Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.233

Language: English

c6.233.1

Gaṅgā.—The Gaṅgā which is also called Alakanandā² or Dyudhuni³ or Dyunadi⁴ is mentioned in the Ṛgveda⁵ and in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (XIII, 5, 4, 11). Patañjali’s Mahābhāṣya mentions it (1, 1, 9. p. 436; 1. 4. 2. p. 670). It is also mentioned in the Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (II. 18, 26-42; 50-52) as well as in Kālidāsa’s Raghuvaṃśa.⁶ The Gaṅgā is also known as the Bhāgīrathī and Jāhṇavī.⁷ The Yoginītantra refers to it (1. 6; 2. 1; 2. 7, 8; 2. 5). The victory on the Gaṅgā represents the furthest extent of the Kuru rule (Vedic Index, I, 218, f.n. 4). According to the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka (II. 20), those who dwelt between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā were especially honoured. The Varaṇāvatī which is found in the Atharvaveda (IV. 7, 1) seems to be the Ganges according to Ludwig.⁸ The Gaṅgā or the modern Ganges is said to have issued from the foot of the Nārāyaṇa and followed her course on the Mount Meru; then she bifurcated herself in four streams flowing east, south, west and north; the southern stream was allowed by Śiva through the intercession of king Bharata to flow through India.⁹ According to the Harivaṃśa¹⁰ king Pururava lived with Urvaśī for five years on the bank of the river Mandākinī which is another name of the Ganges. According to the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (pp. 242-243) the Ganges is described as Tripathagāminī, i.e., having three courses.

c6.233.2

It was visited by Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.¹¹ The stream which flows in the east towards the Caitraratha forest is called the Sitā which proceeds towards the Varuṇoda-Sarovara. The stream which flows towards the Gandhamādana mountain from the southern side of the Sumeru is called the Alakanandā which falls into the Mānasasarovara in strong currents. The Vāyu and Matsya Purāṇas give almost the same description as the Mārkaṇḍeya of the descent of the Ganges, while the Viṣṇu, Bhāgavata and Padmapurāṇas as well as the Mahābhārata (85. 88-98; 87. 14) agree substantially. According to Bāṇa’s Kādambarī (p. 75) the Ganges while being brought down by Bhagīratha happened to wash off the altar of Jahṇu who was performing a sacrifice. The Padmapurāṇa (Ch. 21) mentions Gaṅgāsāgara-saṅgama which is considered holy. According to the Brahmapurāṇa (Ch. 78, v. 77) the Ganges which flows to the south of the Vindhya mountain is called the Gautamigaṅgā and the Ganges flowing to the north of it is called the Bhāgīrathigaṅgā. (For the interesting account given in the Vāyu Purāṇa, vide B. C. Law, Geographical Essays, Vol. I, p. 85). The Padmapurāṇa (Ch. 4, v. 107) mentions the confluence of the Ganges and the Sindhu as a holy spot. This Purāṇa refers to the seven branches into which the Ganges is divided, namely, Vaṭodakā, Nalinī, Sarasvatī, Jambunadī, Sitā, Gaṅgā and Sindhu (Svargakhaṇḍa, Ch. 2, v. 68).

c6.233.3

Some useful information is supplied by Arrian regarding the Ganges and its tributaries when he observes: ‘Megasthenes states that of the two (the Ganges and the Indus), the Ganges is much the larger. . . It receives, besides, the river Sonos and the Sittokatis and the Solomatis which are also navigable and also the Kondochates and the Sambos and the Magon and the Agoranis and the Omalis. Moreover there fall into it the Kommenases, a great river, and the Kakouthis and the Andomatis . . .’ (McCrindle, Ancient India, pp. 190-91). According to the Jambudīvapaṇṇatti the Ganges flows eastwards with 14,000 other streams joining it. The Great Epic traces the source of this stream to Bindusāra, while the Pali works to the southern face of the Anotatta lake. The Bhāgīrathigaṅgā comes to light in the Gaṅgotrī in the district of Garhwal. From Hardwar down to Bulandshahar the Ganges has a southerly course after which she flows in a south-easterly direction up to Allahabad where she is joined by the Yamunā. From Allahabad down to Rajmahal she has an easterly course. She enters Bengal below Rajmahal. From Hardwar to Allahabad she flows almost parallel to the Yamunā. The Mahābhārata (84. 29) refers to Saptagaṅgā. (For further details, vide Law, Rivers of India, 17ff.; Law, Geographical Essays, 84ff.)