Mythological origin of Ganga on Earth
Posted on: 20/May/2013 6:10:29 PM
India’s most sacred river is the Ganga. It is said that the pure water of the great river rids anyone who bathes in it of all his or her sins. In the early ages, Mother Ganga used to flow only in the heavenly abodes. There are two different stories that describe how she came on Earth.
One story says that when Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of Vamana, he asked the Maharaj Bali for three steps of land. With the first step, he conquered the heavenly abode. With the second step, he tore the universal shell with his toe thus letting in the Ganga, that fell onto Earth and flows till date.
Another story says that King Bhagiratha approached Mother Ganga and asked her to purify the Earth by flowing there. She, in turn, asked the King who would be able to handle the force with which she would flow. The King then prayed to Lord Shiva who agreed to let the river fall on his head first and then onto the Earth.
