Gange cha Yamune chaiva

 

Gange cha Yamune chaiva

Godaavari Saraswati

Narmade Sindhu Kaaveri

Jalesmin sannidhim kuru

A dear friend and colleague recently returned from India and was sharing her experiences at Kashi. She went there with her mother in December under somber circumstances to immerse the ashes of her younger brother and father who passed away within a few months of each other.

Her impression of the Ganga brought to mind a series of verses( shlokas) I had learned while growing up. These are invocations of the holy waters of the Ganga and are to be chanted while bathing. 

As I recalled them I pulled out an old diary and sure enough these were all there in my handwriting. As a teenager I used to mechanically chant them while bathing. Then slowly the practice dropped. After so many years all those verses came back alive in the mind. So did the memories of the visual impact of the grand Ganga at Haridwar and Rishikesh and the magnificent Ganga Arati at these places. 

There are a total of 9 verses I had memorized at the time and they used to offer a certain peace to the mind despite not fully understanding what they meant. 

It is beyond the scope of this post to discuss all nine but I will touch upon a few things in the context of these verses.

Attaching a photo of my handwritten verses in the comments. 

The first verse invokes the holy waters of seven rivers in India namely Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. It calls for their blessings as the water cleanses the body. 

Any clean water will do its job to cleanse the physical body. You don’t need holy water for it. The real purpose of invoking holy waters is to cleanse the mind along with the body. 

Namami Gange Tava Paadapankajam 

Suraasura vandit divya roopam 

Bhuktim cha Muktim cha dadaasi nityam 

Bhaavanusaarena sadaa naraanaam 

I bow to you O Ganga and so do the Gods and Demons bow at your divine feet.

Based on each one’s merit and the desires they hold in their minds you bless each devotee with worldly pleasures or the rare opportunity for salvation. 

In Hindu scriptures the greatness of Ganga is elevated to such levels as in this verse. Not just ordinary humans but even the Gods and their mighty adversaries bow down to her. Mythology narrates that such was her force and power that she could have drowned the entire subcontinent if she flowed directly from heaven. So Shiva led her gently down from his tresses so she would be a blessing not a curse for humankind. 

Humans often have difficulty connecting with a God without form or invisible to eyes or touch. A tangible object like a big river that serves a bigger purpose for humanity is something that is more within the grasp of human intelligence. Connecting the origin of the Ganga to the mythological God figure establishes a spiritual connection within people of faith.

Newborns and grownups alike are taken for blessings and purification from her waters. The dying are offered her waters to purify before they take the last breath. What’s more, even the mortal remains are surrendered to her waters with the faith that she will lead them to salvation or a better world. This is the mukti ( liberation from cycle of life and death) that is mentioned in the verse above.

Now let’s see why bhukti ( enjoyment) is mentioned in that verse. From time immemorial civilizations thrived around rivers. In the last verse dedicated to the Earth we heard description of her covered with oceans. The oceans are much bigger bodies of water and play a big role scientifically in nature’s water cycle. They are also the source of sea food . However for immediate practical purposes they are of not much use to us. Human lives thrive on water from the rivers. To drink as well as grow our crops. And for several cleaning activities. As an individual, small community, big city or an entire nation….none can survive if there was no supply of water from a river. Economy thrives directly in proportion to the supply of water.

That’s why the rivers are so precious and given the status of a goddesses because they sustain life and are a source of hope for life beyond. 

It is important to consider here our responsibility towards preserving the sanctity of the waters. Just like discussed in the earlier post about the obligation towards the Earth we owe certain responsibilities towards the protection of our waters. Keeping all sources of water clean is one of them. Whether it is a river, stream, lake or ocean! Avoid dumping toxic chemicals, organic and other wastes into the water, prevent oil leaks, stop dumping plastic into the waters. And cultivate habits to conserve water. Living in California for over three decades has made me familiar with effects of drought. Every saved drop of water makes a difference at the smallest to biggest level. From a single house to the farms. Simple habits like not letting the tap run while brushing teeth or washing dishes, not taking long showers, avoiding frequent tub baths, using shorter cycles for dishwashers and washing machines where possible, not leaving garden faucets/ hoses unattended and running are a few things that are something we can do. Water conservation programs at the government level are still a work in progress. 

