भगीरथ

Bhagirath
(Brahmanda Purana)

In Bharat, people drink the water of Ganges and also take bath in it with this faith that it is pure and destroyer of sins. There was a time, when this Ganges River used to be in the world of deities and not on the earth. Since Ganges starts from the mountain Himalayas, it is considered as the daughter of Himalayas. By the untiring efforts of Bhagirath, Ganges came onto the earth.
Anshumant, the Sagar emperor belonging to the Sun dynasty had a son called Dilip. Bhagirath was the son of Dilip. In the past, Bhagirath’s great grandfather and sixty thousand princes had been turned into ashes by the anger of a great saint, Kapil. Bhagirath came to know that if the water of Ganges is sprinkled upon the ashes of their ancestors, they could get liberation. With this aim, Bhagirath started doing intense meditation (Tapasya) to get Ganges onto the earth. He left his kingdom, family and meditated by standing on one leg at the place called Gokarna. Ganges accepted his invitation to come on earth with the condition that necessary arrangements be made to bear her fast flow. Then Bhagirath came to know that only Rudra had the power to maintain the flow of the Ganges. He again started meditating to please Rudra. Rudra accepted Bhagirath’s wish and fulfilled his desire. Ganges started coming on the earth. Rudra stopped the flow of Ganges through his matted hairs. Bhagirath continued his prayers. Then, Rudra allowed the Ganges to flow onto the earth. Bhagirath took the Ganges from earth to Paatal Lok (the world located under the earth) and made to flow the Ganges water on the ashes of his ancestors. This is how they got the liberation. That is why Ganges is also called Bhagirathi.

Spiritual Significance: – As Ganges starts from Himalayas and by passing through several hills, many herbal medicines are mixed in its water. As such its water is treated as pure. But it cannot purify the souls. For soul purification the soul has to take bath in the Ganges of knowledge being given by God Shiva at the present juncture after his reincarnation into the body of Brahma Baba. In this divine act of spiritual upliftment and purification, Brahma becomes the corporeal Medium of Shiv Baba. That’s why Brahma is also called Bhagirath or Bhagyashali Rath (Lucky chariot).