History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.123

v5.c74.123

In the Bhagavadgītā (X. 31) Lord Kṛṣṇa says that among streams he is the Ganges (srotasāmasmi Jāhnavī). The Manusmṛti setting out an exordium to a witness to tell the truth indicates that the Ganges and Kurukṣetra were the most sacred spots in the age of the Manusmṛti.¹³²⁶ Some of the Purāṇas describe the Ganges as flowing in Heaven (as Mandākinī), on the earth (as Gaṅgā) and in the nether regions or Pātāla (as Bhogavatī). Vide Padma VI. 267. 47. The Viṣṇupurāṇa¹³²⁷ and other Purāṇas state that the Ganges springs from the toe-nail of the left foot of Viṣṇu. In some Purāṇas it is said that Śiva let off from his matted hair the Ganges in seven streams, three flowing towards the east (Nalinī, Hlādinī, Pāvanī), three to the west (Sītā, Cakṣus and Sindhu) and Bhāgīrathī (vide Matsya 121. 38-41, Brahmāṇḍa II. 18 39-41, Padma I 3. 65-66). The Kūrmapurāṇa (I 46.30-31) and Varāha (chap. 82 in prose) state that the Ganges flows first in four different streams, Sītā, Alakanandā, Sucakṣu and Bhadrā and that the Alakanandā flows towards the south, comes to Bhāratavarṣa and falls into the sea with seven mouths¹³²⁸ In the Brahmapurāṇa (73. 68-69) the Ganges is described as sprung from the foot of Viṣṇu and as established in the matted hair of Maheśvara (Śiva).