Tales from the Indian Epics/The Descent of the Ganges
THE DESCENT OF THE GANGES
To-day the Ganges rises beyond the Himalaya Mountains and flowing through the northern plains of India finds an outlet at last for her mighty waters in the Bay of Bengal. There was, however, a time when the Ganges did not flow upon the earth at all but was the River of Heaven and issued from the foot of the great god Vishnu.
Many years after Garuda had won the ambrosia jar for the snake people and Aruna had become the charioteer of the Sun, Queen Vinata gave birth to a daughter. Her name was Sumati and when she grew up, Queen Vinata married her to King Sagar of Ayodhya. Now Sagar had an elder wife called Keshini and she had no children. King Sagar hoped by a second marriage to obtain a son, but after some years it seemed as if Sumati would remain as barren as Keshini before her. At last King Sagar in despair went with his two queens to the Himalayas and there performed many sacrifices and went through great penances in honour of the sage Vrigu. At last the heart of the famous anchorite was touched. "King Sagar," he said, "for many years past you and your two queens have done me great honour, and if you so wish it, I am ready to confer a boon upon each of them. "Holy Sage," replied the grateful Prince, "I pray you ask my two queens what boons they desire." Vrigu turned to Keshini and Sumati, "Fair Queens," he said, "tell me what boons you wish for." Both the queens answered, "Holy sir, we want sons."
"I give you two boons," said Vrigu. "One of you shall have a son who shall live to perpetuate your husband's line. The other shall have sixty thousand sons, none of whom shall have any issue."
As Keshini was the elder wife, King Sagar bade her choose the boon which pleased her. "King Sagar," she replied, "I choose a single son who shall live to carry on your line." King Sagar took his two queens back to his capital. A few months later, Queen Keshini bore a son to whom King Sagar gave the name of Asamanja. Shortly afterwards Queen Sumati gave birth to a gourd. She kept it in a warm place until it ripened. Then she opened it and found inside sixty thousand baby boys.
In the course of time Asamanja and his sixty thousand brothers grew from babyhood to boyhood. But Asamanja tormented his brothers, and one day pushed them into the waters of a river from which they were with difficulty rescued. King Sagar's anger was kindled against Prince Asamanja and he banished him from the kingdom. The prince left it as ordered by his father and was never heard of again. But before Asamanja departed he had been married; and his wife had borne him a son called Anshumat.
Now when all King Sagar's sixty thousand sons had grown to manhood, the king in his pride of them resolved to hold an Aswamedha sacrifice. He appointed his grandson Anshumat, now grown a youth, to command an army and to go forth with a horse from the royal stables. From all men who lived in the countries through which the horse roamed, Prince Anshumat was to exact tribute or to kill them. In a year's time the prince was to bring back the horse. King Sagar would then sacrifice it to the immortal gods. Prince Anshumat gladly obeyed the king's words, and taking the best horse out of the king's stables he set it free to roam at will. And always behind the horse followed Prince Anshumat and the royal army.
Now pride on the part of mortals is always hateful to the gods. So to punish King Sagar, the great god Vishnu disguised himself as an old woman in order that he might steal the sacrificial horse. One evening as Prince Anshumat was about to halt for the night with his army, he saw an aged woman coming towards him. "Fair Prince," said the woman, "I am weary and starving. If you give me a night's food and lodging, I shall always be grateful to you." The prince had not the heart to refuse her prayer for she looked thin and careworn. "Give her some food," he said to his attendants, "and let her sleep on a bed of hay near the stables." The attendants led the old woman away, gave her food, and threw down a cartload of grass for her to sleep on. Some hours later the old woman rose, and while the army slept, she loosened the picketing ropes of the sacrificial horse, mounted it and galloped away at full speed. The thunder of its hoofs woke the army. The troopers saddled their horses as quickly as they could. But by the time that they were ready to follow the fleeing horse, it had completely vanished. All that night and for several days afterwards, they searched for it in vain. At last Prince Anshumat said, "I shall waste no more time in this vain quest. I must go back to my grandfather and crave his pardon. He will, I am sure, forgive me, for how could I have guessed that an old woman would steal the sacrificial horse?" Prince Anshumat returned to his grandfather and told him what had happened. King Sagar readily forgave him saying, "I do not blame you. Prince Anshumat; for kindness of heart befits the young." Then he turned to his sixty thousand sons. "My gallant sons," he said, "you must avenge this insult. The old woman was the tool of some rival king. Cross the whole earth until you find the horse. Then kill its thief and bring it back".
