Faith Freedom International

[Unknown 435]

Ganga is usually represented as a beautiful woman with a fish's tail in place of legs, and she rides on the Makara, a water monster.

One myth about the origin of Ganga is that the god Vishnu once heard Shiva play the flute. Vishnu was so entranced by the music that his feet began to melt. Brahma caught the liquefied portion of Vishnu in a pot and from it created Ganga. Hence Ganga is also known as Vishnu-padi (she-who-was-born-out-of-Vishnu's-feet).

Originally Ganga flowed only in the heavens, but then was ordered to go down to earth. Not wanting to, she threatened to flood the whole world. The gods were so afraid of her that they sought the help of Shiva.

Shiva broke the fall of Ganga by capturing her in his mighty locks of hair. Since then, Ganga resides on top of Shiva's head as his second wife, the first being Parvati.

[Vaishnav]

Oh the intellectual , funny how it doesnt understand the concept of stories in religion. As such there are also many variants on the subject.

Shiv is also represented in the abode Kailash and mountain in the vaccinity or catchment of three major rivers in the subcontinent. In terms of geology this did not exist until India (a huge island mass) converged with Asia over a period of millions of years. The Ganga never flowed (unlike the Brahmaputra) previous to this time becausde it was the rise of the Himalaya (due to the convergence of India and asia) that gave rise to this river establish a huge river basin where once there was none.

[Unknown 435]

HISTORICAL RESEARCH ON CHRONOLOGY
CHRONOLOGY AND THE EVENTS OF
HINDU GODS

IRAIYILAN S.C. RAMASAMY

Chronology is the science of dating that arranges time into periods or divisions and places, events in the proper places within the arrangement, chronologists employ two main types of dating:

Relative Dating : Places a period, event or object in relation to an established sequence, showing that it is earlier than certain periods and later than other although its actual date in years is unknown.

Chronometric Dating : Places and event either on a time line (10750 BC for instance) or in a time bracket (12,000 to 10,000 BC). Some authors use the term absolute dating, but the term absolute dating, is increasingly rejected because it makes, no distinction between placing an event on the line or in the bracket.

The attainment of chronometric correctness is the goal of those who would make history an exact science, but for most periods the goal is nowhere in sight.

Nevertheless, several modern techniques make it possible to fix the approximate dates of ancient materials.

Radio Carbon Dating : Which measures the amout of organism at a fixed rate after its death in materials that were once alive.

Obsidian Dating : in which the hydration layer left on the obsidian by the absorption of water from its surroundings is measured.

"Thermo-Remanent Mangnetism" : in which the remanent magnetism caused in by heat (usually in an ancient health or kiln) is compared with the ever changing direction and intensity of the earth's magnetic field.

Although all these techniques are being improved and refined constantly none yields precise dates.

Only "Dendra Chronology" which allows the scientist to date the wooden materials by comparing their growth rings with the known pattern of growth rings in trees dating back to about 3000 years is exact.

Divisions of the year into four Seasons was based in observations of the stars or constellations.

MAN'S EARLY EXISTENCE: It is not possible to state exactly where and when the first early men lived. There are no records of the early periods. Estimates vary from 5,00,000 to one million years regarding man's early existence. It has taken many thousand of years for the primitive man to change himself into the MODERN MAN. Anthropologists believe that early men lived at places like Sohan (Indus Valley in India) and regions of china, Malaysia etc. On the basis of tools and weapons used by early people, the story of their early life has been divided into 1)PALEOLITHIC
2) MESOLITHIC 3) NEOLITHIC.

1. PALE LITHIC AGE: This age is know as old stone age and is old as 3.5. million years. The paleolithic culture of India developed in the ICE Age, which is geological period. In India the first human occupation, as suggested by stone tools is not earlier than about 5,00,000 years ago.

Earliest Paleolithic phase man lived on hunting and food gathering. The nature of the stone tools used by the people changed according to the nature of change in climate.

