In the last post, we had seen the narration on River Ganga by Viswamitra, Ikshvaku king Sagara, his sons who are perished by the anger of Kapila. In this post we will continue to see the story of how the River Ganga was bought to Earth by a descendant of Sagara to perform the purifications of his sons, Bhagiratha. It has to be noted that Bhagiratha practiced severe penance to fulfill his wish of bringing the river of purity to flow on Earth. His story thus became the synonym for massive efforts to achieve anything in this world – put efforts like Bhagiratha and you will succeed. Let us learn about how he achieved the impossible.
The story of Sagara resumes here - Realising the long absence of his sons, who were gone for a very long time Sagara sent for Anshuman, his valiant grandson. He told him that accomplished as he was in the arts of war and equal to his forefathers, he ought to search for the path taken by his uncles and also for the thief who had led away the horse. "Remarkable and indomitable are the powers of those that inhabit the nether worlds, take your bow and your sword to ward them off. Pay homage to those that deserve homage and destroy those that hinder you. Come back victorious and help me to complete my sacrifice."Hurrying forth, Anshuman traveled by the path created and taken by his uncles, to reach the depths of the earth. There he saw the Diggajas being worshiped by the devatas, danavas, daityas, pisachas, rakshasas, birds and serpents. The princes too worshipfully went round the first celestial elephant and asked of their uncles and of him who had robbed the horse. Hearing Anshuman, the celestial elephant blessed him with his successful return home with the horse. Out of respect for the other three Diggajas, the son of Asamanjasa made inquiries of them too, who also gave him benediction for his victory.
Striding swiftly Anshuman reached the place where his uncles were reduced to a heap of ashes and also sighted the horse grazing in peace close by. He wept in anguish, at the fate of his uncles. Wishing to perform their funeral rites, Anshuman looked around for water, but saw none. At a distance he spotted his great uncle, Garuda, king of birds and son of Vinata who came to him and said, "Your uncles have been consumed by none other than the divine Kapila. You should not offer them the water of this world. You may get the holy water of Ganga, which alone will attain them heaven. Perform the rites and go back to complete the sacrifice, undertaken by your father". Thus require the holy water of Ganga to purify his uncles.
Anshuman returned to Ayodhya and made known to Sagara of what had happened. Though Sagara was devastated at the dreadful news, composing himself he concluded the great sacrifice. Without ever deciding to bring the river Ganga to earth he ruled for thirty thousand years and reached the land of the gods.
With the passing away of Sagara, the ministers installed Anshuman as the king who proved to be noble. Born of him was Dilipa a worthy son of great repute known for his righteousness. Anshuman passing on his crown to Dilipa retired to the Himalayas where he performed a great penance for thirty two thousand years and later reached the heavens. Dilipa though mighty found no way to bring down the sacred waters of the Ganga, to earth.He brooded and deeply regretted his inability to find salvation for the souls of his grand sires. To him was born a son, Bhagiratha. After ruling the earth for thirty thousand years Dilipa too passed on reaching heaven by merit of his righteousness. Bhagiratha, heir to the Ikshvaku throne was without children. Determined to bring Ganga down into the world, he went to that holy place known as Gokarna and began a rigorous penance. Partaking of food once in thirty days, with all his senses under control, he practiced severe penance for thousands of years. When Brahma Prajapathi arrived with his armies of devatas and told Bhagiratha that he was pleased with his devotion Bhagiratha requested him, "May all the sons of Sagara, receiving funeral libations by me with the sacred water of the Ganges reach heaven and may I be blessed with a son."
Brahma now said that the force of the descent of that glorious and mighty river Ganga would prove too much for the earth to bear. He asked Bhagiratha to pray lord Siva to make the descent of Ganga bearable. Brahma also urged Ganga to grant the prayer of Bhagiratha's prayer.