Paapoham Paapa karmaaham

Paapaatmaa Paapa sambhavahaa 

Traahi maam kripayaa Gange

Sarva paap haraa bhava 

This is a hymn asking for forgiveness for sinful acts committed in ignorance and protection/ guidance to avert such acts in the future. 

Often I wonder how cleverly our ancestors created a thoughtful exercise in our daily activities with these verses that cultivated respect and due regard and gratitude for things that matter most, things that sustain our lives as well as lead to self improvement. 

Who is not prone to committing wrong acts? Many are lost in these for all their lives. But thankfully not all. It is indeed good karma to realize when we do wrong and meet someone who can show us a way to do better and change course. Prayers such as these purify the mind in several ways. They bring an awareness of right and wrong, give us motivation to create habits to do good and prescribe redemption for mistakes, provided there is true remorse. 

Ganga Gangeti yo bruyaat

Yojanaanaam shatairapi

Muchyate sarva paapebhyo 

Vishnulokam cha gachchati

Not all people have the privilege to physically go take a dip in the Ganga. Nevertheless invoking her virtues and thereby committing oneself to a life of purity and service is no less effective in leading us on the path to salvation. 

One of my favorite songs in the voice of the late singer Mukesh is a Ram Bhajan. Not sure if the original lyrics are from Tulsi Ramayan or by the lyricist Saraswati Kumar but irrespective, they are beautiful. In one of its verses the lines say:

Koi ghar mein baithaa naman kare 

Koi Hari Mandir mein bhajan kare

Koi Ganga Jamuna snaan kare

Koi Kashi jaake dhyaan dhare 

Jin maat pitaa ki sevaa ki

Un teerath snaan kiyo na kiyo 

Some may pray in their homes

Some may sing bhajans at the temple

Some may bathe in the holy rivers Ganga Jamuna

Some may go to Kashi( Benares) and meditate 

Those who dedicate themselves to the service of their parents for them it is immaterial whether or not they bathe at a holy site. They are already pure in every way. 

This verse really captures the essence of the practice of bathing in holy waters. As I said earlier any water is good enough to cleanse the physical body. Sacred waters or other practices are really token measures for purifying the mind. A life of pure service needs no such special tokens. 

The last trio of these posts concludes the morning prayer series. 

I started with karaagre vasate Lakshmi which brings focus on self efforts. 

Next was Samudravasane Devi which teaches us to treat our planet and it cohabitants with respect, kindness and humility. 

Lastly Gange cha Yamune chaiva that imbibes culture of self purification through right thinking and a life of service. 

As I was writing this series many times I found close relevance of the theme with Dnyaaneshwar’s Pasaaydaan. For example : Duritaanche Timir Jaavo, Vishwa swadharma soorye paho( May the evil drop their ignorant ways and May all see the dawn of righteous duty). 

None of these are my verses. They are passed down through hundreds of generations by our wise and caring ancestors who wished for us to lead meaningful lives and prepare us to attain the four goals of artha, kaam, dharma and moksha( wealth, pleasures, righteousness and salvation). I just got inspired to discuss these here on occasion of the New Year. No credit to me for anything. 

From the bottom of my heart wishing each of you happiness and well-being in the journey forward. 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Saree is another ikat from Odisha. This one is by Mr Sarat Patra Odisha’s most celebrated and skilled weavers in the present day.  His famous works include ikat depiction of Jaydev’s Geet Govind. It is in more than one way poetry in textile. What sets Sarat ji and his wife Jasodhara apart from most other weavers is the clarity of the ikat lines. These are so well defined, sharp and therefore make all motifs stand out , it is hard to believe this is ikat and not a print. 

My saree here displays the traditional jhoti alpana motifs that signify auspiciousness. Included in this saree is also a special motif of gendaberunda, the mythical two headed eagle. The woven borders have rows of fish motifs.