Sriramayana on telebridge# 30

[Guest guest]

Balakanda Sarga 35

Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha!

 

After spending a peaceful night on the banks of Sona river, the next morning

Vishwamitra woke up Rama and Lakshmana, and after they all performed their

morning anushtaanams they got ready to continue their journey. Rama asked

Vishwamitra, "Maharshi, there is not much water in Sona river, the riverbed is

dry and the sand dunes are visible. Which way should we cross the river now - by

boat because there is little water or by foot as there is sand?". Visvamitra

replied, "We must follow the same path as the great sages took. We should cross

the river by foot as there is very little water in the river."

 

After crossing Sona river they travelled a long distance till noon, and they

were delighted to come across Jahnavi (Ganga) River whose sacred waters were

adorned with swans(hamsa) and saarasa (water)birds. They all bathed in that holy

river and worshipped devathas and pithru devathas as prescribed by sastras. They

performed fire oblations (agnihotram) and partook the homasesham, which was

considered equivalent to ambrosia. In that sacred land on the banks of river

Ganga, all the rishis, and Rama-Lakshmanas sat around Vishwamitra and Rama asked

Visvamitra - "Great one! I heard that Ganga is called 'tripatha' because she

flowed in three worlds. How did she cross the three worlds and reach the ocean?"

Vishwamitra began to narrate the birth and progression of river Ganga.

 

"There was a famous king of mountains called 'Himavanta' and he married

Manorama', the daughter of mount 'Meru'. He had two beautiful daughters, 'Ganga'

and 'Uma'. The devathas begged Himavanta to spare Ganga for fulfilling a divine

purpose, and took her to their world. Ganga has the power of flowing without

obstacles. So Himavanta, wanting the welfare of all three worlds gave Ganga to

devathas.This river flows in the heavens as 'Mandaakini', on the earth as

'Bagirathi' and in the nether worlds (pathalam) as 'Bhogavati'. The second

daughter Uma wanted to marry Rudra and did a very devout and rigorous tapam.

Rudra was pleased with her tapas and Himavanta offered Uma to the powerful god

Gudra. O Rama!, this Ganga river went to heavens on the request of devathas.

This river is very sacred and sanctifies the worlds and this is how she came to

be known as tripatha."

 

 

-to be continued-

Jai Srimannarayana

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