55. Ganga Mata - A Spiritual Mother

55. Ganga Mata - A Spiritual Mother:

A wonderful quality of Ganga devi is her causeless compassion on the conditioned souls of Kali-yuga. Just like a caring mother, Ganga devi nourishes and protects the tender spiritual creepers of the living entities in this material world. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu glorified this quality of Ganga devi when He was on His way to Jagannatha Puri soon after taking sannyāsa. While travelling through land where the Ganga did not flow, Gaurahari noticed that the people were not chanting the Lord's name. Then, coming close to the Ganga, He heard a cowherd boy chanting the name of Krsna. 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "The great glory of the Ganges is that she teaches the chanting of Lord Krsna's holy name. The breezes from the Ganga blow here. That is why I hear Lord Krsna's glories." Caitanya Mahaprabhu walked swiftly being eager to be in Ganga devi's presence again. He joyfully dived into her waters and continued His praise, "Your splendid transcendental water is the embodiment of ecstatic love. Anyone who once hears your name attains genuine devotion to Lord Vishnu. How much greater then is a person who drinks your waters. By your mercy people chant the name 'Krsna'. There is no other reason for this. A bird, dog, jackal, worm, or insect who lives on your bank becomes fortunate. You came to this world to rescue fallen souls. No one is your equal." Anyone who hears Lord Caitanya’s prayers glorifying Gaṅgā devī will find love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya in his heart.” (Caitanya Bhagavata Antya 1.106-123) 

Once Garuda, Lord Vishnu's giant eagle carrier, picked up a large snake when he was searching for food. While Garuda was flying over the Ganges, the snake's tail happened to touch the Ganga's sacred waters, and the snake immediately attained a four-armed form resembling the residents of Vaikuntha. Seeing this, Garuda placed that glorious personality on his back and personally carried him to Vaikuntha. (Madhurya Dhama) 

There is another wonderful story in the Puranas that reveals the supreme glories of the water of Ganga devi in purifying sinful hearts. A brahmana was living in Navadvipa. Although he was an advisor to the king, he was a very sinful person, one day he saw a bull lying in the sun sleeping. He grabbed a big stick and began hitting the bull saying he should not be so lazy and should be working in the fields. This bull became very angry and killed the brahmana by goring him with his horns. At the same time another brahmana had finished his morning pûjä on the bank of the Ganga and was walking home. He saw the dead body of the brahmana and sprinkled some of Ganga devi's water onto the body.

A few minutes later, he suddenly saw Yamadutas running past him, coming from behind. They were wounded from battle and screaming as they ran. The brahmana was shocked and asked what was happening. The Yamadūtas told him that they had come to collect this very sinful brahmana and take him to the hellish planets for punishment. But just as we were taking his soul, some heavenly being suddenly appeared and said that the brahmana was to go with them to the heavenly planets. His dead body had been touched by the waters of Ganga devi, and this had purified him of all his heinous sins. When we doubted this, these heavenly beings (Vishnudūtas, servants of Lord Vishnu), became so angry at us that they attacked us and drove us away for our offense of doubting Ganga devi's mercy.

Causeless Mercy, Causeless Purification:

“One becomes purified of sins by seeing, touching, or drinking the Gaṅgā.” (Agni Purāṇa) 

“Anyone who puts clay from the bank of Gaṅgā on his head or smears his body with it becomes free from all sins, even without bathing in Gaṅgā. He who chants the word ‘Gaṅgā, Gaṅgā’ even from a distance of hundreds of yojanas from Gaṅgā is freed from all sins and goes to Vaikuṇṭha.” (Padma Purāṇa)

The Narada Purana also says, "A person who touches the Ganges attains an eternal spiritual form. (Madhurya Dhama, Nārada Purāṇa) 

