The Geography of the Puranas c8.17

c8.17

(iii) From this common source, i.e. the Pāmīrs, the snowy Gaṅgā melts and divides into the four main rivers of Asia which radiate in different directions. The Gaṅgā at this stage becomes a stream or rather four streams of water. The Purāṇas have thus rolled the accounts of the glaciers of Asia, the rivers of Asia and their origin into one, in a simple but colourful statement, which is repeated practically in all the Purāṇas.