River Ganga and Bhagirath

My Dear Young and Little Indians,

This is the history of River Ganga -the most sacred river of India and Indians.

• Lets go back in history to Raja Ikshvaku राजा इक्ष्वाकु. This was the start of a dynasty that came to be known as इक्ष्वाकु वंश
  
• Raja Harishchandr राजा हरिश्चंद्र who is remembered for being truthful and true to his words was a descendant of Raja Ikshvaku राजा इक्ष्वाकु
• Generations later it was Raja Sagar राजा सगर who ruled Ayodhya.
• Sons of Raja Sagar राजा सगर were cursed and burned to ashes by Rishi Kapil ऋषि कपिल
• When Amshuman अम्शुमान who was the grandson of Raja Sagar सगर requested Rishi Kapil to let his Uncles go to heaven, Rishi Kapil said- If the holy River Ganga गंगा is brought down to earth from heaven and the water of Ganga touches the ashes of his uncles then they would get a place in heaven.
  
• Till this time River Ganga flowed in heaven. River Ganga had the power to purify everything that came its way.
• Amshuman अम्शुमान conveyed this message of Rishi Kapil to his grandfather Raja Sagar राजा सगर. However, Raja Sagar राजा सगर could not get Ganga to earth.
• Amshuman अम्शुमान succeeded him as the king. But he too could not get Ganga to earth.
• His son Raja Dilip राजा दिलीप also could not get Ganga to earth.
• King Dilip's son Bhagirath (भागीरथ) was to succeeded him. He vowed not to accept the throne until he succeeded in getting Ganga to earth.
• After long and deep meditation, God Brahma भगवान् ब्रह्मा blessed him and agreed to send Ganga to earth. But there was a problem....when River Ganga would descend from heaven to earth, the force of Ganga would be so strong that the earth would not be able to bear it ! But God Shiv could help. 
• Bhagirath (भागीरथ) now began worshiping God Shiv. 
• God Shiv blessed him and agreed to receive Ganga and to channelize her flow when she descends to the earth. River Ganga then descended to God Shiv's hair locks and then on to the earth.
• Ganga is also known as Jatashankari जटाशंकरी. Jata जटा means 'Hair' and Shankar शंकर is another name of God Shiv.
  
• In today's times, the place where Ganga descended on the earth from God Shiv's hair locks is called Gangotri गंगोत्री. Gangotri is a place in 'Uttarkashi' district in the state of Uttarakhand. 
• As it was King Bhagirath who brought River Ganga to earth, the river is also known as Bhagirathi (भागीरथी).
• River Ganga now started flowing downhill on the earth. She reached a place where Rishi Jahnu ऋषि जाह्नू was performing a yagya. Ganga by mistake flooded the area and the sacrificial fire got destroyed. Angered Rishi Jahnu stopped her flow there. When Bhagirath explained the efforts that he had put in to get Ganga to earth, Rishi Jahnu agreed to let go River Ganga. From then on Ganga also came to be known as Jahnvi जाहनवी. 
• River Ganga flowed down and reached the ocean bed. Since it was King Sagar सगर who wanted to get Ganga to earth, we Indians call the ocean as 'Sagar' सागर. 
• Generations after King Bhagirath, Raja Dilip राजा दिलीप ruled Ayodhya.
• He was succeeded by Raja Raghu राजा रघु
• Then it was Raja Aj राजा अज
• Then his son Dashrath दशरथ became the King of Ayodhya.
• After Raja Dashrath राजा दशरथ, this planet was blessed by Lord Ram राजा राम

Raja Raghu was the Great Grandfather of Lord Ram.
Lord Ram is also referred to as Raghu Nandan रघुनन्दन ......meaning son or descendant of Raja Raghu.

You would have read/ heard these words.....

रघुकुल रीत सदा चली आई, 

प्राण जाई पर वचन न जाई

रघुकुल means the family of Raghu ( King Raghu)

It is the tradition or principle of Raghukul रघुकुल to value their words more than their life. The principles of Satyawadi Raja Harishchandr सत्यवादी राजा हरिश्चंद्र were followed and honoured by his generations.

My Dear Young and Little Indians,

You, me and each one of us is a descendant of principled men like राजा हरिश्चंद्र and राजा राम. Let us carry forward the values & principles of our forefathers. 

राजा हरिश्चंद्र and राजा राम are not remembered for their wealth and riches.

They are remembered for their values & principles. These are things that money can't buy.

Jai Hind !