindus. We find people in Hindu religion immersing ashes (mortal remains) of the deceased in Ganga River with a belief that the deceased soul will attain salvation. It is said that the very touch of Ganga will sanctify seven generations on both sides. Taking bath in Ganga River especially during parvakala like Uttarayana, Dakshinayana, Eclipse days, Pushkara is highly meritorious and helps in remission of sins.
Every day lakhs of people take bath in Ganga River at various places. Several millions of people recall Ganga in various religious ceremonies. We find invariably Hindu families keeping Ganga water in their houses as an auspicious symbol. Ganga water is collected from places like Haridwar, Rishikesh and Kashi etc. and stored in copper pots sealed with lid. Ganga water is attributed with the quality of purity and is considered to remain pure over a period of time. It is believed that Ganga water has medicinal properties that cure the ill. Spiritually, taking a bath in the sacred Ganga River is said to be soul cleansing that purify one from his sins. Ganga water is considered as extremely pious and said to contain properties of Amrutha (Divine Nectar).
Since time immemorial Hindus life is closely associated with the river Ganga in various ways. No religious and spiritual activity in Hindu philosophy from birth till death starts without Ganga. Several civilizations, dynasties, epics, have originated on the banks of Ganga River. The history of Ganga is as old as Hindu civilization. Starting from its place of origin in Gangothri right up to its merging with the Sea at Gangasagar entire path of Ganga River is sacred to Hindus. In places like Kashi, Haridwar and Rishikesh we find devotees offering Aarati to Goddess Ganga in the evening singing devotional songs, which is a sight not to be missed.
There is also a custom among Hindus that they bring Ganga water from Kashi and perform Abhisheka to Lord Shiva at Rameswaram Jyotirlinga installed by Lord Sri Rama and collect the sand from the sea (Indian Ocean) at Rameswaram and immerse it with Ganga water with a belief that it is a completion of the pilgrimage.
Ganga worship is said to be in seven ways viz. by calling Her name “Ganga”, having darshan, by touching the water of Ganga river, by worshiping, by taking bath, by standing in the waters of the river and by carrying clay dug out of water.
Perhaps no other river has found as much reference as the holy Ganga in Puranas which is in existence since Vedic times. In piousness Ganga water is compared with the sacred Thulasi. To count the merits of Ganga is like counting water drops in the ocean.
Ganga is not just a river alone it is much more than that sacred, celestial and divine. It is the Queen of rivers, River Goddess. Mother Ganga is highly revered in Hindu religion. That’s why even today we find people celebrating festivals relating to Ganga River viz. Ganga Dasahara, Ganga Pushkara, Gangasagar Mela, Kumbha Mela and Gangotpatti (Jahnu Sapthami). Every year on the day of Makara Sankranthi, Gangasagar Mela is held at Gangasagar. These festival days are the best occasions to pay our reverence to Goddess Ganga the heritage of Hindu philosophy and the National river of India. At the same time it is also our ardent duty and responsibility to protect this national heritage from getting polluted.
Originated from the foot of the Supreme Lord Sri ManNarayana, sanctified as sacred water in the Kamandalu of Lord Brahma, purified with a descent on the head (matted hair) of Lord Shiva, and came out of Sage Jahnu’s ear, Ganga is considered as the most sacred and Divine river.
Lord Sri Krishna mentions in his famous preaching Bhagawadgeeta – Vibhuthi Yoga (10th chapter, sloka #31) that He is Jaahnavi (Other name of Ganga) –“srotasamasmi jaahnavi"(Among the rivers I am the Ganga). Perhaps we don’t need a better testimonial than this to confirm the significance, spirituality and sacredness of the holy Ganga River.
Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
Film producer Julian Crandall Hollick searched for the “mysterious X factor” that gives Ganges water its mythical reputation. He started his investigation looking for the water`s special properties at the river`s source in the Himalayas . There wild plants , radioactive rocks, and unusually cold , fast – running water combine to form the river . D. S. Bhargava , a retired professor of hydrology, told Hollick , “Organic materials usally exhaust a river`s available oxygen and the water starts putrefying . But in the Ganges , an unknown substance ,or X factor , acts on the organic materials and bacteria and kills them” . Bhargava furthee added that the Ganges ` self purifying quality leads her oxygen level to 25 times higher than any other river in the world . Jay Ramchandran , amolecular biologist in a short science lesson , explains why the Ganges does not spread diseases among the millions of Indians who bathe in it . It is only due to its extraordinary ability to retain oxygen.
ReplyDeleteOne of the astonishing facts revealed by research scientists is that the water of holy Ganga contains millions of bacteriophage which consume pathogenic bacteria . Bacteriophage is a virus , a parasite of bacteria , which is very small (ten thousandth part of a centimeter ) in size and covered with a protein shell (capsid) . One of its amazing properties is that it is always present in the water of holy Ganga and can survive for thousands or lakhs of years even with out food . Whenever any pathogenic or putrefying bacteria enter the water , the bacteriophage , in millions , attack them & destroy them . If one suffering from diseases drinks the water of holy Ganga , the friendly bacteriophage enter his body with the water and destroy the harmful bacteria . The patient starts recovering gradually.
Where do these bacteria – devouring bacteriophage come from ? It is not yet known , but they are found every where , right from thr origin of holy Ganga to the place where it merges in to sea . They are destroyed by boiling . Therefor , the water of holy Ganga should not be boiled.
British physician, C.E. Nelson, observed that Ganga water taken from the Hooghly -- one of its dirtiest mouths -- by ships returning to England remained fresh throughout the voyage.
ReplyDeleteIn 1896, the British physician E. Hanbury Hankin reported in the French journal Annales de l'Institut Pasteur that cholera microbes died within three hours in Ganga water, but continued to thrive in distilled water even after 48 hours.
A French scientist, Monsieur Herelle, was amazed to find "that only a few feet below the bodies of persons floating in the Ganga who had died of dysentery and cholera, where one would expect millions of germs, there were no germs at all.
Very good scientific research information. I thank the person for sharing.
ReplyDeletebhargavasarma
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