गंगा

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Gaṅgā^1, : ( Mahāgaṅgā 3. 155. 85) f.: Name of a river, also called Bhāgīrathī (Bhagīrathasutā 5. 179. 5) and Jāhnavī (Jahnusutā 1. 92. 49; Jahnukanyā 13. 14. 37) at various places (see below); also referred to as Tripathagā 1. 92. 39; 2. 39. 11; 3. 106. 27; 3. 108. 18; 6. 7. 44; 12. 38. 8; 13. 27. 76; 13. 44. 13; 14. 44. 13; 15. 41. 13; also cf. 13. 27. 72; Tripathā 13. 27. 101; Trimārgā 13. 27. 87; Trivartmagā 13. 27. 83; Tripathagāminī 1. 92. 39; Trilokagā 1. 91. 18; 18. 3. 37; Trilokapathagā 12. 29. 62; Trilokagoptrī 13. 27. 83.


A. Location: Geographical references:

(1) The heavenly Tripathagā issuing from the Brahmaloka first settled down at Bindusaras near the Hiraṇyaśṛṅga mountain and then became sevenfold 6. 7. 44 (the seven names are given in 6. 7. 45); this is how the god had arranged (prabhor eṣaiva saṁvidhiḥ) 6. 7. 46 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 6. 49: prabhor īśvarasyaiṣa saptanadyātmakaḥ saṁvidhiḥ samīcīnaṁ lokopakārārthaṁ vidhānam); the seven divine rivers are known as the seven Ganges 6. 7. 47; Gaṅgā can be seen from the lake Bindusaras which is on the slope of the mountain Hiraṇyaśṛṅga 6. 7. 41;

(2) Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī falls with a terrific speed from the summit of the mount Meru down into the lake Cāndramasa which was created by it 6. 7. 26-27;

(3) Lomaśa could hear the sound of distant Gaṅgā falling on top of Indra's golden mountain 3. 140. 14;

(4) Flowing near the hermitage of Nara and Nārāyaṇa at Badarī on mount Kailāsa 3. 145. 15-16; 3. 45. 20; at this āśrama Gaṅgā has two currents, hot and cold, and has sand of gold (uṣṇatoyavahā gaṅgā śītatoyavahāparā/suvarṇasikatā rājan viśālāṁ badarīm anu) 3. 88. 23;

(5) Flows constantly by the hermitage of Upamanyu on the Himavant mountain 13. 14. 27-28;

(6) The river struck the Himavant mountain (at its foot) at Gaṅgādvāra 3. 88. 18;

(7) Listed by Saṁjaya twice as Gaṅgā and as all the Gaṅgās (sarvā gaṅgāḥ) among the rivers of the Bhāratavarṣa; its water used by people for drinking 6. 10. 13, 35;

(8) Vārāṇasī, established by Divodāsa, is to the north of Gaṅgā and south of Gomatī 13. 31. 16-18;

(9) There are three firepits at Prayāga through which Jāhnavī flows out of Prayāga (tatra trīṇy agnikuṇḍāni yeṣāṁ madhye ca jāhnavī/prayāgād abhiniṣkrāntā) 3. 83. 69; Gaṅgā and Yamunā meet at Prayāga; the region between the two rivers is known as the hip (jaghana) of the earth 3. 83. 70-71;

(10) The bank of the Gaṅgā, known as the Aśvatīrtha, is not far from Kanyakubja 13. 4. 17;

(11) Gaṅgā flows through the Pañcāla country dividing it into northern and southern Pañcāla 1. 128. 12; 1. 154. 24; the country of Mākandī lay to its south with Kāmpilya as its capital 1. 128. 15;

(12) Pramāṇakoṭi was on the bank of the Gaṅgā 3. 13. 74;

(13) Arjuna in his journey towards the east crossed many rivers one of them being Gaṅgā 1. 207. 7;

(14) Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma and Arjuna, on their way to the Magadha in the east crossed Gaṅgā after they crossed Mithilā 2. 18. 28-29;

(15) The Bāhlīka country and the Madra country were kept out by the river Gaṅgā (bāhlīkadeśaṁ madrāṁś ca kutsayan vākyam abravīt/bahiṣkṛtā himavatā gaṅgayā ca tiraskṛtāḥ) 8. 30. 9-10;

(16) The country between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā was the middle of the earth (madhye pṛthivyāḥ) 1. 82. 5;

(17) In the Madhyadeśa, between the rivers Gaṅgā and Yamunā and at the foot of the Yāmuna mountain there was a large settlemeni of the Brāhmaṇas known as Parṇaśālā 13. 67. 3-4;

(18) On the northern bank of the Gaṅgā there were many routes of the Nāgas (bahūni nāgavartmāni gaṅgāyās tīra uttare) 1. 3. 141;


B. Description:

(1) Best among the rivers: saricchreṣṭhā 1. 91. 4; 1. 94. 22; 3. 108. 4; 7. 57. 24; 9. 36. 47; 13. 134. 22; 13. 154. 32; saritāṁ śreṣṭhā 12. 274. 16; 12. 311. 12; 13. 27. 50; 13. 84. 66; saridvarā 1. 91. 8; 13. 27. 25, 86; 13. 84. 64; 13. 134. 14; 13. 154. 33; saritām varā 1. 91. 10; 13. 134. 19; saritāṁ variṣṭhā 13. 72. 40; sarvasaridvarā 13. 134. 17;

(2) pure, auspicious, blessed, holy: śuci 1. 158. 18; 11. 13. 4; (its water) 12. 221. 6; 13. 27. 30; śivā 3. 108. 2; 3. 145. 40; 11. 27. 1; 13. 27. 66, 85; 13. 134. 22; śubhā 1. 158. 20; 3. 155. 85; 6. 7. 27; 14. 82. 15; (its water) 13. 27. 33, 36; (its bank) 13. 53. 55; subhagā 3. 140. 14; puṇyā 3. 85. 10, 17; 3. 97. 27; 3. 108. 2; 3. 155. 85; 6. 7. 27; 12. 335. 46; 15. 41. 13; (its water) 1. 158. 21; 3. 108. 14; 5. 40. 4; puṇyajalā 3. 108. 6; 13. 27. 66; puṇyapavitratoyā 13. 14. 27; supuṇyatoyā 13. 27. 92; (its bank) 12. 1. 8; (its water) puṇyagandha 11. 13. 4; mahāpuṇyā 13. 27. 71, 83; puṇyatamā 13. 134. 22; supuṇyā 6. 10. 35; has holy hermitages on it puṇyāśramavatī 7. 57. 25; liked by most holy men puṇyatamair juṣṭā 6. 7. 27; frequented by holy men puṇyajanocitā 11. 27. 1; (its bank) 15. 25. 1; confers holiness on the three worlds lokānāṁ puṇyadā vai trayāṇām 13. 27. 88; its bank is pure (medhya) 15. 25. 1; Gaṅgā is famous in the three worlds due to its holiness 13. 27. 79; sinless vipāpmā 13. 27. 87; the country through which it flows becomes a hermitage (yatra gaṅgā mahārāja sa deśas tat tapovanam) 3. 83. 83; secures heaven svargasaṁpādanī 1. 158. 20;

(3) proceeds from the foot of Viṣṇu viṣṇupadī 13. 27. 92;

(4) It is as good as all the tīrthas: it arises from waters of all the tīrthas, it has water of all the tīrthas in it sarvatīrthajalodbhavā 12. 274. 16; sarvatīrthodakair yutā 13. 134. 12; sarvatīrthābhisaṁvṛtā 13. 134. 17; sarvatīrthapuraskṛtā 3. 83. 69; viśvatoyā 13. 27. 87, 94; has good tīrthas on it sutīrthā 3. 145. 40;

(5) resorted to by all kinds of sages, by Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Brāhmaṇas, and praised by sages: devarsijuṣṭā 12. 221. 7; siddhacāraṇasevitā 1. 92. 25; 3. 45. 20; 5. 179. 4; maharṣigaṇasevitā 1. 92. 49; śobhitā brāhmaṇaiḥ 13. 27. 89; (its tīra) ṛṣijuṣṭa 13. 154. 15; ṛṣiṣṭutā 13. 27. 92; lokanamaskṛtā 3. 107. 20; the region on its bank becomes siddhakṣetra 3. 83. 83; honoured by Brāhmaṇas saṁmatā brāhmaṇānām 13. 27. 91;

(6) famous, famous in the three worlds yaśasvinī 13. 27. 82; triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā 6. 7. 47; (13. 27. 79);

(7) river of gods, heavenly, of divine conception, scattered with heavenly flowers devanadī 1. 158. 20; 3. 108. 2; 3. 155. 85; 13. 134. 22; 13. 151. 24 (not named); suranadī 6. 79. 5; devī 1. 92. 39; 1. 93. 4; 3. 140. 14; 5. 179. 4, 26, 28; 5. 187. 32; 6. 7. 44; 13. 84. 72; 13. 134. 17; 13. 154. 18, 32; divyā 3. 108. 2; 6. 7. 47; 12. 38. 8; divyarūpā 1. 92. 39; divyasaṁkalpā 6. 7. 46; divyapuṣpasamākīrṇā 3. 145. 41;

(8) its constituents: honey, ghṛta, milk and pure water: full of honey madhumatī 13. 27. 83; madhupravāhā 13. 27. 89; full of ghṛta, having the colour of ghṛta, ghṛtinī 13. 27. 81; ghṛtavahā 13. 27. 87 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 86: jalavāhinī); ghṛtarāgā 13. 27. 89; full of milk kṣīradhārā 6. 7. 26; payasvinī 13. 27. 81; full of nectar amṛtā 13. 27. 85, 94; sweet surasā 13. 27. 85; śītāmatajalā 3. 145. 40; full of refreshment irā 13. 27. 90, 94, and nourishment ūrjāvatī 13. 27. 83;

(9) flows through the sky: ākāsagā 1. 158. 18; forms the girdle of the sky gaganamekhalā 3. 108. 9, of the heaven and the earth divo bhuvaś cāpi kakṣyānurūpā 13. 27. 88; garland of the heaven tridivasya mālā 13. 27. 89;

(10) some important features: (a) true ṛtā 13. 27. 85; (b) furthering the earth pṛthivyā bhāvinī 13. 27. 88; support of all beings sarvabhūtapratiṣṭhā 13. 27. 85; wishing welfare to all beings sarvabhūtahitaiṣiṇī 5. 179. 22; kind to people who resort to her abhigatajanavatsatā 13. 27. 100; one of the rivers described as mothers of the universe viśvasya mātaraḥ 6. 10. 35;

(11) its other qualities: bright, shining vibhāvarī 13. 27. 85; bhāminī 14. 82. 14; (its wave) bhānumatī 13. 27. 80; pleasing ramyā 3. 108. 6; 7. 57. 25; gracious, very kindly disposed bhavyā 13. 27. 88; suprasannā 13. 27. 85; causing delight to mind manasaḥ prītivardhanīm 3. 145. 41; noble minded mahānubhāvā 13. 27. 100; highly illustrious mahābhāgā 5. 179. 5; 5. 187. 36; one of the rivers described as very strong mahābalāḥ 6. 10. 35; very generous atyudārā 13. 27. 81; energetic dakṣā 13. 27. 85; inconceivable acintyā 6. 7. 46; ancient purāṇī 13. 27. 92; (in short) possessed of all qualities sarvaguṇopapannā 13. 27. 93;

(12) its length, breadth and force stressed: mahānadī 1. 91. 11; 3. 107. 14, 16, 19; 3. 135. 5; 5. 179. 28; 9. 17. 10; 12. 335. 46; 13. 154. 26; mahāgaṅgā 3. 155. 85; pṛthvī 13. 27. 85; bṛhatī 13. 27. 85; viprakṛṣṭā 13. 27. 85; unimpeded asaṁbādhā 1. 158. 20; (its water) asaṁbādha 1. 158. 21; (its water) anivārya 1. 158. 21; irresistible durdharṣā 5. 149. 49; having ample water bahūdakā 7. 57. 24;

(13) some special features as a river: has only one bank while flowing through the sky ekavaprā 1. 158. 18 (Nī on Bom. Ed. 1. 170. 21: ekaṁ ākāśarūpaṁ vapraṁ taṭaṁ yasyāḥ sā); its shore has thin, golden sand pulinam… sūkṣmakāñcanavālukam 12. 221. 8; covered with sprouts of jewels maṇipravālaprastārā 3. 145. 40; when it flowed towards the ocean its course was divided into three streams (sā babhūva visarpantī tridhā rājan samudragā) 3. 108. 10; having reached the ocean it was divided into seven streams (gaṅgā gatvā samudrāmbhaḥ saptadhā pratipadyate) 1. 158. 17;

(14) conceived of as the daughter and the wife:

(1) due to her rise in the Himavant called the daughter of the Himavant or of the mountain haimavatī 3. 107. 16; himavataḥ sutā 3. 108. 8; 6. 114. 90; śailasutā 3. 140. 14; śailarājasutā 3. 108. 4; sutāvanīdhrasya 13. 27. 88;

(2) as the principal river meeting the ocean called the chief queen of the ocean samudramahiṣī 3. 185. 18;

(3) for her role in mythology called the wife of Hara (Śiva) harasya bhāryā 13. 27. 88;

(15) for the description of Gaṅgā as a river also see 3. 108. 8, 10-11; 3. 145. 40; 5. 149. 49; 5. 163. 10; 5. 187. 33; 6. 7. 26, 27; 6. 19. 17; 7. 57. 24-25; 11. 27. 1; 13. 27. 57-58, 8081, 85, 89-90, 94; 13. 35. 20; 13. 50. 14; 13. 54. 22;

(16) for her description as a personified woman see 1. 92. 2-11; 13. 134. 2324; 13. 154. 27, 28, 31.


C. Holy:

(1) The river confers holiness on the three worlds (gaṅgā lokānāṁ puṇyadā vai trayāṇām) 13. 27. 88;

(2) Bathing on confluences: (i) one who bathes at the confluence of the river Saṅgamā and the Gaṅgā gets the fruit of performing ten Aśvamedha sacrifices and lifts up his family 3. 82. 31; one who bathes at the confluence of the river Sarasvatī and the Gaṅgā gets the fruit of performing an Aśvamedha and goes to heaven 8. 82. 34; (ii) one who bathes at the worldfamous confluence of the Gomatī and the Gaṅgā gets the fruit of performing an Agniṣṭoma and lifts up his family 3. 82. 70; (iii) by bathing at the confluence of the Yamunā and the Gaṅgā one gets the merit of studying the four Vedas and of speaking the truth 3. 83. 80; the gift given after bathing (upaspṛśya) at this confluence is better than any other gift (dānaṁ nānyad viśiṣyate) 13. 26. 34; (iv) by bathing at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the ocean (gaṅgāyās…sāgarasya ca saṁgame) one gets tenfold the fruit of an Aśvamedha (aśamedhaṁ daśaguṇam) 3. 83. 4;

(3) Bathing in the Gaṅgā: By bathing (kṛtodakaḥ) in the Bhāgīrathī at Campā and by approaching Daṇḍārka (daṇḍārkam abhigamyaiva ?) one gets the fruit of donating a thousand cows 3. 82. 142; by bathing in the second island of the Gaṅgā (? gaṅgāyās tv aparaṁ dvīpam) and by fasting for three nights one achieves all desires 3. 83. 5; one who observes chastity and is composed (brahmacārī samāhitaḥ) and bathes in the Gaṅgā at Śṛṅgaverapura is cleansed of his sins and obtains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice 3. 83. 63; by worshipping there Mahādeva and by making a pradakṣiṇā one gets the position of a Gaṇapati (gāṇapatyam avāpnuyāt) 3. 83. 64; by bathing ceremonially (yo naras tv abhiṣicyate) at a place where the Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā turns northwards near the abode (?) of Maheśvara (maheśvarasya niṣṭhane) and by living there for a month, abstaining from food, one sees the deities in person (svayaṁ paśyati devatāḥ) 13. 26. 14; by going to the tīrtha Brahmaśiras, by bathing (kṛtodakaḥ) in the Bhāgīrathī and by abstaining from food for a month one goes to the Somaloka 13. 26. 38; for the benefits of bathing in the Gaṅgā and of resorting to it also cf. 13. 27. 26, 29-30 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 31: vyuṣṭiḥ puṇyavṛddhiḥ), 32, 3749, 56, 59-63, 65-72, 77-86, 90, 92-95, 100;

(4) Meditating on the Gaṅgā: One who is controlled and is respected by the learned (prayataḥ śiṣṭasaṁmataḥ) if, while leaving his body, he thinks of the Gaṅgā he obtains the best condition (after death) (sa gatiṁ paramāṁ labhet) 13. 27. 69;

(5) Fasting on the Gaṅgā: One who fasts near the river for thirteen days and eats a part of the oblation in the evening of the fourteenth day, and he does this for twelve months, he gets the fruit of a great sacrifice and he lives in the company of the Devakanyās for a full year on the sandy banks of the river Jāhnavī (caturdaśe tu divase yaḥ pūrṇe prāśate haviḥ/sadā dvādaśamāsān vai mahāmedhaphalaṁ labhet//…devakanyānivāse ca tasmin vasati mānavaḥ/jāhnavīvālukākīrṇe pūrṇaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ naraḥ) 13. 110. 60, 63;

(6) Sand and earth on its banks and the breeze coming from its waves are holy 13. 27. 53-55.

