Bhagiratha’s Determination: How Ganga Was Brought to Earth

Ganga is the elder sister of Devi Parvathy. She is an amshavatara (incarnation in part) of Devi Mahamaya and a rebirth of Sati Devi. After Sati self immolated, Lord Shiva was in deep grief. That was when he was told about the rebirth of Sati as Ganga. Devas had taken Himavan’s (Ganga’s father) permission and brought Ganga to Swarga. There, she married Lord Shiva.

After he protected Vishwamitra’s yaga, Sri Ramji along with Lakshmana and the sage proceeded to Mithila to attend a yaga being performed by Janaka. On the way the sage narrated the legend of Ganga in detail.

'Long ago, there was a virtuous king named Sagara who ruled in Ayodhya.
He had no sons, so he was always eager to have a child.
His eldest wife was the princess of Vidarbha, named Keshini.
She was very righteous and truthful.
Sagara's second wife was Sumati, daughter of Arishtanemi and sister of Suparna.
King Sagara went to the Himalayas with both his wives and began intense penance on a peak called Bhriguprashravana, where the hermitage of sage Bhrigu was located.
After a hundred years, sage Bhrigu was pleased with their penance.
He granted a boon to King Sagara and said, 'O King! You will have many sons, and your fame will spread throughout the world.
One of your wives will have only one son who will continue your lineage, and the other will bear sixty thousand sons.'
After saying this to the king, sage Bhrigu addressed his queens.
He said, 'O ladies! Express your wish - do you want one son to continue your lineage or many strong, famous, and enthusiastic sons? Which of these two boons do you desire?'
Hearing this, Keshini asked for the boon of one son to continue the lineage, and Sumati wished for sixty thousand strong and famous sons.
Afterward, King Sagara bowed to sage Bhrigu and returned to his capital with both his queens.
Some time passed, and the eldest queen, Keshini, gave birth to Sagara’s son, Asamanja, and the younger queen, Sumati, gave birth to a gourd-shaped lump.
When it was broken, sixty thousand boys came out.
They were placed in jars filled with ghee, and wet nurses began to raise them.
As time passed, these boys grew into young men.
Sagara's eldest son, Asamanja, would catch the boys of the city and throw them into the Sarayu River.
When they started drowning, he would laugh at them.
As Asamanja continued with his wicked deeds and troubled the righteous and harmed the city dwellers, his father expelled him from the city.
Asamanja's son was named Anshuman.
He was very brave, sweet-spoken, and loved by everyone.
After some time, King Sagara thought to himself, 'I should perform a yajna.'
With this decision, the king began preparations for the yajna with his teachers.
The yajna started in the land between the Himalayas and the Vindhya mountains, which was considered the best place for performing a yajna.
At King Sagara's command, the duty of protecting the sacrificial horse was taken up by the mighty Anshuman.
But on the day of the festival, Indra, in the guise of a demon, stole Sagara’s sacrificial horse.
Seeing the horse being stolen, the teachers said to the king, 'O King! someone has stolen the sacrificial horse and is running away quickly.
Catch the thief and bring back the horse.
Otherwise, the yajna will be disrupted, and this will be inauspicious for all of us.
You must make sure this yajna is completed without any interruptions.'
Hearing this, King Sagara, seated in the yajna assembly, spoke to his sixty thousand sons.
He said, 'My sons! Search the entire earth for the horse.
Divide the land among yourselves and dig it up, if you want, until you find the horse.
I have already taken the vow of the yajna, so I will stay here with the teachers and my grandson Anshuman, waiting for you with the horse.'
Obeying their father's command, the powerful princes happily set out to search the earth for the horse.
Each of them dug up a portion of land with their strong arms, which were as powerful as thunderbolts.
In this way, the princes dug through the entire land of Jambudvipa (Eurasia), which was filled with mountains, and wandered all around.
After digging up the entire earth and circling it, the princes returned to their father empty-handed.
They said, 'Father! We have searched the entire earth.
We have killed great and powerful beings like gods, demons, rakshasas, spirits, and serpents.
Yet, we have not found the horse, nor its thief.
Now, what should we do? Please think of a solution and tell us.'

Hearing his sons' words, King Sagara became angry and said, 'Go, dig up the entire earth again and find the horse thief. Do not return until the task is complete.'
Obeying their great father, the sixty thousand princes moved toward the netherworld (Pathala Loka) and began digging the earth with great fury.
This time, the mighty warriors worked with terrible speed on their task.
Soon, they saw Sage Kapila, an incarnation of the eternal Lord Vishnu.
Near him, the sacrificial horse was roaming around.
The princes were very happy to find the horse.
But thinking that Kapila was the one who interrupted their sacrifice, their eyes turned red with anger.

They grabbed pickaxes, plows, and pieces of trees and stones, and charged at him.

As they approached, they said, 'You fool! You have stolen our sacrificial horse and hidden here? We are the sons of King Sagara and have come here searching for you.'