Sins perish just by remembering Gaṅgā, or even by merely looking at her. Very heinous sins perish by chanting her name. Hosts of great sins are exhausted by taking a daily bath in the Gaṅgā, by drinking her water, and by offering oblations into her waters. As cotton is immediately burned by fire, sins are destroyed in a moment by the touch of her waters. (Padma Purāṇa)

One who fasts, bathes in the Gaṅgā on Gaura Pūrṇima, and worships Lord Gaurāṅga will cross over the material ocean of birth and death along with 1000 of his ancestors and attain Goloka after death. (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya) 

Puṇḍarika Vidyānidhi always drank Gaṅgā water before worshiping the Lord. By this he taught the proud scholars about the greatness of Mother Gaṅgā. (Caitanya Bhagavata) 

Western devotees often sit on the banks of the Gaṅgā and cover their bodies with mud before bathing in Gaṅgā’s nectarean waters. Besides being beneficial for health, this playful practice purifies the soul.

“He who smears the mud from the banks of the Gaṅgā on his head and body will get the lustre and glow of the demigods like Sūrya. The Ganges water can wash off all sins.” (Mahābhārata) 

Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu is like a golden mountain emanating the jewels of the highest form of Kṛṣṇa-prema. Gaurāṅga wanders here and there distributing His mercy to the afflicted. Known as Viśvambhara, the maintainer of the universe, He flooded the universe with a Ganges River of tears, flowing from His eyes in the waves of love of Godhead. (Sri Sacinandana Vijayastaka) 

Lord Nityānanda said, ‘Service to the Gaṅgā breaks offenses to pieces.’ 

Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu said, ‘By the power of bathing in the Gaṅgā, and chanting the holy name of Lord Hari, people attain devotional service to the Lord.’ (Caitanya Bhagavata) 

Lord Gaurāṅga felt morose and wondered why He could not attain the happiness of ecstatic love, even after chanting and dancing for a long time. Advaita Ᾱcārya, however, was clapping His hands and joyfully dancing. Thinking that He was completely devoid of Kṛṣṇa-prema, Gaurāṅga jumped in the Gaṅgā to drown Himself. Grabbing Gaurāṅga’s hair and feet, Nityānanda and Haridāsa saved Him. “Lord Caitanya said, ‘Why should I stay alive if there is no ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa in My life? Why did you two rescue Me?’ (Caitanya Bhagavata)

Mercy For Kali-Yuga:

The following is a conversation between Lord Krsna and Ganga devi from the Brahma-vivarta Purana. Krsna is asking Ganga devi to stay even though Kali-yuga is approaching. Krsna's dear associate would appear in that age and spread the holy name in every country of the world. At that time, many devotees from all over the world would come to Mayapur and bathe in her waters.

Speaking on behalf of the sacred rivers (Yamuna, Kaveri, Godavari, Sindhu, Sarasvati, and Narmada), Ganga devi said, "Lord Krsna, we can see that Your pastimes are about to end, and people are becoming more and more materialistic. You have been very merciful to us. After You leave, however, all the sinful people of Kali will take bath in our waters, and we will become overwhelmed with sinful reactions."

Lord Krsna smiled and replied to Ganga devi, "Be patient. After 5,000 years, My mantra upasaka (worshiper of the holy name) will appear in this world and spread the chanting of the holy name everywhere. Not only in India, but all over the world people will chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare."

"By this chanting the whole world will become eka-varna (one class), one designation, namely hari-bhaktas, devotees of the Supreme Lord Krsna. Because the devotees of Hari are so pure, anyone who contacts them will become purified from sinful reactions. These pure devotees will visit India and purify you of your sinful reactions by bathing in your sacred waters. This period of worldwide chanting of Hare Krsna will continue for 10,000 years."

"After that, the devotees will see the full force of Kali-yuga overtaking the world. At that time your sacred waters should hide under the earth like Sarasvati has already done and wait for the next Satya-yuga." (Brahma-vivarta Purāṇa)

Gangā Mātā Ki Jai!