Immediately the sixty thousand sons put on their armour and taking their weapons set forth to seek the missing horse. They searched in vain over the whole surface of India until they came to the Western Ocean. Then they said, "The horse-thief must have hidden King Sagar's horse beyond the seven seas. We must therefore dig through the earth in various places, so that when we have reached its other side we may find our father's steed."
With these words King Sagar's sons began to dig, and they dug with such a will that in no long time they came to the very centre of the earth, where the snake people lived. They heeded not the snake people but digging their tunnel as before they came out in a few months on the eastern quarter of the opposite side of the earth. There they beheld a giant elephant. "Noble elephant," said King Sagar's sons, "who are you?" "My name is Virupaksha," replied the elephant, "and I hold up the eastern end of the earth. But what are you here for?" "We have come," said King Sagar's sons, "to look for our father's horse. Have you by any chance seen it, and an old woman with it?" "No," said Virupaksha, "I have not." As he spoke he shook his head and a terrible earthquake shook the whole country round.
King Sagar's sons said, "This noble elephant has no reason to lie. Our horse is surely not here. Let us search in some other region." They returned to the centre of the earth and began to bore a fresh tunnel, which in due course pierced the southern quarter of the opposite side of the earth. When they emerged into the daylight, they saw yet another elephant. "Noble elephant," said King Sagar's sons, "who are you and what are you doing here?" "My name is Mahapadma," said the elephant, "and I hold up the southern end of the earth." "Have you by any chance, noble elephant," asked King Sagar's sons, "seen our father's horse led by an aged woman." "No," said Mahapadma, "I have not." "This noble elephant too must be speaking the truth," said King Sagar's sons, "let us search for our steed elsewhere." Back they went to the centre of the earth and bored a third-tunnel, which came out on the western quarter of the opposite side of the earth. There they saw a third elephant, who seemed to their astonished eyes like one of the Vindhya mountains.
"Noble elephant," asked the sons of King Sagar, "who are you and what are you doing here?" "My name is Saumanasa," said the elephant, "and I hold up the western quarter of the earth." "Noble Saumanasa," asked the sons of King Sagar, "has there passed by you a beautiful steed led by an aged woman?" "No," said the elephant, "I have not seen it". King Sagar's sons walked back to the centre of the earth and drove a fourth tunnel through to the North Pole. When they emerged, it was to see the land covered with ice and snow. Not far from them stood a fourth elephant. He was as white as snow; his feet were hidden in drifts and his tusks were half buried in a glacier. "Noble elephant," said King Sagar's sons, "what is your name and why are you here?" "My name is Bhadra," replied the elephant, "and I hold up the northern end of the earth." "Then, noble elephant, tell us," said King Sagar's sons, "whether you have seen our father's steed. He was making a great horse sacrifice and would have ended it duly; but an aged woman stole the horse and spoiled the sacrifice." "No," said the elephant Bhadra. As he spoke he stamped his mighty feet and the ice floes cracked, and the bergs crashed together, and the freed seas roared and thundered with each stamp of the monster's feet. Silently King Sagar's sons returned to the centre of the earth and bored a fifth tunnel, which brought them out at the north-east quarter of the other side of the earth. Round them stretched an endless, meadow and on it they saw grazing the very steed which King Sagar had sent out with Prince Anshumat. Not far from it they saw the old woman who had stolen it. With drawn swords they ran forward to kill her. But suddenly the old woman changed into a god like form. Two mighty columns of fire shot out from the eyes of the divine being and in a moment all that remained of King Sagar's sixty thousand sons was as many heaps of smouldering ashes.
II
For a year King Sagar waited in vain for news of his sixty thousand sons. At last he said to Prince Anshumat, "My grandson, I fear that some evil has overtaken my sons. Go and seek for them. For my heart is heavy within me."