Caves and rock shelters used by human beings in the upper paleolithic phase has been discovered at Bhimbetka near Bhopal.

2. MESOLITHIC AGE: From 8000 B.C. began an intermediate stage in stone age culture which is also called the "Late Stone Age" It continued unto about 4000 BC. Tools used in this age are misoliths. The sites are found in good numbers in Chotanagpur, Central India and also south of the river Krishna.

3. NEOLITHIC AGE : It is also known as NEW STONE AGE. Neolithic settlements in the Indian sub-centre are not order than 6000 B.C. Some settlements found in South India and Eastern Indian are as late as 1000 B.C. The people of this age used tools and implements of polished stone. The neolithic settlers were agriculturists and they produced grains. Handmade pottery is also found in the early stage.

Age of Metals Towards the end of the neolithic period began the use of metals.

Iron Age In southern India use of Iron came after the use of stone. If any case there were periods of overlapping in the use of stone, copper, brance, and iron.

INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION

Proto-historic period is the age nearest to the historical period. In 1924 scholars in history were roused by the announcement of Sir John Marshal that his Indian aides particularly R.D. Banerfee, discovered (1922-23) at Mohenjodara in the Larkana district of Sind now in Pakistan, the remains of a Civilisation one of the oldest of the World.

A few hundred miles towards the work of Mohenjodara four or five super-imposed cities were excavated at Harappa in the Montgomery District of the Punjab now in Pakistan.

Town Planning The first thing that strikes us is the town planning and urbanisation. Mohenjodarao and Harappa were built in similar plan most of the houses had wells within them and drainage system carried the waste water to the main underground drain of the street. There were also public baths with wells. There were arrangements for street lighting.

Although the Harappan practised agriculture, animals were kept on a large-scale. Oxen, Buffaloes, goats, sheep and pigs were domestical. Signs of the feet of both dogs and cats have been noticed. The remains of horse have been reported in the went of Gujarat and belong to around 2000 B.C.

Religion in India in Harappa numerous terracotta figurines of women have been found. In one figurine a plant is shown growing out of the embryo of a woman. Probably the image represents the Goddess of EARTH and it was intimately connected with the origin and growth of plants. The Harappan therefore looked upon the earth as a fertility of Goddess.

The male deity is represented on a seal this god has three heads and has horns. This God is surrounded by an Elephant, a tiger, and has a buffalo below his tone. The people of Indus region also worshipped trees. Animals were also worshipped in Harappan times.

Dravidians it is believed that before the coming of Aryans in India, the greater part of Northern and North-Western India, the culture of the Dravidians is known as Dravidian Culture was very ,advanced.

Perhaps, in India, they were first to use the rivers for the navigation as well as for irrigation they knew the technique of manufacturing ships. They were good traders and entered into extensive trade relation with foreign countries.

Aryans & Vedic Age originally the Aryans seem to have lived somewhere in the east of Alps in the region known as Eurasia. On the way to India the Aryans first appeared in Iran.

A little earlier than 1500 B.C. the Aryans appeared in India. The Aryans came to India in several waves. The earliest wave is represented by the RIG VEDIC people who appeared in the subcontinent in about 1500 B.C. They came into conflict with the indigenous inhabitants called "DASAS" "DASYUS" etc.

The administrative machinery of the Aryans in the Rig Vedic period worked with the tribal chief in the centre.

Vedic Religion the most important divinity is the Rig Veda in Indra who was called Purandra or breaker of Forts. He is considered to be the rain God. The second position is occupied by Agni. The dominant of worshipping the Gods was through the recitation of prayers and offerings of sacrifices.

LATER VEDIC PHASE

The later Vedic Age extends from 1000 B.C. To 600 B.C. When the three later Vedas, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. The parpanas (Brahmanas) and few early upanishads were composed.

The two outstanding Rig Vedic Gods Indira and Agni lost their former importance. On the other hand Prajapati, the creator came to occupy the supreme position in the later Vedic Pantheon.

Rudra the god of animals became important and VISHNU came to be conceived as the preserver and protector of the people.