The Sage looked at them once and the sons of Sagara turned into heaps of ashes.
Many days passed, and when King Sagara realized that his sons were gone, he told his grandson Anshuman, ' You are brave, wise, and as strong as your ancestors.
Follow the path of your uncles and find the horse thief.
Remember, there are powerful beings living beneath the earth.
Take your sword and bow to fight them.
Respect those who are worthy of respect, and destroy anyone who obstructs your path.
Go, complete the task, and help me finish this yajna.'
Hearing this from the great Sagara, the brave Anshuman immediately set out with his bow and sword.
He followed the path his uncles had dug under the earth and reached the place where Sagara's sons lay in heaps of ashes.
Anshuman felt great sorrow at their death and began to cry bitterly in grief.
Nearby, he saw the sacrificial horse grazing.
But filled with sorrow, Anshuman wanted to offer water for the last rites of Sagara's sons.
However, there was no water body in sight.
Looking far ahead, he saw Garuda, the king of birds.
Garuda, who was Sagara's sons' uncle, came to Anshuman and said, 'O great one! Do not grieve.
Their death was for the welfare of the world.
Sage Kapila has turned these mighty princes to ashes.
You should not offer ordinary water for their last rites.
Only the water of the Ganga, the daughter of the Himalayas, can purify them.
When the Ganga flows over the ashes of these sixty thousand princes, they will all be sent to Swarga.
Now, take the sacrificial horse and complete your grandfather's yajna.'
Hearing Garuda's words, the mighty Anshuman took the horse and immediately returned.
When he told the terrible news to the king, Sagara completed the yajna and then returned to his capital.
After returning, Sagara thought deeply about how to bring the Ganga down to earth, but he could not come to a decision.
Even after many years, he found no solution, and after ruling for thirty thousand years, he departed for Punyaloka.
After Sagara's death, the people made the righteous Anshuman the king.
Anshuman became a famous ruler.
He had a son named Dilipa, who also became very famous.
Anshuman gave the kingdom to Dilipa and went to the Himalayas, where he performed intense penance.
For thirty-two thousand years, this great and famous king did penance, and in the end, he left his body and went to Swarga.
The mighty Dilipa was also deeply saddened by the death of his ancestors.
Even after thinking and pondering with all his wisdom, he could not find a solution.
He constantly worried about how to bring the Ganga to earth, how to perform the last rites for his ancestors, and how to liberate them.

King Dilipa could never stop worrying about this.  

He had attained knowledge of the self through spiritual practice.  

In due time, his very righteous son Bhagiratha was born.  

After that, the brilliant Dilipa performed many sacrifices and ruled for thirty thousand years.  

Even after so long, he couldn’t find a way to free his ancestors, and eventually, he fell ill and passed away.  

During his lifetime, he had crowned his son Bhagiratha as king, and he himself went to Swarga due to the merits of his good deeds.  

Rajrishi Bhagiratha was very virtuous.  

He had no children, so he entrusted the kingdom to his ministers and focused on bringing the Ganga to the earth.  

He went to the Gokarna and began intense penance.  

Standing with his arms raised, he endured the heat of five fires, controlling his senses, and ate only once a month.  

In this way, King Bhagiratha spent a thousand years in severe penance.  

Then Lord Brahma was very pleased and came there with the gods and spoke to Bhagiratha, who was deep in penance.  

He said, 'O King! I am very pleased with your great penance. Ask for any boon you desire.'  

Bhagiratha stood with folded hands and said to Brahma, 'O Lord! If you are pleased with me, and if my penance has any fruit, I ask that Ganga’s water may reach the ashes of King Sagara’s sons through me.  

Let all my ancestors attain eternal Swarga when their ashes are washed by the water of the Ganga.  

O Lord! I also have one more request.  

I have no children, so I ask for a son.  

Let my lineage never end.  

Let this boon apply to the entire Ikshvaku dynasty.'  

After hearing Bhagiratha’s request, Lord Brahma, in his sweet and blessed voice, said, 'Bhagiratha! May you be blessed.  

Your desire will surely be fulfilled.  

Here is Ganga, the eldest daughter of the Himalayas.  

Prepare Lord Shiva to receive her.  

The earth will not be able to bear the force of Ganga’s descent.  

Other than Lord Shiva, I see no one who can hold Ganga.'  

After saying this, Brahma also instructed Goddess Ganga to show favor to Bhagiratha.  

Then, Brahma returned to heaven with the gods.  

After Lord Brahma departed, King Bhagiratha stood on his toes and continued his penance, worshiping Lord Shiva for one more year.  

At the end of the year, Lord Shiva, pleased with Bhagiratha’s devotion, appeared before him and said, 'O Bhagiratha! I am very pleased with you.  

I will certainly fulfill your cherished wish.  

I will hold Ganga on my head.'  

After receiving Lord Shiva’s consent, Ganga, the eldest daughter of the Himalayas, expanded in size and rushed down from the sky with immense speed.  

She thought, 'I will sweep Lord Shiva away with my force and enter the underworld.'  

