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WORLD June 23, 1999 VNN4151 Comment on this story Sri Ganga-Puja - Appearance - Day Of Sri Gangadevi BY IMLI-TALA USA, Jun 23 (VNN) — Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah! IMLI-TALA Mahaprabhu's Causeless Mercy Wednesday, 23 th June 1999 (Month Purusottama, 513 Gaurabda): Sri Ganga-Puja - Appearance - day of Sri Gangadevi. The Descent of the River Ganges Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 5, Chapter 17, Verses 1 - 10, by Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Vers 1 Sri Sukadeva Goswami said: "My dear King, Lord Visnu, the enjoyer of all sacrifices, appeared as Vamanadeva in the sacrificial arena of Bali Maharaja. Then He extended His left foot to the end of the universe and pierced a hole in its covering with the nail of His big toe. Through the hole, the pure water of the Causal Ocean entered this universe as the Ganges River. Having washed the lotus feet of the Lord, which are covered with reddish powder, the water of the Ganges acquired a very beautiful pink color. Every living being can immediately purify his mind of material contamination by touching the transcendental water of the Ganges, yet its waters remain ever pure. Because the Ganges directly touches the lotus feet of the Lord before descending within this universe, she is known as Visnupadi. Later she received other names like Jahnavi and Bhagirathi. After one thousand millenniums, the water of the Ganges descended on Dhruvaloka, the topmost planet in this universe. Therefore all learned sages and scholars proclaim Dhruvaloka to be Visnupada (situated on Lord Visnu's lotus feet) Vers 2 Dhruva Maharaja, the famous son of Maharaja Uttanapada, is known as the most exalted devotee of the Supreme Lord because of his firm determination in executing devotional service. Knowing that the sacred Ganges water washes the lotus feet of Lord Visnu, Dhruva Maharaja, situated on his own planet, to this very day accepts that water on his head with great devotion. Because he constantly thinks of Krsna very devoutly within the core of his heart, he is overcome with ecstatic anxiety. Tears flow from his half-open eyes, and eruptions apeare on his entire body. Vers 3 The seven great sages (Marici, Vasistha, Atri and so on) reside on planets beneath Dhruvaloka. Well aware of the influence of the water of the Ganges, to this day they keep Ganges water on the tufts of hair on their heads. They have concluded that this is the ultimate wealth, the perfection of all austerities, and the best means of prosecuting transcendental life. Having obtained uninterrupted devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they neglect all other beneficial processes like religion, economic development, sense gratification and even merging into the Supreme. Just as jnanis think that merging into the existence of the Lord is the highest truth, these seven exalted personalities accept devotional service as the perfection of life. Vers 4 After purifying the seven planets near Dhruvaloka (the polestar), the Ganges water is carried through the spaceways of the demigods in billions of celestial airplanes. Then it inundates the moon (Candraloka) and finally reaches Lord Brahma's abode atop Mount Meru. Vers 5 On top of Mount Meru, the Ganges divides into four branches, each of which gushes in a different direction (east, west, north and south). These branches, known by the names Sita, Alakananda, Caksu and Bhadra, flow down to the ocean. Vers 6 The branch of the Ganges known as the Sita flows through Brahmapuri atop Mount Meru, and from there it runs down to the nearby peaks of the Kesaracala Mountains, which stand almost as high as Mount Meru itself. These mountains are like a bunch of filaments around Mount Meru. From the Kesaracala Mountains, the Ganges falls to the peak of Gandhamadana Mountain and then flows into the land of Bhadrasva-varsa. Finally it reaches the ocean of salt water in the west. Vers 7 The branch of the Ganges known as Caksu falls onto the summit of Malyavan Mountain and from there cascades onto the land of Ketumal -varsa. The Ganges flows incessantly through Ketumala -varsa and in this way also reaches the ocean of salt water in the West. Vers 8 The branch of the Ganges known as Bhadra flows from the northern side of Mount Meru. Its waters fall onto the peaks of Kumuda Mountain, Mount Nila, Sveta Mountain and Srngavan Mountain in succession. Then it runs down into the province of Kuru and, after crossing through that land, flows into the salt water occean in the north. Vers 9 Similarly, the branch of the Ganges known as Alakananda flows from the southern side of Brahmapuri (Brahma-sadana). Passing over the tops of mountains in various lands, it falls down with fierce force upon the peaks of the mountains Hemakuta and Himakuta. After inundating the tops of those mountains, the Ganges falls down onto the tract of land known as Bharata -varsa, which she also inundates.Then the Ganges flows into the ocean of salt water in the south. Persons who come to bathe in this river are fortunate. It is not very difficult for them to achieve with every step the results of performing great sacrifices like the Rajasuya and Asvamedha yajnas. Vers 10 Many other rivers, both big and small, flow from the top of Mount Meru. These rivers are like daughters of the mountain, and they flow to the various tracts of land in hundreds of branches. Comment on this story | Contact VNN about this story | Send this story to a friend
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