Friday, January 25, 2013

Sapta Ganga


In India, the river is considered as a deity. Our saints had written many verses in praise of rivers and discovered that they are capable of giving salvation. The principal 7 rivers are called as “Sapta Ganga”. The list includes the most sacred 7 rivers-
1)      Ganga
2)      Yamuna
3)      Godavri
4)      Saraswati
5)      Kaveri
6)      Narmada
7)      Sindhu.

Ganga- River Ganga represented as a goddess residing on her vehicle ‘crocodile’. Originates from Hiamlayas and join Bay of Bengal. Sage Bhagirath brought river Ganga from heaven.it is also called "Moksha Dayani", the one who gives salvation.

Yamuna- daughter of Sun God having blue colour. It originates from Himalayas and  joins Ganaga at Allahabad called as “Prayaag”. Their confluence is considered so auspicious that this place is often called as “Teerth Raj” means “king of all the pilgrimage”. This river witnessed the glorious childhood time of Lord Krishna.

Saraswati- The invisible and most mystic river represented by the goddess in white dress having swan as her vehichle.It originates at Mana village in Uttrakhand region and joins Arabian sea at Somnath(Gujrat). This river is a knowledge giver because goddess saraswati is a deity of knowledge. This invisible river is also present at Allahabad. The confluence of 3 rivers here is called “Triveni Sangam”

Kaveri-
According to belief the river Ganges also joins Kaveri underground once a year,  in order to wash herself free of the pollution caused by the crowds of sinners who bathe in her waters all the year round. Kaveri is considered to be as sacred as the Ganges throughout its course, with the same power to wash off all one’s sins.

Narmada-it originates from Amarkantak,the central India . The auspiciousness of the river can be judged from the fact that according to mythology every stone lying at its bed is replica of Lord Shiva. This river is also called as “River of detachment”

Godavri- often called as “Dakshin Ganga” means  “Ganga of south India”. It raises from hill in Triambak town near Nasik city at Maharashtra. Its mention has been made in the epic Ramayana because lord Rama spent crucial time of his exile along the banks of this river.

Sindhu-
Originating in the Tibetan plateau in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar, the river runs a course through the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, and flows through Pakistan in a southerly direction along the entire length of Pakistan to merge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi in Sindh.

Bathing in above rivers is considered as auspicious.

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