(7) Rites after death performed at the Gaṅgā: Those beings whose bones (gātrāṇi; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 28: gātrāṇī asthīni), when thrown in the Gaṅgā come in contact with its water are not thrown out of heaven (na punas teṣāṁ tyāgaḥ svargād vidhīyate) 13. 27. 27; those beings whose obsequies (kṛtyāni) are performed with the water of the Gaṅgā remain permanently in the heaven (divi tiṣṭhanti te 'calāḥ) 13. 27. 28; also cf. 13. 27. 31, 36, 64;

(8) The country through which the Gaṅgā flows is as good as a penance grove; a place along the river Gaṅgā is to be looked upon as the place of the Siddhas (yatra gaṅgā mahārāja sa deśas tat tapovanam/siddhakṣetraṁ tu taj jñeyaṁ gaṅgātīrasamāśritam//) 3. 83. 83; the countries (deśāḥ), the Janapadas, the āśramas, the mountains through which the Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā, the best among the rivers, flows excel in holiness (prakṛṣṭāḥ puṇyataḥ) 13. 27. 24-25 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 18: deśāḥ bhūmibhāgāḥ janapadāḥ mahājananivāsasthānāni āśramāḥ ṛṣisthānāni); the countries and the quarters which do not enjoy the benefit of the auspicious water of the Gaṅgā are like nights without the moon and trees without flowers 13. 27. 33; also cf. 13. 27. 34-35;

(9) Many tīrthas on the river Gaṅgā: (i) Daśāśvamedhika 3. 83. 82; (ii) Brahmaśiras 13. 26. 38; (iii) Mārkaṇḍeyatīrtha 3. 82. 70; (iv) Aśvatīrtha 13. 4. 17; (v) Prayāga 3. 83. 69, 71; (vi) Daṇḍārka (?) 3. 82. 142; (also see the next section: Importance).


D. Importance: (i) Sages and gods pay homage to Nārāyaṇa on the river Gaṅgā 3. 88. 18; (ii) Gaṅgā is listed by Mārkaṇḍeya among rivers famous as mothers of fire-hearths, i. e. sacrifices were performed on their banks (gaṅgā ca…/etā nadyas tu dhiṣṇyānāṁ mātaro yāḥ prakīrtitāḥ//) 3. 212. 24 (for Nī. see Kapilā ); (iii) Gaṅgā, and all the Gaṅgās, listed by Saṁjaya among rivers which are called mothers of the univere 6. 10. 13; (sarvā gaṅgāś ca māriṣa/viśvasya mātaraḥ sarvāḥ) 6. 10. 35; (iv) Finds place twice in the Daivata-Ṛṣi-Vaṁśa 13. 151. 7, 15, 2; (v) Worlds which one gets by adoring with faith and devotion the virtues of the Jāhnavī were created by Gaṅgā herself (gaṅgākṛtān acireṇaiva lokān yatheṣṭam iṣṭān vicariṣyasi tvam); such a person became famous in the three worlds and achieved perfection which was difficult to obtain 13. 27. 98-99; (vi) The narration of the great importance and virtues of the Gaṅgā is called a holy Itihāsa containing the praise of the river; one who recites it, or listens to it, is freed of all sins (itihāsam imaṁ puṇyaṁ śṛṇuyād yaḥ paṭheta vā/gaṅgāyāḥ stavasaṁyuktaṁ sa mucyet sarvakilbiṣaiḥ) 13. 27. 105; (vii) Virtues of the river Gaṅgā are countless; no one can fully describe or determine them (vaktuṁ śakyaṁ neha gaṅgājalānāṁ guṇākhyānaṁ parimātuṁ tathaiva) 13. 27. 97, 96; (viii) Gaṅgā offered shelter, protection, support to those who are without it 13. 27. 44; Lomaśa invoked the blessings of the Gaṅgā, besides those of Varuṇa, Yama, and the Yamunā, on Yudhiṣṭhira and requested her to protect him from the mountains which he was about to enter while on his way to the Gandhamādana 3. 140. 13-14; (ix) Grief due to separation from the Gaṅgā more unbearable than from near relatives or wealth; on the other hand, just the sight of the Gaṅgā is more pleasing than that of the desired objects or sons 13. 27. 74-76; (x) Gaṅgā offers sustenance to those who depend on her 13. 27. 51-52;

(11) Relationship with other rivers: (i) Tripathagā Gaṅgā looked upon as the first to be created among the rivers (tathā tripathagā gaṅgā nadīnām agrajā smṛtā) 14. 44. 13; (ii) among the Vibhūtis of the Bhagavān, Jāhnavī is said to be the best among the rivers (srotasām asmi jāhnavī) 6. 32. 31; also cf. 13. 27. 50; (iii) the Gaṅgā has the same relationship to other rivers as the sun has to other luminaries (?) in the sky, the moon to the manes, and the king (?) to men (divi jyotir yathādityaḥ pitṝṇāṁ caiva candramāḥ/deveśaś ca yathā nṝṇāṁ gaṅgeha saritāṁ tathā//) 13. 27. 73 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 74: divi devānām iti śeṣaḥ/deveśaḥ rājendraḥ);

(12) Service to deities: Gaṅgā is mentioned among those rivers who wait on Śiva for his ablutions (upasparśanahetos tvā samīpasthā upāsate) 13. 134. 12, 17; the Bhāgīrathī is one of the rivers who wait upon Varuṇa in his sabhā 2. 9. 17;

(13) Limitation: Bhagīratha told Brahmadeva that his stay even for a hundred years on the bank of the Jāhnavī, practising austerities and giving as gift a thousand mules and a host of maidens (adāṁ ca tatrāśvatarīsahasraṁ nārīpuram) was not enough to take him to the Brahmaloka which was beyond the world of the gods, the cows and the sages 13. 106. 10, 5.


E. Epic events related to the Gaṅgā:

(1) Marriage with Saṁtanu and birth of Bhīṣma: King Pratīpa once went to the bank of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgātīragataḥ) and sat down for many years muttering prayers (japan) 1. 92. 1; Gaṅgā, in the form of a beautiful woman, rose from the waters and sat on the right thigh of king Pratīpa 1. 92. 2-3; when asked by the king what he might do to please her she requested him to make love with her (tvām ahaṁ kāmaye rājan kuruśreṣṭha bhajasva mām) 1. 92. 4-5; but, at the king's suggestion, she agreed to be his daughter-in-law and disappeared 1. 92. 9-12, 15-16; she laid down the condition that the king's son (her future husband) should not know her identity and should never question the propriety of her actions (sa me nābhijanajñaḥ syād ācareyaṁ ca yad vibho/tat sarvam eva putras te na mīmāṁseta karhicit) 1. 92. 13-14; king Śāṁtanu, son of Pratīpa, once went for hunting on the bank of the Gaṅgā; the river appeared before him in the form of a beautiful woman 1. 92. 25-26; when Śaṁtanu requested her to be his wife she agreed on condition that he did not prevent her from doing anything, auspicious or otherwise (śubhaṁ vā yadi vāśubham); should the king question her, she whould abandon him 1. 92. 31-35; when the king consented, she, full of lustre, attended on him as his wife 1. 92. 39-40; Gaṅgā, as the wife of Śaṁtanu, gave birth to eight sons seven of whom, as soon as they were born, she threw away in the waters of the river Gaṅgā; the king did not object to her on the first seven occasions, but on the eighth occasion he asked her to spare him a son; he also wanted to know who she really was 1. 92. 44-47; when thus questioned, she told Śaṁtanu that she was the river Gaṅgā, the daughter of Jahnu, and that she lived with him to achieve some purpose of the gods (devakāryārthasiddhyartham 1. 92. 49); the eight sons she bore him were the eight Vasus who were born as human beings due to the curse of Vasiṣtha; she had promised the Vasus that she would release them from their human birth as soon as they were born (cf. 1. 93. 40); she blessed the king before her departure (svasti te 'stu gamiṣyāmi); she told the king that she had lived with the Vasus (while they were in her womb) in succession (eṣa paryāyavāso me vasūnāṁ saṁnidhau kṛtaḥ) and that the eighth son who was to be given to him later by her was the one born of her (Gaṅgā) (matprasūtaṁ vijānīhi gaṅgādattam imaṁ sutam) 1. 92. 48-55; Śaṁtanu asked Jāhnavī who was Āpava (Vasiṣṭha) and what fault the Vasus had committed to invite the curse of Vasiṣṭha; he also asked why the eighth son (Gaṅgādatta) was required to live long among human beings 1. 9. 1-3; Gaṅgā Jāhnavī then told the king the whole story 1. 93. 5-42; Gaṅgā then disappeared taking the last-born son with her 1. 93. 43; many years later, King Śaṁtanu, while once hunting along the river Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī, noticed that the river had little water (alpajalām 1. 94. 21) and was not flowing as before (syandate kiṁ nv iyaṁ nādya 1. 94. 22); trying to find out the cause of it the king saw a young boy who had covered waters of the entire Gaṅgā with his arrows 1. 94. 24-25; Śaṁtanu suspected the boy to be his son and hence asked Gaṅgā to show herself to him; Gaṅgā appeared before the king holding the boy in her right hand, but the king did not immediately recognize her; Gaṅgā handed over the son to the king 1. 94. 28-31, 36; Śaṁtanu's marriage with Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī and the birth of Devavrata by her mentioned in 1. 57. 76; 1. 90. 50; 5. 179. 5; 12. 38. 8; 12. 46. 15; the birth of the Vasus from Bhāgīrathī in the house of Śaṁtanu mentioned in 1. 2. 78; 1. 61. 68;

(2) Her role in Bhīṣma's fight with Rāma Jāmadagnya: When the fight between Bhīṣma and Rāma Jāmadagnya was imminent, the latter threatened to kill Bhīṣma so that Jāhnavī might see him lying on the bed of arrows and the daughter of Bhagīratha (Gaṅgā), who gave birth to him, might weep seeing him dead 5. 179. 3-5; when Bhīṣma was ready to fight with Rāma, his mother appeared before him in her original form (svarūpiṇī) to try to dissuade Bhīṣma from the fight, and expressed her readiness to go to Jāmadagnya to beg him not to engage Bhīṣma, who was his pupil, in fight; Bhīṣma then told her the incidents which had led to the fight; then the river (Gaṅgā) went to Rāma to dissuade him; when told that it was Bhīṣma who was to be dissuaded, Gaṅgā returned to Bhīṣma and again pleaded with him; but Bhīṣma, angered, did not agree to her request 5. 179. 22-30; Bhāgīrathī again appeared later in this event when she joined the sages, Nārada and others, who stood between Bhīṣma and Rāma to stop them fighting with each other 5. 186. 27;

(3) Her pleading with Ambā: Gaṅgā, the mother of Bhīṣma, rose from the waters and asked Ambā the purpose she wanted to achieve by performing the austerities; when told by Ambā that her effort was aimed at the destruction of Bhīṣma, Gaṅgā (sāgaragā) told her that her purpose was crooked (jihmaṁ carasi bhāmini); if she persisted in observing her vows and if she died during the observance of the vows she would become a crooked river having water only during the rainy season and not in the remaining eight months (nadī bhaviṣyasi śubhe kuṭilā vārṣikodakā/…vārṣikī nāṣṭamāsikī); Bhīsma's mother then returned from the place where Ambā practised austerities 6. 187. 29-36;

(4) Death of Bhīṣma: When Bhīṣma, after his fall on the battle-field, resolved to hold his life till the start of the Uttarāyaṇa, Gaṅgā, knowing his resolve, sent to him the great sages in the form of swans 6. 114. 90; much later, after the cremation of Bhīṣma, Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the rest, including Vyāsa, Nārada, Asita and Kṛṣṇa, went to the bank of the Bhāgīrathī and all the Kṣatriya warriors and citizens offered water offerings to him; then Bhāgīrathī arose from water and, crying, lamented the death of her son; she addressed her words to the Kauravas praising and recounting the good qualities of Bhīṣma 13. 154. 17-26; the grieved Bhāgīrathī was consoled by Dāmodara (Kṛṣṇa) assuring her that her son was brought down from the chariot by Arjuna and not by Śikhaṇḍin and that he had returned to the Vasus in heaven 13. 154. 27-32; Bhāgīrathī then gave up grief and entered her own waters; Kṛṣṇa and others, after honouring the river (satkṛtya te tāṁ saritam) returned from that place (to Hāstinapura) when permitted by her to do so (anujñātās tayā) 13. 154. 33-34; when Dhṛtarāṣṭra had offered water offerings to Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira came out of water with Dhṛtarāṣṭra and, grief-stricken, fell on the bank of the Gaṅgā 14. 1. 1-2;

(5) Arjuna punished for his role in the fall of Bhīṣma: Ulūpī told Arjuna that his defeat at the hands of his son Babhruvāhana was an expiation (niṣkṛtiḥ) he had to undergo for the adharma committed by him in bringing about the fall of Bhīṣma 14. 82. 8; this expiation was prescribed by the Vasus and the Gaṅgā (eṣā tu vihitā śāntiḥ putrād yāṁ prāptavān asi/vasubhir vasudhāpāla gaṅgayā ca mahāmate) 14. 82. 11; when Bhīṣma died (hate śāntanave nṛpe) the Vasus emerged from waters and meeting the great river, told her that they wanted to curse Arjuna for his misdeed in the war, to which Bhāgīrathī agreed (idam ūcur vaco ghoraṁ bhāgīrathyā mate tadā//…vayam apy arjunaṁ…śāpena yojayāmeti tathāstv iti cābravīt//) 14. 82. 12-15;

(6) The Pāṇḍavas came across the Gaṅgā at various places: (i) When Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers decided to go on a pilgrimage, the Brāhmaṇas expressed their wish to visit with them the Gaṅgā and other rivers 3. 91. 10; when they arrived at Prayāga at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā the Pāṇḍavas bathed in their waters (āplutya gātrāṇi), practised the severest austerities and gave gifts to the Brāhmaṇas 3. 93. 5-6; (ii) They again arrived at the Bhāgīrathī flowing by the side of the Agastyāśrama where Lomaśa advised them to bathe at will (yatheṣṭam avagāhyatām) 3. 97. 27; (iii) Going further from the river Kauśikī, they arrived at the place where the Gaṅgā met the ocean and bathed there in waters of five hundred rivers (nadīśatānāṁ pañcānāṁ madhye cakre samāplavam) 3. 114. 2; (iv) On reaching the vicinity of the Maināka mountain, Lomaśa showed the river Gaṅgā to Yudhiṣṭhira; he advised Yudhiṣṭhira to bathe in the Gaṅgā to be freed of all sins; he also advised him to bathe silently (tūṣṇīṁ gaṅgām…samupaspṛśa) 3. 135. 5-7; (v) When the Pāṇḍavas had crossed the Uśīrabīja, the Maināka, the Śvetagiri and the Kālaśaila mountains, Lomaśa showed them the Gaṅgā flowing in seven currents (eṣā gaṅgā saptavidhā) 3. 140. 1-2; Lomaśa could hear the sound of the Gaṅgā on the top on the mountain Jāmbūnada 3. 140. 14; (vi) The Pāṇḍavas saw the Bhāgīrathī on the Kailāsa mountain; they lived there giving offerings to gods and manes again and again 3. 145. 37, 40, 42;

(7) Some events after the war and the funeral rites offered to the dead: (i) When Yudhiṣṭhira went to meet Dhṛtarāṣṭra who had left Hāstinapura, he saw the Kaurava women lamenting on the bank of the Gaṅgā 11. 11. 5; (ii) Vyāsa, who knew that Gāndhārī would curse the Pāṇḍavas in their first meeting with her after the war, hastened to them after bathing (upaspṛśya) in the Gaṅgā 11. 13. 4; (iii) After lifting the funeral pyre of Droṇa, his pupils, keeping Kṛpī in the front, proceeded to the Gaṅgā 11. 23. 42; (iv) After arranging for the cremation of all the heroes who fell in the war, Yudhiṣṭhira, accompanied by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, went towards the Gaṅgā 11. 26. 44; on reaching the Gaṅgā, Yudhiṣṭhira and the Kaurava women offered water offerings to the departed (pracakruḥ salilakriyāḥ); at that moment the Gaṅgā became easily fordable spreading herself out widely (sūpatīrthābhavad gaṅgā bhūyo viprasasāra ca); the bank of the Gaṅgā then was without joy and merriment (nirānandam anutsavam …gaṅgātīram aśobhata) 11. 27. 1-5; (v) Yudhisṭhira, after giving water offerings to Karṇa (cakārāsyodakaṁ prabhuḥ 11. 27. 21) and after performing the funeral rites for him with the wives of Karṇa, came out of the river Gaṅgā (sa tābhiḥ saha dharmātmā pretakṛtyam anantaram kṛtvōttatāra gaṅgāyāḥ) 11. 27. 24; (vi) When the Pāṇḍavas, who had given water offerings, were still on the Bhāgīrathī, Dvaipāyana, Narada and others and their pupils and hundreds of thousands of other Brāhmaṇas gathered there to console Yudhiṣṭhira 12. 1. 1-2, 4-5, 8;

