National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

from the matted hair of the great god Çiva, through the influence of the sage
Bhagīratha; the river Gangā wife of Sumudra, pure and destroying sin.› ¹

Again, the Rāmāyana tells us how Çiva ›cast Gangā off in the direction of
the Vindu lake. And as she was let off, seven streams branched out from her.
And the three streams of the excellent Gangā of auspicious waters took an easterly
direction; while the Suchakshu, the Sita, and that mighty river the Sindhu flowed
on the auspicious west. And the seventh followed Bhagiratha's car. And that royal
saint, the exceedingly puissant Bhagiratha, mounted on a superb car, went before;
and Gangā followed him . . .› ²

At another place Gangā is described as the daughter of Himalaya: ›And
having repaired to the north side of that mountain (Himalaya), Maheçvara along
with the goddess became engaged in austerities on the peak Himavatprabhava. I
have now related unto thee, O Rāma, the spread of the Mountain's daughter (Gangā).›³
And further: ›When Rāvaṇa proceeded by the aerial way . . . and again going up
ten thousand leagues he reached the eighth aerial region where Gangā, known as
the Ganges of the sky, having strong currents and sending high roars, and upheld
by air, is situated on the sun's way.› ⁴

On account of the Ganges' descent from heaven this river is also called Deva-
bhūti, ›produced in heaven›, and Khāpagā, ›flowing from heaven›.

The Ganges descended from Çiva's brow in seven rivers, the Sapta-sindhavas.
According to Dowson this expression is often met with in the Vedas and was widely
known, even by the Romans in Augustus' days, for Virgil, Eneid, IX. 30, says:
Ceu septem surgens sedatis amnibus altus — per tacitum Ganges. In Zend they
are called Hapta-hendu. Dowson relates the hymn in which the names of the
rivers have been given: ›Each set of seven (streams) has followed a threefold course.
The Sindhu surpasses the other rivers in impetuosity . . . Receive favorably this
my hymn, O Gangā, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Çutudri, Parushni; hear, O Marud-vridha,
with the Asiknī and Vitastā, and thou, Arjikīyā, with the Sushomā. Unite first in
thy course with the Trishtāmā, the Susartu, the Rasā, and the Çvetyā; thou meetest
with the Gomatī, and the Krumu with the Kubhā and the Mehatnū!› According to
this the seven rivers are — 1) Gangā (Ganges); 2) Yamunā (Jumna); 3) Sarasvatī
(Sarsuti); 4) Çutudri (Satlej); 5) Parushni; 6) Marud-vridha; 7) Arjikīyā (the Vipāçā,
Hyphasis, Byas) . . . In the Mahābhārata the seven rivers are named in one place
Vasokasāra, Nalinī, Pāvanī, Gangā, Sita, Sindhu, and Jambūnadī; and in another,
Gangā, Yamunā, Plakshagā, Rathasthā, Sarayu (Sarju), Gomatī, and Gaṇḍakī (Gan-
dak).² In the Rāmāyaṇa and the Purāṇas the seven streams are the Nalinī, Hlādinī,