Anushasanika Parva — Countries, provinces, mountains and rivers most sanctified

Vaishampayana said Equal to Brihaspati in intelligence and Brahman himself in forgiveness, resembling Shakra in prowess and the Sun in energy, Bhishma the son of Ganga, of infinite might, had been defeated in battle by Arjuna. Accompanied by his brothers and many other people king, Yudhishthira asked him these questions.

The old hero was lying on a bed coveted by heroes, in expectation of that sacred moment when he could take leave of his body. Many great Rishis had come there for seeing that foremost one of Bharata's race.

Amongst them were Atri, Vasishtha, Bhrigu, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. There were also Angiras, Gotama, Agastya, Sumati of well restrained soul, Vishvamitra, Sthulashiras, Samvarta, Pramati and Dama. There were also Brihaspati, Ushanas, Vyasa, Chyavana, Kashyapa, Dhruva, Durvasas, Jamadagni, Markandeya Galava, Bharadvaja, Raibhya Yavakrita and Trita.

There Sthulaksha, Shavalaksha, Kanwa, Medhatithi, Krishi, Narada, Parvata, Sudhanwan, Ekata and Dwita.

There also Nitambhu Bhuvana, Dhaumya, Shatananda, Akritavrana, Rama the son of Jamadagni and Kacha.

All these great Rishis came there for seeing Bhishma lying on his bed of arrows. Yudhishthira with his brothers duly adored those great Rishis who had come there, one after another in proper order. Receiving that were were adoration, those foremost of Rishis sat themselves down and began to converse with one another.

Their conversation related to Bhishma and was highly sweet and agreeable. Hearing that talk of theirs about himself, Bhishma became filled with joy and considered himself to be already in heaven.

Having obtained the leave of Bhishma and of the Pandava princes those Rishis then disappeared before the very sight of all the beholders.

The Pandavas bowed again and again and offered their adorations to those highly blessed Rishis even after they had made themselves invisible.

They then cheerfully waited upon the son of Ganga even as Brahmanas versed in Mantras wait with respect upon the rising Sun.

The Pandavas saw that the points of the compass shining on account of the energy of their penances, and became filled with wonder at the spectacle.

Thinking of the high blessedness and power of those Rishis, the Pandava princes began to discourse on the subject with their grandfather Bhishma.

Vaishampayana said After that conversation was over, the pious Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, touched Bhishma's feet with his head and then resumed his questions about morality and virtue.

Yudhishthira said Which countries, which provinces, which hermitages, which mountains, and which rivers, O grandfather, are the foremost in sancity.

Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old conversation between a Brahmana in the observance of the Shila and the Unccha vows, O Yudhishthira, and a Rishi crowned with ascetic merits.

Once on a time, a foremost person, having travelled over this entire Earth adorned with mountains, arrived at last in the house of a foremost person living like a householder in accordance with the shila vow. The latter welcomed his guest with due rites. Received with such hospitality, the happy Rishi passed the night happily in the house of his host.

The next morning the Brahmana in the observance of the Shila vow, having finished all his morning acts and rites and purified himself duly, gladly approached his guest crowned with ascetic success.

Meeting with each other and seated at their ease, the two began to take on agreeable subjects of the Vedas and the Upanishads.

Towards the conclusion of the discourse, the Brahmana in the observance of the Shila vow respectfully addressed the Rishi crowned with success. Gifted with intelligence, he put this very question which you, O Yudhishthira have put to me.

The Poor Brahmana said What are those countries, what are those provinces, what those hermitages, what those mountains, and what those rivers that should be considered as the foremost in sanctity? Do you describe this to me.

The Rishi said Those countries, those provinces, those retreats, and those mountains, should be considered as the foremost in sanctity through which or by the side of which that foremost of all rivers viz., Bhagirathi, flows.

The end which a creature can attain by penances by Brahmacharyya by sacrifices or by practising Renunciation, one is sure to attain by only living by the side of the Bhagirathi and bathing in its sacred waters.

Those creatures whose bodies have been sprinkled with the sacred waters of Bhagirathi or whose bones have been laid in that sacred stream, have not to fall away from heaven at any time.

Those men, O learned Brahmana, who use the waters of Bhagirathi in all their acts surely go to heaven after death.

Even those men who, having committed various sinful deeds in the first part of their lives, live in after years by the side of Ganga, succeed in attaining to a very superior end.

Hundreds of sacrifices cannot yield that merit which men of controlled souls are capable of acquiring by bathing in the sacred waters of Ganga.

A person is respected and adored in the celestial region for as long a period as his bones lie in the channel of Ganga.

Even as the Sun, when he rises at the dawn of day, shines, having removed the darkness of night, likewise the person who has bathed in the waters of Ganga is seen to shine, purged of all his sins.

The countries and the points of the compass which are destitute of the sacred waters of Ganga are like nights without the moon or trees without flowers. Indeed a world without Ganga is like the different castes and modes of life when they are shorn of virtue or like sacrifices without Soma.