(8) Cremation of Pāṇḍu and Mādrī: The cremation was performed on an auspicious and even spot in the forest on the river Gaṅgā (ramaṇīye vanoddeśe gaṅgātīre same śubhe); the bier (śibikā) in which their dead bodies were brought from Hāstinapura were placed on this spot 1. 118. 16-17;

(9) Certain other epic events in which the Gaṅgā is referred to: (i) At Pramāṇakoṭi, Duryodhana tied up Bhīma, while he was asleep, and threw him in the waters of the Gaṅgā 1. 55. 10; 3. 13. 74; (ii) Droṇa with his pupils once went to the Gaṅgā for bathing when a crocodile caught him by his ankle (jaṅghānte) 1. 123. 69; (iii) When Drupada was brought captive by his pupils to Droṇa, the latter told Drupada that in future he (Drupada) would rule over the Pañcāla country which lay to the south of the Bhāgīrathī while he (Droṇa) himself would rule over the part of the country which lay to its north; Drupada then established himself in the capital city of Kampilya in the countryside of Mākandī on the river Gaṅgā ruling the southern Pāñcālas as far as the river Carmaṇvatī 1. 128. 12, 15; 1. 154. 24; (iv) Drupada while reaming along the bank of the Gāṅgā, came across a settlement of the Brāhmaṇas (brāhmaṇāvasatha) 1. 155. 5; (v) The Aṅgāraparṇa episode: The Pāṇḍavas on their way to the Pañcālas reached the Somaśravāyaṇa tīrtha on the river Gaṅgā; Aṅgāraparṇa, king of the Gandharvas, had already arrived there to sport with his wives in the waters of the river Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī; he was angered when he heard the voice of the Pāṇḍavas approaching the river; he told the Pāṇḍavas to leave the place as the forest along the rivers Gaṅgā and Vākā belonged to him; Arjuna questioned the sole right of the Gandharva over the river either at night, or by day, or in twilight (nadyām asyām …kasya kḷptaḥ parigrahaḥ 1. 158. 15); it was therefore not proper for the Gandharva to withhold the river from others since that was against the age old custom (katham icchasi tāṁ roddhuṁ naiṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ 1. 158. 20); why should the Pāṇḍavas be restrained from touching the waters of the Bhāgīrathī 1. 158. 2, 4, 5, 11, 13, 15, 20, 21; defeat of Aṅgāraparṇa in this episode alluded to in 1. 2. 86; later the Gandharva and the Pāṇḍavas took leave of each other on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī 1. 174. 5; (vi) Arjuna, during the period of his exile, entered the river Gaṅgā for bathing; as he wanted to come out of the water he was dragged by Ulūpī in the water of that river 1. 206. 11-13; (vii) Arjuna, during his exile, while going to the east, crossed many rivers one of them being the Gaṅgā 1. 207. 5-6; (viii) Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma and Arjuna crossed the rivers Mālā, Carmaṇvatī and Gaṅgā on their way to the Magadha 2. 18. 21; (ix) On account of the cries of thousands of animals that were burnt at the Khāṇḍava forest the fish in the waters (?) of the Gaṅgā were terrified 1. 219. 28 (tena śabdena vitresur gaṅgodadhicarā jhaṣāḥ; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 1. 228. 32: gaṅgododhicarā iti atidūrasthopalakṣaṇam); (x) The Pāṇḍavas spent their first night of forest life under a banyan tree called Pramāṇa on the river Jāhnavī; they bathed in it and had only the water of the Jāhnavī to drink for the night 3. 1. 39-40; from the bank of the river Jāhnavī they started towards the Kurukṣetra 3. 6. 1; (xi) On the mountain Himavant Arjuna took bath in the Gaṅgā before ascending Indra's chariot to go to the Indraloka 3. 43. 20; (xii) Bhīṣma once lived as a muni on the bank of the river Bhāgīrathī practising the vow taken by his father (pitryaṁ vratam); there he heard from Pulastya the fruit obtained by visiting the tīrthas 3. 80. 11-12; there, on the bank of the Gaṅgā, he also heard the narrative of Vipula from Mārkaṇḍeya 13. 43. 17; (xiii) When the Pāṇḍavas were near the Gandhamādana mountain (3. 155. 34) Yudhiṣṭhira showed to Bhīma the river Mahāgaṅgā 3. 155. 69, 85; (xiv) The basket (mañjūṣā) containing the newly born Karṇa went down from the river Aśvanadī to the Gaṅgā (via the Carmaṇvatī and the Yamunā) and then to the city of Campā 3. 292. 25-26; when the Sūta Adhiratha went with his wife to the Jāhnavī, she saw there by chance the floating basket brought to the bank by the waves of the Jāhnavī 3. 293. 1, 3; (xv) The army of the Kauravas, collected for the war, spread along the bank of the Gaṅgā 5. 19. 30; (xvi) Kuntī, who wished to approach Karṇa to tell him the truth about his birth, went to the Bhāgīrathī to meet him; there on the bank of the Gaṅgā she heard the sound of the prayers recited by Karṇa 5. 142. 26-27; (xvii) Arjuna wishing to propitiate Śiva to seek his help in fulfilling the vow to kill Jayadratha saw the Gaṅgā on his way 7. 57. 24; (xviii) Bhīma, in search of Aśvatthāman, reached the bank of the Bhāgīrathī where he saw Vyāsa and the other sages seated on the bank (udakānte) 10. 13. 12-13; (xix) After the great war, Kṛpa, Aśvatthāman and Kṛtavarman, after their meeting with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, rode fast on horse-back towards the Gaṅgā 11. 10. 19; (xx) Bhīṣma, having narrated to Yudhiṣṭhira the Itihāsa connected with the praise of the Gaṅgā (itihāsaṁ…gaṅgāyāḥ stavasaṁyutam), advised him to approach the Gaṅgā with great devotion in order to obtain the highest perfection (siddhim uttamām); he and his brothers were delighted to hear this Itihāsa of the Gaṅgā from Bhīṣma 13. 27. 103-104; (xxi) When Dhṛtarāṣṭra decided to retire to the forest he, along with Gāndhārī, Kuntī, Vidura and Saṁjaya, went in a day a long distance from Hastinapura and camped on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī; next morning they started from there towards the north 15. 24. 16, 23; after going some distance they again camped on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī; in the evening he and Gāndhārī went to the Gaṅgā and performed the prescribed purificatory rites (cakāra vidhivac chaucam); Vidura and other men performed individually all the neccessary rites (cakruḥ sarvāḥ kriyās tatra puruṣā vidurādayaḥ) after bathing in the various tīrthas (tīrtheṣv āplutya); when the purificatory rites were over Kuntī led Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī to the bank of the Gaṅgā; there the priests of the king laid a Vedī (kṛto vedīparistaraḥ) on which Dhṛtarāṣṭra gave offerings in the fire; from the bank of the Bhāgīrathī they all proceeded to the Kurukṣetra 15. 25. 1, 4-8;

(10) Meeting with the dead: Vyāsa asked Dhṛtarāṣṭra and all those staying with him to go to the bank of the Bhāgīrathī to meet all those who fell in the war; accordingly all of them went to the Gaṅgā and resided there 15. 39. 18-22; then in the evening Vyāsa bathed in the Bhāgīrathī and invoked all those who fought on the side of the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas; at his call, all the kings, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and the rest, together with their armies, rose in thousands from the water (of the Bhāgīrathī) 15. 40. 4, 7, 13; after some time, at the instance of Vyāsa, they again disappeared plunging into the river Tripathagā (Gaṅgā) and repaired to their respective places; then Vyāsa, standing in the water (of the Tripathagā), told the Kaurava women that those who wished to obtain the worlds of their respective deceased husbands should quickly enter the water of the Jāhnavī; the women, fully believing the words of Vyāsa, took permission of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and entered the water of the Jāhnavī; freed of their bodies they were united with their husbands and acquired the worlds of their husbands 15. 41. 13, 17-21;

(11) End of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī: When Nārada arrived at Hāstinapura to meet Yudhiṣṭhira he paid a visit to the Gaṅgā on his way; people residing near the Gaṅgā had told Yudhiṣṭhira that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was engaged in severe austerities; Yudhiṣṭhira therefore asked Nārada if he had met Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the rest during his visit to the Gaṅgā and how they fared; Nārada told him that after their last meeting with Dhṛtarāṣṭra the latter had repaired to the Gaṅgādvāra; once, after his bath in the Gaṅgā, when Dhṛtarāṣṭra had started for his hermitage, wind arose, fire engulfed the forest, and burnt it (gaṅgāyām āpluto dhīmān āśṛamābhimukho 'bhavat 15. 45. 18); Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī were burnt in the fire; only Saṁjaya escaped from the forest fire and was seen, surrounded by ascetics, by Nārada on the bank of the Gaṅgā 15. 45. 5-6, 10, 29-32; Nārada further informed Yudhiṣṭhira that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was burnt on the bank of the Jāhnavī not by the ordinary fire but by the sacred fire which Dhṛtarāṣṭra himself and his priests had left after performing the rites (i. e. the forest fire was caused by the sacred fire left by Dhṛtarāṣṭra) (nāsau vṛthāgninā dagdho yathā tatra śrutaṁ mayā); this was reported to Nārada by the sages whom he met on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī 15. 47. 1-6; when asked by Nārada to give the water offerings to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī (kartum arhasi kaunteya teṣāṁ tvam udakakriyām), Yudhiṣṭhira went to the Gaṅgā with his brothers and wife; there, going into the water, they all offered water (dadus toyam) and stayed outside the city to undergo purification (śaucaṁ nivartayantaḥ) 15. 47. 9-13;

(12) Ulūpī entered the Gaṅgā when, at the end, the Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī started for the forest 17. 1. 25;


F. Past and mythological events in which the river Gaṅgā figures:

(1) Past events: (i) Bhagīratha brought her down from the heaven: The sage Kapila had told Aṁśumant, the grandson of Sagara, that his grandson will bring down the Tripathagā from the heaven by propitiating Maheśvara for the purification of the burnt sons of Sagara 3. 107. 27; however, the descent of the Gaṅgā from the heaven was first attempted by Dilīpa, father of Bhagīratha, without success 3. 106. 38; Bhagīratha, desirous of seeking the favour of the Gaṅgā, went to the Himavant to practise austerities 3. 107. 4; after one thousand years the Gaṅgā appeared before Bhagīratha in a bodily form 3. 107. 14; when requsted by Bhagīratha to wash the bones (śarīrāṇi) of the sons of Sagara so that they might go to heaven, she agreed, but first asked Bhagīratha to propitiate Śiva by tapas so that he might agree to hold her on his head; no one else could check her speed when she descended from heaven; Bhagīratha succeeded in securing a boon from Śaṅkara to hold the Gaṅgā 3. 107. 18-25; Śiva assured Bhagīratha to hold the Devanadī (Gaṅgā) when she came down from heaven; Śiva then went to the Himavant and asked Bhagīratha to request the daughter of the king of the mountains (Gaṅgā not directly named) to come down from the heaven; when Bhagīratha thought of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgāṁ samanucintayat 3. 108. 5), the river descended from heaven on Śiva's forehead; the river became triple while flowing thence to the ocean (sā babhūva visarpantī tridhā rājan samudragā 3. 108. 10); the river asked Bhagīratha to show her the way; Bhagīratha led her to the place where lay the bones (śarīṛāṇi) of the sons of Sagara; after holding the Gaṅgā on his head Hara went to the Kailāsa; Bhagīratha having reached the ocean with the Gaṅgā filled it with the water of the river; Bhagīratha made Gaṅgā his daughter (duhitṛtve ca nṛpatir gaṅgāṁ samanukalpayat); he offered water of the Gaṅgā to the manes 3. 108. 17; 12. 29. 62; Lomaśa thus told Yudhiṣṭhira how the Gaṅgā came to be Tripathagā (flowing in three regions-heaven, mid-region, and the earth) and how she was made to descend also to fill the ocean with water (pūraṇārthaṁ samudrasya pṛthivīm avatāritā) 3. 108. 2-18; the incident of the descent of the Gaṅgā on the head of Śiva also alluded to in 5. 109. 6; 6. 7. 28; 13. 27. 71, 87, 89, 95; 13. 106. 26; 13. 134. 17; (ii) Other events related to Bhagīratha and the Gaṅgā: (a) Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī formerly sat on the lap of Bhagīratha while he was seated on the slope (near the river), hence she came to be known as Urvaśī (upahvare nivasato yasyāṅke niṣasāda ha/gaṅgā bhāgīṛathī tasmād urvaśī hy abhavat purā 12. 29. 61 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 29. 68: urvaśī ūrau vāso yasyāḥ sā iti yogāt/ūrvasīty apekṣite hrasvatvaṁ varṇaviparyaś ca pṛṣodarāditvāt jñeyaḥ); (b) From the lake Bindusaras Bhagīratha watched Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā and lived there for many years 2. 3. 9; 6. 7. 41; (c) Bhagīratha gave on the Gaṅgā a myriad of hundreds of cows (gavāṁ śatānām ayutam) 13. 106. 37; he gave gifts (of cows ?) which would cover the entire current of the Gaṅgā (srotaś ca yāvad gaṅgāyāś channam āsīj jagatpate/ dakṣiṇābhiḥ pravṛttābhiḥ) 13. 106. 24; (iii) Jahnu and the Gaṅgā: The Gaṅgā became the daughter of Jahnu (duhitṛtvam anuprāptā gaṅgā yasya (i. e. jahnoḥ)) 13. 4. 3; Jahnu waited on her (jahnur jāhnavisevitā) 13. 151. 44; (iv) King Yayāti, desirous of arranging a Svayaṁvara for his daughter Mādhavī, went to a hermitage situated on the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā; his sons Pūru and Yadu put their sister on a chariot and rushed to the same hermitage 5. 118. 1-2; the entire region between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā in the middle of the earth was given by Yayāti to his son Pūru as his kingdom (gaṅgāyamunayor madhye kṛtsno 'yaṁ viṣiyas tava/ madhye pṛthivyās tvaṁ rājā) 1. 82. 5; (v) A battle was fought between Haryaśva and the Haihayas, the kinsmen of Vītahavya, in the region lying between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā; in this battle Haryaśva was killed 13. 31. 11; Divodāsa, son of Sudeva, established Vārāṇasī on the north bank of the Gaṅgā and to the south of Gomatī (to avoid the attack by the Haihayas) 13. 31. 18, 16; when, later, Pratardana, the son of Divodāsa, wanted to attack the Vaitahavyas (= Haihayas) he crossed the river Gaṅgā 13. 31. 35; (vi) On the river Gaṅgā, near Kanyakubja, king Gādhi married his daughter Satyavatī to Ṛcīka Bhārgava 3. 115. 17; (vii) The sage Cyavana Bhārgava once took the vow of staying in water for twelve years (udavāsakṛtārambho babhūva sumahāvrataḥ…varṣāṇi dvādaśa munir jalavāse dhṛtavrataḥ) 13. 50. 3-4; he became stiff like a post (sthāṇubhūtaḥ) and after worshipping the deities entered the waters of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā; he withstood with his head the terrific current of the two rivers; the two rivers, and those which followed them, made a pradakṣiṇā of the sage and did not cause harm to him; the sage slept in the waters like a log of wood and then stood erect (antar jale sa suṣvāpa kāṣṭhabhūto mahāmuniḥ/ tataś cordhvasthito dhīmān abhavad bharatarṣabha) 13. 50. 6-9; (viii) Sage Cyavana took his residence for some time on the bank of the river Gaṅgā to observe a vrata 13. 53. 55; (ix) At a place not far from Kanyakubja on the bank of the Gaṅgā is the Aśvatīrtha where from the waters of the Gaṅgā arose a thousand horses having one black ear; Ṛcīka, the son of Cyavana, got them by the favour of Varuṇa 13. 4. 16-17; (x) A certain Brāhmaṇa once lived in the city Mahāpadma on the southern bank of the Gaṅgā 12. 341. 1; (xi) When Śuka was born on the mountain Meru (merupṛṣṭhe), Gaṅgā in her original form (svarūpiṇī) arrived there to bathe him 12. 311. 12; (xii) Once, Suvarṇaṣṭhīvin, the young son of Sṛñjaya, accompanied by his nurse, ran while playing on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī; he was then attacked by Indra's vajra in the form of a tiger 12. 31. 31; (xiii) Gautama and his brothers put their eldest brother Dīrghatamas in a wooden box and put it on the Gaṅgā; king Bali, who had gone to bathe in the river Gaṅgā (not named), saw the box brought to him by the current of the water 1. 98. 18, 21; (xiv) When the Kṣatriyas were destroyed by Rāma Jāmadagnya, Aṅga, the son of Diviratha, was protected by Gautama on the bank of the Gaṅgā 12. 49. 72; (xv) Bharata, the son of Duḥṣanta, offered on different rivers a thousand horse-sacrifices of which he bound fourteen horses on the river Gaṅgā (yo baddhvā…aśvān devebhyo… gaṅgām anu caturdaśa//aśvamedhasahasreṇa…iṣṭavān sa mahātejā dauḥṣantir bharataḥ purā//) 12. 29. 41-42; (xvi) Bharadvāja, when he went to the Gaṅgā for bath, saw there the Apsaras Ghṛtācī who had also come there to bathe 1. 154. 2; (xvii) Vasiṣṭha turned the Gaṅgā, proceeding towards the Kailāsa, to the Mānasa lake; when that lake got mixed with the river, the Gaṅgā became the Sarayū 13. 140. 23-24; (xviii) Rājadharman, the son of Kaśyapa and Dākṣāyaṇī, offered to Gautama, his guest, large fishes (mahāmīnāḥ) obtained from the regions through which the river Gaṅgā flew 12. 164. 4; (xix) A certain Brāhmaṇa, Kauśika by name, told the truth to the robbers about the whereabouts of the people who were afraid of them; by this act he incurred sin on the river Gaṅgā 12. 110. 8 (reference to 8. 49. 41-46 where in st. 32 Gaṅgā is not named); (xx) The following persons attained perfection (siddhi) on the Gaṅgā:

(1) Śilavṛtti, when instructed by Siddha on the virtues of the Tripathā, worshipped the Gaṅgā according to the rites and attained perfection which was very difficult to attain; Siddha himself, after instructing Śilarati, entered the sky 13. 27. 101-102;

(2) Sage Sanatkumāra attained great perfection on the Gaṅgā 3. 135. 6; (xxi) Indra, in the form of a very weak Brāhmaṇa, appeared before Yavakrī and started doing an impossible deed viz. constructing a dam in the Bhāgīrathī by filling the Gaṅgā with sand; he poured constantly handfuls of sand in the Bhāgīrathī; when asked by Yavakrī smilingly why he was busy with this fruitless effort Indra told him that he wanted to construct a dam in the Gaṅgā so that the river can be crossed easily 3. 135. 30-36;

(2) Mythological: (i) Gaṅgā once went to pay a visit to Pitāmaha (Brahmadeva) in his assembly; there her garment was displaced by the wind; King Mahābhiṣa, who happened to be there, constantly looked at her in that condition; he was therefore cursed to be born again as a human being; Gaṅgā returned from the assembly continuing to think about Mahābhīṣa; she saw the Vasus, dejected, going along the way; she asked them the cause of their dejection; the Vasus told her that they were cursed by Vasiṣṭha to be born as humans; they requested Gaṅgā to assume a human form so that she could give birth to them as humans; Gaṅgā agreed and asked them whom would they like to be their father; they chose Śaṁtanu, the son of Pratīpa; Gaṅgā also had thought of the same person, hence she would do what was dear to the king and to the Vasus; Vasus requested Gaṅgā to throw them into water no sooner they were born; Gaṅgā agreed to even that request, but asked them to spare one of them so that Śaṁtanu's union with her would not be totally fruitless; Vasus consented to do that, each one of them contributing one-eighth share for Gaṅgā's son; and they also told her that the son of the Gaṅgā would beget no son; having come to this agreement with the Gaṅgā the Vasus, delighted, went their way 1. 91. 4-22; (ii) The lustre (tejaḥ 13. 84. 11) of Rudra fell in Agni; Agni was to beget through that lustre a son on the Gaṅgā for killing the enemy of the gods; Agni went to the Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī and became mixed with her; as a result, Gaṅgā became pregnant; Gaṅgā could not bear the embryo, was mentally distressed, and was in great agony; when Agni laid the lustrous embryo in the Gaṅgā, an Asura (not named) roared fiercely; terrified, the Gaṅgā was unable to bear the embryo; Jāhnavī, with her body covered with lustre and trembling, told Agni that she could not contain his lustre within her; she was very much uneasy and was agitated; she would like to cast away the embryo, as she could hold it no longer, and not because of her sweet will; she was no longer her usual self; Agni, however, asked her to contain the embryo within her: as she was capable of bearing and containing the whole earth there was nothing which Gaṅgā could not achieve except (perhaps) containing the seed of Agni; in spite of the entreaties of Vahni and the other gods the Gaṅgā cast off the embryo on mount Meru; Gaṅgā was capable of holding an embryo, but she could not do it on this occasion as she was overcome by the lustre of Rudra; when she cast it off, she appeared before Agni who asked her if the delivery was happy (kaccid garbhaḥ sukhodayaḥ); he asked her to describe to him the colour, the form and the lustre of the child; having described to Agni the form of his son the goddess (devī) Gaṅgā disappeared 13. 84. 8, 12, 52-72; 9. 43 8-9 (where the embryo is said to have been cast off on the mountain Himavant; when the embryo was cast off that part of the mountain became of gold 9. 43. 14); the son Kumāra was first Gāṅgeya (son of Gaṅgā), then became Kārttikeya (the son of the Kṛttikās); the Gaṅgā, the best among the rivers, waited on him 9. 43. 20; when the child approached Śiva, Pārvatī, Gaṅgā and Pāvaka (Agni) each one of them wondered whom he would show his honour by going to him or her first (kiṁ nu pūrvam ayaṁ bālo gauravād abhyupaiṣyati/api mām iti sarveṣām teṣām āsīd manogatam) 9. 43. 34-35; knowing their mind the child assumed four forms (tato 'bhavac caturmūrtiḥ), of which the form Naigameṣa went to the Gaṅgā 9. 43. 37, 39; then all the four, Rudra, Devī, Pāvaka and the Gaṅgā, bowed down to Pitāmaha (Brahmadeva) and requested him to grant Kumāra the overlordship of all beings i. e. of the kings of all the classes of gods (ādhipatyam; senāpatyam dadau tasmai sarvabhūteṣu bhārata/sarvadevanikāyānāṁ ye rājānaḥ pariśrutāḥ/tān sarvān vyādideśāsmai sarvabhūtapitāmahaḥ) 9. 43. 42, 44, 48, 49; when the gods gave different gifts to Kumāra, Gaṅgā gave him a divine water vessel which was the source of the nectar (kamaṇḍaluṁ divyam amṛtodbhavam uttamam) 9. 45. 45; people call Kumāra differently the son of Pitamaha, or of Maheśvara, or of Umā, or of the Kṛttikās, or of the Gaṅgā 9. 45. 86; the incident is also alluded to in 3. 207. 4; 13. 27. 87 (iyaṁ gāṅgā …guhasya rukmasya ca garbhayoṣā; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 88: garbhayoṣā garbhadhāriṇī strī); (iii) Once when the gods performed a satra in the Naiṁiṣa forest (3. 189. 1), they saw a (golden) lotus coming floating on the river Bhāgīrathī; to find out its source, Indra went to the place of the origin of the Gaṅgā (yatra gaṅgā satataṁ saṁprasūtā); he saw there a woman weeping while standing in the water of the river; the tear which fell in the water became a golden lotus 1. 189. 10-11; (iv) When, in former times, Pitāmaha (Brahmadeva) once performed a sacrifice on the Mahendra mountain, Bhāgīrathī was present in the sadas (yatra bhāgīrathī puṇyā sadasyāsīt) 3. 85. 17; (v) When the fish, reared by Manu, outgrew the size of the large vāpī, it requested Manu to take it to the Gaṅgā, the chief wife of the ocean (samudramahīṣīm…gaṅgām); as requested, Manu took the fish to the Gaṅgā and put it in its water; when the fish further so grew in size that it could not move in the Gaṅgā (gaṅgāyāṁ hi na śaknomi bṛhatvāc deṣṭituṁ prabho), it requested Manu to take it to the ocean; accordingly Manu pulled it out of the Gaṅgā and took it to the ocean 3. 185. 18-19, 21-22; (vi) Nārada, once early in the morning, descended into the water of the Gaṅgā arising at the Dhruvadvāra to take bath (pispṛkṣuḥ); Indra also happened to go there; both of them bathed in its water (āplutya) and, with controlled mind, performed japa; then they sat down on the bank, covered with thin golden sand, to tell each other stories told by gods and sages narrating holy deeds (puṇyakarmabhir ākhyātā devarṣikathitāḥ kathāḥ) 12. 221. 6-9; (vii) The two rivers, the Gaṅgā and the Sarasvatī, became the eyebrows of Nārāyaṇa when he assumed a different form by his mighty device (aiśvareṇa prayogeṇa dvitīyāṁ tanum āśrītaḥ) to get back the Vedas stolen by the two Dānavas Madhu and Kaiṭabha 12. 335. 43, 46; (viii) Mṛtyu, conceived as a woman (12. 249. 15-18), avoiding to kill men, went to the river Gaṅgā on the mountain Meru and stood there motionless like a piece of wood 12. 250. 22; (ix) Mārkaṇḍeya saw the Gaṅgā, among other rivers, in the belly of the Bāla (3. 186. 83, i. e. Nārāyaṇa 3. 187. 3) 3. 186. 93; (x) When Śiva asked Umā to instruct him in the duties of women (strīdharma 13. 134. 10), she first wanted to consult the rivers, the Gaṅgā and others, who were expert in that subject (strīdharmakuśalāḥ); when Umā approached the rivers they appointed the Gaṅgā to address Umā on their behalf; the river told Umā that they felt blessed since Umā held them in high esteem, but it was indeed Umā who was the right person to instruct them in the strīdharma; when the goddess (Umā) was thus honoured by the Gaṅgā she discoursed on the strīdharmas to them 13. 134. 17-30; (xi) Once, when the ocean asked the rivers why they carried away large trees but not the small and weak cane growing on their banks, the Gaṅgā told him the reason convincingly giving the grounds 12. 114. 3-7; (xii) Rāma crossed (the Gaṅgā) at Śṛṅgaverapura 3. 83. 4; (xiii) Once, while Śiva was seated on the peak of the mountain Meru and was being attended upon by gods and others, the Gaṅgā in bodily form (rūpiṇī) waited on him 12. 274. 16.


G. Similes: The Gaṅgā, in various aspects, figures as an upamāna:

(1) To compare an army with: (i) The army of Duryodhana, returning to the Hāstinapura, with its white parasols, banners, and the very white chowries was an image of the current of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgaughapratimā camūḥ) 3. 240. 42; (ii) The army of Duryodhana, eleven akṣauhiṇīs strong, looked like the Gaṅgā while at some distance from the Yamunā (gaṅgeva yamunāntare) 6. 18. 18; (iii) The army of the Pāṇḍavas proceeding to the battle-field looked full and irresitible like the Gaṅgā (gaṅgeva pūrṇā durdharṣā) 5. 149. 49; (iv) The army, led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, with its formidable archers looked full, tranquil and flowing like the Gaṅgā (bhīmadhanvāyanī senā… gaṅgeva pūrṇā stimitā syandamānā vyadṛśyata) 5. 197. 10 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 5. 196. 12: bhīmadhanvānaḥ ayante pracaranty asyām iti bhīmadhanvāyanī); 6. 19. 17; (v) Just as the sweet water of the Gaṅgā becomes salty due to the property of the ocean, similarly the valour of the heroes of Duryodhana would be futile on meeting the Pāṇḍavas 6. 79. 5-6; (vi) Duryodhana desired to cross (the army of the Pāṇḍavas) as one would want to cross in rainy season the current of the Gaṅgā full of sharks, alligators and crocodiles (sagrāhanakramakaraṁ gaṅgāvegam ivoṣṇage; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 5. 139. 11: uṣṇage uṣṇātigame varṣākale) 5. 137. 11; (vii) Bhīma would enter the army of the Kauravas as does the current of the Gaṅgā the trees growing on its banks 5. 50. 35; (viii) The Trigartas (five brothers), in the war, would agitate the army of the Pāṇḍavas as the crocodlies agitate water of the Gaṅgā 5. 163. 10; (ix) The army of the Kauravas, attacked by Arjuna, was split into two (some going to Droṇa, some to Duryodhana) as does the Gaṅgā on meeting a mountain 7. 29. 29; (x) The army of the Kauravas, at the sight of Ghaṭotkaca, was struck with fear and was agitated, as are the surging waves of the Gaṅgā, whose eddies are agitated by wind 7. 131. 31; (xi) The Pāñcālas attacked the army of Duryodhana on all sides as the swans, returning from the Mānasa lake, rush towards the Gaṅgā 8. 43. 64; (xii) The army of the Pāṇḍavas was agitated by the Madra warriors as is the Gaṅgā by the hostile wind (purovātena gaṅgeva) 9. 17. 10; (xiii) When the Kaurava heroes (Droṇa and others), who were ready (for attack) at a distance of twenty steps attacked Abhimanyu, they appeared, for a while, like an eddy of the Gaṅgā and the ocean (where the former meets the latter) (te viṁśatipade yattāḥ saṁprahāraṁ pracakrire/āsīd gāṅga ivāvarto muhūrtam udadher iva) 7. 35. 13 (Nī., however, on Bom. Ed. 7. 36. 13: viṁśatir iti vyūhaparyāyaḥ/tad uktam ‘viṁśatyaṅgatayā vyūho viṁśatir vyapadiśyate’ iti/viṁśateḥ pade rakṣaṇe); (xiv) The armies of Duryodhana and Yudhiṣṭhira clashed speedily with each other as do the swollen waters of the Gaṅgā and the Sarayū in the rainy season 7. 16. 49; (xv) The two large armies led by Droṇa and Dhṛsṭadyumna, having clashed with each other, sped along as do the swollen waters of the Jāhnavī and the Yamunā in the rainy season 7. 70. 8; (xvi) The armies led by Karṇa and Arjuna clashed fiercely as do the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā 8. 31. 68;

(2) In other contexts: (i) The river of smoke which connected the heaven and the earth looked like the river Gaṅgā (coming down from the heaven to the earth) (bhūmau svarge ca saṁbaddhām nadīṁ dhūmamayīm nṛpaḥ (= yayātiḥ)/sa gaṅgām iva gacchantīm ālambya jagatīpatiḥ) 5. 119. 12; (ii) The sages (the Vālakhilyas and others) sat near the Sarasvatī adorning it as do the gods the river Gaṅgā 9. 36. 47; (iii) Duḥṣanta entered the forest on the river Mālinī which was like the hermitage of Nara and Nārāyaṇa on the river Gaṅgā 1. 64. 24; (iv) King Bṛhadratha between his two wives looked like the ocean in the bodily form between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā (gaṅgāyamunayor madhye mūrtimān iva sāgaraḥ) 2. 16. 19; (v) King Divodāsa enjoyed pleasures with Mādhavī as does the ocean with the Jāhnavī 5. 115. 10; (vi) The eyebrow with its three tips on the forehead of the angered Bhīma looked like the Gaṅgā flowing in three courses on the Trikūṭa (triśikhāṁ bhrukuṭīm cāsya dadṛśuḥ sarvapārthivāḥ/lalāṭasthāṁ trikūṭasthāṁ gaṅgāṁ tripathagām iva) 2. 39. 11; (vii) As the Gaṅgā is the best among the rivers, so is the Kapilā among the cows (yathā hi gaṅgā saritāṁ variṣṭhā tathārjunīnām kapilā variṣṭhā) 13. 72. 40; (viii) A certain Nāga named Padma was born in a family which was (pure) like the water of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgāhradāmbho 'bhijanopapannaḥ) 12. 343. 11; (ix) A man who does not have anything desirable never gets anything that is splendid; he goes into nothing as does the Gaṅgā on reaching the ocean (priyābhāvāc ca puruṣo naiva prāpnoti śobhanam/dhruvaṁ cābhāvam abhyeti gatvā gaṅgeva sāgaram) 5. 133. 16; (x) Wealth causes hankering after it as does the sweet water of the Gaṅgā (anutarṣula evārthaḥ svādu gāṅgam ivodakam) 12. 171. 28; (xi) Gaṅgā is comparable to the earth in forbearance, protection and sustenance; to the fire and the sun in brightness; and to Guha in being always favourable to the Brāhmaṇas (kṣāntyā mahyā gopane dhāraṇe ca dīptyā kṛśānos tapanasya caiva/tulyā gaṅgā saṁmatā brāhmaṇānām guhasya brahmaṇyatayā ca nityam//) 13. 27. 91.


