Ganga (गङ्गा) - Revision history

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Ckanak93: /* Ganga Mahatmya */ Editing

2019-08-28T11:07:52Z

Ganga Mahatmya: Editing

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 === पूजाफलम् ॥ Fruit of Worship ===
 The Devi Bhagavata (Skandha 9, Adhyaya 11) states that the one who will meditate on Ganga as per Kanvashakha and worship, praise and bow down to her daily, he will derive the fruit of one Ashvamedha Yajna.<ref name=":1" />   <blockquote>कण्वशाखोक्त ध्यानेन ध्यात्वा त्वां पूजयिष्यति । यः स्तौति प्रणयेन्नित्यं सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ।। ४९ ।।<ref name=":2" /> </blockquote><blockquote>''kaṇvaśākhokta dhyānena dhyātvā tvāṁ pūjayiṣyati । yaḥ stauti praṇayennityaṁ so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet ।। 49 ।।''</blockquote>
 == References ==

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 * First worship is to be given to Ganesha for the destruction of obstacles; the Sun is to be next worshipped for health; Fire, for purification; Vishnu is then worshipped for getting wealth and power; Shiva is worshipped for knowledge and Shivani is worshipped for Mukti.
 * When these Devatas are worshipped, one is entitled to worship the Deity. Otherwise, contrary become the effects.
 The Purana also elaborates on the Dhyana practised by Bhagiratha towards Devi Ganga as per the Kanva Shakha that is said destroy all the papas.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>ध्यानं च कण्व शाखोक्तं सर्वं पापप्रणाशनम् ।<ref>Devi Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 9, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AF/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A8 Adhyaya 12].</ref> ''dhyānaṁ ca kaṇva śākhoktaṁ sarvaṁ pāpapraṇāśanam ।''</blockquote>
 === पूजाफलम् ॥ Fruit of Worship ===

@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 * Then one should control oneself and with devotion worship the six Devatas - Ganesha, Surya, Agni, Vishnu, Shiva and Shivani.
 * First worship is to be given to Ganesha for the destruction of obstacles; the Sun is to be next worshipped for health; Fire, for purification; Vishnu is then worshipped for getting wealth and power; Shiva is worshipped for knowledge and Shivani is worshipped for Mukti.
-* When these Devatas are worshipped, one is entitled to worship the Deity. Otherwise, contrary become the effects.<ref name=":1" />
+* When these Devatas are worshipped, one is entitled to worship the Deity. Otherwise, contrary become the effects.
 === पूजाफलम् ॥ Fruit of Worship ===

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 * By the mere touch of dust of the Ganges, the papi will be at once purified and he will dwell in the Deviloka (Mani Dvipa) for as many years as will be the dust there.
 * While, he who will leave his body on the lap of the Ganges with full consciousness and remembering the name of Sri Hari, will certainly go to the lord's abode and will remain, as the lord's chief attendant for an infinite period and will see countless Prakrtika Layas (dissolutions of the Universe).<ref name=":1" />
-Elaborating on this, the lord says,<blockquote>मृतस्य बहुपुण्येन तच्छवं त्वयि विन्यसेत् ।। ५७ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>प्रयाति स च वैकुण्ठं यावदह्नः स्थितिस्त्वयि ।। कायव्यूहं ततः कृत्वा भोजयित्वा स्वकर्मकम् ।। ५८ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सारूप्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम् ।। अज्ञानी त्वज्जलस्पर्शाद्यदि प्राणान्समुत्सृजेत् ।। ५९ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सालोक्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम् ।। अन्यत्र वा त्यजेत्प्राणांस्त्वन्नामस्मृतिपूर्वकम्।। ६० ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सालोक्यं यावद्वै ब्रह्मणो वयः ।। अन्यत्र वा त्यजेत्प्राणांस्त्वन्नामस्मृतिपूर्वकम् ।। ६१ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सारूप्यमसंख्यं प्राकृतं लयम् ।। रत्नेंद्रसार निर्माणयानेन सह पार्षदैः ।।६२।। </blockquote><blockquote>सद्यः प्रयाति गोलोकं मम तुल्यो भवेद् धुवम् ।।<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>''prayāti sa ca vaikuṇṭhaṁ yāvadahnaḥ sthitistvayi ।। kāyavyūhaṁ tataḥ kr̥tvā bhojayitvā svakarmakam ।। 58 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sārūpyaṁ karomi taṁ ca pārṣadam ।। ajñānī tvajjalasparśādyadi prāṇānsamutsr̥jet ।। 59 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sālokyaṁ karomi taṁ ca pārṣadam ।। anyatra vā tyajetprāṇāṁstvannāmasmr̥tipūrvakam।। 60 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sālokyaṁ yāvadvai brahmaṇo vayaḥ ।। anyatra vā tyajetprāṇāṁstvannāmasmr̥tipūrvakam ।। 