Ganga and Yamunaji

Vallabhacharya says, “Yaya charana padmaja” in the fifth verse of the Shree Yamunashtakam because Yamunaji alone can complement the passion, ego, fearlessness and tempestuous nature of Ganga with her bhakti for Krishna.

Ganga’s Swaroop

In this sculpture, Ganga sways to her right and stands on her mount, the Makara, which has the head of a crocodile and the tail of a dolphin. Ganga’s right leg is straight. But her left leg crosses over from behind to touch the toes of her right leg. Ganga wears large circular earrings, a garland of fish and hooded snakes and tortoises around her arms and wrists. The left leg of the man below Ganga’s left is straight but his right leg, arms and head are raised upwards.

Ganga’s message

Ganga says, “I may be Shiva’s wife and Yamuna’s sister (hooded snake and tortoise on arms). But I am my own person too. Today, I ride atop my Makara fearlessly. But O Manavas, like you, I too had to break free from the toxic situations of my materialistic life and consciously work on myself to shatter my illusions and evolve spiritually.

Vishnu paadi

“When Vaman, the dwarf asked Bali for three paces of land, Bali dismissed it as a very small request. But when Vaman assumed a gigantic form, covered the earth with one step, the heavens with the second and asked Bali where he should take the third step – Bali was humbled and asked Vaman to put his foot on his head.

While taking the second step on the heavens, Brahma washed Vaman’s feet with the waters in his kamandal. And since I was born from these waters, I was named Vishnu paadi.”

Bhagirathi

“O manavas, look at my large circular earrings. I can lead you towards Moksha. For sure. But I gained the ability to do so only when I learnt to apologize. I was very proud of my vivacious body. I danced gracefully and sang melodiously. And I loved the attention of the devas. But one day, I got carried away by my pride when I saw sage Durvasa’s clothes being blown away by a sudden gust of wind and started laughing.

So sage Durvasa cursed me saying that I would flow through Bhuloka as a river.  I had to beg him for forgiveness. The noble sage could not revoke his curse. So he blessed me with the ability of leading you all closer towards Moksha.

Then Brahma asked me to fulfil the wishes of Bhagirath and descend on Bhuloka. I had to obey him. Brahma knew my vastness would flood Bhuloka. So he asked Bhagirath to seek Shiva’s help to check the flow of my mighty descent. And Shiva, as usual, did everything to please his devotees. He trapped me in his locks.

I hated being trapped like this. I yearned for my freedom. But I learnt to think of the welfare of others too now. It was a bitter lesson. And I did not like learning it. Not one bit. And perhaps I was named Bhagirathi to remind you all of this vain aspect of mine.

I hate to admit this to myself. Even after so many aeons. But I could not curb my wilful, strong and fiery nature. I was used to getting my way. I enjoyed my freedom more than anything else.

Jahnvi

So, instead of following Bhagirath, I playfully flooded rishi Janu’s ashram. Rishi Janu was not amused. At all. He swallowed me. In one mighty gulp. And now, much to my horror I was trapped in rishi Janu’s stomach.

I was petrified. And I wondered why I was so egoistic. But I was humbled beyond measure when I heard Bhagirath pleading with rishi Janu. He said, “O Rishi, my ancestors cannot cross the Vaitarni without Ganga. Please forgive her for her vanity and release her.”

Here was a man called Bhagirath whose only mission in life was that his ancestors ascend to a higher realm. And I, Ganga, could not look beyond my pride. I sighed with immense relief when rishi Janu released me through his stomach.

O Manavas, do reflect on my haughty attitude when you celebrate Ganga Dushera and call me Jahnvi reverentially. Yes, I transformed into a humbler person that day. Or so I thought. Sadly, I had a lot more to learn. Brahma cursed me again when he saw me reverting to my inherent nature.

Mahabhisha and Ganga

When Mahabhisha came to seek Brahma’s blessings, he was spellbound by my beauty. He could not take his eyes off me when a sudden gust of wind blew away my diaphanous garments. And I lapped up all the attention that he was giving me. Eagerly.  

So Brahma cursed both Mahabhisha and me saying that we would be born as mortals. I wondered why I succumbed to my egoistic tendencies so very often. I wanted to make amends this time. So I agreed to become the mother of the ashta vasus. I could empathise with their predicament.

They had succumbed to the temptation of stealing the wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu from rishi Vashishta’s ashram. But rishi Vashishta forgave them and said, “You will be relieved of your mortal bodies within a few hours of your birth. But Prabhasa, the main culprit would have to live a long life as punishment for his crime.

Shantanu and Ganga

So, I married Mahabhisha who was reborn as Shantanu. And now, I had to perform the most difficult task as a mother. I had to drown my babies as soon as they were born. With a heavy heart, I told Shantanu that I would leave him if he ever questioned my actions. I could see the grief on his face as he watched me – in mute horror – drowning our babies.

We had to live through our karma. We didn’t have a choice. But Shantanu could not control his misery so he stopped me from drowning our eighth child. I loved Shantanu. A lot. But he had broken his promise. So I had to leave him. I nurtured our son Dev-Vrat with all my love. Handed him over to Shantanu. And parted ways with them. Forever.   

Ganga and Makara

Pain seared through my soul. I had forgotten all about my celestial abode. So embroiled was I in my earthly life. That is when my Makara urged me to use my intellect to overcome my love. And my pain. He lifted his mashaal on his snout, asked me to focus only on my ultimate goal at all times and reminded me that you all relied on me to lead you towards Moksha.

And suddenly, I felt a strange sense of relief wash over me. I realized that I was free from all my curses. Finally. Yes, my materialistic life served a very important purpose. It did transform me into a more humane person. I could relate to the predicament of others who were struggling with their inherent nature now. And I appreciated the eternal bliss that only the spiritual realm could offer, all the more now. But like all ofyou, I have to live through my life on Bhuloka till the end of the Kali Yuga. Only then can I give up my physical form and merge with the divine. Forever.

O manavas, had I nurtured my sister, Yamunaji’s trait of Bhakti, I would have been spared of the perils of succumbing to my ego and inherent tendencies. Learn from me. Listen to the sage counsel of Vallabhacharya. Do all that you do with bhakti. And leave the rest to my sister Yamunaji. She will do what she has to. For all of us.”

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