H. Measure:

(1) King Amūrtarayasa Gaya gave away in a horse sacrifice as many cows as there is sand on the river Gaṅgā 12. 29. 111;

(2) Śaibya, the son of Uśīnara, gave in a sacrifice as dakṣiṇā as many cows as would, while drinking (the water of the Gaṅgā), drink up the current of the Gaṅgā (? pibantyo dakṣiṇāṁ yasya gaṇgāsrotaḥ samapiban/tāvatīr gā dadau vīra uśīnarasuto 'dhvare//) 7. 9. 62. [See Alakanandā, Ākāśagaṅga, Āpaga^2, Urvaśī, Gangādvara, Gaṅgāhrada, Vaitaraṇī ]


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Gaṅgā^1, : ( Mahāgaṅgā 3. 155. 85) f.: Name of a river, also called Bhāgīrathī (Bhagīrathasutā 5. 179. 5) and Jāhnavī (Jahnusutā 1. 92. 49; Jahnukanyā 13. 14. 37) at various places (see below); also referred to as Tripathagā 1. 92. 39; 2. 39. 11; 3. 106. 27; 3. 108. 18; 6. 7. 44; 12. 38. 8; 13. 27. 76; 13. 44. 13; 14. 44. 13; 15. 41. 13; also cf. 13. 27. 72; Tripathā 13. 27. 101; Trimārgā 13. 27. 87; Trivartmagā 13. 27. 83; Tripathagāminī 1. 92. 39; Trilokagā 1. 91. 18; 18. 3. 37; Trilokapathagā 12. 29. 62; Trilokagoptrī 13. 27. 83.


A. Location: Geographical references:

(1) The heavenly Tripathagā issuing from the Brahmaloka first settled down at Bindusaras near the Hiraṇyaśṛṅga mountain and then became sevenfold 6. 7. 44 (the seven names are given in 6. 7. 45); this is how the god had arranged (prabhor eṣaiva saṁvidhiḥ) 6. 7. 46 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 6. 49: prabhor īśvarasyaiṣa saptanadyātmakaḥ saṁvidhiḥ samīcīnaṁ lokopakārārthaṁ vidhānam); the seven divine rivers are known as the seven Ganges 6. 7. 47; Gaṅgā can be seen from the lake Bindusaras which is on the slope of the mountain Hiraṇyaśṛṅga 6. 7. 41;

(2) Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī falls with a terrific speed from the summit of the mount Meru down into the lake Cāndramasa which was created by it 6. 7. 26-27;

(3) Lomaśa could hear the sound of distant Gaṅgā falling on top of Indra's golden mountain 3. 140. 14;

(4) Flowing near the hermitage of Nara and Nārāyaṇa at Badarī on mount Kailāsa 3. 145. 15-16; 3. 45. 20; at this āśrama Gaṅgā has two currents, hot and cold, and has sand of gold (uṣṇatoyavahā gaṅgā śītatoyavahāparā/suvarṇasikatā rājan viśālāṁ badarīm anu) 3. 88. 23;

(5) Flows constantly by the hermitage of Upamanyu on the Himavant mountain 13. 14. 27-28;

(6) The river struck the Himavant mountain (at its foot) at Gaṅgādvāra 3. 88. 18;

(7) Listed by Saṁjaya twice as Gaṅgā and as all the Gaṅgās (sarvā gaṅgāḥ) among the rivers of the Bhāratavarṣa; its water used by people for drinking 6. 10. 13, 35;

(8) Vārāṇasī, established by Divodāsa, is to the north of Gaṅgā and south of Gomatī 13. 31. 16-18;

(9) There are three firepits at Prayāga through which Jāhnavī flows out of Prayāga (tatra trīṇy agnikuṇḍāni yeṣāṁ madhye ca jāhnavī/prayāgād abhiniṣkrāntā) 3. 83. 69; Gaṅgā and Yamunā meet at Prayāga; the region between the two rivers is known as the hip (jaghana) of the earth 3. 83. 70-71;

(10) The bank of the Gaṅgā, known as the Aśvatīrtha, is not far from Kanyakubja 13. 4. 17;

(11) Gaṅgā flows through the Pañcāla country dividing it into northern and southern Pañcāla 1. 128. 12; 1. 154. 24; the country of Mākandī lay to its south with Kāmpilya as its capital 1. 128. 15;

(12) Pramāṇakoṭi was on the bank of the Gaṅgā 3. 13. 74;

(13) Arjuna in his journey towards the east crossed many rivers one of them being Gaṅgā 1. 207. 7;

(14) Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma and Arjuna, on their way to the Magadha in the east crossed Gaṅgā after they crossed Mithilā 2. 18. 28-29;

(15) The Bāhlīka country and the Madra country were kept out by the river Gaṅgā (bāhlīkadeśaṁ madrāṁś ca kutsayan vākyam abravīt/bahiṣkṛtā himavatā gaṅgayā ca tiraskṛtāḥ) 8. 30. 9-10;

(16) The country between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā was the middle of the earth (madhye pṛthivyāḥ) 1. 82. 5;

(17) In the Madhyadeśa, between the rivers Gaṅgā and Yamunā and at the foot of the Yāmuna mountain there was a large settlemeni of the Brāhmaṇas known as Parṇaśālā 13. 67. 3-4;

(18) On the northern bank of the Gaṅgā there were many routes of the Nāgas (bahūni nāgavartmāni gaṅgāyās tīra uttare) 1. 3. 141;


B. Description:

(1) Best among the rivers: saricchreṣṭhā 1. 91. 4; 1. 94. 22; 3. 108. 4; 7. 57. 24; 9. 36. 47; 13. 134. 22; 13. 154. 32; saritāṁ śreṣṭhā 12. 274. 16; 12. 311. 12; 13. 27. 50; 13. 84. 66; saridvarā 1. 91. 8; 13. 27. 25, 86; 13. 84. 64; 13. 134. 14; 13. 154. 33; saritām varā 1. 91. 10; 13. 134. 19; saritāṁ variṣṭhā 13. 72. 40; sarvasaridvarā 13. 134. 17;

(2) pure, auspicious, blessed, holy: śuci 1. 158. 18; 11. 13. 4; (its water) 12. 221. 6; 13. 27. 30; śivā 3. 108. 2; 3. 145. 40; 11. 27. 1; 13. 27. 66, 85; 13. 134. 22; śubhā 1. 158. 20; 3. 155. 85; 6. 7. 27; 14. 82. 15; (its water) 13. 27. 33, 36; (its bank) 13. 53. 55; subhagā 3. 140. 14; puṇyā 3. 85. 10, 17; 3. 97. 27; 3. 108. 2; 3. 155. 85; 6. 7. 27; 12. 335. 46; 15. 41. 13; (its water) 1. 158. 21; 3. 108. 14; 5. 40. 4; puṇyajalā 3. 108. 6; 13. 27. 66; puṇyapavitratoyā 13. 14. 27; supuṇyatoyā 13. 27. 92; (its bank) 12. 1. 8; (its water) puṇyagandha 11. 13. 4; mahāpuṇyā 13. 27. 71, 83; puṇyatamā 13. 134. 22; supuṇyā 6. 10. 35; has holy hermitages on it puṇyāśramavatī 7. 57. 25; liked by most holy men puṇyatamair juṣṭā 6. 7. 27; frequented by holy men puṇyajanocitā 11. 27. 1; (its bank) 15. 25. 1; confers holiness on the three worlds lokānāṁ puṇyadā vai trayāṇām 13. 27. 88; its bank is pure (medhya) 15. 25. 1; Gaṅgā is famous in the three worlds due to its holiness 13. 27. 79; sinless vipāpmā 13. 27. 87; the country through which it flows becomes a hermitage (yatra gaṅgā mahārāja sa deśas tat tapovanam) 3. 83. 83; secures heaven svargasaṁpādanī 1. 158. 20;

(3) proceeds from the foot of Viṣṇu viṣṇupadī 13. 27. 92;

(4) It is as good as all the tīrthas: it arises from waters of all the tīrthas, it has water of all the tīrthas in it sarvatīrthajalodbhavā 12. 274. 16; sarvatīrthodakair yutā 13. 134. 12; sarvatīrthābhisaṁvṛtā 13. 134. 17; sarvatīrthapuraskṛtā 3. 83. 69; viśvatoyā 13. 27. 87, 94; has good tīrthas on it sutīrthā 3. 145. 40;

(5) resorted to by all kinds of sages, by Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Brāhmaṇas, and praised by sages: devarsijuṣṭā 12. 221. 7; siddhacāraṇasevitā 1. 92. 25; 3. 45. 20; 5. 179. 4; maharṣigaṇasevitā 1. 92. 49; śobhitā brāhmaṇaiḥ 13. 27. 89; (its tīra) ṛṣijuṣṭa 13. 154. 15; ṛṣiṣṭutā 13. 27. 92; lokanamaskṛtā 3. 107. 20; the region on its bank becomes siddhakṣetra 3. 83. 83; honoured by Brāhmaṇas saṁmatā brāhmaṇānām 13. 27. 91;

(6) famous, famous in the three worlds yaśasvinī 13. 27. 82; triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā 6. 7. 47; (13. 27. 79);

(7) river of gods, heavenly, of divine conception, scattered with heavenly flowers devanadī 1. 158. 20; 3. 108. 2; 3. 155. 85; 13. 134. 22; 13. 151. 24 (not named); suranadī 6. 79. 5; devī 1. 92. 39; 1. 93. 4; 3. 140. 14; 5. 179. 4, 26, 28; 5. 187. 32; 6. 7. 44; 13. 84. 72; 13. 134. 17; 13. 154. 18, 32; divyā 3. 108. 2; 6. 7. 47; 12. 38. 8; divyarūpā 1. 92. 39; divyasaṁkalpā 6. 7. 46; divyapuṣpasamākīrṇā 3. 145. 41;

(8) its constituents: honey, ghṛta, milk and pure water: full of honey madhumatī 13. 27. 83; madhupravāhā 13. 27. 89; full of ghṛta, having the colour of ghṛta, ghṛtinī 13. 27. 81; ghṛtavahā 13. 27. 87 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 86: jalavāhinī); ghṛtarāgā 13. 27. 89; full of milk kṣīradhārā 6. 7. 26; payasvinī 13. 27. 81; full of nectar amṛtā 13. 27. 85, 94; sweet surasā 13. 27. 85; śītāmatajalā 3. 145. 40; full of refreshment irā 13. 27. 90, 94, and nourishment ūrjāvatī 13. 27. 83;

(9) flows through the sky: ākāsagā 1. 158. 18; forms the girdle of the sky gaganamekhalā 3. 108. 9, of the heaven and the earth divo bhuvaś cāpi kakṣyānurūpā 13. 27. 88; garland of the heaven tridivasya mālā 13. 27. 89;

(10) some important features: (a) true ṛtā 13. 27. 85; (b) furthering the earth pṛthivyā bhāvinī 13. 27. 88; support of all beings sarvabhūtapratiṣṭhā 13. 27. 85; wishing welfare to all beings sarvabhūtahitaiṣiṇī 5. 179. 22; kind to people who resort to her abhigatajanavatsatā 13. 27. 100; one of the rivers described as mothers of the universe viśvasya mātaraḥ 6. 10. 35;

(11) its other qualities: bright, shining vibhāvarī 13. 27. 85; bhāminī 14. 82. 14; (its wave) bhānumatī 13. 27. 80; pleasing ramyā 3. 108. 6; 7. 57. 25; gracious, very kindly disposed bhavyā 13. 27. 88; suprasannā 13. 27. 85; causing delight to mind manasaḥ prītivardhanīm 3. 145. 41; noble minded mahānubhāvā 13. 27. 100; highly illustrious mahābhāgā 5. 179. 5; 5. 187. 36; one of the rivers described as very strong mahābalāḥ 6. 10. 35; very generous atyudārā 13. 27. 81; energetic dakṣā 13. 27. 85; inconceivable acintyā 6. 7. 46; ancient purāṇī 13. 27. 92; (in short) possessed of all qualities sarvaguṇopapannā 13. 27. 93;

(12) its length, breadth and force stressed: mahānadī 1. 91. 11; 3. 107. 14, 16, 19; 3. 135. 5; 5. 179. 28; 9. 17. 10; 12. 335. 46; 13. 154. 26; mahāgaṅgā 3. 155. 85; pṛthvī 13. 27. 85; bṛhatī 13. 27. 85; viprakṛṣṭā 13. 27. 85; unimpeded asaṁbādhā 1. 158. 20; (its water) asaṁbādha 1. 158. 21; (its water) anivārya 1. 158. 21; irresistible durdharṣā 5. 149. 49; having ample water bahūdakā 7. 57. 24;

(13) some special features as a river: has only one bank while flowing through the sky ekavaprā 1. 158. 18 (Nī on Bom. Ed. 1. 170. 21: ekaṁ ākāśarūpaṁ vapraṁ taṭaṁ yasyāḥ sā); its shore has thin, golden sand pulinam… sūkṣmakāñcanavālukam 12. 221. 8; covered with sprouts of jewels maṇipravālaprastārā 3. 145. 40; when it flowed towards the ocean its course was divided into three streams (sā babhūva visarpantī tridhā rājan samudragā) 3. 108. 10; having reached the ocean it was divided into seven streams (gaṅgā gatvā samudrāmbhaḥ saptadhā pratipadyate) 1. 158. 17;

(14) conceived of as the daughter and the wife:

(1) due to her rise in the Himavant called the daughter of the Himavant or of the mountain haimavatī 3. 107. 16; himavataḥ sutā 3. 108. 8; 6. 114. 90; śailasutā 3. 140. 14; śailarājasutā 3. 108. 4; sutāvanīdhrasya 13. 27. 88;

(2) as the principal river meeting the ocean called the chief queen of the ocean samudramahiṣī 3. 185. 18;

(3) for her role in mythology called the wife of Hara (Śiva) harasya bhāryā 13. 27. 88;

(15) for the description of Gaṅgā as a river also see 3. 108. 8, 10-11; 3. 145. 40; 5. 149. 49; 5. 163. 10; 5. 187. 33; 6. 7. 26, 27; 6. 19. 17; 7. 57. 24-25; 11. 27. 1; 13. 27. 57-58, 8081, 85, 89-90, 94; 13. 35. 20; 13. 50. 14; 13. 54. 22;

(16) for her description as a personified woman see 1. 92. 2-11; 13. 134. 2324; 13. 154. 27, 28, 31.


C. Holy:

(1) The river confers holiness on the three worlds (gaṅgā lokānāṁ puṇyadā vai trayāṇām) 13. 27. 88;

(2) Bathing on confluences: (i) one who bathes at the confluence of the river Saṅgamā and the Gaṅgā gets the fruit of performing ten Aśvamedha sacrifices and lifts up his family 3. 82. 31; one who bathes at the confluence of the river Sarasvatī and the Gaṅgā gets the fruit of performing an Aśvamedha and goes to heaven 8. 82. 34; (ii) one who bathes at the worldfamous confluence of the Gomatī and the Gaṅgā gets the fruit of performing an Agniṣṭoma and lifts up his family 3. 82. 70; (iii) by bathing at the confluence of the Yamunā and the Gaṅgā one gets the merit of studying the four Vedas and of speaking the truth 3. 83. 80; the gift given after bathing (upaspṛśya) at this confluence is better than any other gift (dānaṁ nānyad viśiṣyate) 13. 26. 34; (iv) by bathing at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the ocean (gaṅgāyās…sāgarasya ca saṁgame) one gets tenfold the fruit of an Aśvamedha (aśamedhaṁ daśaguṇam) 3. 83. 4;

(3) Bathing in the Gaṅgā: By bathing (kṛtodakaḥ) in the Bhāgīrathī at Campā and by approaching Daṇḍārka (daṇḍārkam abhigamyaiva ?) one gets the fruit of donating a thousand cows 3. 82. 142; by bathing in the second island of the Gaṅgā (? gaṅgāyās tv aparaṁ dvīpam) and by fasting for three nights one achieves all desires 3. 83. 5; one who observes chastity and is composed (brahmacārī samāhitaḥ) and bathes in the Gaṅgā at Śṛṅgaverapura is cleansed of his sins and obtains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice 3. 83. 63; by worshipping there Mahādeva and by making a pradakṣiṇā one gets the position of a Gaṇapati (gāṇapatyam avāpnuyāt) 3. 83. 64; by bathing ceremonially (yo naras tv abhiṣicyate) at a place where the Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā turns northwards near the abode (?) of Maheśvara (maheśvarasya niṣṭhane) and by living there for a month, abstaining from food, one sees the deities in person (svayaṁ paśyati devatāḥ) 13. 26. 14; by going to the tīrtha Brahmaśiras, by bathing (kṛtodakaḥ) in the Bhāgīrathī and by abstaining from food for a month one goes to the Somaloka 13. 26. 38; for the benefits of bathing in the Gaṅgā and of resorting to it also cf. 13. 27. 26, 29-30 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 31: vyuṣṭiḥ puṇyavṛddhiḥ), 32, 3749, 56, 59-63, 65-72, 77-86, 90, 92-95, 100;

(4) Meditating on the Gaṅgā: One who is controlled and is respected by the learned (prayataḥ śiṣṭasaṁmataḥ) if, while leaving his body, he thinks of the Gaṅgā he obtains the best condition (after death) (sa gatiṁ paramāṁ labhet) 13. 27. 69;

(5) Fasting on the Gaṅgā: One who fasts near the river for thirteen days and eats a part of the oblation in the evening of the fourteenth day, and he does this for twelve months, he gets the fruit of a great sacrifice and he lives in the company of the Devakanyās for a full year on the sandy banks of the river Jāhnavī (caturdaśe tu divase yaḥ pūrṇe prāśate haviḥ/sadā dvādaśamāsān vai mahāmedhaphalaṁ labhet//…devakanyānivāse ca tasmin vasati mānavaḥ/jāhnavīvālukākīrṇe pūrṇaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ naraḥ) 13. 110. 60, 63;

(6) Sand and earth on its banks and the breeze coming from its waves are holy 13. 27. 53-55.

