King Bhagīratha and the Descent of the Gaṅgā
King Sāgara of the Ikshvāku dynasty had two wives named Sumati (Vaidarbhī) and Keśinī (Śaibyā). A son called Asamañjasa was born to Keśinī, and 60,000 princes were born to Sumati. Sāgara drove out of the country Asamajñasaa, who turned out to be an enemy of the people. The 60,000 sons of Sāgara also proved to be a menace to the world, and the Devas approached Brahmā for protection from the menace. He assured the Devas that a sage called Kapila will destroy the 60,000 evil princes.
King Sāgara was determined to perform 100 Aśvamedha sacrifices. When he commenced the 100th Aśvamedha Yajña, the horse was carried away by Indra. King Sāgara, sent his 60,000 sons to search every part of the earth and bring it back. Not finding it anywhere on earth, they dug a hole and entered Pātāla, where they saw Sage Kapila absorbed in meditation and next to him, was the missing horse tied to a pole. The sons of Sāgara, believing that it was Kapila who had taken the horse, were about to attack the sage, when he opened his eyes in anger, and they were reduced to ashes in the fire of Kapila’s eyes.
His sons having not returned even after a long time Sāgara asked his grandson Aṃśumān to seek them out, and after an extensive search he saw Kapila at Pātāla. Aṃśumān pleased Kapila with laudatory phrases and the latter returned to him the sacrificial horse. Kapila also pronounced the blessing that the grandson of Aṃśumān would perform the purificatory rites of Sagara’s sons by bringing down Gaṅgā to earth from heaven. Aṃśumān returned to the palace with the horse and the aśvamedha was duly concluded.
From Aṃśumān was born Dilīpa and from him Bhagīratha. So Sāgara, his son Asamanjasa, and his grandson and great-grandson Aṃśumān and Dilīpa, all died without being able to effect the descent of the celestial rivers and the sons of Sagara, the entire time, continued to be mere heaps of ash.
On becoming King, Bhagīratha handed over the reins of government to his ministers and began efforts to bring down Gaṅgā to earth and bring moksha to his ancestors. It was no easy task to induce Gaṅgā to come down to the humbler regions of the earth.
Bhagīratha then commenced a tapas to please Brahma for a thousand years on the slopes of the Himālayas. Brahma appeared before him and told him to propitiate Shiva, as he alone was capable of sustaining upon his head the force of the current of the heavenly river. Bhagiratha then began penance to Shiva. Shiva also was pleased with the tapas of Bhagīratha granted him his prayer, and called upon Gaṅgā to descend upon his head.
With a terrific force, Gaṅgā came down upon Śiva’s head. The haughty Gaṅgā wanted to carry down Śiva also to Pātāla. Realising this ambition of hers, Śiva bound Gaṅgā within his hair and as a result, she wandered about in Śiva’s matted hair for years.
Bhagīratha once again began his tapas and pleased Śiva, who agreed to release Gaṅgā. He shook his matted head, liberating Gaṅgā, and the river descended upon the earth in the presence of all the Gods and other divine beings who came to behold the wondrous sight. The water fell into Bindusaras, and flowed in seven tributaries, the first three, Hlādinī, Pāvanī and Nalinī towards the east, the next three, Sucakṣus, Sītā and Sindhu towards the west and the seventh tributary followed Bhagīratha. In this manner they progressed a great distance till they reached the āśrama of the sage Jahnu, and Gaṅgā flooded his āśrama. The sage was enraged and drank up Gaṅgā. But Bhagīratha pleased the Sage who then let out Gaṅgā through his ears. Thenceforth, Gaṅgā came to be called Jāhnavī (जाह्नवी) — “from jāhnava”, ‘daughter of Jahnu’. Bhagīratha directed his chariot towards the sea, and Gaṅgā followed him as far as the Sagar Kunda and thence entering Patala, watered the ashes of Sagara ‘s sons, who were at once purified by the holy water and their souls attained moksha. Gaṅgā again followed Bhagīratha to Pātāla and made the sons of Sagara attain salvation by purifying them with her waters. Gaṅgā is also called Bhāgīrathī (भागीरथी) on account of Bhagīratha having brought her down to earth.
The story is from the Ramayana Chapter 44 of the Bala Kanda.
After recounting the tale of the descent of Ganga, Sage Viśvāmitra says to Rāma:
“Oh, Rama, in this manner I have described to you ‘The Descent of Gaṅgā’, thus, may you be blest and prosperous, and as time is elapsing, there will be no more questions from you, and let us meditate on the Gāyatri. But first, listen to the fruits of listening the tale of Gaṅgā avatarana (phalasṛuti).
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुत्र्यं स्वर्ग्यमथापि च
यः श्रावयति विप्रेषु क्षत्रियेष्वितरेषु च
प्रीयन्ते पितरस्तस्य प्रीयन्ते दैवतानि च“This legend is conducive to achieve prosperity, fame, longevity, progeny and even heaven, and he who narrates this legend to others, whether he is from Brahmana or Kshatriya, or any other class for that matter, his ancestors will be satisfied, and gods too will be gladdened.”
इदमाख़्यनमायुष्यं गंगावतरणं शुभम्
यः श्रुणोति च काकुत्स्थ सर्वान् कामानवाप्नुयात्
सर्वे पापाः प्रणश्यन्ति आयुः कीर्तिश्च वर्धते“Oh, Rāma of Kakutsthas, he who hears this auspicious narration of the descent of Gaṅgā is endowed with longevity, all his wishes are granted, all his sins are obliterated, and his reputation is also enhanced.”
Thus, Viśvāmitra concludes the episode of ‘The Descent of Gaṅgā.’
Gold coins issued by Gupta Rulers Samudragupta and Kumaragupta I, depicting Goddess Gaṅgā:
According to some scholars, the most glorious period of ancient Indian history is the rule of the Gupta dynasty. They ruled large parts of northern India from early 4th century CE to mid-6th century CE. The Guptas started their rule from a small state in eastern India. Gradually their rule extended over a large part of Jambudvīpa. Gupta gold coins were abundant and allude to the prosperity in the era, culturally and economically the “golden age of India”. Multiple hoards of extremely valuable Gupta coins have been discovered across India. The first of them was found at Kalighat, in Calcutta in 1783. The coins were handed over to Warren Hastings, the British governor-general who sent them to London. These are the ones that can be seen at the British Museum.
Sources:
- Puranic Encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani
- The Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa by M.R. Kale
- Valmiki Ramayana
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