61 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sārūpyamasaṁkhyaṁ prākr̥taṁ layam ।। ratneṁdrasāra nirmāṇayānena saha pārṣadaiḥ ।।62।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''sadyaḥ prayāti golokaṁ mama tulyo bhaved dhuvam ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: Unless a man has collected hordes of religious merits, he cannot die in the Ganges; and if he dies on the Ganges, he goes to Vaikuntha as long as the Sun rises in this world. I get many bodies for him where he can enjoy the fruits of his Karma and I then give him My Svarupa (Form resembling Mine) and make him My attendant. If any ignorant man, void of any Jnana, quits his body by touching merely  water of the Ganges, I give him Salokya (place in My region) and make him My attendant. Even if one quits one's body in a far off place, uttering the name of the Ganges, I give him place in My region for one life time of Brahma. And if he remembers the Ganges with devotion, and quits his mortal coil at another place, I give him Sarupya (Form resembling Mine) for a period of endless Prakrtika Layas. He instantly gets on an aerial car made of jewels and goes with My attendants to the region of Goloka and gets form like Me.<ref name=":1" />
+Elaborating on this, the lord says,<blockquote>मृतस्य बहुपुण्येन तच्छवं त्वयि विन्यसेत् ।। ५७ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>प्रयाति स च वैकुण्ठं यावदह्नः स्थितिस्त्वयि । कायव्यूहं ततः कृत्वा भोजयित्वा स्वकर्मकम् ।। ५८ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सारूप्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम् । अज्ञानी त्वज्जलस्पर्शाद्यदि प्राणान्समुत्सृजेत् ।। ५९ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सालोक्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम् । अन्यत्र वा त्यजेत्प्राणांस्त्वन्नामस्मृतिपूर्वकम्।। ६० ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सालोक्यं यावद्वै ब्रह्मणो वयः । अन्यत्र वा त्यजेत्प्राणांस्त्वन्नामस्मृतिपूर्वकम् ।। ६१ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सारूप्यमसंख्यं प्राकृतं लयम् । रत्नेंद्रसार निर्माणयानेन सह पार्षदैः ।।६२।। </blockquote><blockquote>सद्यः प्रयाति गोलोकं मम तुल्यो भवेद् धुवम् ।।<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>''prayāti sa ca vaikuṇṭhaṁ yāvadahnaḥ sthitistvayi । kāyavyūhaṁ tataḥ kr̥tvā bhojayitvā svakarmakam ।। 58 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sārūpyaṁ karomi taṁ ca pārṣadam । ajñānī tvajjalasparśādyadi prāṇānsamutsr̥jet ।। 59 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sālokyaṁ karomi taṁ ca pārṣadam । anyatra vā tyajetprāṇāṁstvannāmasmr̥tipūrvakam।। 60 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sālokyaṁ yāvadvai brahmaṇo vayaḥ । anyatra vā tyajetprāṇāṁstvannāmasmr̥tipūrvakam ।। 61 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sārūpyamasaṁkhyaṁ prākr̥taṁ layam । ratneṁdrasāra nirmāṇayānena saha pārṣadaiḥ ।।62।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''sadyaḥ prayāti golokaṁ mama tulyo bhaved dhuvam ।''</blockquote>Meaning: Unless a man has collected hordes of religious merits, he cannot die in the Ganges; and if he dies on the Ganges, he goes to Vaikuntha as long as the Sun rises in this world. I get many bodies for him where he can enjoy the fruits of his Karma and I then give him My Svarupa (Form resembling Mine) and make him My attendant. If any ignorant man, void of any Jnana, quits his body by touching merely  water of the Ganges, I give him Salokya (place in My region) and make him My attendant. Even if one quits one's body in a far off place, uttering the name of the Ganges, I give him place in My region for one life time of Brahma. And if he remembers the Ganges with devotion, and quits his mortal coil at another place, I give him Sarupya (Form resembling Mine) for a period of endless Prakrtika Layas. He instantly gets on an aerial car made of jewels and goes with My attendants to the region of Goloka and gets form like Me.<ref name=":1" />
 === गङ्गास्नानम् ॥ Ganga Snana ===
 The Devi Bhagavata (Skandha 9, Adhyaya 11) states that people taking birth in Bharata who have committed papa for millions and millions of births, their papa will be completely destroyed if they touch, once, the air in contact with and carrying the particles of the Ganges. While, the sight of the Ganges and the touch of the Ganges water give religious merits ten times more than the touch with the air in contact with the Ganges water. And if they bathe in the Ganges, people become freed of their papa then and there.