(7) Rites after death performed at the Gaṅgā: Those beings whose bones (gātrāṇi; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 28: gātrāṇī asthīni), when thrown in the Gaṅgā come in contact with its water are not thrown out of heaven (na punas teṣāṁ tyāgaḥ svargād vidhīyate) 13. 27. 27; those beings whose obsequies (kṛtyāni) are performed with the water of the Gaṅgā remain permanently in the heaven (divi tiṣṭhanti te 'calāḥ) 13. 27. 28; also cf. 13. 27. 31, 36, 64;

(8) The country through which the Gaṅgā flows is as good as a penance grove; a place along the river Gaṅgā is to be looked upon as the place of the Siddhas (yatra gaṅgā mahārāja sa deśas tat tapovanam/siddhakṣetraṁ tu taj jñeyaṁ gaṅgātīrasamāśritam//) 3. 83. 83; the countries (deśāḥ), the Janapadas, the āśramas, the mountains through which the Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā, the best among the rivers, flows excel in holiness (prakṛṣṭāḥ puṇyataḥ) 13. 27. 24-25 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 18: deśāḥ bhūmibhāgāḥ janapadāḥ mahājananivāsasthānāni āśramāḥ ṛṣisthānāni); the countries and the quarters which do not enjoy the benefit of the auspicious water of the Gaṅgā are like nights without the moon and trees without flowers 13. 27. 33; also cf. 13. 27. 34-35;

(9) Many tīrthas on the river Gaṅgā: (i) Daśāśvamedhika 3. 83. 82; (ii) Brahmaśiras 13. 26. 38; (iii) Mārkaṇḍeyatīrtha 3. 82. 70; (iv) Aśvatīrtha 13. 4. 17; (v) Prayāga 3. 83. 69, 71; (vi) Daṇḍārka (?) 3. 82. 142; (also see the next section: Importance).


D. Importance: (i) Sages and gods pay homage to Nārāyaṇa on the river Gaṅgā 3. 88. 18; (ii) Gaṅgā is listed by Mārkaṇḍeya among rivers famous as mothers of fire-hearths, i. e. sacrifices were performed on their banks (gaṅgā ca…/etā nadyas tu dhiṣṇyānāṁ mātaro yāḥ prakīrtitāḥ//) 3. 212. 24 (for Nī. see Kapilā ); (iii) Gaṅgā, and all the Gaṅgās, listed by Saṁjaya among rivers which are called mothers of the univere 6. 10. 13; (sarvā gaṅgāś ca māriṣa/viśvasya mātaraḥ sarvāḥ) 6. 10. 35; (iv) Finds place twice in the Daivata-Ṛṣi-Vaṁśa 13. 151. 7, 15, 2; (v) Worlds which one gets by adoring with faith and devotion the virtues of the Jāhnavī were created by Gaṅgā herself (gaṅgākṛtān acireṇaiva lokān yatheṣṭam iṣṭān vicariṣyasi tvam); such a person became famous in the three worlds and achieved perfection which was difficult to obtain 13. 27. 98-99; (vi) The narration of the great importance and virtues of the Gaṅgā is called a holy Itihāsa containing the praise of the river; one who recites it, or listens to it, is freed of all sins (itihāsam imaṁ puṇyaṁ śṛṇuyād yaḥ paṭheta vā/gaṅgāyāḥ stavasaṁyuktaṁ sa mucyet sarvakilbiṣaiḥ) 13. 27. 105; (vii) Virtues of the river Gaṅgā are countless; no one can fully describe or determine them (vaktuṁ śakyaṁ neha gaṅgājalānāṁ guṇākhyānaṁ parimātuṁ tathaiva) 13. 27. 97, 96; (viii) Gaṅgā offered shelter, protection, support to those who are without it 13. 27. 44; Lomaśa invoked the blessings of the Gaṅgā, besides those of Varuṇa, Yama, and the Yamunā, on Yudhiṣṭhira and requested her to protect him from the mountains which he was about to enter while on his way to the Gandhamādana 3. 140. 13-14; (ix) Grief due to separation from the Gaṅgā more unbearable than from near relatives or wealth; on the other hand, just the sight of the Gaṅgā is more pleasing than that of the desired objects or sons 13. 27. 74-76; (x) Gaṅgā offers sustenance to those who depend on her 13. 27. 51-52;

(11) Relationship with other rivers: (i) Tripathagā Gaṅgā looked upon as the first to be created among the rivers (tathā tripathagā gaṅgā nadīnām agrajā smṛtā) 14. 44. 13; (ii) among the Vibhūtis of the Bhagavān, Jāhnavī is said to be the best among the rivers (srotasām asmi jāhnavī) 6. 32. 31; also cf. 13. 27. 50; (iii) the Gaṅgā has the same relationship to other rivers as the sun has to other luminaries (?) in the sky, the moon to the manes, and the king (?) to men (divi jyotir yathādityaḥ pitṝṇāṁ caiva candramāḥ/deveśaś ca yathā nṝṇāṁ gaṅgeha saritāṁ tathā//) 13. 27. 73 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 74: divi devānām iti śeṣaḥ/deveśaḥ rājendraḥ);

(12) Service to deities: Gaṅgā is mentioned among those rivers who wait on Śiva for his ablutions (upasparśanahetos tvā samīpasthā upāsate) 13. 134. 12, 17; the Bhāgīrathī is one of the rivers who wait upon Varuṇa in his sabhā 2. 9. 17;

(13) Limitation: Bhagīratha told Brahmadeva that his stay even for a hundred years on the bank of the Jāhnavī, practising austerities and giving as gift a thousand mules and a host of maidens (adāṁ ca tatrāśvatarīsahasraṁ nārīpuram) was not enough to take him to the Brahmaloka which was beyond the world of the gods, the cows and the sages 13. 106. 10, 5.


E. Epic events related to the Gaṅgā:

(1) Marriage with Saṁtanu and birth of Bhīṣma: King Pratīpa once went to the bank of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgātīragataḥ) and sat down for many years muttering prayers (japan) 1. 92. 1; Gaṅgā, in the form of a beautiful woman, rose from the waters and sat on the right thigh of king Pratīpa 1. 92. 2-3; when asked by the king what he might do to please her she requested him to make love with her (tvām ahaṁ kāmaye rājan kuruśreṣṭha bhajasva mām) 1. 92. 4-5; but, at the king's suggestion, she agreed to be his daughter-in-law and disappeared 1. 92. 9-12, 15-16; she laid down the condition that the king's son (her future husband) should not know her identity and should never question the propriety of her actions (sa me nābhijanajñaḥ syād ācareyaṁ ca yad vibho/tat sarvam eva putras te na mīmāṁseta karhicit) 1. 92. 13-14; king Śāṁtanu, son of Pratīpa, once went for hunting on the bank of the Gaṅgā; the river appeared before him in the form of a beautiful woman 1. 92. 25-26; when Śaṁtanu requested her to be his wife she agreed on condition that he did not prevent her from doing anything, auspicious or otherwise (śubhaṁ vā yadi vāśubham); should the king question her, she whould abandon him 1. 92. 31-35; when the king consented, she, full of lustre, attended on him as his wife 1. 92. 39-40; Gaṅgā, as the wife of Śaṁtanu, gave birth to eight sons seven of whom, as soon as they were born, she threw away in the waters of the river Gaṅgā; the king did not object to her on the first seven occasions, but on the eighth occasion he asked her to spare him a son; he also wanted to know who she really was 1. 92. 44-47; when thus questioned, she told Śaṁtanu that she was the river Gaṅgā, the daughter of Jahnu, and that she lived with him to achieve some purpose of the gods (devakāryārthasiddhyartham 1. 92. 49); the eight sons she bore him were the eight Vasus who were born as human beings due to the curse of Vasiṣtha; she had promised the Vasus that she would release them from their human birth as soon as they were born (cf. 1. 93. 40); she blessed the king before her departure (svasti te 'stu gamiṣyāmi); she told the king that she had lived with the Vasus (while they were in her womb) in succession (eṣa paryāyavāso me vasūnāṁ saṁnidhau kṛtaḥ) and that the eighth son who was to be given to him later by her was the one born of her (Gaṅgā) (matprasūtaṁ vijānīhi gaṅgādattam imaṁ sutam) 1. 92. 48-55; Śaṁtanu asked Jāhnavī who was Āpava (Vasiṣṭha) and what fault the Vasus had committed to invite the curse of Vasiṣṭha; he also asked why the eighth son (Gaṅgādatta) was required to live long among human beings 1. 9. 1-3; Gaṅgā Jāhnavī then told the king the whole story 1. 93. 5-42; Gaṅgā then disappeared taking the last-born son with her 1. 93. 43; many years later, King Śaṁtanu, while once hunting along the river Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī, noticed that the river had little water (alpajalām 1. 94. 21) and was not flowing as before (syandate kiṁ nv iyaṁ nādya 1. 94. 22); trying to find out the cause of it the king saw a young boy who had covered waters of the entire Gaṅgā with his arrows 1. 94. 24-25; Śaṁtanu suspected the boy to be his son and hence asked Gaṅgā to show herself to him; Gaṅgā appeared before the king holding the boy in her right hand, but the king did not immediately recognize her; Gaṅgā handed over the son to the king 1. 94. 28-31, 36; Śaṁtanu's marriage with Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī and the birth of Devavrata by her mentioned in 1. 57. 76; 1. 90. 50; 5. 179. 5; 12. 38. 8; 12. 46. 15; the birth of the Vasus from Bhāgīrathī in the house of Śaṁtanu mentioned in 1. 2. 78; 1. 61. 68;

(2) Her role in Bhīṣma's fight with Rāma Jāmadagnya: When the fight between Bhīṣma and Rāma Jāmadagnya was imminent, the latter threatened to kill Bhīṣma so that Jāhnavī might see him lying on the bed of arrows and the daughter of Bhagīratha (Gaṅgā), who gave birth to him, might weep seeing him dead 5. 179. 3-5; when Bhīṣma was ready to fight with Rāma, his mother appeared before him in her original form (svarūpiṇī) to try to dissuade Bhīṣma from the fight, and expressed her readiness to go to Jāmadagnya to beg him not to engage Bhīṣma, who was his pupil, in fight; Bhīṣma then told her the incidents which had led to the fight; then the river (Gaṅgā) went to Rāma to dissuade him; when told that it was Bhīṣma who was to be dissuaded, Gaṅgā returned to Bhīṣma and again pleaded with him; but Bhīṣma, angered, did not agree to her request 5. 179. 22-30; Bhāgīrathī again appeared later in this event when she joined the sages, Nārada and others, who stood between Bhīṣma and Rāma to stop them fighting with each other 5. 186. 27;

(3) Her pleading with Ambā: Gaṅgā, the mother of Bhīṣma, rose from the waters and asked Ambā the purpose she wanted to achieve by performing the austerities; when told by Ambā that her effort was aimed at the destruction of Bhīṣma, Gaṅgā (sāgaragā) told her that her purpose was crooked (jihmaṁ carasi bhāmini); if she persisted in observing her vows and if she died during the observance of the vows she would become a crooked river having water only during the rainy season and not in the remaining eight months (nadī bhaviṣyasi śubhe kuṭilā vārṣikodakā/…vārṣikī nāṣṭamāsikī); Bhīsma's mother then returned from the place where Ambā practised austerities 6. 187. 29-36;

(4) Death of Bhīṣma: When Bhīṣma, after his fall on the battle-field, resolved to hold his life till the start of the Uttarāyaṇa, Gaṅgā, knowing his resolve, sent to him the great sages in the form of swans 6. 114. 90; much later, after the cremation of Bhīṣma, Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the rest, including Vyāsa, Nārada, Asita and Kṛṣṇa, went to the bank of the Bhāgīrathī and all the Kṣatriya warriors and citizens offered water offerings to him; then Bhāgīrathī arose from water and, crying, lamented the death of her son; she addressed her words to the Kauravas praising and recounting the good qualities of Bhīṣma 13. 154. 17-26; the grieved Bhāgīrathī was consoled by Dāmodara (Kṛṣṇa) assuring her that her son was brought down from the chariot by Arjuna and not by Śikhaṇḍin and that he had returned to the Vasus in heaven 13. 154. 27-32; Bhāgīrathī then gave up grief and entered her own waters; Kṛṣṇa and others, after honouring the river (satkṛtya te tāṁ saritam) returned from that place (to Hāstinapura) when permitted by her to do so (anujñātās tayā) 13. 154. 33-34; when Dhṛtarāṣṭra had offered water offerings to Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira came out of water with Dhṛtarāṣṭra and, grief-stricken, fell on the bank of the Gaṅgā 14. 1. 1-2;

(5) Arjuna punished for his role in the fall of Bhīṣma: Ulūpī told Arjuna that his defeat at the hands of his son Babhruvāhana was an expiation (niṣkṛtiḥ) he had to undergo for the adharma committed by him in bringing about the fall of Bhīṣma 14. 82. 8; this expiation was prescribed by the Vasus and the Gaṅgā (eṣā tu vihitā śāntiḥ putrād yāṁ prāptavān asi/vasubhir vasudhāpāla gaṅgayā ca mahāmate) 14. 82. 11; when Bhīṣma died (hate śāntanave nṛpe) the Vasus emerged from waters and meeting the great river, told her that they wanted to curse Arjuna for his misdeed in the war, to which Bhāgīrathī agreed (idam ūcur vaco ghoraṁ bhāgīrathyā mate tadā//…vayam apy arjunaṁ…śāpena yojayāmeti tathāstv iti cābravīt//) 14. 82. 12-15;

(6) The Pāṇḍavas came across the Gaṅgā at various places: (i) When Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers decided to go on a pilgrimage, the Brāhmaṇas expressed their wish to visit with them the Gaṅgā and other rivers 3. 91. 10; when they arrived at Prayāga at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā the Pāṇḍavas bathed in their waters (āplutya gātrāṇi), practised the severest austerities and gave gifts to the Brāhmaṇas 3. 93. 5-6; (ii) They again arrived at the Bhāgīrathī flowing by the side of the Agastyāśrama where Lomaśa advised them to bathe at will (yatheṣṭam avagāhyatām) 3. 97. 27; (iii) Going further from the river Kauśikī, they arrived at the place where the Gaṅgā met the ocean and bathed there in waters of five hundred rivers (nadīśatānāṁ pañcānāṁ madhye cakre samāplavam) 3. 114. 2; (iv) On reaching the vicinity of the Maināka mountain, Lomaśa showed the river Gaṅgā to Yudhiṣṭhira; he advised Yudhiṣṭhira to bathe in the Gaṅgā to be freed of all sins; he also advised him to bathe silently (tūṣṇīṁ gaṅgām…samupaspṛśa) 3. 135. 5-7; (v) When the Pāṇḍavas had crossed the Uśīrabīja, the Maināka, the Śvetagiri and the Kālaśaila mountains, Lomaśa showed them the Gaṅgā flowing in seven currents (eṣā gaṅgā saptavidhā) 3. 140. 1-2; Lomaśa could hear the sound of the Gaṅgā on the top on the mountain Jāmbūnada 3. 140. 14; (vi) The Pāṇḍavas saw the Bhāgīrathī on the Kailāsa mountain; they lived there giving offerings to gods and manes again and again 3. 145. 37, 40, 42;

(7) Some events after the war and the funeral rites offered to the dead: (i) When Yudhiṣṭhira went to meet Dhṛtarāṣṭra who had left Hāstinapura, he saw the Kaurava women lamenting on the bank of the Gaṅgā 11. 11. 5; (ii) Vyāsa, who knew that Gāndhārī would curse the Pāṇḍavas in their first meeting with her after the war, hastened to them after bathing (upaspṛśya) in the Gaṅgā 11. 13. 4; (iii) After lifting the funeral pyre of Droṇa, his pupils, keeping Kṛpī in the front, proceeded to the Gaṅgā 11. 23. 42; (iv) After arranging for the cremation of all the heroes who fell in the war, Yudhiṣṭhira, accompanied by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, went towards the Gaṅgā 11. 26. 44; on reaching the Gaṅgā, Yudhiṣṭhira and the Kaurava women offered water offerings to the departed (pracakruḥ salilakriyāḥ); at that moment the Gaṅgā became easily fordable spreading herself out widely (sūpatīrthābhavad gaṅgā bhūyo viprasasāra ca); the bank of the Gaṅgā then was without joy and merriment (nirānandam anutsavam …gaṅgātīram aśobhata) 11. 27. 1-5; (v) Yudhisṭhira, after giving water offerings to Karṇa (cakārāsyodakaṁ prabhuḥ 11. 27. 21) and after performing the funeral rites for him with the wives of Karṇa, came out of the river Gaṅgā (sa tābhiḥ saha dharmātmā pretakṛtyam anantaram kṛtvōttatāra gaṅgāyāḥ) 11. 27. 24; (vi) When the Pāṇḍavas, who had given water offerings, were still on the Bhāgīrathī, Dvaipāyana, Narada and others and their pupils and hundreds of thousands of other Brāhmaṇas gathered there to console Yudhiṣṭhira 12. 1. 1-2, 4-5, 8;