After the gods had departed Bhagiratha standing on the tip of his big toe commenced his adoration of Siva, for a whole year. Lord Siva pleased with such great devotion appeared promising to bring down Ganga and break the tremendous force of the fall on his head. Assuming the form of a mighty river Ganga started her glorious descent. While cascading and gushing down a thought occurred to her that with the torrential force of her descent, she could press down Siva to the lower regions of the nether world. Siva angered at her arrogance, decided to humble, and hold her unseen, in his matted locks. As Ganga plunged from the skies she fell into those uncoiled locks of Siva, which in their spread resembled the Himalayan mountains. Born at the feet of lord Vishnu, brought down to earth by Bhagiratha, Ganga found no way out of them. Trapped and confused she meandered in there for a great many years invisible to all and unable to extricate herself.
Not able to discern Ganga, Bhagiratha resumed his penance once again. A full year went by. Lord Siva relented and released the captive river in little drops into Lake Bindusara. Overflowing the banks of the lake she divided herself into seven streams. The first three, Haldini, Pavani and Nalini took an easterly direction. Suchakshu, Sita and Sindhu with their lovely waters flowed westwards and the seventh followed the divine chariot of Bhagiratha. Thus, Mother Ganga came down from the heavens and the torrential cascade of that magnificent river caused a great reverberation. Shoals of fish slithered down like streaks of lightening, tumbling, and turning came turtles and multitude sea monsters while the frothing water untamed spewed as wild foam scattering around which resembled flocks of swans in flight. The devas, yakshas, gandharvas and hosts of siddhas beheld the awesome spectacle of the thundering, tumultuous descent of the river. Celestial beings came in droves. They came in chariots, which looked as big as cities. They came on horseback, and they came, riding mammoth elephants to witness the awesome descent. The gods too came irradiating the canopy of the heavens with their effulgence and the dazzle of their ornaments, creating the brilliance of a thousand Suns. The meandering Ganga flowed, curving gracefully and gently in places, rapid and gushing elsewhere. At places with a great force her turbulent waters dashed against rocks, shooting upwards and breaking into a million crystalline droplets to fall back again. Shimmering and twisting like a sinuous serpent, she reached the ocean, with its brilliant blue waters.
King Bhagiratha rode on, with Ganga right behind him until they reached the land where sage Jahnu was performing austerities. There the gurgling Ganga swept away the sacrificial grounds and the enraged seer drank up the entire river. Alarmed, the devatas worshipped Jahnu, imploring him to forgive Ganga and treat her like his daughter. Pacified the sage released her and because he released her through his ears Ganga earned the name Jahnavi. Having brought down the sacred river with such tremendous effort, Bhagiratha led Ganga, right down into the nether worlds. Even as he beheld the ashes of his ancestors the divine waters inundated them and the sons of Sagara absolved of their sins reached heaven.
Lord Brahma appeared and told Bhagiratha, "As long as the waters of the sea continue on this earth, so long shall the sons of Sagara remain in heaven, and remain liberated.Henceforth Ganga will become your eldest daughter. She will also be famed in this world as Bhagirathi. Giving birth to three tributaries she will also be called Tripathaga, flowing in and purifying the three worlds. Fulfill your duty and perform the funeral rites. Mighty Sagara could not accomplish this purpose. Anshuman with his unlimited powers could not do so it and Dilipa tried but in vain. You have acquired everlasting renown by achieving this act of the highest form of Dharma. Sanctify yourself with these holy waters, perform the libations of your forefathers and return to Ayodhya. With his mission accomplished king Bhagiratha returned to his kingdom to resume his sovereign duties. Whosoever listens to this spiritual history of the descent of Ganga shall have all his desires fulfilled, his sins absolved and will be blessed with longevity".
Rama listened to Visvamitra's narration of the descent of Ganga and said "Brahmin, as I sat with Saumitri in contemplation of that wonderful story related by you, the glorious night passed as though it were but a moment". Thereafter, Visvamitra, Rama and Lakshmana crossed the holy river. On reaching the northern bank, and the city of Vishala, comparable only with Amaravathi, the abode of Indra. Visvamitra said, "Rama, listen to the legendary story of Indra. In Krita yuga, the sons of Diti were very strong and those of Aditi were valorous and righteous. They once questioned themselves, "May we not succumb to disease, to old age and to death. How?”