@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 * Ten million times more religious merits accrue from the Ganges bath on Maha Maha Varuni day than ordinary bath.
 * The Ganges bath in the Solar eclipse yields ten times more religious merits than in the Lunar eclipse. Again the Snana in Ardhodaya Yoga yields hundred times more religious merits than that of the (solar) eclipse.<ref name=":1" />
-== Procedure of Ganga Stuti ==
+== गङ्गापूजाविधिः ॥ Ganga Puja Vidhi ==
-. The Devarsi Nârada said :-- “O Thou the foremost of the Knowers of the Vedas! How, by what Kuthuma S’âkhâ, the noble King Bhagi- ratha meditated on the Devî Gangâ; what stotra did he recite and what was the method with which he worshipped the Ganges.
+The vidhi (method) followed in the worship of Ganga is enumerated in the 9th Skandha (Chapter 11) of the Devi Bhagavata. It is said that,
--75. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! One should first take one's bath, and putting on a clean washed clothing should perform one's daily duties. Then one should control oneself and with devotion worship the six Devatâs Ganes’a, Sun, Fire, Visnu, S’iva and S'ivânî. Thus one becomes entitled to worship. First worship is to be given to Ganes'a for the destruction of obstacles; the Sun is to be next worshipped for health; Fire, for purification; Visnu is then worshipped for getting wealth and power; S’iva is worshipped for knowledge and S'ivânî is worshipped for Mukti. When these Devatâs are worshipped, one is entitled to worship the Deity. Otherwise contrary become the effects. Now I am saying what Dhyânam (meditation) did Bhagîratha practise towards the Devî Gangâ .
+=== पूजाफलम् ॥ Fruit of Worship ===
+The Devi Bhagavata (Skandha 9, Adhyaya 11) states that the one who will meditate on Ganga as per Kanvashakha and worship, praise and bow down to her daily, he will derive the fruit of one Ashvamedha Yajna.<ref name=":1" />   <blockquote>कण्वशाखोक्त ध्यानेन ध्यात्वा त्वां पूजयिष्यति । यः स्तौति प्रणयेन्नित्यं सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ।। ४९ ।।<ref name=":2" /> </blockquote><blockquote>''kaṇvaśākhokta dhyānena dhyātvā tvāṁ pūjayiṣyati । yaḥ stauti praṇayennityaṁ so'śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet ।। 49 ।।''</blockquote>
 == References ==

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 * Even if one utters 'Ganga', 'Ganga' though one is one hundred Yojanas away from the Ganges, one will be freed of all papas and go to Vishnuloka.
 * By the mere touch of dust of the Ganges, the papi will be at once purified and he will dwell in the Deviloka (Mani Dvipa) for as many years as will be the dust there.
-* While, he who will leave his body on the lap of the Ganges with full consciousness and remembering the name of Sri Hari, will certainly go to the lord's abode and will remain, as the lord's chief attendant for an infinite period and will see countless Prakrtika Layas (dissolutions of the Universe).
