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Ganga Dussehra
by Prof. P. K. Arya
Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the 10th day of shukla paksha of Jyestha month according to the Hindi calendar. If this day falls on Monday and hasta-nakshatra, then this day is considered unusually pious for destroying the sins. Gangavtaran (descent of Ganga) took place on Wednesday in Hasta-nakshatra and therefore this date is very important. Bathing in river, donations and worshipping on this day help one destroy ten sins. That is why this is known as Dussehra. One should take bath in river Ganga on this day. By taking bath in this river, one gets rid of all the sins. The water of this river is not polluted even if this is kept for a year.
Story: In ancient times, there was a ruler named Sagar in Ayodhya. He had two queens namely Keshani and Sumati. With Keshani he had a son named Anshuman and with Sumati he had 60 thousand sons. Once the king decided to perform the Ashwamedh yagna. Sagara performed the Ashwamedha sacrifice to declare his suzerainty over the neighbouring kingdoms. According to the prevalent custom, the sacrificial horse was let loose and allowed to wander into the neighbouring kingdoms. If the horse was caught, a battle ensued and the outcome decided the winner. But the horse was captured by Indra and he tied it up in the ashram of Saint Kapila. Not seeing the horse in the cavern, 60 thousand sons in search of the horse presumed that Kapila had captured it. They reached the ashram of that saint and found the horse there. That time the saint was meditating. The sons of the king started disturbing him during meditation. The saint lost his concentration and all of the sons were burnt in the fire of Saint’s anger. Now the turn of Anshuman came to search his brothers. When he reached the ashram of Muni, Mahatma Garur narrated the story of his brothers to Anshuman. He also said that if he wanted their release then he will have to bring Ganga on the earth from the heaven. He suggested him to take the horse back for the time being and finish the yagna. He followed his instructions and explained the entire story to his father.
After the death of his father Sagar, Anshuman did hard meditation to bring Ganga back on the earth but remained unsuccessful. After this his son Dilip also worshipped but failed. After this Dilip’s son Bhagirath did an austere meditation at Gokarna Teertha. He spent several years in meditation. This pleased God Brahma and blessed him with Ganga. Regarded as a celestial river originating in the heavens, Ganga was gifted to mankind in answer to the great sadhana undertaken by Bhagirath, after whom she is also called Bhagirathi. But the torrential waters of the Ganga were a mighty and destructive force.
Now the problem was who will control the force of Ganga once it is released from the Kamandal (the pot) of Brahma. Brahmaji suggested that none except God Shankar could control the momentum of Ganga on earth. Therefore, it was appropriate to request God Shankar to do this. Mahraj Bhagirath started meditation again on just one of his toes. Pleased with this Shankarji agreed to confine Ganga in his thick hair-locks (jata). For many years, Ganga could not find the way out from his hair-lock. Bhagirath requested God Shankar again to release Ganga from his hair. This way Ganga descended on the earth in Himalayas. In the path of Ganga, the ashram of saint Janhu came. The saint was meditating. Thinking of a deliberate obstacle in his meditation, he swallowed Ganga. After the request of Bhagirath, he released Ganga through his thighs. Since then Ganga is known as the daughter of Janhu or Jahnvee.
After cascading through rocky mountains it reached the ashram of saint Kapil and released the sons of Sagar. That time God Brahma appeared and pleased with the meditation of Bhagirath he announced that 60 thousand sons of Sagar will become immortal. He also said that Ganga will be known as Bhagirathi. He asked him to go back to Ayodhya and resume his kingdom. Brahmaji disappeared after this.
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