Forsooth countries and points of the compass which are without Ganga are like the sky without the sun or the Earth without mountains, or the etherial region without air.

All the creatures in the three worlds, if served with the sacred waters of Ganga, derive a pleasure the like of which they cannot derive from any other source.

He who drinks Ganga water which has been heated by the Sun's rays, derives merit much greater than that which belongs to the vow of living upon the wheat or grains or other corn picked up from cowdung.

It cannot be said whether, he who performs a thousand Chandrayana rites for purifying his body and he who drinks the water of Ganga, are equal.

It cannot be said whether one who stands for a thousand years on one foot and one who lives for only a month by the side of Ganga are equal.

One who lives permanently by the side of Ganga is superior in merit to one who lives for ten thousand cycles with head hanging downwards.

As cotton, when it comes into contact with fire, is burnt off without a residue, so the sins of the person that has bathed in Ganga become perfectly consumed.

There is no end superior to Ganga for those creatures who, with hearts afflicted by sorrow, seek to attain to ends which may remove that sorrow of theirs.

As snakes become shorn of their poison as soon as they see Garuda, so one becomes purged of all his sins as soon as he sees the sacred river Ganga.

They who do not enjoy fame for virtue and they who are addicted to deeds of sinfulness, have Ganga for their fame, their protection, their means of safety their refuge or cover.

Many wretched men who commit various sins of a heinous nature, when they are about to sink into hell, are rescued by Ganga in the next world.

They, O foremost of intelligent men, who plunge every day in the sacred waters of Ganga, become the equals of great Munis and the very deities headed by Indra.

Those wretched men who are destitute of humility or modesty of behaviour and who are greatly sinful, become righteous and good, O Brahmana, by living by the side of Ganga.

As ambrosia is to the deities, as Svadha is to the Pitris, as Svadha is to the Nagas, so is Gangawater to human beings.

As children stricken with hunger, solicit their mothers for food, similarly do people desirous of their highest good seek Ganga.

As the region of the selfcreate Brahman is said to be the foremost of all places, so is Ganga said to be foremost of all rivers for those who desire to bathe.

As the Earth and the cow are said to be the chief sustenance of the celestials, so is Ganga the chief sustenance of all living creatures.

As the celestials support themselves upon the ambrosia that is in the Sun and the Moon and that is offered in various sacrifices, so do human beings support themselves upon Gangawater.

One besmeared with the sand taken from the shores of Ganga considers oneself as an inhabitant of heaven, adorned with celestial unguents.

He who bears on his head the mud taken from the banks of Ganga looks effulgent like the sun himself bent on removing the surrounding darkness.

When the wind which is moistened with the particles of Gangawater touches one's body, it cleanses him immediately of every sin.

A person afflicted by calamities and about to sink under their pressures finds all his calamities removed by the joy which originates in his heart on seeing that sacred river.

By the sweet notes of the swans and Kokas and other aquatic fowl that play on her breast, Ganga, challenges the very Gandharvas and by her high banks the very mountains on the Earth.

Seeing her surface teeming with swans and various other aquatic fowl, and having banks adorned with pasture lands with kine grazing on them, the celestial region herself loses her pride.

The high happiness which one enjoys by living on the banks of Ganga, can never be his who is living even in the celestial region.

I have no doubt in this that the person who is afflicted with sins perpetrated in words and thought and act, becomes cleansed on seeing Ganga.

By seeing that sacred river, touching it, and bathing in its waters, one rescues his ancestors to the seventh degree, and his descendants to the seventh degeree, as also other ancestors and descendants.

By hearing of Ganga, by wishing to go to that river, by drinking its waters, by touching those waters, and by bathing in them , a person rescues both his paternal and maternal families.

By seeing touching and drinking the waters of Ganga, or by praising them, hundreds and thousands of sinful men become purged of all their sins.

They who wish to make their birth, life, and learning successful, should go to Ganga and please the departed manes and the celestials by offering them oblations of water.

The merit that one acquires by bathing in Ganga is such that the like of it is incapable of being acquired through the acquisition of sons or riches or the performance of meritorious acts.

Those who, although physically able do not seek to see the sacred Ganga, are, forsooth, comparable persons suffering from congenital blindness or those who are dead or those who are benumbed through palsy or lameness.

What is there who would not respect this sacred river that is adored by great Rishis knowing the Present the Past and the Future, as also by the very gods headed by Indra? to

What man is there who wouldnot seek the protection of Ganga whose protection is sought by hermits and householders, by Yatis and Brahmacharins alike?

The virtuous man with controlled mind, thinks of Ganga at the time when his vital airs are about to leave his body, succeeds in acquiring the highest end.

That man who lives by the side of Ganga up to the time of his death, worshipping her reverentially, becomes freed from all fear of sin and of kings.

When that highly sacred river dropped from the sky, Maheshvara held it on his head. It is that very river which is worshipped in heaven.