+* While, he who will leave his body on the lap of the Ganges with full consciousness and remembering the name of Sri Hari, will certainly go to the lord's abode and will remain, as the lord's chief attendant for an infinite period and will see countless Prakrtika Layas (dissolutions of the Universe).<ref name=":1" />
-Elaborating on this, the lord says,
+Elaborating on this, the lord says,<blockquote>मृतस्य बहुपुण्येन तच्छवं त्वयि विन्यसेत् ।। ५७ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>प्रयाति स च वैकुण्ठं यावदह्नः स्थितिस्त्वयि ।। कायव्यूहं ततः कृत्वा भोजयित्वा स्वकर्मकम् ।। ५८ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सारूप्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम् ।। अज्ञानी त्वज्जलस्पर्शाद्यदि प्राणान्समुत्सृजेत् ।। ५९ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सालोक्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम् ।। अन्यत्र वा त्यजेत्प्राणांस्त्वन्नामस्मृतिपूर्वकम्।। ६० ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सालोक्यं यावद्वै ब्रह्मणो वयः ।। अन्यत्र वा त्यजेत्प्राणांस्त्वन्नामस्मृतिपूर्वकम् ।। ६१ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तस्मै ददामि सारूप्यमसंख्यं प्राकृतं लयम् ।। रत्नेंद्रसार निर्माणयानेन सह पार्षदैः ।।६२।। </blockquote><blockquote>सद्यः प्रयाति गोलोकं मम तुल्यो भवेद् धुवम् ।।<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>''prayāti sa ca vaikuṇṭhaṁ yāvadahnaḥ sthitistvayi ।। kāyavyūhaṁ tataḥ kr̥tvā bhojayitvā svakarmakam ।। 58 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sārūpyaṁ karomi taṁ ca pārṣadam ।। ajñānī tvajjalasparśādyadi prāṇānsamutsr̥jet ।। 59 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sālokyaṁ karomi taṁ ca pārṣadam ।। anyatra vā tyajetprāṇāṁstvannāmasmr̥tipūrvakam।। 60 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sālokyaṁ yāvadvai brahmaṇo vayaḥ ।। anyatra vā tyajetprāṇāṁstvannāmasmr̥tipūrvakam ।। 61 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tasmai dadāmi sārūpyamasaṁkhyaṁ prākr̥taṁ layam ।। ratneṁdrasāra nirmāṇayānena saha pārṣadaiḥ ।।62।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''sadyaḥ prayāti golokaṁ mama tulyo bhaved dhuvam ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: Unless a man has collected hordes of religious merits, he cannot die in the Ganges; and if he dies on the Ganges, he goes to Vaikuntha as long as the Sun rises in this world. I get many bodies for him where he can enjoy the fruits of his Karma and I then give him My Svarupa (Form resembling Mine) and make him My attendant. If any ignorant man, void of any Jnana, quits his body by touching merely  water of the Ganges, I give him Salokya (place in My region) and make him My attendant. Even if one quits one's body in a far off place, uttering the name of the Ganges, I give him place in My region for one life time of Brahma. And if he remembers the Ganges with devotion, and quits his mortal coil at another place, I give him Sarupya (Form resembling Mine) for a period of endless Prakrtika Layas. He instantly gets on an aerial car made of jewels and goes with My attendants to the region of Goloka and gets form like Me.<ref name=":1" />
 === गङ्गास्नानम् ॥ Ganga Snana ===
 The Devi Bhagavata (Skandha 9, Adhyaya 11) states that people taking birth in Bharata who have committed papa for millions and millions of births, their papa will be completely destroyed if they touch, once, the air in contact with and carrying the particles of the Ganges. While, the sight of the Ganges and the touch of the Ganges water give religious merits ten times more than the touch with the air in contact with the Ganges water. And if they bathe in the Ganges, people become freed of their papa then and there.

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 Lord Narayana replied to this query of Devarshi Narada with a story. He said,
-Sagara, a very prosperous raja from the Solar dynasty had two beautiful wives viz. Vaidarbhi and Shaivya. Soon, Shaivya delivered a very lovely son named Asamanja. Then, Vaidarbhi, desirous of getting a son, worshipped Shankara, the Lord of Bhutas who became pleased and granted her request. Accordingly, Vaidarbhi became pregnant and after one hundred years of pregnancy, she gave birth to one mass of flesh. Seeing this, the queen became extremely sorrowful and taking refuge of Mahadeva began to cry out loud. Shankara, then, appeared there in the form of a Brahmana and cut that mass of flesh into thousand pieces. Those thousand pieces turned out into thousand very powerful sons with their bodies more brilliant than the mid-day sun.
+Sagara, a very prosperous raja from the Solar dynasty had two beautiful wives viz. Vaidarbhi and Shaivya. Soon, Shaivya delivered a very lovely son named Asamanja. Then, Vaidarbhi, desirous of getting a son, worshipped Shankara, the Lord of Bhutas who became pleased and granted her request. Accordingly, Vaidarbhi became pregnant and after one hundred years of pregnancy, she gave birth to one mass of flesh. Seeing this, the queen became extremely sorrowful and taking refuge of Mahadeva began to cry out loud. Shankara, then, appeared there in the form of a Brahmana and cut that mass of flesh into thousand pieces. Those thousand pieces turned into thousand very powerful sons with their bodies more brilliant than the mid-day sun.
