Chapter 45 - History of Ganga (continued, 9)

Thus it came about that Bhagiratha one day Saw with amazement and delight the four-armed and white complexioned goddess Ganga, standing before him in all her divine glory. Ah! who could describe the heavenly joy he felt at beholding with his real eyes, the goddess whose form had, during his long and deep meditation, been constantly before his mind’s eye?

He fell down in raptures before her, and, with a faltering voice, said,

“O Goddess, I am Dilipa’s son, and my name is Bhagiratha. I am the king of this earth. Let me worship your feet which are soft as lotus blossoms. It is through the meritorious deeds and austerities of my forefathers that you have shown yourself to me. O merciful goddess, I feel that I have gained my object, and that my birth in the solar dynasty has proved a blessing to-day. Let my body be of some use by falling down at your feet again and again, and allow me, O lotus-eyed, to sanctify, my speech by reciting your one thousand different names before you.”

Saying this, Bhagiratha commenced a long prayer, and the goddess, Ganga, was highly pleased with him.

She said,

“King, I have come to grant you a boon: tell me what you desire. I know the secret of your heart, but still you must express it before me.”

Bhagiratha said,

“Goddess, if you are pleased with me, I entreat you to leave Vishnu’s feet, and go to Patala, through the earth, to redeem my ancestors. I pray for a second boon also which is that whoever, henceforward repeats the prayer containing your one thousand names, which I have repeated before you to-day, shall not be forsaken by you.”

Ganga said,

“I grant both, and add a third one of my own accord. It is that I shall be known hereafter as your daughter and called Bhagirathi. Go now and worship the Lord Siva with a view to inducing him to receive me on his head when I fall down from Vaikuntha, because otherwise the earth will not be able to bear the shock of my fall. When Siva agrees to receive me, go and take your stand on the summits of mount Sumeru, and, as soon as you blow your conch, I shall descend from heaven and fellow you wheresoever you go.”

Saying this the goddess Ganga disappeared from Bhagiratha’s sight.