Mahakumbh 2025 is going to be organized on the holy land of Tirtharaj Prayag. Devotees from India and abroad are coming to this festival of Magh month. Apart from this, there is also a gathering of saints and mahatmas engaged in worshiping God. Devotees purify their body and mind in the holy confluence of Ganga-Yamuna and invisible Saraswati.
Prayag is sacred by the stream of Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswati.
The sanctity of this Prayag and its traditionality remain intact even today. This is the same Vedic and mythological period pilgrimage site Prayagraj, where people who take bath in the holy confluence of Ganga and Yamuna are entitled to the path of salvation. It is also said in the Puranas that those who immerse their bodies here attain immortality. It is first mentioned in Rigveda.
Wherever the confluence of the rivers in the best of the seas, the floats rise to heaven.
Ye ve’ta visvajani dhiraste janaso’mritvam bhajante.
(Rig Veda, Volume, 10/75/1)
Description of the glory of Ganga in the book Shatapatha Brahmana
‘Shatapatha Brahmana’ puts forward this point in a more clear manner and says that, in the later Vedic period, Indian kings took bath in this confluence of Ganga and Yamuna. This is the same Prayag, where Lord Brahma first performed the ritual of Yagya. Due to the completion of these yagyas, this area got the name Prayag. It has also been mentioned in ‘Van Parva of Mahabharata’, but the glory of Prayagraj is not only because of its holy land, but Mother Ganga further enhances its glory. The uninterrupted flow of river Ganga since ages is carrying with it a wave of many blessings.
Goddess Ganga has received many blessings
Ganga, revered as a goddess and mother, is not only called holy because of her descent from the world of gods, but the blessings of sages and sages are also associated with her. It is believed that the blessings given to the Goddess are also given to the people who bathe in her. When Ganga, after leaving the lap of the Himalayas and irrigating the northern plains, falls into the Bay of Bengal, during this journey, folk faith calls it by many names. These names further increase the purity of the water of Ganga.
Why is bathing in Ganga important?
Bathing in Ganga is also important so that man learns simplicity and fluidity like water. All his pride flows away with the flow of the river and when he comes out of the ghat and enters social life, he emerges as an excellent human being. These teachings of Ganga are associated with his name. Know by what names Ganga has been called on the basis of folk tales and Puranas.
First she was called Brahmakanya, then she was named Pandita.
One name of river Ganga is Brahmakanya. The water of the Kamandal of Supreme Father Brahma is only Ganga water. He first gave the boon of purity to Ganga. After receiving the blessings of the Saptarishis, she was called Ganga Pandita. This is how she was named and she was considered as revered as the scholars and scholars. That is why performing Aachman with Ganga water is considered best.
Vishnupadi and Jatashankari are also names of Ganga.
She was called Vishnupadi because she emerged from the feet of Lord Vishnu. His name is in Vaikuntha. After this, when she came to purify Devlok, she was called Devnadi. In heaven she is also called Surtarangini. Here the water of this river provides ablutions and purification.
Lord Shiva had worn it in his hair.
At the time of his incarnation on earth, Lord Shiva tied him in his locks. That’s why Ganga became Jatashankari. When she incarnated on earth by the grace of Shiva, she was called Shivaya and when she was blessed with the welfare of people, she became Kalyani. River Ganga has been called Kalyani at many places in Mahabharata. The living form of Ganga appears in Mahabharata, where she was the wife of Shantanu and mother of Bhishma.
Himani-Bhagirathi and Mandakini
When the Himalayan Mountains sheltered her in his lap and loved her like a child, she became Himani. All the daughters of Himalaya are called Himani. This is also the name of Parvati. Due to the efforts of Bhagiratha, the goddess was incarnated and hence she got the name Bhagirathi. When this Bhagirathi moves slowly, it is called Mandakini.
How did you get the name Jhanvi, know the story
River Ganga was moving forward descending from the lap of Himalayas. Sage Jahnu was doing penance at the holy shrine near Rishikesh. His ashrams were destroyed due to the speed of Ganga. The sage became enraged by this and drank the Ganga. When Bhagiratha apologized, the sage gave way to Ganga through his ears. Then Ganga also bowed down and said that please consider me as your daughter and forgive me, then the sage named Ganga as Jhanvi.
Tripathaga and Patal Ganga are also names
River Ganga is called Tripathaga. Ganga moves forward on three paths. It is said that when Mahadev freed her from her hair, it got divided into three streams. One stream went to heaven, one stream followed Bhagiratha and one stream went to the underworld. This stream is also called Patalganga.
main and north corps
Being the main river of India, Mukhya is also a name of river Ganga. From Haridwar, river Ganga passes through Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Kanpur and reaches Allahabad. After this, river Ganga takes a ring in Kashi and moves towards the north again. That is why Ganga is called Uttar Vahini here. Ganga enters Bengal after irrigating the state of Bihar.
Meghna-Hooghly are also names of Ganga
The name of a stream of Ganga in Bengal is Meghna. They got this name because of the thundering streams like clouds. Passing from here to Dakshineshwar, Ganga is moving at a calm and slow pace while paying obeisance to Mother Kali. The name of this city situated on its banks is Hooghly. That is why Ganga is also called Hooghly River. After this the Ganga falls into the Bay of Bengal. This place becomes Ganga Sagar.