Lord Shiva, aware of Ganga’s pride, decided to stop her.  

When the holy Ganga fell on Lord Shiva’s head, she became entangled in his matted hair and could not descend to the earth.  

Even after trying, she couldn’t find a way to flow out of Shiva's hair.  

For many years, Ganga wandered within Lord Shiva’s matted locks.  

Finally, Lord Shiva allowed her to flow out, and the entire world was filled with joy from the touch of her holy water.  

Everyone who bathed in the Ganga became free of sins.  

Rajrishi Bhagiratha, riding a divine chariot, led the way, and Ganga followed behind him.  

At that time, gods, sages, demons, rakshasas, gandharvas, yakshas, kinnars, serpents, and apsaras - all happily followed Bhagiratha’s chariot alongside Ganga.  

On the way, the mighty Sage Jahnu was performing a yajna.  

Ganga, with her powerful current, swept away Jahnu’s yajna vedi.  

Sage Jahnu considered this an offense and drank up all of Ganga’s water.  

This was a miraculous event.  

The gods, gandharvas, and sages were astonished and praised the great Sage Jahnu.  

Then, pleased with their prayers, King Jahnu released Ganga from his ears.  

From that time, Ganga became known as Jahnavi, the daughter of Jahnu.  

Ganga then continued following Bhagiratha’s chariot and finally reached the netherworld.  

There, she washed over the ashes of Sagara’s sons with her water, and they became free of sins and attained heaven.  

After Ganga had descended to earth, Bhagiratha could not see her, so he began intense penance again.  

Pleased with his devotion, Lord Shiva took Ganga to Lake Bindusaras.  

When she was released, Ganga split into seven streams.  

Three streams - Hladini, Pavani, and Nalini - flowed to the east, while three others - Suchakshu, Sita, and the great river Sindhu - flowed west.  

The seventh stream followed Bhagiratha’s chariot to the ocean and then to the netherworld, where his ancestors’ ashes lay.  

Lord Brahma appeared and said, 'O King! You have freed your ancestors.  

The sixty thousand sons of King Sagara have been restored to Swarga.  

As long as the ocean exists on earth, your ancestors will live like gods in Swarga.'  

The Ganga, born from your efforts, will be known as Bhagirathai in your honor.  

She will be renowned as Tripathaga, flowing through the three worlds (Swarga, Bhumi, and Pathala), purifying them.  

Now, with the water of the Ganga, offer the last rites to your ancestors and fulfill your vow.'

Learnings

1. Bhagiratha's determination to bring the Ganga to earth shows the power of perseverance. Despite facing challenges and penance for thousands of years, he never gave up. His dedication led to the liberation of his ancestors.
2. Bhagiratha’s intense devotion and belief in the power of divine intervention drive his perseverance. Faith can lead us to undertake extraordinary tasks.
3. The legend emphasizes the importance of patience and faith. Sagara, Anshuman, and Dilipa could not bring Ganga to earth in their lifetimes, but they continued their efforts and trusted that the task would be accomplished in time. Bhagiratha’s eventual success was a result of their combined patience.
4. Bhagiratha’s unwavering actions, including penance and appealing to divine forces, demonstrate our cultural tradition of seeking divine favor for solving problems. The persistence he shows, despite numerous setbacks, illustrates how belief systems influence the outcome of our efforts.
5. Bhagiratha’s actions are driven by social norms and responsibilities to his ancestors and his community. The importance of lineage, the performance of rituals, and the responsibility to one’s ancestors reveal how social roles and obligations are culturally reinforced in this legend.
6. Bhagiratha’s pursuit of Ganga is not for personal gain but for the salvation of his ancestors. It highlights the greatness of sacrifice, and the moral obligations to one's family and society, 
7. The legend highlights how we can persist and succeed in achieving their objectives through dedication and mental fortitude.
8. Even though Ganga initially thought her force could overwhelm Lord Shiva, she was humbled when she became trapped in his matted hair. This teaches the importance of humility, even for powerful beings, and the need to respect others' strength.

Knowledge Bank

What is the significance of the Shakti Pithas?

Shakti Pithas are a chain of places on the Indian subcontinent famous for their spiritual significance in Hinduism. Sati Devi went to attend a yaga performed by her father, Daksha. There, her husband Lord Shiva was insulted. She self-immolated by jumping into the fire. Shiva roamed around with her corpse in a mood to destroy the world. Lord Vishnu cut her corpse using his SudarshanaChakra. Parts of her body and ornaments fell in 51 holy places. They are the Shakti Pithas where devotees throng for blessings and MantraSiddhi.

Why is it called Pancha patra?

The vessel containing water used in rituals is called Pancha patra. Pancha means five. In elaborate worship, five vessels are used- Vishesha arghya patra containing a mix of 8 dravyas, Nirodha arghya patra containing a mix of 7 dravyas, Parangmukha arghya patra containing a mix of 6 dravyas, Padya patra, and Achamaniyaka patra. Even if only one vessel is used in their place, it came to be called Pancha patra.