Prayers continued to be recited the priests who officiated at sacrifices were rewarded generously and given "Dakshinas" or gifts.

The vast literature of the Aryans divided into two parts, "SURUTI" and "SMRITI". The word VEDA has been derived from the sanskrit word "VED" which means spiritual knowledge. The Vedas are four in number 1. Rig Veda 2. Sama Veda 3. Yajur Veda and 4. Atharva Veda.

The Vedic literature was divided into three periods.

1. The Mantra period when the Samhitas were composed.

2. Brahman period, when the Brahmans, Upanishads and Aranyakas were composed.

and 3. The Sutra period.

Manu Smriti according to Brahmanas "Manu Smriti", there the parpanas called our Dravidians as "SUTRAS" and treated as , low cost people. They the Parpanas, termed them as born from Brahamas" forehead, and Sudras as born in lower part.

Smritiliterature Itihasa : A legendary or Semi-legendary works specially the Ramayana and Mahabharata and often extended to "PURANAS".

"Purana" being a fairly late reduction of ancient legenda is thus, rather heavily coloured with
Superstition. The Puranas represent the most
Corrupt form of HINDUISM.

Epics - Ramayana it is said to have been composed by the sage Valmiki. The incident is stated, as related in it proceeds the Mahabharata.

The epic was given a Brahmanical character. The central theme of their epic is the conflict
between RAMA, representative of the ARYAN civilisation and RAVANA, a representative of the Non-Aryan civilisation. Evidence places the oldest part of the Ramayana to before 350 B.C. and may have acquired its final shape by about AD 250, that it took approximately 600 years.

Maharabharata it is the bulkies of epic consisting of 1,00,000 (i.e. One lakh slogas) This book is usually assigned to Rishi Vedvyas, but shcolors have expressed doubts if such a great work could have been accomplished by one single person. It is a TALE about conflict between Aryans-Kawarava & Pandava. The rest is episodical comprising ethics, mythology, fairy Tales of which the best known is the BHAGVAD GITA.

Manusmriti - The Vedic Literature Going by its latest translation by Wendy Doniger and Brian K. Smith in their Book, "The laws of Manu" published by Penguin classics 1991 we can find misdeeds of Manu, in which he has exposed well. It was analysed by P. Radhakrishnan in the "The Hindu" dated 8.11.1992.

According to him, in "The Hindu" it has been characterised by extreme forms of caste and gender prejudices, injustices, and indignities. Manusmrity starts with a pompous account of its origin from Brahma as revealed to Manu, and by Manu to the sages.

It describes the duties of the four chief castes (Varnas) then passes to an encomium of Brahmanas and the sacred law of Manu. Its story of Brahma delivered the Parpanas. 1. Brahmanas through his mouth 2. Kahatriya through his arms 3. Vaisyas through his thighs, 4. Sudras thro' Brahmans' feet respectively.

1. Teaching and studying the Veda ordained for Brahmanas.

2. Protecting the people ordained by Kshasthriyas.

3. Tending Cattle, cultivating ordained by Vaisyas.

4. Serving meekly - these to above three castes ordained by Sudras. For this Sudra slave can have No Property.

5. Though there was no FIFTH-CASTE (not fifth column) the most desired are "CHANDALAS" the untouchables born from Union of above first three.

Lastly, the author of their analysis, Mr. P. Radhakrishnan asserts, due to these cruel misdeeds suffered for millennium, the attack rose from at the heat of self-respect movement headed by Periyar E.V. Ramasamy.

Finally, Mr. Radhakrishna concludes with a para, Hindutwa is a new set up by Manu's new Avatars; the "Advanis and the Malkanis" and from their on going attempts at resurrecting Manu and reestablishing the old order of his Vision through their violent and vociferous claim for a Rama Temple at Ayothya for which say demolished totally Babri Masjid and claiming Krishna Temple at Mathva so as to demoish worlds seventh wonder of Tajmahal and so on.