Prince Anshumat gladly assented and taking the king's sword and his own bow went off alone to search for his uncles. The young prince wandered through all the countries of India, but though he learnt that King Sagar's sons had passed through many lands, he could find them nowhere. At last he came to the shores of the ocean. Not far from its waters, the prince saw great mounds of sand. Going close to them he found that they marked the mouth of the mighty tunnel which his uncles had first bored. The tunnel was dark and fearsome but the heart of the young prince never failed him. Drawing his sword, he walked through the tunnel until he came to the centre of the earth. There he saw five tunnels all as large as the one by which he had come. Entering the nearest one he walked along it until he came out at the eastern corner of the other side of the earth. There he saw the great elephant Virupaksha. Walking round the elephant to show his respect, Prince Anshumat said, "Noble elephant, I seek my sixty thousand uncles. Tell me, I pray you, if they have come this way." "They did indeed come this way," answered Virupaksha, "but they went away, and where they went afterwards I do not know." Prince Anshumat, undismayed, walked back through the tunnel until he again reached the centre of the earth. Then entering the next tunnel he walked along it until he came out at the southern quarter of the opposite side of the earth. There he saw the elephant Mahapadma. Walking round him to show his respect. Prince Anshumat said, "Noble elephant, have you by any chance seen my sixty thousand uncles? For they went out to seek their father's sacrificial horse but they never returned." The giant elephant said, "Young Prince, your uncles did indeed come this way, but seek them elsewhere, for they did not remain here." Back went the prince to the centre of the earth and then up through the third tunnel which led him to the western quarter of the other side of the earth. There he saw the mountainous Saumanasa. "Noble elephant," said the prince deferentially, "I have lost my sixty thousand uncles. Are they by any chance in this quarter of the world?" "They came here," said Saumanasa, "but they went away, I do not know where." The young prince went back through the tunnel and entered the one leading to the northern quarter of the other side of the earth. There he saw the elephant Bhadra. At first Anshumat thought that he was only a giant berg that rose out of the ice floe. But after a time he saw that he was an elephant. "Noble elephant," said the young prince, "my sixty thousand uncles set forth to seek my grandfather's horse. But they have never returned." But Bhadra said never a word in reply; and the grey mists rose up from the frozen seas and gradually hid him from the young prince's eyes. And the snow began to fall in great flakes and the frost began to spread its numbness over Anshumat's limbs, until he longed to lie down and sleep alongside the elephant Bhadra for ever and ever. But with a great effort the young prince roused himself. "If I stay here much longer," he mused, "I shall become as silent as yonder elephant. Then I shall never do the task which my grandfather the king set me." Turning his back on Bhadra, Anshumat walked back again to the centre of the earth. Then walking through the last tunnel he came out at the north-eastern quarter of the opposite side of the earth.
A hundred yards or so away, he saw a horse grazing, which he at once knew to be King Sagar's sacrificial horse. He called to it, and it gave a joyful whinny and galloped up to him. For he had always cared for and caressed it. The prince patted it and fondled it. Then he looked around him and saw heap after heap of ashes scattered all over the plain. Going close to them, he saw that they were the charred remains of what had once been human beings and he recognized the weapons scattered among the ashes as those of his uncles. The prince wept when he saw that his uncles had perished. Then sadly and slowly he led his grandfather's horse back through the tunnel to the centre of the earth and then through that which led to the shores of the western sea. Here by chance he met Garuda, who had descended from heaven to make war upon the snake people, whom he hated because of his former slavery. "Young prince, my kinsman," said Garuda, "what are you doing here and where are you leading this horse?" Prince Anshumat told Garuda all that had happened and then continued: "I am leading the sacrificial horse to my grandfather, but I do not know how he will perform the sacrificial rites due to my gallant uncles. There is but little water near Ayodhya and much will be needed if due honour is to be paid to the dead princes." Garuda said, "Tell King Sagar that Vishnu slew his sons to punish him for his pride. But if he humbles himself to the immortal gods, they may possibly forgive him and Vishnu may send his divine river the Ganges from heaven to earth. If this should happen, King Sagar will have more than enough water with which to honour the ashes of his sixty thousand sons." Heavy at heart, Prince Anshumat continued his journey to Ayodhya. When he reached his grandfather's capital, he told King Sagar all that had happened and then led away the sacrificial horse to the royal stable. The news of the death of his sons broke King Sagar's heart. He died and Anshumat became king in his place. And when Anshumat in turn was gathered to his fathers his son Dilip succeeded him. After Dilip, Dilip's son Bhagirath ascended the throne of Ayodhya. And Anshumat, Dilip and Bhagirath, all in turn strove year after year to soften the hearts of the immortals by their prayers and so to induce them to obtain from Vishnu the gift of the Ganges River. At last, moved by the ceaseless prayers of the Ayodhya kings, the god Brahmadeva revealed himself to King Bhagirath.
"King Bhagirath," said the great god, "I am pleased with your devotion and that of your father and grandfather. And I am ready to give you any boon which you wish to have." "Lord Brahmadeva," said King Bhagirath, "the boon that I crave is a great one. Nevertheless in your mercy vouchsafe it to me! Let the Lord Vishnu send down the River Ganges from heaven to earth so that I may fitly perform the obsequies of King Sagar's sons and thus give rest to their spirits." "I grant you the boon, King Bhagirath," said the god Brahmadeva. But the Ganges River will break through the earth's surface in its descent and will vanish beneath it. Pray, therefore, to the Lord Shiva that he may break its fall, so that it may flow gently upon the earth's surface".