 Once, the 1000 sons were all burnt to ashes by the curse of Kapila Muni. At this, Raja Sagara, lamenting bitterly, entered into the forest. His son and the brother of the 1000 princes, Asamanja practised tapasya for one lakh years to bring Ganga onto Bharata and in the process quit his mortal coil. This effort was then continued by Asamanja's son Amshuman who practised tapasya for one lakh more years. However, eventually his lifetime also came to an end. Then came the wise Bhagiratha, son of Amshuman and a great devotee of Vishnu. He also practised tapasya for one lakh years to bring Ganga on earth and at last was blessed with the sight of Sri Krshna. Bhagiratha having seen that unforeseen appearance and filled with ecstasy, bowed down to the Lord and requested for the deliverance of his family by the descent of Ganga on Bharata.<ref name=":1" />
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 To this the lord replied that, whatever papas will be cast in her by thousand of papis bathing in her will be destroyed by the touch of the devotees of Prakrti Devi. Even if thousands and thousands of papis touch the dead bodies and bath in her, all those will be destroyed when Devi Bhaktas, the worshippers of Bhuvaneshvari and Maya Vija, will come and touch her.
-Sri Hari also enumerated that when Ganga would descend as a river, she will gain the salt ocean who is an amsha of Hari himself, as her husband as she is herself of the nature of Lakshmi. And in this way, Ganga would have to remain in Bharata for a period of five thousand years (due to the curse of Bharati).
+Sri Hari also enumerated that when Ganga would descend as a river, she will gain the salt ocean who is an amsha of Hari himself, as her husband as she is herself of the nature of Lakshmi. And in this way, Ganga would have to remain in Bharata for a period of five thousand years.
 Thus having enumerated the glory of Ganga, Sri Hari then instructed Bhagiratha to worship Ganga Devi with devotion and chant hymns in her praise. The pure Bhagiratha also meditated with devotion as per Kauthuma Shakha, worshipped the Devi and praised her repeatedly. Then Ganga and Bhagiratha bowed down to Sri Krshna as he disappeared at once from their sight.<ref name=":1">Swami Vijnananda, [https://archive.org/details/srimaddevibhagav26vijnuoft/page/846 The Srimad Devi Bhagavtam], The Sacred Books of the Hindus (Volume 26, Part 3), Edited by Major B.D.Basu, Third Edition, Allahabad.</ref>
@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 == गङ्गामाहात्म्यम् ॥ Ganga Mahatmya ==
 In the 9th Skandha (Chapter 11) of the Devi Bhagavata, Lord Narayana describes the greatness of Ganga and her waters. It is stated therein that,
-* People taking birth in Bharata who have committed papa for millions and millions of births, their papa will be completely destroyed if they touch, once, the air in contact with and carrying the particles of the Ganges. While, the sight of the Ganges and the touch of the Ganges water give religious merits ten times more than the touch with the air in contact with the Ganges water. And   if they bathe in the Ganges, people become freed of their papa then and there.
+* Even if one utters 'Ganga', 'Ganga' though one is one hundred Yojanas away from the Ganges, one will be freed of all papas and go to Vishnuloka.
 === गङ्गास्नानम् ॥ Ganga Snana ===
-It is heard in the shrutis that bathing in the Ganges, if done according to rules, destroys all the papa acquired over one thousand millions of births, done consciously or unconsciously. Speaking of the greatness of Ganga Snana, it is said that the merits that are acquired by bathing in the Ganges on a day of religious merit, cannot be described even by the Vedas. Whatever is mentioned in the Agamas is in fact, just the tip of the iceberg. Even Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha cannot describe fully the merits of bathing in the Ganges. Lord Narayana himself, in the Devi Bhagavata, describes the effect of the Ganges bath done with a Sankalpa (resolve). He says,
+The Devi Bhagavata (Skandha 9, Adhyaya 11) states that people taking birth in Bharata who have committed papa for millions and millions of births, their papa will be completely destroyed if they touch, once, the air in contact with and carrying the particles of the Ganges. While, the sight of the Ganges and the touch of the Ganges water give religious merits ten times more than the touch with the air in contact with the Ganges water. And if they bathe in the Ganges, people become freed of their papa then and there.
 * Ten times more is the result obtained when the Ganges bath is done with a resolve (Sankalpa) than ordinarily. And if one bathes on the day when the sun passes from one sign to another (in the Zodiac), thirty times more religious merits accrue.