Bhagavat Gita Bhagwat Gita is the another side other coin "Mahabarata" Our General Secretary Thiru K. Veeramani has well analysed about this Epic Mahabaratha, whether it was the story which happened truly, in his new book "Gita's another page"-

It is said in Rig Veda a small hint about a tiny war between Gourawas the Bharatha thro' their kind "Suras" and ten Small Kingdoms on the bank of Bhaarushni River. In 5th century B.C., there was no hints about pandavas. There was no big "Guru Kshetra" according to T.T. Kosambi's book "Ancient India".

There is a little reference upto 5th Century B.C. about a little leader for Guru dynasty. Then it was gained at its earliest. So the epic Mahabarata, was exaggerated.

According it GuguKshetre, there were 21870 Ratha force: 21870 Elephant regime; 65610 Horse Force; 109,350 Battalions; whether there can be a big gigantic Force in those ancient days before 5th Century of B.C.? certainly unbelievable.

The epic Ramayana was said to be happened in Thrathayuga that is 12,96,000 years ago. Whether in that Saga, Ravana can have 50 lakhs of years rule? For four "Yugas" (i.e.) 1. Kretha Yug 2. Thretha Yug 3. Duvabara Hugam 4. Kali Yuga, it is said only for 43,320,000 years. It is our late leader and Great Rationalist Thanthai Periyar E.V. Ramasamy who gave a thunder attack. According to Anthropologists and Evolution of civilisation it was a great "Blunder" about such war in "Yugas" when Human evolution was barbaric without dress (i.e. naked), cloth by leaves, no quality of speech, no civilisation.

[Unknown 435]

Ganga's Descent to the Earth from Heaven:

In the eternal struggle between good (gods) and bad (demons), the latter once got the upper hand. Employing an ingenious strategy, the demons hid in the ocean during daytime, and attacked only in the night. The harassed gods in desperation, appealed to the celebrated saint Agastya, who solved the problem by gobbling up the entire ocean in one go. Exposed, the demons were then easily vanquished.


Agastya Drinks up the Ocean
Their mission accomplished, the gods then requested Agastya to release the ocean. His reply astounded them. Taking a deep burp, he informed them that having partaken of the ocean, he had now digested it, and thus some other means would have to be found to fill up the ocean bed again. The gods and people of the world were aghast. Perplexed, they approached Lord Vishnu, the savior of the world, who gave them some good news. Vishnu asked them not to worry since it was destined that Ganga, the heavenly river, would flow on earth, quenching the thirst (both physical and spiritual) of its inhabitants, and also fill up the dried ocean. On enquiring when this would happen, the Great Lord informed them that this would take place in a happy confluence of auspicious circumstances, the process towards which had already begun.

Indeed, in a far corner of the world, a mighty king named Sagara was performing a great sacrificial ritual, which would herald him as the undisputed ruler over all earth. Little did he know that he was destined to be the instrument for fulfilling the cosmic drama being enacted elsewhere.

The ritual consisted of letting lose a white horse, who would be free to wander anywhere upon earth. Following it would be the mighty army of Sagara. Wherever the horse ventured, the king of that domain would have to give him free way, and accept the suzerainty of Sagara, presenting him with material gifts of supplication. In the event of this not happening, Sagara's army was free to challenge the errant ruler in question. Not surprisingly, given king Sagara's prestige and power, no ruler on the way dared hold up the horse.

The news of the impending victory of Sagara reached the ears of Indra, the king of gods. Fearing a challenge to his own throne, Indra disguised himself as a human being, went to the earth and laid his hands on the sacrificial horse. Taking it by the rein, he hid it in the hermitage of sage Kapila. This sage was an extremely accomplished yogi, his inner being made extremely potent by long spells of extreme asceticism.

It was not long before the army of king Sagara, led by his sons (legend puts their number at sixty-thousand), traced the horse to the ascetic's retreat. Incensed at the sage's perceived temerity, the haughty princes rushed towards him in a fit of anger, calling him a thief. The sage, who had hitherto sat unperturbed and unaware throughout the entire proceedings taking place behind his back, was roused from his meditations. Opening his eyes, he had merely gazed at the princes with trepidation, than they were reduced to ashes.

