Gaṅgā Puja [worshiping mother Ganges]

Origin of the Gaṅgā River

Excerpt from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 5, Chapter 17

Lord Viṣṇu once approached Bali Mahārāja while the King was performing a sacrifice. The Lord appeared before him as Trivikrama, or Vāmana, and begged alms from the King in the form of three steps of land. With two steps, Lord Vāmana covered all three planetary systems and pierced the covering of the universe with the toes of His left foot. A few drops of water from the Causal Ocean leaked through this hole and fell on the head of Lord Śiva, where they remained for one thousand millenniums. These drops of water are the sacred Ganges River. It first flows onto the heavenly planets, which are located on the soles of Lord Viṣṇu’s feet. The Ganges River is known by many names, such as the Bhāgīrathī and the Jāhnavī. It purifies Dhruvaloka and the planets of the seven sages because both Dhruva and the sages have no other desire than to serve the Lord’s lotus feet.

Gaṅgā – the most sacred river

The river [by which the King sat to fast] carries the most auspicious water, which is mixed with the dust of the lotus feet of the Lord and tulasī leaves. Therefore, that water sanctifies the three worlds inside and outside and even sanctifies Lord Śiva and other demigods. Consequently, everyone who is destined to die must take shelter of this river. [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.19.6]

The Lord is so kind that He has spread the river Ganges throughout the universe so that by taking bath in that holy river everyone can get release from the reactions of sins, which occur at every step. There are many rivers in the world which are able to evoke one’s sense of God consciousness simply by one’s bathing in them, and the river Ganges is chief amongst them. In India there are five sacred rivers, but the Ganges is the most sacred. The river Ganges and Bhagavad-gītā are chief sources of transcendental happiness for mankind, and intelligent persons can take shelter of them to go back home, back to Godhead. Even Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya recommends that a little knowledge in Bhagavad-gītā and the drinking of a little quantity of Ganges water can save one from the punishment of Yamarāja. [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.41]

Because mother Ganges emanates from the lotus toe of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Anantadeva, she is able to liberate one from material bondage. Therefore, whatever is described herewith about her is not at all wonderful. [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.9.14]

It has actually been seen that anyone who regularly worships mother Ganges simply by bathing in her water keeps very good health and gradually becomes a devotee of the Lord. This is the effect of bathing in the water of the Ganges. Bathing in the Ganges is recommended in all Vedic śāstras, and one who takes to this path will certainly be completely freed from all sinful reactions. The practical example of this is that the sons of Mahārāja Sagara went to the heavenly planets when water from the Ganges merely touched the ashes of their burnt bodies. [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.9.14 purport]

When there was a meeting of great sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, Sūta Gosvāmī was reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the importance of the Ganges was stated as follows: “The waters of the Ganges are always carrying the flavor of tulasī offered at the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and as such the waters of the Ganges are ever flowing, spreading the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Wherever the waters of the Ganges are flowing, all will be sanctified, both externally and internally.” [The Nectar of Devotion, chapter 7]

Ganges is the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of water

gauḍa-deśe haya mora ‘dui samāśraya’

‘jananī’ ‘jāhnavī’, — ei dui dayāmaya

“In Bengal I have two shelters — My mother and the river Ganges. Both of them are very merciful. [Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 16.90]

‘dāru’-jala’-rūpe kṛṣṇa prakaṭa samprati

‘daraśana’-‘snāne’ kare jīvera mukati

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “In this Age of Kali, Kṛṣṇa is manifest in two forms — wood and water. Thus, by enabling the conditioned souls to see the wood and bathe in the water, He helps them become liberated. [Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 15.134]

‘dāru-brahma’-rūpe — sākṣāt śrī-puruṣottama

bhāgīrathī hana sākṣāt ‘jala-brahma’-sama

“Lord Jagannātha is the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of wood, and the river Ganges is the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of water. [Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 15.135]