 * On the new Moon (Amavasya) day, the Ganges bath gives the merits as above mentioned; but when the Sun is in his Southern course (Dakshinayana) double the merits are obtained and when the sun is in his Northern course, ten times more religious merits are obtained.
@@ Line 50: / Line 56: @@
 * Ten million times more religious merits accrue from the Ganges bath on Maha Maha Varuni day than ordinary bath.
 * The Ganges bath in the Solar eclipse yields ten times more religious merits than in the Lunar eclipse. Again the Snana in Ardhodaya Yoga yields hundred times more religious merits than that of the (solar) eclipse.<ref name=":1" />
 == Procedure of Ganga Stuti ==
 . The Devarsi Nârada said :-- “O Thou the foremost of the Knowers of the Vedas! How, by what Kuthuma S’âkhâ, the noble King Bhagi- ratha meditated on the Devî Gangâ; what stotra did he recite and what was the method with which he worshipped the Ganges.
@@ Line 60: / Line 64: @@
 == Fruits of Ganga Stuti ==
-He will derive the fruit of one horse-sacrifice who will meditate on Thee as per Kânvas'âkhâ and worship, praise and bow down to Thee daily. Even if one utter “Gangâ,” “Gangâ,” though one is one hundred Yojanas away from the Ganges, one will be freed of all sins and go to Visnu-loka.
+He will derive the fruit of one horse-sacrifice who will meditate on Thee as per Kânvas'âkhâ and worship, praise and bow down to Thee daily.
 == References ==

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 == गङ्गावतरणम् ॥ Descent of Ganga on the Earth ==
-Devi Bhagavata, Skandha 9, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk09ch11.htm Adhyaya 11].
+It is mentioned by Devarshi Narada in the 9th Skandha (Adhyaya 11) of the Devi Bhagavata that Ganga, of the nature of Vishnu and appearing from the feet of Vishnu, the Ishvari of the Devas, appeared on Bharata due to the curse of Bharati. He then requests Lord Narayana as to elaborate on
 # the reason for her descent on Bharata
 # the yuga in which she descended
@@ Line 23: / Line 21: @@
 Sagara, a very prosperous raja from the Solar dynasty had two beautiful wives viz. Vaidarbhi and Shaivya. Soon, Shaivya delivered a very lovely son named Asamanja. Then, Vaidarbhi, desirous of getting a son, worshipped Shankara, the Lord of Bhutas who became pleased and granted her request. Accordingly, Vaidarbhi became pregnant and after one hundred years of pregnancy, she gave birth to one mass of flesh. Seeing this, the queen became extremely sorrowful and taking refuge of Mahadeva began to cry out loud. Shankara, then, appeared there in the form of a Brahmana and cut that mass of flesh into thousand pieces. Those thousand pieces turned out into thousand very powerful sons with their bodies more brilliant than the mid-day sun.
-Once, the 1000 sons were all burnt to ashes by the curse of Kapila Muni. At this, Raja Sagara, lamenting bitterly, entered into the forest. His son and the brother of the 1000 princes, Asamanja practised tapasya for one lakh years to bring Ganga onto Bharata and in the process quit his mortal coil. This effort was then continued by Asamanja's son Amshuman who practised tapasya for one lakh more years. However, eventually his lifetime also came to an end. Then came the wise Bhagiratha, son of Amshuman and a great devotee of Vishnu. He also practised tapasya for one lakh years to bring Ganga on earth and at last was blessed with the sight of Sri Krshna. Bhagiratha having seen that unforeseen appearance and filled with ecstasy, bowed down to the Lord and requested for the deliverance of his family by the descent of Ganga on Bharata.