The news of the unfortunate demise of his sons soon reached king Sagara. Now the traditional Indian belief is that if someone dies an untimely death, he or she remains a ghost and is not liberated until something is done to purify the soul from the residue of its accumulated sins. Sagara too, was extremely desirous of ridding the souls of his sons from the after-effects of curse of the wise sage Kapila. On asking, the latter informed the monarch that it was only Ganga, having the auspicious nature of purifying anybody and everybody who crossed her path, who was capable of liberating his sixty thousand sons, and wash away their ashes in her overwhelming flow.

Hearing this, king Sagara immediately handed over the throne to his surviving grandson and went to the Himalayas to perform austerities to Brahma, the Supreme Creator, attempting to convince him to ask Ganga to flow to the earth. Though he tried hard and sincerely, Sagara died before accomplishing his goal. After him his grandson tried to call upon Brahma, but he too was unsuccessful. In this manner, generation after generation of Sagara tried to woo and please Brahma to no avail. It was only the seventh descendant of Sagara, a just and noble king named Bhagiratha who could manage enough austerities to make Brahma appear before him. Happy with Bhagiratha's conduct and also that of his preceding ancestors, Brahma asked Bhagiratha for any boon he wished. Naturally enough, he asked Brahma to request Ganga to flow to the earth from her current abode in heaven. Brahma acquiesced, but also informed the prince that since Ganga flowed with a massive torrential force, if she coursed directly to the terrestrial world the earth would be helpless against her overwhelming current, and all life would be washed away in its flood. The only recourse open was to pray to Lord Shiva, whose matted hair held sufficient power to withstand the onslaught of Ganga's forceful fall.


Painting by Harish Johari
and Pieter Weltevrede
Thus the prince began another severe penance, this time directed towards Lord Shiva, who appeared soon before him and agreed to soften Ganga's fall in his matted hair locks. Having tied up all loose ends, and acquiring the grace of both Brahma and Shiva, Bhagiratha now felt secure about accomplishing his objective. But there were still hiccups on his path, before all issues could be successfully resolved.

Ganga is visualized in Indian thought as a virtuous, but mischievous and restless maiden, just as many young lasses are. She followed Brahma's diktat to descend to earth, but couldn't playfully resist the unwarranted and undeserved feeling that she could sweep away even the mighty Shiva in her forceful current. Shiva, gauging her thoughts, decided to teach her a lesson. Spreading open his serpentine coils of hair, he covered the entire sky, and collected all the waves of Ganga in his outspread locks.

Then with a mighty swoop, he collected his hair, tied into a neat and tight bun, and captured Ganga in the infinite swirls and whirls of his hair. Ganga still flowed with tremendous force, but could not escape, and remained imprisoned and confined inside Shiva's hair.

Bhagiratha, perplexed at the happenings, appealed to Shiva to release Ganga, so that she could wash away the sins of his ancestors, symbolized in their mortal remains. Shiva relented, and in any case Ganga had learnt her lesson. Thus Ganga again followed Bhagiratha, who showed her the way. But there were still more adventures to come.

Just near their ultimate destination lay the hermitage of another accomplished sage, known as Jahnu. Ganga, ever the playful maiden, hurried over to what she perceived was a new and curious place. And lo, barely had she entered upon the precincts of the ashram (hermitage), that it became flooded, and all sacrificial fires were extinguished. The ritual utensils and tools were washed away, and the inhabitants of the sanctuary became frightened and anxious. The leader of the ashram, sage Jahnu, became livid at Ganga's intrusion. He then chanted a mantra, and took a sip of the water flowing all around his hermitage. With the power of his mantra, he swallowed away Ganga with all her waters. All traces of Ganga were gone. Bhagiratha was in a fix. No sooner had he overcome one hurdle, than another was created, mostly due to the impulsiveness and restlessness of Ganga. He hurried over to Jahnu, and explained to him the magnitude and significance of the task he was out to accomplish. Jahnu gave him a sympathetic hearing and appreciated his hard work in bringing Ganga to the earthly realm. Consoling Bhagiratha, he said: " For you, I will release Ganga immediately," and saying this, he made a cut in his left thigh, and the waters of Ganga flew out like a fountain. Hence did Ganga came to be known as Jahnvi, the daughter of sage Jahnu.

