Ganga is very dear to saints More Articles
Wherever saints are, they perform 'Taapa'. The place where they perform 'Taapa' is refered as 'Tirtha'. It like a chandan which demolishes itself for benefits of people. One can change his destiny with 'Taapa'. Lord Raghuveer was very pleased with 'Taapa' of Tulsidas and hence lord himself had put tilak on the forehead of Tulsidas. It is because of 'Taapa' Gautam rishi could wash away the sin of cow-murder planned in his destiny. With the 'Taapa' of Gautam rishi Kushavarta became 'Tirtha'. Each droplet of water of Kushavarta has good deed of rishi and saints. Kushavarta is the place where seven holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri meet together. It is explained in the shloka below -
प्रभावादभुतादभुमे सलिलस्य च तेजस: ।
परिग्रहान्मुनीनां च तीर्थानां तीर्थता मता ।।
Tirtha, Parva and Parvani are considered to be very sacred. River represents the nerves of a man. The holy water flows through these nerves. This holy water was originated from Brahmagiri. At the foot of Brahmagiri hills is Trimbakeshwar. During Satyayug, Godavari appeared in Kushavarta hence it has immence importance in mythology.
।। षट्कोणंतीर्थराजकंम ।।
From the ages lord Brahma has been swallowing the bad deeds.The flow where Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet at Kushavarta is also Brahmadev. It is very sacred to have dip in this water during Sinhastha. The guru and purohit of god, lord Bruhaspati enters Sinha rashi during this period. All stars, planets and sun welcome the lord. When sun and moon are on similar lines, it is the Amavasya Parvani. It is said on this day all gods from heaven are present at Trimbakeshwar.
The leader of sinha rashi is sun while that of our soul is moon and knowledge god Bruhaspati are in same rashi during this period. This is period for Parvani. Moon is consider tobe in good terms with Jupiter. Kushavarta tirtha offer vigour and energy of lion to Bruhaspati, sun and moon. Gautam rishi could wash away the sin of cow-murder planned in his destiny at Kushavarta tirtha. At the same place Nivruttinath could gain knowledge from his guru Gahininath. Gahininath, Nivruttinath and Dyaneshwar all of them performed their karma and dharma on the banks of Ganga at Kushavarta. The shloka explains -
भागीरथी व गोदावरी तत्वत: एकच ।
माहेश्वर जटास्था या आपो दैव्यो महामते ।
तासांतु द्विविधो भेद: आहर्तु: पदकारणात् ।।
There were two flows to eradicate the sins of man. One by Gautam rishi in Krutayug and other by Bhagirath in Tretayug. Shloka says
ब्रम्हवर्चसाचा आल्हादक चद्र गौतम ।
With the Taapa of Bhagirath, the flow of river Jhanavi appeared on earth. River Bhagirathi appeared in Tretayug and Godavari in Satyayug.Godavari originated from Brahmagiri and Bhagirathi from Himalayan ranges. Though their flow are same, both tapasvi Gautam and Bhagirath bought them on earth respectively. Hence they say Brahmarup is Godavari and Dharmarup is Bhagirathi.
Ganga or Godavari, who's the best ?
Only lord Shiva would be able to answer to this question. Both the rivers reside on the head of Shiva. Both of them fell on the earth to wash the sins of their respective husbands. The elderly river is called Vruddhagoda.This was originated from the hairs of Shiva, went to the roots of holy tree of Aaudumbar and reappeared from the mouth of cow (gomukh). Aaudumbar, Banyan and Pipal trees represent Brahmin trees. Cow is called mother of Vedas and Ganga the mother of earth. In this century no one is without any sin hence for the upliftment of the mankind river Goda had rebirth of river Ganga. Both of the rivers have same origin but different flows. When Jupiter (guru) is in Kumbha rashi, Godavari flows to Prayag to meet Ganga. On the other hand, when Jupiter is in Sinha rashi river Bhagirathi flows to meet Godavari at Kushavarta. Lord Shiva has sent Godavari for the upliftment of the world. Godavari has wide flow over Brahmagiri campared to Vaitarna. Vaitarna is also originated from Brahmagiri. Gayatri, Gomata, Geeta are the different faces of Ganga. Younger sister of Goda, Ganga has given spiritual salvation to saint Dyaneshwar and Nivruttinath. Pandit Jaggannath acheived the light of wisdom on the banks of river and they wrote epic of Gangalahiri. Since both the rivers are one and the same, Pandit Jaggannath didnot write any seperate Godalahiri. River Godavari is at the feets of lord Trimbakraj to whom Ganga is favourite. Hence people from all over come along to have holy dip in the river Godavari.
