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Gangaavatharana - Origin & Descent of Ganga

Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vaasudevaya!Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

Ganga Pushkara(08.05.2011 - 19.05.2011)

Rivers are an integral part of Indian economy, civilization

and culture that has grown and spread along the banks ofthese rivers and they have become a livelihood for thepeople living in the country. Agriculture the back bone of

Indian Economy is very much depending upon these rivers.

They have played an important role in the pilgrimage of Indiaas several sacred pilgrim centers have come up and thrivedon the banks of these sacred rivers and contributed a lot tothe growth of tourism industry. They have also played a

significant role in the religious, philosophical and spiritualheritage of India which is known as Hindu religion or HinduDharma.These rivers are Natures gift to the mankind as water is one of the

most essential elements for all the living beings. These rivers arestanding as a living witness to the historical and pouranic

happenings in India where several dynasties have risen and fallenalong the banks of these sacred rivers. Since time immemorial Hindu

civilization has flourished along the banks of these rivers. Bharatha

Desa the Indian sub-continent is a land of perennial rivers and is the

origin for several sacred rivers that have taken birth on this landwith a divine background and purpose.

Prominent among them are Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna,Saraswathi, Sindhu (Indus), Godavari, Narmada, Krishna,Kaveri, Tungabhadra etc Rivers in India are gazed not only

as a source of water but are also revered as DivineGoddesses who play an important role in several religiousand spiritual rites that are performed across the banks of

these rivers. River worship in India is prevalent since timeimmemorial and rivers in India are adored on several

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occasions in the Hindu religious and spiritual calendar likeKumbh Mela, Pushkaram etc. Prominent among the sacred

rivers is the Ganga (Ganges) which is considered asunparallel in terms of its spirituality and religious

significance.

Incidentally this year it is going to be Ganga Pushkara year starting

from 8th of May when Deva Guru Jupiter (Brihaspathi) enters intoMesha (Aries) in the zodiac. On this occasion let us try to know the

glory and significance of sacred river Ganga, to begin with its origin

and descent on Earth.Gangaavatharana

Origin in HeavenSri Vamana Avathara was fifth in the line of Dasavatharas of Lord Sri

Maha Vishnu. This avathara took place during Treta Yuga before SriParashurama Avathara. Lord Maha Vishnu took this avathara in

order to suppress the arrogance, vanity and pride of Emperor Bali

(Bali Chakravarthi) and to restore the glory, power and authority ofLord Indra over the Heaven who had lost his power and kingdom(Swarga) to King Bali.

Lord Vamana went to King Maha Bali and asks for three steps of land

measured by his foot as charity. Initially Bali hesitated to donate just three paces of land as it is a disgrace to his status and was

guilty to give such charity. But later agreed upon insisting by Lord

Vamana and promised to give three paces of land as charity

measured by Sri Vamanas foot.

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When Maha Bali completed the ritual process of donating the land,

Lord Vamana assumed his cosmic form (Trivikrama), measured the

entire Earth including the nether worlds by his first step. With his

second step He measured the entire upper worlds. When his footreached the zenith it reached the Sathya Loka where Lord Brahma

stays. At that time sacred waters emanated from the lotus foot of

the Supreme Lord Sri Maha Vishnu, and Lord Brahma washed the

Lords foot with that water and collected it in His Kamandalu. Thewater that has emerged out of Lord Sri ManNarayanas foot came to

be revered as Goddess Ganga (Vishnu Paadodbhavi) who

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the Ganga down to the Earth. Pleased with his penance Goddess

Ganga appears before him and agrees to descent on earth. But,

Ganga advises Bhagiratha to pray Lord Shiva to be a platform for herdescent on the earth as He only has the capacity to withstand her

gigantic force to avoid a catastrophe.

Accordingly, Bhagiratha prays Lord Shiva who, pleased with the

penance of Bhagiratha readily agrees to bore Vishnu Paadodbhavi

Ganga on his head before releasing it on to the earth. Lord Shiva,spread his matted locks and trapped the waters of the river in them,

softened her flow and controlled her force so that she slides down

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on the Earth quietly as a peaceful and life giving river. Thus Goddess

Ganga descended from Heaven on to the matted hair of Lord Shiva

and from there on to the Earth. Since Lord Shiva bore the Ganga onhis head, thenceforth came to be known as Gangadhara. Ganga at

this spot came to be known as Bhagirathi named after Bhagiratha

due to whose stupendous efforts Ganga descended on to the Earth.

Goddess Ganga (Ganga River) followed Bhagiratha to theNether worlds to purify the souls of Sagara Puthras lying in the form

of an ash in the ashrama of Kapila Maha Muni. On the way the

waters of Ganga submerged the Asrama of Sage Jahnu who gets

annoyed and drinks the entire Ganga waters. Again Bhagiratha andothers prays the Sage who gets pleased and for the welfare of

mankind releases Ganga from his ear. Thenceforth Ganga also came

to be known as Jaahnavi. Finally, Ganga reached Sage Kapilasashram in Pathala loka and submerged the heaps of ash of 60000

Sagara Puthras and thus helped them in getting salvation. KingBhagiratha put his heart and soul in the descent of Ganga, a no

mean feat that became an icon to the world which came to be known

as Bhagiratha Prayatnam.