+Once, the 1000 sons were all burnt to ashes by the curse of Kapila Muni. At this, Raja Sagara, lamenting bitterly, entered into the forest. His son and the brother of the 1000 princes, Asamanja practised tapasya for one lakh years to bring Ganga onto Bharata and in the process quit his mortal coil. This effort was then continued by Asamanja's son Amshuman who practised tapasya for one lakh more years. However, eventually his lifetime also came to an end. Then came the wise Bhagiratha, son of Amshuman and a great devotee of Vishnu. He also practised tapasya for one lakh years to bring Ganga on earth and at last was blessed with the sight of Sri Krshna. Bhagiratha having seen that unforeseen appearance and filled with ecstasy, bowed down to the Lord and requested for the deliverance of his family by the descent of Ganga on Bharata.<ref name=":1" />
-In this context, the Lord also described in detail how people can get deliverance from their papas by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganga. He further says,
+Lord Sri Krshna then addressed Ganga saying, <blockquote>भारतं भारतीशापाद्गच्छ शीघ्रं सुरेश्वरि । सगरस्य सुतान्सर्वान्वृतान्कुरु ममाज्ञया ।। २० ।। </blockquote><blockquote>त्वत्स्पर्शवायुनाः पूता यास्यंति मम मंदिरम् । बिभ्रतो मम मूर्तीश्च दिव्यस्यंदनगामिनः ।। २१ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>मत्पार्षदा भविष्यंति सर्व कालं निरामयाः । समुच्छिद्य कर्मभोगान्कृताञ्जन्मनिजन्मनि ।। २२ ।।<ref name=":2">Devi Bhagavata, Skandha 9, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AF/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7 Adhyaya 11].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''bhārataṁ bhāratīśāpādgaccha śīghraṁ sureśvari । sagarasya sutānsarvānvr̥tānkuru mamājñayā ।। 20 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tvatsparśavāyunāḥ pūtā yāsyaṁti mama maṁdiram । bibhrato mama mūrtīśca divyasyaṁdanagāminaḥ ।। 21 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''matpārṣadā bhaviṣyaṁti sarva kālaṁ nirāmayāḥ । samucchidya karmabhogānkr̥tāñjanmanijanmani ।। 22 ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: O Sureshvari ! Go quickly and appear in Bharata, under the curse of Bharati. By my command go quickly and purify the sons of Sagara. They will all be purified by the touch of the air in contact with the Ganges and rise up in divine aerial cars, assuming forms like mine and they will come to my abode. They will remain there always as my attendants and they will not be involved in the papas that they committed in their previous births.
-O Auspicious One ! You will wash away the papas of the papis, by your stay in Bharata with other best rivers Sarasvati and others. That will be at once a sacred place of pilgrimage where your glories will be chanted.
+In this context, the Lord also described in detail how people can get deliverance from their papas by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganga.<ref name=":1" /> He further says,  <blockquote>तत्रैव त्वमधिष्ठानं करिष्यस्यघमोचनम् । सार्धं सरिद्भिः श्रेष्ठाभिः सरस्वत्यादिभिः शुभे ।। ५३ ।। </blockquote><blockquote>तत्तु तीर्थं भवेत्सद्यो यत्र तद्गुणकीर्तनम् । त्वद्रेणुस्पर्शमात्रेण पूतो भवति पातकी ।। ५४ ।।<ref name=":2" /></blockquote><blockquote>''tatraiva tvamadhiṣṭhānaṁ kariṣyasyaghamocanam । sārdhaṁ saridbhiḥ śreṣṭhābhiḥ sarasvatyādibhiḥ śubhe ।। 53 ।।''</blockquote><blockquote>''tattu tīrthaṁ bhavetsadyo yatra tadguṇakīrtanam । tvadreṇusparśamātreṇa pūto bhavati pātakī ।। 54 ।।''</blockquote>Meaning: O Auspicious One ! You will wash away the papas of the papis, by your stay in Bharata with other best rivers Sarasvati and others. That will be at once a sacred place of pilgrimage where your glories will be chanted.
 The Lord also said that the inhabitants of Bharata will praise and worship her with great devotion with the very stotra that was composed by Bhagiratha.

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 Lord Sri Krshna then addressed Ganga saying,
-“O Sureshvari ! Go quickly and appear in Bharata, under the curse of Bharati. By my command go quickly and purify the sons of Sagara. They will all be purified by the touch of the air in contact with the Ganges and rise up in divine aerial cars, assuming forms like mine and they will come to my abode. They will there remain always as my attendants and they will not be involved in the papas that they committed in their previous births."
+“O Sureshvari ! Go quickly and appear in Bharata, under the curse of Bharati. By my command go quickly and purify the sons of Sagara. They will all be purified by the touch of the air in contact with the Ganges and rise up in divine aerial cars, assuming forms like mine and they will come to my abode. They will remain there always as my attendants and they will not be involved in the papas that they committed in their previous births."
-The Lord also described in detail how people can get deliverance from their papas by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganga. Devi Ganga then asked the Lord about how to free herself from the papas that people will cast in her. And when she would return to the parama pada (highest abode) of Vishnu.
