5b. Greatness of 骋补峁単腻

Rivers in Ancient India (study)

by Archana Sarma | 2019 | 49,356 words

This page relates 鈥�5b. Greatness of Ganga鈥� of the study on the rivers in ancient India as reflected in the Vedic and Puranic texts. These pages dicsusses the elements of nature and the importance of rivers (Nadi) in Vedic and Puranic society. Distinctive traits of rivers are investigated from descriptions found in the Vedas (Samhitas), Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Puranas. The research is concluded by showing changing trends of rivers from ancient to modern times.

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5b. Greatness of 骋补峁単腻

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According to 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺, river 骋补峁単腻 should be worshipped. She provides enjoyment and liberation. The countries through which she flows are holy and excellent.^[1] It is the guidance for the beings who exercise it always.^[2] One who worships the Ganges for a month gets the fruits of all sacrificial rites.^[3] The goddess destroys all the sins and access to heavens. One continues to stay in heavens as long as his bones remain in the waters of the Ganges.^[4] Blind people and others attain equal status with the celestials by worshipping her.^[5] The river purifies hundreds and thousands of holy men, who look at it, touch it, drink its waters and repeat the word Ganges.^[6]

According to 狈腻谤补诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 骋补峁単腻 is the bestower of auspicious things and salvation forever.骋补峁単腻 alone is the primordial 笔谤补办峁泃颈. She is lord 狈腻谤腻测补峁嘺. 骋补峁単腻 is considered great 膧迟尘补苍 and great 艢颈惫补. He, who recites this hymn everyday with devotion or listens to this with faith, is liberated from the tenfold defect, physical and verbal. The patient will be liberated from the ailment and the unlucky from miseries and mishaps. People are liberated from the enemies, from the bondage and fears, attains all desires. After death, he gets absorbed into the Brahman.^[7] In the house where this hymn is written down and is honoured, there is no fear from arson, larceny or sinful activities.^[8] The people who stand in the waters of the 骋补峁単腻 and repeat this hymn ten times on the 顿补艣补尘墨 (tenth) day attain all the benefit of worshipping 骋补峁単腻.^[9] 骋补峁単腻 is the daughter of 叠谤补丑尘腻. Those men who leave off their vital breaths by casting their bodies into the 骋补峁単腻 go to the world of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 acclaimed by those who are domiciled in the heaven.^[10] He, who dies partially due to observance of fast and partially due to being drowned in the 骋补峁単腻, is not reborn. He attains identity with Brahman.^[11] The man who dies in the 骋补峁単腻 attains heavenly pleasures and salvation with or without knowledge. While dying, if a man remember the 骋补峁単腻 or touches it, he attains the greatest salvation even if he is a habitual sinner.^[12] 骋补峁単腻 came out of the cluster of the matted hair of 厂补尘产丑奴 which is very rough and hard. It flowed over the sons of Sagara who were sinners and led them to the heaven.^[13] If any one鈥檚 bones are thrown away into the 骋补峁単腻 water within ten days from his death, he attains salvation.^[14] Even a man staying a hundred yojanas away from the 骋补峁単腻 and uttering repeatedly the name of 骋补峁単腻, is also released from all sins.^[15] Bath taken into the 骋补峁単腻 is highly meritorious. Even sinners taking their bath in the 骋补峁単腻 become absolved of all their sins.^[16] 骋补峁単腻 sanctifies the world when bathed in it, or when its waters are drunk. Thus, it is called 笔腻惫补苍墨(purifier).^[17] He who mentions the two syllables Ga峁�-g膩 even for once becomes completely liberated from all sins and goes to the region of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻.^[18] 骋补峁単腻 is the holiest among all the holy rivers. There is no other sacred water like that of the 骋补峁単腻. The 骋腻测补迟谤墨 is the mother of all Vedic metres. The 骋补峁単腻 is the mother of the world. Both of them are the cause of destruction of all sins.^[19] If anyone is favoured 骋腻测补迟谤墨, the 骋补峁単腻 too is pleased with him. Both of these possess the potency of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. Both equally bestow desired objects as well as renown.^[20] Both of them are quite pure. They are the fructification of the Puru峁rthas, i.e. desired objects of human life, viz. dharma, artha, 办腻尘补 and 尘辞办峁 from 蝉补峁僺腻谤补.^[21] The person, who is sprinkled with at least a drop of water of 骋补峁単腻, is liberated from all sins and he attains the highest region, 痴补颈办耻峁囜弓丑补.^[22]

The same description of the river 骋补峁単腻 is found in the 笔补诲尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 also. According to 笔补诲尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, a man who dies in 骋补峁単腻 deliberetly or undeliberately obtains heaven and salvation.^[23] A man, who puts on his head the clay of the bank of 骋补峁単腻, is free from all sins, even without bathing in 骋补峁単腻.^[24] As long as a bone of a man remains in the water of 骋补峁単腻, he is honoured for a thousand years in heaven.^[25] The man, who would carry the piece of the bone of his parents to 骋补峁単腻, obtains the fruit of a horse-sacrifice.^[26] People obtain great religious merit, viz. the fruit of the bath in 骋补峁単腻 by describing it to other.^[27] He who would utters the word 骋补峁単腻 even from a distance of hundreds of yojanas from 骋补峁単腻, is liberated from all sins and goes 痴颈峁ａ箛耻鈥檚 heaven.^[28]

The 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 also expresses the greatness of 骋补峁単腻. It states that after the death if the bones of the dead are deposited in 骋补峁単腻, the departed soul will attain heaven. Even, one had sinned throughout his life, he would attain 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 pada (heaven), if he worshipped 骋补峁単腻. If one bathes in the river 骋补峁単腻, it is as beneficial as performing hundred 测补箩帽补蝉. It is stated in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 that as long as the bones of one remain in the waters of the 骋补峁単腻 so long he will occupy an honourable seat in heaven. It is also said that he who has come in contact with its water will shine forth as the sun devoid of all darkness and the places which are not favoured by its waters will become barren like night without the moon and trees without flowers. The water of 骋补峁単腻 is more than enough to satisfy living things in all the three worlds. The person who does penance standing on one leg for thousands years, and he who gives up his body in the waters of the 骋补峁単腻, are on a par with each other. It is said that god attaches more importance to him who has fallen into the 骋补峁単腻 than to him, who has performed tapas hanging by his head for a thousand years. He who stains the sand on the banks of the 骋补峁単腻 on his body will get the luster and glow of the devas. People will shine forth like the Sun if he stains the sand on his head. All the sins of those who have blown the air which had come in contact with 骋补峁単腻 water will be swept away. It should be mentioned that 骋补峁単腻 water can wash off all sins and purify mortals.^[29]