(8) Cremation of Pāṇḍu and Mādrī: The cremation was performed on an auspicious and even spot in the forest on the river Gaṅgā (ramaṇīye vanoddeśe gaṅgātīre same śubhe); the bier (śibikā) in which their dead bodies were brought from Hāstinapura were placed on this spot 1. 118. 16-17;

(9) Certain other epic events in which the Gaṅgā is referred to: (i) At Pramāṇakoṭi, Duryodhana tied up Bhīma, while he was asleep, and threw him in the waters of the Gaṅgā 1. 55. 10; 3. 13. 74; (ii) Droṇa with his pupils once went to the Gaṅgā for bathing when a crocodile caught him by his ankle (jaṅghānte) 1. 123. 69; (iii) When Drupada was brought captive by his pupils to Droṇa, the latter told Drupada that in future he (Drupada) would rule over the Pañcāla country which lay to the south of the Bhāgīrathī while he (Droṇa) himself would rule over the part of the country which lay to its north; Drupada then established himself in the capital city of Kampilya in the countryside of Mākandī on the river Gaṅgā ruling the southern Pāñcālas as far as the river Carmaṇvatī 1. 128. 12, 15; 1. 154. 24; (iv) Drupada while reaming along the bank of the Gāṅgā, came across a settlement of the Brāhmaṇas (brāhmaṇāvasatha) 1. 155. 5; (v) The Aṅgāraparṇa episode: The Pāṇḍavas on their way to the Pañcālas reached the Somaśravāyaṇa tīrtha on the river Gaṅgā; Aṅgāraparṇa, king of the Gandharvas, had already arrived there to sport with his wives in the waters of the river Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī; he was angered when he heard the voice of the Pāṇḍavas approaching the river; he told the Pāṇḍavas to leave the place as the forest along the rivers Gaṅgā and Vākā belonged to him; Arjuna questioned the sole right of the Gandharva over the river either at night, or by day, or in twilight (nadyām asyām …kasya kḷptaḥ parigrahaḥ 1. 158. 15); it was therefore not proper for the Gandharva to withhold the river from others since that was against the age old custom (katham icchasi tāṁ roddhuṁ naiṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ 1. 158. 20); why should the Pāṇḍavas be restrained from touching the waters of the Bhāgīrathī 1. 158. 2, 4, 5, 11, 13, 15, 20, 21; defeat of Aṅgāraparṇa in this episode alluded to in 1. 2. 86; later the Gandharva and the Pāṇḍavas took leave of each other on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī 1. 174. 5; (vi) Arjuna, during the period of his exile, entered the river Gaṅgā for bathing; as he wanted to come out of the water he was dragged by Ulūpī in the water of that river 1. 206. 11-13; (vii) Arjuna, during his exile, while going to the east, crossed many rivers one of them being the Gaṅgā 1. 207. 5-6; (viii) Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma and Arjuna crossed the rivers Mālā, Carmaṇvatī and Gaṅgā on their way to the Magadha 2. 18. 21; (ix) On account of the cries of thousands of animals that were burnt at the Khāṇḍava forest the fish in the waters (?) of the Gaṅgā were terrified 1. 219. 28 (tena śabdena vitresur gaṅgodadhicarā jhaṣāḥ; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 1. 228. 32: gaṅgododhicarā iti atidūrasthopalakṣaṇam); (x) The Pāṇḍavas spent their first night of forest life under a banyan tree called Pramāṇa on the river Jāhnavī; they bathed in it and had only the water of the Jāhnavī to drink for the night 3. 1. 39-40; from the bank of the river Jāhnavī they started towards the Kurukṣetra 3. 6. 1; (xi) On the mountain Himavant Arjuna took bath in the Gaṅgā before ascending Indra's chariot to go to the Indraloka 3. 43. 20; (xii) Bhīṣma once lived as a muni on the bank of the river Bhāgīrathī practising the vow taken by his father (pitryaṁ vratam); there he heard from Pulastya the fruit obtained by visiting the tīrthas 3. 80. 11-12; there, on the bank of the Gaṅgā, he also heard the narrative of Vipula from Mārkaṇḍeya 13. 43. 17; (xiii) When the Pāṇḍavas were near the Gandhamādana mountain (3. 155. 34) Yudhiṣṭhira showed to Bhīma the river Mahāgaṅgā 3. 155. 69, 85; (xiv) The basket (mañjūṣā) containing the newly born Karṇa went down from the river Aśvanadī to the Gaṅgā (via the Carmaṇvatī and the Yamunā) and then to the city of Campā 3. 292. 25-26; when the Sūta Adhiratha went with his wife to the Jāhnavī, she saw there by chance the floating basket brought to the bank by the waves of the Jāhnavī 3. 293. 1, 3; (xv) The army of the Kauravas, collected for the war, spread along the bank of the Gaṅgā 5. 19. 30; (xvi) Kuntī, who wished to approach Karṇa to tell him the truth about his birth, went to the Bhāgīrathī to meet him; there on the bank of the Gaṅgā she heard the sound of the prayers recited by Karṇa 5. 142. 26-27; (xvii) Arjuna wishing to propitiate Śiva to seek his help in fulfilling the vow to kill Jayadratha saw the Gaṅgā on his way 7. 57. 24; (xviii) Bhīma, in search of Aśvatthāman, reached the bank of the Bhāgīrathī where he saw Vyāsa and the other sages seated on the bank (udakānte) 10. 13. 12-13; (xix) After the great war, Kṛpa, Aśvatthāman and Kṛtavarman, after their meeting with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, rode fast on horse-back towards the Gaṅgā 11. 10. 19; (xx) Bhīṣma, having narrated to Yudhiṣṭhira the Itihāsa connected with the praise of the Gaṅgā (itihāsaṁ…gaṅgāyāḥ stavasaṁyutam), advised him to approach the Gaṅgā with great devotion in order to obtain the highest perfection (siddhim uttamām); he and his brothers were delighted to hear this Itihāsa of the Gaṅgā from Bhīṣma 13. 27. 103-104; (xxi) When Dhṛtarāṣṭra decided to retire to the forest he, along with Gāndhārī, Kuntī, Vidura and Saṁjaya, went in a day a long distance from Hastinapura and camped on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī; next morning they started from there towards the north 15. 24. 16, 23; after going some distance they again camped on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī; in the evening he and Gāndhārī went to the Gaṅgā and performed the prescribed purificatory rites (cakāra vidhivac chaucam); Vidura and other men performed individually all the neccessary rites (cakruḥ sarvāḥ kriyās tatra puruṣā vidurādayaḥ) after bathing in the various tīrthas (tīrtheṣv āplutya); when the purificatory rites were over Kuntī led Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī to the bank of the Gaṅgā; there the priests of the king laid a Vedī (kṛto vedīparistaraḥ) on which Dhṛtarāṣṭra gave offerings in the fire; from the bank of the Bhāgīrathī they all proceeded to the Kurukṣetra 15. 25. 1, 4-8;

(10) Meeting with the dead: Vyāsa asked Dhṛtarāṣṭra and all those staying with him to go to the bank of the Bhāgīrathī to meet all those who fell in the war; accordingly all of them went to the Gaṅgā and resided there 15. 39. 18-22; then in the evening Vyāsa bathed in the Bhāgīrathī and invoked all those who fought on the side of the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas; at his call, all the kings, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and the rest, together with their armies, rose in thousands from the water (of the Bhāgīrathī) 15. 40. 4, 7, 13; after some time, at the instance of Vyāsa, they again disappeared plunging into the river Tripathagā (Gaṅgā) and repaired to their respective places; then Vyāsa, standing in the water (of the Tripathagā), told the Kaurava women that those who wished to obtain the worlds of their respective deceased husbands should quickly enter the water of the Jāhnavī; the women, fully believing the words of Vyāsa, took permission of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and entered the water of the Jāhnavī; freed of their bodies they were united with their husbands and acquired the worlds of their husbands 15. 41. 13, 17-21;

(11) End of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī: When Nārada arrived at Hāstinapura to meet Yudhiṣṭhira he paid a visit to the Gaṅgā on his way; people residing near the Gaṅgā had told Yudhiṣṭhira that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was engaged in severe austerities; Yudhiṣṭhira therefore asked Nārada if he had met Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the rest during his visit to the Gaṅgā and how they fared; Nārada told him that after their last meeting with Dhṛtarāṣṭra the latter had repaired to the Gaṅgādvāra; once, after his bath in the Gaṅgā, when Dhṛtarāṣṭra had started for his hermitage, wind arose, fire engulfed the forest, and burnt it (gaṅgāyām āpluto dhīmān āśṛamābhimukho 'bhavat 15. 45. 18); Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī were burnt in the fire; only Saṁjaya escaped from the forest fire and was seen, surrounded by ascetics, by Nārada on the bank of the Gaṅgā 15. 45. 5-6, 10, 29-32; Nārada further informed Yudhiṣṭhira that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was burnt on the bank of the Jāhnavī not by the ordinary fire but by the sacred fire which Dhṛtarāṣṭra himself and his priests had left after performing the rites (i. e. the forest fire was caused by the sacred fire left by Dhṛtarāṣṭra) (nāsau vṛthāgninā dagdho yathā tatra śrutaṁ mayā); this was reported to Nārada by the sages whom he met on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī 15. 47. 1-6; when asked by Nārada to give the water offerings to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and Kuntī (kartum arhasi kaunteya teṣāṁ tvam udakakriyām), Yudhiṣṭhira went to the Gaṅgā with his brothers and wife; there, going into the water, they all offered water (dadus toyam) and stayed outside the city to undergo purification (śaucaṁ nivartayantaḥ) 15. 47. 9-13;

(12) Ulūpī entered the Gaṅgā when, at the end, the Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī started for the forest 17. 1. 25;


F. Past and mythological events in which the river Gaṅgā figures:

(1) Past events: (i) Bhagīratha brought her down from the heaven: The sage Kapila had told Aṁśumant, the grandson of Sagara, that his grandson will bring down the Tripathagā from the heaven by propitiating Maheśvara for the purification of the burnt sons of Sagara 3. 107. 27; however, the descent of the Gaṅgā from the heaven was first attempted by Dilīpa, father of Bhagīratha, without success 3. 106. 38; Bhagīratha, desirous of seeking the favour of the Gaṅgā, went to the Himavant to practise austerities 3. 107. 4; after one thousand years the Gaṅgā appeared before Bhagīratha in a bodily form 3. 107. 14; when requsted by Bhagīratha to wash the bones (śarīrāṇi) of the sons of Sagara so that they might go to heaven, she agreed, but first asked Bhagīratha to propitiate Śiva by tapas so that he might agree to hold her on his head; no one else could check her speed when she descended from heaven; Bhagīratha succeeded in securing a boon from Śaṅkara to hold the Gaṅgā 3. 107. 18-25; Śiva assured Bhagīratha to hold the Devanadī (Gaṅgā) when she came down from heaven; Śiva then went to the Himavant and asked Bhagīratha to request the daughter of the king of the mountains (Gaṅgā not directly named) to come down from the heaven; when Bhagīratha thought of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgāṁ samanucintayat 3. 108. 5), the river descended from heaven on Śiva's forehead; the river became triple while flowing thence to the ocean (sā babhūva visarpantī tridhā rājan samudragā 3. 108. 10); the river asked Bhagīratha to show her the way; Bhagīratha led her to the place where lay the bones (śarīṛāṇi) of the sons of Sagara; after holding the Gaṅgā on his head Hara went to the Kailāsa; Bhagīratha having reached the ocean with the Gaṅgā filled it with the water of the river; Bhagīratha made Gaṅgā his daughter (duhitṛtve ca nṛpatir gaṅgāṁ samanukalpayat); he offered water of the Gaṅgā to the manes 3. 108. 17; 12. 29. 62; Lomaśa thus told Yudhiṣṭhira how the Gaṅgā came to be Tripathagā (flowing in three regions-heaven, mid-region, and the earth) and how she was made to descend also to fill the ocean with water (pūraṇārthaṁ samudrasya pṛthivīm avatāritā) 3. 108. 2-18; the incident of the descent of the Gaṅgā on the head of Śiva also alluded to in 5. 109. 6; 6. 7. 28; 13. 27. 71, 87, 89, 95; 13. 106. 26; 13. 134. 17; (ii) Other events related to Bhagīratha and the Gaṅgā: (a) Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī formerly sat on the lap of Bhagīratha while he was seated on the slope (near the river), hence she came to be known as Urvaśī (upahvare nivasato yasyāṅke niṣasāda ha/gaṅgā bhāgīṛathī tasmād urvaśī hy abhavat purā 12. 29. 61 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 29. 68: urvaśī ūrau vāso yasyāḥ sā iti yogāt/ūrvasīty apekṣite hrasvatvaṁ varṇaviparyaś ca pṛṣodarāditvāt jñeyaḥ); (b) From the lake Bindusaras Bhagīratha watched Bhāgīrathī Gaṅgā and lived there for many years 2. 3. 9; 6. 7. 41; (c) Bhagīratha gave on the Gaṅgā a myriad of hundreds of cows (gavāṁ śatānām ayutam) 13. 106. 37; he gave gifts (of cows ?) which would cover the entire current of the Gaṅgā (srotaś ca yāvad gaṅgāyāś channam āsīj jagatpate/ dakṣiṇābhiḥ pravṛttābhiḥ) 13. 106. 24; (iii) Jahnu and the Gaṅgā: The Gaṅgā became the daughter of Jahnu (duhitṛtvam anuprāptā gaṅgā yasya (i. e. jahnoḥ)) 13. 4. 3; Jahnu waited on her (jahnur jāhnavisevitā) 13. 151. 44; (iv) King Yayāti, desirous of arranging a Svayaṁvara for his daughter Mādhavī, went to a hermitage situated on the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā; his sons Pūru and Yadu put their sister on a chariot and rushed to the same hermitage 5. 118. 1-2; the entire region between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā in the middle of the earth was given by Yayāti to his son Pūru as his kingdom (gaṅgāyamunayor madhye kṛtsno 'yaṁ viṣiyas tava/ madhye pṛthivyās tvaṁ rājā) 1. 82. 5; (v) A battle was fought between Haryaśva and the Haihayas, the kinsmen of Vītahavya, in the region lying between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā; in this battle Haryaśva was killed 13. 31. 11; Divodāsa, son of Sudeva, established Vārāṇasī on the north bank of the Gaṅgā and to the south of Gomatī (to avoid the attack by the Haihayas) 13. 31. 18, 16; when, later, Pratardana, the son of Divodāsa, wanted to attack the Vaitahavyas (= Haihayas) he crossed the river Gaṅgā 13. 31. 35; (vi) On the river Gaṅgā, near Kanyakubja, king Gādhi married his daughter Satyavatī to Ṛcīka Bhārgava 3. 115. 17; (vii) The sage Cyavana Bhārgava once took the vow of staying in water for twelve years (udavāsakṛtārambho babhūva sumahāvrataḥ…varṣāṇi dvādaśa munir jalavāse dhṛtavrataḥ) 13. 50. 3-4; he became stiff like a post (sthāṇubhūtaḥ) and after worshipping the deities entered the waters of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā; he withstood with his head the terrific current of the two rivers; the two rivers, and those which followed them, made a pradakṣiṇā of the sage and did not cause harm to him; the sage slept in the waters like a log of wood and then stood erect (antar jale sa suṣvāpa kāṣṭhabhūto mahāmuniḥ/ tataś cordhvasthito dhīmān abhavad bharatarṣabha) 13. 50. 6-9; (viii) Sage Cyavana took his residence for some time on the bank of the river Gaṅgā to observe a vrata 13. 53. 55; (ix) At a place not far from Kanyakubja on the bank of the Gaṅgā is the Aśvatīrtha where from the waters of the Gaṅgā arose a thousand horses having one black ear; Ṛcīka, the son of Cyavana, got them by the favour of Varuṇa 13. 4. 16-17; (x) A certain Brāhmaṇa once lived in the city Mahāpadma on the southern bank of the Gaṅgā 12. 341. 1; (xi) When Śuka was born on the mountain Meru (merupṛṣṭhe), Gaṅgā in her original form (svarūpiṇī) arrived there to bathe him 12. 311. 12; (xii) Once, Suvarṇaṣṭhīvin, the young son of Sṛñjaya, accompanied by his nurse, ran while playing on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī; he was then attacked by Indra's vajra in the form of a tiger 12. 31. 31; (xiii) Gautama and his brothers put their eldest brother Dīrghatamas in a wooden box and put it on the Gaṅgā; king Bali, who had gone to bathe in the river Gaṅgā (not named), saw the box brought to him by the current of the water 1. 98. 18, 21; (xiv) When the Kṣatriyas were destroyed by Rāma Jāmadagnya, Aṅga, the son of Diviratha, was protected by Gautama on the bank of the Gaṅgā 12. 49. 72; (xv) Bharata, the son of Duḥṣanta, offered on different rivers a thousand horse-sacrifices of which he bound fourteen horses on the river Gaṅgā (yo baddhvā…aśvān devebhyo… gaṅgām anu caturdaśa//aśvamedhasahasreṇa…iṣṭavān sa mahātejā dauḥṣantir bharataḥ purā//) 12. 29. 41-42; (xvi) Bharadvāja, when he went to the Gaṅgā for bath, saw there the Apsaras Ghṛtācī who had also come there to bathe 1. 154. 2; (xvii) Vasiṣṭha turned the Gaṅgā, proceeding towards the Kailāsa, to the Mānasa lake; when that lake got mixed with the river, the Gaṅgā became the Sarayū 13. 140. 23-24; (xviii) Rājadharman, the son of Kaśyapa and Dākṣāyaṇī, offered to Gautama, his guest, large fishes (mahāmīnāḥ) obtained from the regions through which the river Gaṅgā flew 12. 164. 4; (xix) A certain Brāhmaṇa, Kauśika by name, told the truth to the robbers about the whereabouts of the people who were afraid of them; by this act he incurred sin on the river Gaṅgā 12. 110. 8 (reference to 8. 49. 41-46 where in st. 32 Gaṅgā is not named); (xx) The following persons attained perfection (siddhi) on the Gaṅgā:

(1) Śilavṛtti, when instructed by Siddha on the virtues of the Tripathā, worshipped the Gaṅgā according to the rites and attained perfection which was very difficult to attain; Siddha himself, after instructing Śilarati, entered the sky 13. 27. 101-102;

(2) Sage Sanatkumāra attained great perfection on the Gaṅgā 3. 135. 6; (xxi) Indra, in the form of a very weak Brāhmaṇa, appeared before Yavakrī and started doing an impossible deed viz. constructing a dam in the Bhāgīrathī by filling the Gaṅgā with sand; he poured constantly handfuls of sand in the Bhāgīrathī; when asked by Yavakrī smilingly why he was busy with this fruitless effort Indra told him that he wanted to construct a dam in the Gaṅgā so that the river can be crossed easily 3. 135. 30-36;

(2) Mythological: (i) Gaṅgā once went to pay a visit to Pitāmaha (Brahmadeva) in his assembly; there her garment was displaced by the wind; King Mahābhiṣa, who happened to be there, constantly looked at her in that condition; he was therefore cursed to be born again as a human being; Gaṅgā returned from the assembly continuing to think about Mahābhīṣa; she saw the Vasus, dejected, going along the way; she asked them the cause of their dejection; the Vasus told her that they were cursed by Vasiṣṭha to be born as humans; they requested Gaṅgā to assume a human form so that she could give birth to them as humans; Gaṅgā agreed and asked them whom would they like to be their father; they chose Śaṁtanu, the son of Pratīpa; Gaṅgā also had thought of the same person, hence she would do what was dear to the king and to the Vasus; Vasus requested Gaṅgā to throw them into water no sooner they were born; Gaṅgā agreed to even that request, but asked them to spare one of them so that Śaṁtanu's union with her would not be totally fruitless; Vasus consented to do that, each one of them contributing one-eighth share for Gaṅgā's son; and they also told her that the son of the Gaṅgā would beget no son; having come to this agreement with the Gaṅgā the Vasus, delighted, went their way 1. 91. 4-22; (ii) The lustre (tejaḥ 13. 84. 11) of Rudra fell in Agni; Agni was to beget through that lustre a son on the Gaṅgā for killing the enemy of the gods; Agni went to the Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī and became mixed with her; as a result, Gaṅgā became pregnant; Gaṅgā could not bear the embryo, was mentally distressed, and was in great agony; when Agni laid the lustrous embryo in the Gaṅgā, an Asura (not named) roared fiercely; terrified, the Gaṅgā was unable to bear the embryo; Jāhnavī, with her body covered with lustre and trembling, told Agni that she could not contain his lustre within her; she was very much uneasy and was agitated; she would like to cast away the embryo, as she could hold it no longer, and not because of her sweet will; she was no longer her usual self; Agni, however, asked her to contain the embryo within her: as she was capable of bearing and containing the whole earth there was nothing which Gaṅgā could not achieve except (perhaps) containing the seed of Agni; in spite of the entreaties of Vahni and the other gods the Gaṅgā cast off the embryo on mount Meru; Gaṅgā was capable of holding an embryo, but she could not do it on this occasion as she was overcome by the lustre of Rudra; when she cast it off, she appeared before Agni who asked her if the delivery was happy (kaccid garbhaḥ sukhodayaḥ); he asked her to describe to him the colour, the form and the lustre of the child; having described to Agni the form of his son the goddess (devī) Gaṅgā disappeared 13. 84. 8, 12, 52-72; 9. 43 8-9 (where the embryo is said to have been cast off on the mountain Himavant; when the embryo was cast off that part of the mountain became of gold 9. 43. 14); the son Kumāra was first Gāṅgeya (son of Gaṅgā), then became Kārttikeya (the son of the Kṛttikās); the Gaṅgā, the best among the rivers, waited on him 9. 43. 20; when the child approached Śiva, Pārvatī, Gaṅgā and Pāvaka (Agni) each one of them wondered whom he would show his honour by going to him or her first (kiṁ nu pūrvam ayaṁ bālo gauravād abhyupaiṣyati/api mām iti sarveṣām teṣām āsīd manogatam) 9. 43. 34-35; knowing their mind the child assumed four forms (tato 'bhavac caturmūrtiḥ), of which the form Naigameṣa went to the Gaṅgā 9. 43. 37, 39; then all the four, Rudra, Devī, Pāvaka and the Gaṅgā, bowed down to Pitāmaha (Brahmadeva) and requested him to grant Kumāra the overlordship of all beings i. e. of the kings of all the classes of gods (ādhipatyam; senāpatyam dadau tasmai sarvabhūteṣu bhārata/sarvadevanikāyānāṁ ye rājānaḥ pariśrutāḥ/tān sarvān vyādideśāsmai sarvabhūtapitāmahaḥ) 9. 43. 42, 44, 48, 49; when the gods gave different gifts to Kumāra, Gaṅgā gave him a divine water vessel which was the source of the nectar (kamaṇḍaluṁ divyam amṛtodbhavam uttamam) 9. 45. 45; people call Kumāra differently the son of Pitamaha, or of Maheśvara, or of Umā, or of the Kṛttikās, or of the Gaṅgā 9. 45. 86; the incident is also alluded to in 3. 207. 4; 13. 27. 87 (iyaṁ gāṅgā …guhasya rukmasya ca garbhayoṣā; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 26. 88: garbhayoṣā garbhadhāriṇī strī); (iii) Once when the gods performed a satra in the Naiṁiṣa forest (3. 189. 1), they saw a (golden) lotus coming floating on the river Bhāgīrathī; to find out its source, Indra went to the place of the origin of the Gaṅgā (yatra gaṅgā satataṁ saṁprasūtā); he saw there a woman weeping while standing in the water of the river; the tear which fell in the water became a golden lotus 1. 189. 10-11; (iv) When, in former times, Pitāmaha (Brahmadeva) once performed a sacrifice on the Mahendra mountain, Bhāgīrathī was present in the sadas (yatra bhāgīrathī puṇyā sadasyāsīt) 3. 85. 17; (v) When the fish, reared by Manu, outgrew the size of the large vāpī, it requested Manu to take it to the Gaṅgā, the chief wife of the ocean (samudramahīṣīm…gaṅgām); as requested, Manu took the fish to the Gaṅgā and put it in its water; when the fish further so grew in size that it could not move in the Gaṅgā (gaṅgāyāṁ hi na śaknomi bṛhatvāc deṣṭituṁ prabho), it requested Manu to take it to the ocean; accordingly Manu pulled it out of the Gaṅgā and took it to the ocean 3. 185. 18-19, 21-22; (vi) Nārada, once early in the morning, descended into the water of the Gaṅgā arising at the Dhruvadvāra to take bath (pispṛkṣuḥ); Indra also happened to go there; both of them bathed in its water (āplutya) and, with controlled mind, performed japa; then they sat down on the bank, covered with thin golden sand, to tell each other stories told by gods and sages narrating holy deeds (puṇyakarmabhir ākhyātā devarṣikathitāḥ kathāḥ) 12. 221. 6-9; (vii) The two rivers, the Gaṅgā and the Sarasvatī, became the eyebrows of Nārāyaṇa when he assumed a different form by his mighty device (aiśvareṇa prayogeṇa dvitīyāṁ tanum āśrītaḥ) to get back the Vedas stolen by the two Dānavas Madhu and Kaiṭabha 12. 335. 43, 46; (viii) Mṛtyu, conceived as a woman (12. 249. 15-18), avoiding to kill men, went to the river Gaṅgā on the mountain Meru and stood there motionless like a piece of wood 12. 250. 22; (ix) Mārkaṇḍeya saw the Gaṅgā, among other rivers, in the belly of the Bāla (3. 186. 83, i. e. Nārāyaṇa 3. 187. 3) 3. 186. 93; (x) When Śiva asked Umā to instruct him in the duties of women (strīdharma 13. 134. 10), she first wanted to consult the rivers, the Gaṅgā and others, who were expert in that subject (strīdharmakuśalāḥ); when Umā approached the rivers they appointed the Gaṅgā to address Umā on their behalf; the river told Umā that they felt blessed since Umā held them in high esteem, but it was indeed Umā who was the right person to instruct them in the strīdharma; when the goddess (Umā) was thus honoured by the Gaṅgā she discoursed on the strīdharmas to them 13. 134. 17-30; (xi) Once, when the ocean asked the rivers why they carried away large trees but not the small and weak cane growing on their banks, the Gaṅgā told him the reason convincingly giving the grounds 12. 114. 3-7; (xii) Rāma crossed (the Gaṅgā) at Śṛṅgaverapura 3. 83. 4; (xiii) Once, while Śiva was seated on the peak of the mountain Meru and was being attended upon by gods and others, the Gaṅgā in bodily form (rūpiṇī) waited on him 12. 274. 16.


G. Similes: The Gaṅgā, in various aspects, figures as an upamāna:

(1) To compare an army with: (i) The army of Duryodhana, returning to the Hāstinapura, with its white parasols, banners, and the very white chowries was an image of the current of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgaughapratimā camūḥ) 3. 240. 42; (ii) The army of Duryodhana, eleven akṣauhiṇīs strong, looked like the Gaṅgā while at some distance from the Yamunā (gaṅgeva yamunāntare) 6. 18. 18; (iii) The army of the Pāṇḍavas proceeding to the battle-field looked full and irresitible like the Gaṅgā (gaṅgeva pūrṇā durdharṣā) 5. 149. 49; (iv) The army, led by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, with its formidable archers looked full, tranquil and flowing like the Gaṅgā (bhīmadhanvāyanī senā… gaṅgeva pūrṇā stimitā syandamānā vyadṛśyata) 5. 197. 10 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 5. 196. 12: bhīmadhanvānaḥ ayante pracaranty asyām iti bhīmadhanvāyanī); 6. 19. 17; (v) Just as the sweet water of the Gaṅgā becomes salty due to the property of the ocean, similarly the valour of the heroes of Duryodhana would be futile on meeting the Pāṇḍavas 6. 79. 5-6; (vi) Duryodhana desired to cross (the army of the Pāṇḍavas) as one would want to cross in rainy season the current of the Gaṅgā full of sharks, alligators and crocodiles (sagrāhanakramakaraṁ gaṅgāvegam ivoṣṇage; Nī. on Bom. Ed. 5. 139. 11: uṣṇage uṣṇātigame varṣākale) 5. 137. 11; (vii) Bhīma would enter the army of the Kauravas as does the current of the Gaṅgā the trees growing on its banks 5. 50. 35; (viii) The Trigartas (five brothers), in the war, would agitate the army of the Pāṇḍavas as the crocodlies agitate water of the Gaṅgā 5. 163. 10; (ix) The army of the Kauravas, attacked by Arjuna, was split into two (some going to Droṇa, some to Duryodhana) as does the Gaṅgā on meeting a mountain 7. 29. 29; (x) The army of the Kauravas, at the sight of Ghaṭotkaca, was struck with fear and was agitated, as are the surging waves of the Gaṅgā, whose eddies are agitated by wind 7. 131. 31; (xi) The Pāñcālas attacked the army of Duryodhana on all sides as the swans, returning from the Mānasa lake, rush towards the Gaṅgā 8. 43. 64; (xii) The army of the Pāṇḍavas was agitated by the Madra warriors as is the Gaṅgā by the hostile wind (purovātena gaṅgeva) 9. 17. 10; (xiii) When the Kaurava heroes (Droṇa and others), who were ready (for attack) at a distance of twenty steps attacked Abhimanyu, they appeared, for a while, like an eddy of the Gaṅgā and the ocean (where the former meets the latter) (te viṁśatipade yattāḥ saṁprahāraṁ pracakrire/āsīd gāṅga ivāvarto muhūrtam udadher iva) 7. 35. 13 (Nī., however, on Bom. Ed. 7. 36. 13: viṁśatir iti vyūhaparyāyaḥ/tad uktam ‘viṁśatyaṅgatayā vyūho viṁśatir vyapadiśyate’ iti/viṁśateḥ pade rakṣaṇe); (xiv) The armies of Duryodhana and Yudhiṣṭhira clashed speedily with each other as do the swollen waters of the Gaṅgā and the Sarayū in the rainy season 7. 16. 49; (xv) The two large armies led by Droṇa and Dhṛsṭadyumna, having clashed with each other, sped along as do the swollen waters of the Jāhnavī and the Yamunā in the rainy season 7. 70. 8; (xvi) The armies led by Karṇa and Arjuna clashed fiercely as do the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā 8. 31. 68;

(2) In other contexts: (i) The river of smoke which connected the heaven and the earth looked like the river Gaṅgā (coming down from the heaven to the earth) (bhūmau svarge ca saṁbaddhām nadīṁ dhūmamayīm nṛpaḥ (= yayātiḥ)/sa gaṅgām iva gacchantīm ālambya jagatīpatiḥ) 5. 119. 12; (ii) The sages (the Vālakhilyas and others) sat near the Sarasvatī adorning it as do the gods the river Gaṅgā 9. 36. 47; (iii) Duḥṣanta entered the forest on the river Mālinī which was like the hermitage of Nara and Nārāyaṇa on the river Gaṅgā 1. 64. 24; (iv) King Bṛhadratha between his two wives looked like the ocean in the bodily form between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā (gaṅgāyamunayor madhye mūrtimān iva sāgaraḥ) 2. 16. 19; (v) King Divodāsa enjoyed pleasures with Mādhavī as does the ocean with the Jāhnavī 5. 115. 10; (vi) The eyebrow with its three tips on the forehead of the angered Bhīma looked like the Gaṅgā flowing in three courses on the Trikūṭa (triśikhāṁ bhrukuṭīm cāsya dadṛśuḥ sarvapārthivāḥ/lalāṭasthāṁ trikūṭasthāṁ gaṅgāṁ tripathagām iva) 2. 39. 11; (vii) As the Gaṅgā is the best among the rivers, so is the Kapilā among the cows (yathā hi gaṅgā saritāṁ variṣṭhā tathārjunīnām kapilā variṣṭhā) 13. 72. 40; (viii) A certain Nāga named Padma was born in a family which was (pure) like the water of the Gaṅgā (gaṅgāhradāmbho 'bhijanopapannaḥ) 12. 343. 11; (ix) A man who does not have anything desirable never gets anything that is splendid; he goes into nothing as does the Gaṅgā on reaching the ocean (priyābhāvāc ca puruṣo naiva prāpnoti śobhanam/dhruvaṁ cābhāvam abhyeti gatvā gaṅgeva sāgaram) 5. 133. 16; (x) Wealth causes hankering after it as does the sweet water of the Gaṅgā (anutarṣula evārthaḥ svādu gāṅgam ivodakam) 12. 171. 28; (xi) Gaṅgā is comparable to the earth in forbearance, protection and sustenance; to the fire and the sun in brightness; and to Guha in being always favourable to the Brāhmaṇas (kṣāntyā mahyā gopane dhāraṇe ca dīptyā kṛśānos tapanasya caiva/tulyā gaṅgā saṁmatā brāhmaṇānām guhasya brahmaṇyatayā ca nityam//) 13. 27. 91.


H. Measure:

(1) King Amūrtarayasa Gaya gave away in a horse sacrifice as many cows as there is sand on the river Gaṅgā 12. 29. 111;

(2) Śaibya, the son of Uśīnara, gave in a sacrifice as dakṣiṇā as many cows as would, while drinking (the water of the Gaṅgā), drink up the current of the Gaṅgā (? pibantyo dakṣiṇāṁ yasya gaṇgāsrotaḥ samapiban/tāvatīr gā dadau vīra uśīnarasuto 'dhvare//) 7. 9. 62. [See Alakanandā, Ākāśagaṅga, Āpaga^2, Urvaśī, Gangādvara, Gaṅgāhrada, Vaitaraṇī ]


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