Bhagiratha - Citizendia

Shiva bearing the Descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha, and the bull Nandi look on, circa 1740

Bhagiratha (Sanskrit: भगीरथ, bhagīratha) was a great king in Hindu mythology who brought the River Ganga to Earth. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent Parvati ( Sanskrit: Pārvatī sa [[wiktपार्वती पार्वती]] sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and In Hinduism, the river Ganga ( Sanskrit and Hindi गंगा Gaṅgā) or Ganges River (as called by westerners is considered

1 Early life
2 Bringing the Ganga to Earth
3 Commemoration
4 See also

Early life

Bhagiratha was the king of Kosala, a kingdom in ancient India. Kosala ( Sanskrit: कोशल was an ancient Indian region corresponding roughly in area with the region of Oudh in the present day Uttar Pradesh India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country He was a descendent of the great king Sagara of the Suryavamsa, or Sun Dynasty. The Sun Dynasty or Solar Dynasty or Suryavansha is one of the most prominent dynasties in the history of Hinduism, along with the "Chandravansha" He was one of the forefathers of Lord Rama, of the Ramayana, the epic in which Bhagiratha's tale is primarily recounted. Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki

He lost his father when he was just a child, and was raised by his mother. Bhagiratha was very intelligent, virtuous and kind hearted. When he came of age, Bhagiratha ascended to the throne of the kingdom of Kosala, today located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Kosala ( Sanskrit: कोशल was an ancient Indian region corresponding roughly in area with the region of Oudh in the present day Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (उत्तर प्रदेश اتر پردیش pronounced, Translation: Northern Province) referred to as '''U He was a pious, benevolent ruler who adhered to his duties as a king as prescribed by dharma. The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious

Bringing the Ganga to Earth

Kapila's curse

When king Sagara chose to perform the Ashwamedha yagna, his royal agents lost track of the sacrificial horse. The Ashvamedha ( Sanskrit: sa अश्वमेध aśvamedhá; " Horse sacrifice " was one of the most important royal Rituals Sagara ordered his sixty thousand sons by Sumati to track down the horse. The proud and mercurial princes raged across Bharat, burning down forests and uprooting life and property to find the horse. They finally arrived at a quiet spot where the Sage Kapila was sitting in meditation. Besides him was tied the white horse. The enraged princes condemned Kapila as a thief and attacked him. Using his terrible mystic power, Kapila instantly turned the princes into ashes.

Another version has it that the horse was stolen by a jealous Indra who did not want the yagna to succeed, and hid it in cave where sage Kapila was meditating in order to escape being accused of the stealth. Indra ( Sanskrit: इन्द्र or इंद्र Indra, Malay: Indera, Thai: พระอินทร์ Phra-Intra

Kapila told the prince Anshuman, Sagara's other son who had come looking both for the horse and his brothers, that the only way for the souls of the dead princes could rise to heaven would be through the offering of niravapanjali with the water of the sacred Ganga river, which was flowing only in Swarga. The rituals that may be followed in Vedic religions after the death of a human being for his or her peace and ascent to heaven are Niravapanjali is a sacred The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent In Hinduism, ( Sanskrit: स्वर्ग Svarga (or Swarga) is set of heavenly worlds located on and above Mt

Bhagiratha's tapasya

"Bhagiratha's Penace", Relief at Mahabalipuram

Bringing Ganga back to Earth was a near impossible task and required many years to be spent in tapasya and prayer. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Mahabalipuram (மகாபலிபுரம் also known as Mamallapuram (மாமல்லபுரம் Tapas ( tápas) in Sanskrit means "heat" In Vedic religion and Hinduism, it is used figuratively denoting spiritual suffering The Kosala kings of successive generations could not do this while managing their duties as kings. As a result, the sins of the thousand princes multiplied in their destructive energy, and began resulting in natural disasters. The kingdom began to lose its peace and prosperity, and by the time Bhagiratha ascended the throne, he found it impossible to attempt to govern in this situation, that had only one solution.

Turning over the kingdom to trusted ministers, Bhagiratha set off to the Himalayas to perform an arduous tapasya in the extreme climate. For one thousand years, he performed an excruciatingly harsh penance to please Lord Brahma. Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. At the end of the thousand years, Brahma came to him and told him to ask for anything. Bhagiratha asked Brahma to bring down the river Ganga to earth so that he may perform the ceremony for his ancestors. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent

Brahma asked Bhagiratha to propitiate Lord Shiva, for only He would be able to break the Ganga's fall. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva It was the largest river, and it would be impossible for anyone save Him to contain the destructive impact of this event.

Bhagiratha performed a tapasya for Lord Shiva, living only on air. The compassionate Shiva appeared only after a year's penance, and told Bhagiratha he should not have to perform tapasya to accomplish a noble goal such as this. He assured Bhagiratha that he would break Ganga's fall.

Ganga's fall

After eons of being flattered and praised by the Devas, Ganga had become vain. Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity " She scoffed at Brahma when He asked her to flow down to earth, but could not disobey him as he was her father.

But Ganga was sure, as much as Bhagiratha was afraid that no one could stop her fall, which would devastate the earth for a long time. As she cascaded across and down from Swarga, Bhagiratha and celestial observers were terrified of the roar and volume of water coming down. In Hinduism, ( Sanskrit: स्वर्ग Svarga (or Swarga) is set of heavenly worlds located on and above Mt But Lord Shiva appeared from out of nowhere and captured all of Ganga just as she launched herself onto earth, in His jata. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva

Ganga struggled to set herself free, but Shiva could not be budged. Bhagiratha worshipped Shiva, who let Ganga free after crushing her vanity. She flowed, and is still believed to flow, from Shiva's jata down to earth at a gentler pace.

Establishment of the river

King Bhagiratha led the way for Ganga on his chariot, and she followed him across the north and east of Bharat and finally merging with the ocean. In her course she washed the ashes of Sagara's sixty thousand sons, who ascended to heaven while praising and blessing Bhagiratha.

Commemoration

For its descent to Earth being owed to Bhagiratha's efforts, Ganga is also known as Bhagirathi (daughter of Bhagiratha) as proclaimed by Lord Brahma. Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva.

Bhagiratha's own great effort was praised by all the Gods and his ancestors, and is known as a Bhagiratha Prayatna, as proclaimed by Lord Brahma. Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. It is a great inspiration to any man who seeks to do something noble despite facing overwhelming odds.

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