Shri Ganga Jayanti

Shri Ganga Jayanti And Its Importance

The Ganga Jayanti is one of the most revered occasions in the Hindu religion, celebrated joyfully by the staunch devotees of goddess Ganga, on Saptami tithi of Shukla Paksha during Vaishakh month. The advent of Mata Ganga on earth served two objectives; one motive related to the nobility of gods while the other one was to benefit the people on earth as well as appease Bhagiratha who observed hard meditations to bring Ganga on earth to liberate the souls of his forefathers.  Various tales from the religious books and Vedas accentuate the divine power of Mata Ganga and her advent on earth. No doubt, Bhagiratha is attributed to be the only individual who exerted his best efforts to bring Ganga on earth which then liberated the souls of his forefathers who were turned into ashes by the curse of Kapil Rishi (sage). By bringing Ganga on earth and liberating the accursed souls of his fathers with the Ganga water, Bhagiratha proved that he was a dutiful son who performed his moral responsibility of liberating his forefathers’ souls, a salvation from the hellish condemnation.

In other words, Bhagiratha epitomized the very essence of being a son who left no stone unturned in removing the curse of his ancestors with divine salvation caused by the washing of the Ganga waters. His contribution in bringing Ganga on earth not only fred his ancestors from the curse, it also benefited countless other people in attaining salvation because of Ganga. The noble deed of Bhagiratha in terms of bringing Ganga on earth has indebted the entire universe, something that can’t be monetized or compensated. Otherwise, imagine a world without the Ganga river. This is why Ganga Jayanti is celebrated all over India with great zeal and happiness by people. Devotees worship Mata Ganga religiously, offering her reverential regard for peace and happiness.

On Ganga Jayanti day, devotees also take a vow to keep the Ganga waters neat and clean and spread the message of purification of Ganga waters to the general public. It is essential in today’s context, considering any negligence like polluting the Ganga incessantly would end its existence someday in future. Therefore, Ganga Maa Jayanti is also an auspicious celebration of conserving the Ganga waters.

Puja Methods To Follow During Ganga Jayanti

Devotees should get up early in the morning, finish their daily routines, take a holy bath, wear new, fine clothes, and collect all the essentials before starting Ganga Puja. Keep puja-related materials near the Ganga river. Or ensconce a Ganga idol in your home to conduct worship. Read Ganga stotras, offer incense sticks, Naivadya etc. Set up a Kalash. Once the puja is done, offer that Kalash to goddess Ganga. Beg your pardon for any mistake you may have made during the course of conducting Ganga puja. Offer Ganga Arti, pray to the goddess and conclude the puja religiously. If you think that conducting Ganga puja on your own is difficult for you, have it done by an erudite Brahman Priest.

Stories Related To Ganga Jayanti

Countless tales talk at length about the legends or origins of Mata Ganga. One of them suggests that once the earth came under tremendous pressure due to mounting tyranny and cruelty of the demonic forces. Seeing the demonic forces terrorize the people on earth, the divine forces came to their rescue and a pitched battle between gods and devils began. Quite interestingly, the monsters killed during the battle at the hands of gods were brought to life by their Guru, Shukracharya by using Sanjivani Vidya given to him by Lord Shiva. This apparently multiplied the problems of the gods. To tackle the problems, the drops of elixir were dissolved into the waters of goddess Ganga, thereby paving the path for the defeat of the demons and the wellbeing of the people. Another tale suggests that Ganga Maa Jayanti is the day commemorating goddess Ganga when she settled in the Lord Shiva’s Jata. At Bhagiratha’s request, Lord Shiva opened a knot of his Jata pointing it toward the earth, letting the Ganga flow down from heaven to earth. Since then the Ganga keeps on flowing, an event known as Ganga Saptami. The divine value of the day is immeasurable. On Ganga Jayanti, devotees should worship the goddess and partake in activities like donations, etc. They should contribute their best to help conserve Ganga waters, protecting them from pollution. If we don’t follow the discipline of keeping the Ganga waters free from pollution, one day, we will lose this precious gift on earth. That will be the day the significance of celebrating Ganga Jayanti won’t have any religious value and meaning.

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