+In this context, the Lord also described in detail how people can get deliverance from their papas by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganga. He further says,
-Sri Hari then enumerated that when Ganga would descend as a river, she will gain the salt ocean who is an amsha of Hari himself, as her husband as she is herself of the nature of Lakshmi. And in this way, Ganga would have to remain in Bharata for a period of five thousand years (due to the curse of Bharati).
+O Auspicious One ! You will wash away the papas of the papis, by your stay in Bharata with other best rivers Sarasvati and others. That will be at once a sacred place of pilgrimage where your glories will be chanted.
 The Lord also said that the inhabitants of Bharata will praise and worship her with great devotion with the very stotra that was composed by Bhagiratha.
-Whatever sins will be cast in Thee by thousand sinners bathing in Thee will be destroyed by the touch of the devotees of Prakriti Devî. Even if thousands and thousands of sinners touch the dead bodies and bath in Thee, all those will be destroyed when the Devî Bhaktas,the worshippers of Bhuvanes'varî and Mâyâ Vîja, will come and touch Thee. O Auspicious One! Thou wilt wash away the sins of the sinners, by Thy stay in Bhârata with other best rivers Sarasvatî and others. That will be at once a sacred place of pilgrimage where Thy glories will be chanted.
+Devi Ganga then asked the Lord about how to free herself from the papas that people will cast in her. And when she would return to the parama pada (highest abode) of Vishnu.
-Thus having enumerated the glory of Ganga, Sri Hari instructed Bhagiratha to worship Ganga Devi with devotion and chant hymns in her praise. The pure Bhagiratha also meditated with devotion as per Kauthuma Shakha and worshipped the Devi and praised her repeatedly. Then Ganga and Bhagiratha bowed down to Sri Krshna as he disappeared at once from their sight.<ref>Swami Vijnananda, [https://archive.org/details/srimaddevibhagav26vijnuoft/page/846 The Srimad Devi Bhagavtam], The Sacred Books of the Hindus (Volume 26, Part 3), Edited by Major B.D.Basu, Third Edition, Allahabad.</ref>
+To this the lord replied that, whatever papas will be cast in her by thousand of papis bathing in her will be destroyed by the touch of the devotees of Prakrti Devi. Even if thousands and thousands of papis touch the dead bodies and bath in her, all those will be destroyed when Devi Bhaktas, the worshippers of Bhuvaneshvari and Maya Vija, will come and touch her.
-== Ganga Mahatmya ==
+Sri Hari also enumerated that when Ganga would descend as a river, she will gain the salt ocean who is an amsha of Hari himself, as her husband as she is herself of the nature of Lakshmi. And in this way, Ganga would have to remain in Bharata for a period of five thousand years (due to the curse of Bharati).
 By the touch of the dust of Thine, the sinner will be at once purified and he will dwell in the Devî-loka (Mani Dvîpa) for as many years as will be the dust there. All Hail to the Devî Bhuvanes'varî! He who will leave his body on Thy lap with full consciousness and remembering My name, will certainly go to My abode and will remain, as My chief attendant for an infinite period. He will see countless Prâkritik Layas (dissolutions of the Universe). Unless a man has collected hordes of religious merits, be cannot die in the Ganges; and if he dies on the Ganges he goes to Vaikuntha as long as the Sun rises in this world. I get many bodies for him where he can enjoy the fruits of his Karma and I then give him My Svârûpya (Form resembling Mine) and make him My attendant. If any ignorant man, void of any Jñânam, quits his body by touching merely Thy water, I give him Sâlokya (place in My region) and make him My attendant. Even if one quits one's body in a far off place, uttering Thy Name, I give him place in My region for one life time of Brahmâ. And if he remembers Thee with devotion, and quits his mortal coil at another place, I give him Sârûpya (Form resembling Mine) for a period of endless Prâkritik Layas. He instantly gets on an aerial car made of jewels and goes with My attendants to the region of Goloka and gets form like Me. Those that worship daily My Mantra, that pass their day eating the remnant of the food offered to Me, they need not have any distinction whether they die in Tîrath or not. They themselves can easily purify the three worlds. Getting on the excellent and best aerial car built of jewels, they go to the region of Goloka. O Chaste One! Even if the friends of My devotees, be born in animal births, they also will be purified by the devotion shown towards Me and getting on a jewelled aerial car will be able to go to Goloka, so diffcult of access. Wherever the Bhaktas may be, if they simply remember Me with devotion, they will become liberated while living by the power of My Bhakti.