Reflecting on the matter, they resolved to churn the ocean and obtain the nectar of immortality. There upon they made Vasuki the great serpent as the cord, to churn the ocean, with mount Mandara as the churning rod and whipped up the oceans relentlessly, reaching the very nether world.A thousand years passed by and a terrible venom was born. It was Halahala. Virulent and fiery, it began to destroy the devatas, the asuras and the mortals, threatening the very universe. The gods sought refuge in Hari and Hara (Siva). Hari approaching Siva gently said, "As leader of the devatas and the first born among them, whatever is produced first shall be offered to you. Siva, undaunted drank the dreadful poison without protest, as if it were nectar and returned to his abode, mount Kailas. The devatas and the danavas resumed the churning of the ocean once again but the churning rod Mandara sank to its and they invoked lord Visnu's protection. Assuming the form of a tortoise the lord supported the mountain on his back. In this way passed another ten hundred years, at the end of which the first to emerge out of the seas was Dhanvantari carrying a water jar.
Then came the six hundred million beautiful nymphs as the ravishing Apsarasas. There after came Varuni, daughter of Varuna, searching for a consort. Diti's sons did not accept her. But the sons of Aditi did. The sons of Ditti were called Asuras and the sons of Aditi were called Suras. Ucchaishrava, the celestial steed, Kausthubham the jewel, were the next to emerge from the foaming turbulence of the ocean. Then came the divine potion, the nectar of immortality, Rama! The emergence of this caused the ruin of an entire race, since the sons of Aditi warred with the sons of Diti, for tne nectar. The asuras befriending the rakshasas began a fearsome battle, sending waves of shock and terror in the three worlds. When the extermination was complete and all had perished, Vishnu transforming himself into Mohini the enchantress seized the nectar. All those who opposed him fell prey to his might and in the dreadful battle which ensued and the sons of Diti were vanquished by Indra and the sons of Aditi. Indra having killed the sons of Diti and gained the kingdom was pleased and ruled the three worlds in the company of sages and celestial beings" concluded Visvamitra.
Visvamitra said that when Diti distressed at the death of her sons, beseeched Kasyapa for a son who would slay Indra and he granted her wish saying, "So be it. Make yourself pure, for you will beget the son who will destroy Indra. At the end of a thousand years, if your vow of purity is not broken, a son will be born to us who will be invincible in all the three worlds." Kasyapa departed to perform penance and Diti made way to Kusaplvana to embark on her intense penance. While Diti was thus occupied, Indra was in attendance at all times. He served her with reverence, with humility and with diligence for alleviating her fatigue. Ten more years remained for the completion of the thousand years and Diti told Indra, that soon he would have a brother, who would have vanquished him.
As she conversed with Indra, Diti overcome by sleep, slept with her feet placed, where her head should have been there destroying her vow of purity was destroyed. Indra instantly seized the opportunity to enter her body and cut the fetus into seven pieces with his weapon. The embryo cried out in terrible anguish. Diti awoke pleading not to kill the fetus and Indra emerging out said, "I made good the opportunity, when you lapsed in your austerities. I slayed the one who would have been the slayer of Indra. May I be forgiven".
It dawned on Diti that disaster had struck through her own fault. Overcome with grief, she asked a favor of Indra. "Let the seven fragments of the fetus become the guardians of the regions of the seven winds, and may they be famed as Maruths." When Indra assured Diti that her sons handsome as the gods would indeed grace the celestial worlds her wish fulfilled, Diti reached the land of the immortals".
Visvamitra further said that it was the place where Diti had practiced austerities and was known to the world as Vishala. By the grace of the Ikshvakus, the powerful and virtuous inhabitants of Vishala were blessed with longevity and magnanimity. The great sage then decided that they would rest in Vishala for the night and see king Janaka, the next day. Meanwhile Sumati, king of Vishala, coming to know of Visvamitra's arrival went with his preceptors and relatives to pay homage to Kausika and told him, "Blessed am I and my kingdom, there is none more fortunate than I".
This concludes the chapters 41,42,43,44,45,46 and 47 of Balakanda where we learnt about the great efforts of Bhagiratha to bring the holy water of river Ganga to purify his ancestors, Diti, Aditi and churning of milky ocean to get the nectar of immortality, a tale on Indra, the significance of place Vishala where the entourage stopped by for the night. The men will soon reach Mithila for Janaka’s yagna which we will see in subsequent post after looking at another tale behind a historic place in between.
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