Thankfully, the rest of the way was without any further adventures, and Bhagiratha successfully showed Ganga the way to the ashes of his ancestors. As soon as Ganga touched the ashes, the ancestors arose, glowing forth in their astral bodies, and ascended towards heaven. Carrying away their mortal remains, Ganga merged into the ocean, which hitherto had been dry. From that day onwards, the ocean came to be known as 'Sagara,' in honor of the king who started it all in the first place. The place where Ganga merged in the ocean, came to be known as Ganga-Sagar, and to this day, a great festival is held here every year, to celebrate Ganga's birthday, or the day when she came to earth. This occasion is knows as Ganga Dassehra.

This legend makes amply clear that Ganga's purity and auspiciousness springs in no small measure from her proximity to various important divinities and holy sages. Falling onto Shiva's head, where she meanders through his tangled locks, the mighty Ganga appears in this world after having been made more sacred by her direct contact with Shiva, and also the accomplished ascetic Jahnu. The river then spreads the divine potency of these hallowed personalities into the world, when she flows into the terrestrial realm.

Ganga's fall from heaven is replicated daily in the millions of Hindu temples where the water of the Ganga river is poured over the sacred Shiva Linga. Here it is important to note that the linga of Shiva is often thought of as incandescent pillar of fire. By cooling the linga with her soothing waters, Ganga is in a sense saving the world from Shiva's fiery linga, whose extreme heat could destroy all life on earth. Bearing her on his head, Shiva becomes the facilitator for Ganga's smooth fall to the earth. But if Shiva saves the world from the power and force of Ganga's torrent, it is also Ganga, who in a similar manner, saves us from Shiva's scorching powers of destruction.


Sage Narada
Another legend associates Ganga with all the three deities of the Indian triumvirate, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It begins with the celestial sage Narada, who is distinguishable by his veena, a sitar like musical instrument which constantly hangs from his shoulders.

A loud singer, he loved to sing sacred psalms during his sojourns across the heavens. One day, he came upon a group of extraordinary beings in a forest, writhing with uncontrollable agony. Both concerned and curious, the sage approached them and made enquiries regarding the cause of their suffering. Their replies completely floored him. Apparently, these creatures in distress were the personifications of the various ragas (musical modes). Narada, through his inept rendition, was tormenting their souls and spirits, and hence their agony. Narada's sympathetic heart was stirred enough to make him promise that he would not sing or play music until he had mastered its finer points. Of more pressing concern however, was the present state of the ragas, which required immediate succor.

There was only one way out. There needed to be organized, without any further loss of time, a concert by a prefect musician, whose soulful and skilful rendition would seep through the ragas, curing them in the process. Such a perfect musician could only be Lord Shiva. Shiva of course had no reservations about giving an impromptu concert, but for his perfect music, he needed a perfect listener too, who could appreciate and grasp the subtle nuances of his delightful renderings. Thus he requested Brahma and Vishnu to be his audience. They readily agreed. Who wouldn't?

As soon as Shiva struck his first note, the ragas began to heal. It had a visual affect on his divine listeners too. Identifying totally with the soft and melting notes of Shiva's symphony, Vishnu actually started melting himself. Noticing this, Brahma scooped whatever liquid dripped from Vishnu and deposited it in his water pot (kamandalu). Later, he fashioned a beautiful and charming girl out of this liquid. This maiden, because of the auspicious circumstances of her birth, was especially refined herself, and also purified everything that came into contact with her. She was Ganga.