With these words the god Brahmadeva vanished and King Bhagirath for a whole year worshipped the god Shiva. At last Shiva revealed himself to the king and said, "King Bhagirath, you have worshipped me unceasingly for twelve months past. I am pleased with you. Ask of me a boon." "Lord Shiva." said the king, "the god Brahmadeva has promised to obtain for me the heavenly river Ganges. But he tells me that the Ganges will in its descent force its way to the centre of the earth. The boon, therefore, which I ask of you. Lord Shiva, is this. Hold back the Ganges River when it falls on earth and force it to flow gently over the earth's surface to the sea. Thus I will be able to pay the honours due to King Sagar's sixty thousand sons and so give rest to their spirits." The Lord Shiva said, "O King, I grant you the boon you ask," and a moment later he had vanished from King Bhagirath's sight. The Lord Brahmadeva went to Vaikunth to speak with the Lord Vishnu and obtained from him a promise to send down the Ganges River to earth. A few moments later the inhabitants of King Bhagirath's kingdom saw a more wonderful sight than they could ever have imagined. Above their heads the skies opened. A gigantic column of water miles wide shot forth with terrific speed from the heavens towards the earth. It was teeming with life of all kinds and in the mass of waters the people of Ayodhya could distinctly see fish in myriads and water-tortoises and crocodiles. But they held their hands before their faces in terror, because they feared that the mass of water would destroy all things living upon the earth.
Suddenly they saw a mighty figure standout upon one of the mountains to the north of Ayodhya city. As he stood, his hairs grew until they stretched to every point of the horizon. And as the foaming mass neared the earth the hairs drew together the falling waters and held them firmly imprisoned. Thus the Lord Shiva stopped the Ganges River. It was in vain that for a whole year the mighty stream dashed in and out of the great god's locks. Nowhere could she find an outlet. At last she prayed to the great god to release her and promised that if he would, she would not plunge through the earth but would flow over its surface until she lost herself in the ocean. After the Ganges had made the promise the god Shiva shook his head. Then streams splashed out in all directions from the god's locks to the earth. But the bulk of the heavenly river fell to the east and then flowing through the northern plains rolled mild and peaceful towards the sea.
Now in the course taken by the river Ganges a mighty rishi called Jahnu, had his home. As the great river came towards Jahnu, the villagers ran away to the neighbouring heights. But Jahnu sat on muttering to himself spells of fearful power. Nearer and nearer came the river until its waves began to trickle over the sage's feet. Suddenly a terrible flash of fire shot out of the rishi's eyes. He turned his face, black with anger, towards the oncoming stream. There was a gulp and a gurgle and not a trace of the Ganges was to be seen. On beholding this King Bhagirath's heart sank within him. But he did not give way to despair. He sacrificed to the mighty rishi day after day and month after month. At the same time he besieged heaven with his prayers, so that the immortals might intercede for him with Jahnu and obtain the river's release. The gods had pity on the king and addressing the rishi Jahnu added their prayers to his. "Let the Ganges be your daughter," said the Lord Brahmadeva to Jahnu, "let her be called Jahnavi and so she will perpetuate your name and your fame forever". At last the sage Jahnu relented. Two gigantic streams of water spouted out of his ears and the Ganges River once more flowed to the sea. King Bhagirath was overjoyed. But for fear that further ill fortune might befall the heavenly stream he called to her and bade her follow his chariot, as he led her eastwards to the sea.
When the Ganges river had rolled to the ocean, King Bhagirath knew that his task was fulfilled. He had now more than enough water with which to pay due honours to his dead kinsmen, the sixty thousand sons of King Sagar. He sent for their ashes from the distant spot where they had fallen. Then he held an unceasing round of sacrifices until all of them had received due honour and until their spirits had found rest for ever.
And ever since that time the Ganges has flowed sea-wards without any wish to return to her heavenly home. But men to-day in India still call the sea the "Sagar" in memory of the sixty thousand princes who, unable to cross it, dug their way through and through the earth. And because the Ganges was adopted by the Rishi Jahnu as his daughter, she is still sometimes called the Jahnavi River. But she is also known as the Bhagirathi, because it was King Bhagirath who by his prayers brought her down from heaven and led her safely in his chariot until she lost herself in the ocean.