The three regions are beautiful by the three courses of this sacred river. The man who uses the waters of that river, becomes certainly successful.

As the solar ray is to the gods in the celestial region, as the moon is to the departed manes, as the king is to human beings, so is Ganga to all rivers.

One who becomes bereaved of mother or father or sons or wives or riches does not feel that grief which one feels when he becomes bereaved of Ganga.

One does not get that joy through acts that lead to the region of Brahman, or through such sacrifices and rites that lead to heaven, or through children or riches, which one get from seeing Ganga.

The pleasure that men derive from seeing Ganga is tantamount to what they derive from seeing the full moon.

That man becomes dear to Ganga who worship her with deep devotion, with mind wholly fixed upon her, with a respect that refuses to take in any other object within its sphere, with a feeling that there is nothing else in the universe worthy of similar adoration, and with a steadiness that knows no decrease.

Creatures who live on Earth, in the sky or in the celestial region indeed, even beings who are very superior, should always bathe in Ganga. Indeed, this is the foremost of all duties of the righteous.

The fame of Ganga for sanctity has spread over the entire universe, since she carried all the sons of Sagara, who had been reduced to ashes, from here to the celestial region,

Men who are washed by the bright, beautiful, high, and rapidly moving waves, raised by the wind, of Ganga, become purged of all their sins and resemble in splendour the Sun with his thousand rays.

Those men of tranquil souls who have renounced their bodies in the waters of Ganga whose sanctity is as great as that of the butter and other liquids poured in sacrifices and which are capable of giving merits equal to those of the greatest of sacrifices, have certainly attained to a station equal to that of the very gods.

Indeed, Ganga, having faine and vast extent and at one with the entire universe and respected by the deities headed by Indra, the Munis, and human beings, is competent to grant the fruition of all their wishes io them who are blind, to them who are idiots, and to them who are destitute of all things.

They who seek refuge with Ganga, that protectress of all the universe, that flows in three currents, that is filled with water at once highly sacred and sweet as honey and productive of every sort of good, have succeeded in acquiring the beatitude of Heaven.

That mortal who live by the side of Ganga and sees her every day, becomes purified by her sight and touch. To him the gods give every sort of happiness here and a high end hereafter.

Ganga is regarded as competent to rescue every creature from sin and lead him to the happiness of Heaven. She is held to be at one with Prishni the mother of Vishnu. She is identical with the Word or Speech. She is very remote and can not be easily attained. She is the embodiment of auspiciousness, and prosperity. She is capable granting the six wellknown attributes beginning with lordship or power. She is always bent upon showing her grace. She is the displayer of all things in the universe, and she is the great resort of all creatures. Those who seek her protection in this life have surely acquired heaven.

The fame of Ganga has spread all over the sky, and Heaven, and Earth, and all the points, cardinal and subsidiary, of the compass. By using the waters of that foremost of rivers, mortal creatures always become crowned with high success.

That person who, himself seeing Ganga, points her out to others, finds that Ganga rescues him from rebirth and confers Liberation on him. Ganga held Guha, the commander-in-chief of the celestial army in her womb. She bears the most precious of all metals, viz., gold, also in that womb of hers. They who bathe in her waters every day in the morning, succeed in obtaining the three-fold objects, viz., Virtue and Wordly Profit and Pleasure. Those waters are, again, equal in point of sanctity to the butter that is poured with Mantras on the sacrificial fire. Capable of purging one from every sin, she has descended from the celestial region and her current is held in high regard by every one.

Ganga is the daughter of Himavat, the wife of Hara, and the ornament of both Heaven and Earth. She is the bestower of everything auspicious, and is competent to give the six well known attributes beginning with lordship or power. Indeed, O king, Ganga is the one object of great sanctity in the three worlds and confers merit upon all.

Truly, O king, Ganga is Virtue in liquefied i form. She is energy in a liquid forin over the Earth. She is gifted with the splendour or power that belongs to the butter that is poured with Mantras on the sacrificial fire. She is always adorned with large waves as also with Brahmanas who may at all times be seen making their ablutions in her waters. Falling from Heaven, she was held by Shiva on his head. The very mother of the heavens, she has originated from the highest mountain for running over the plains and conferring the most valuable benefits on all creatures of the Earth.

She is the highest cause of all things; she is perfectly pure. She is as subtile as Brahma. She is the best bed for the dying. She takes creatures speedily to the celestial region. She carries a large volume of water. She confers great fame on all. She is the protectress of the universe. She is at one with every forin. She is very much coveted by persons crowned with success. Indeed, Ganga is the path to that celestial region of those who have bathed in her water.

The Brahmanas consider Ganga as being equal to the Earth in forgiveness, and in the protection and upholding of those who live by her, further, as equalling Fire and the Sun in energy and splendour; and, lastly, as always equalling Guha himself in the matter of showing favours to the trueborn class.

Those men who, in the life, even in their minds seek that sacred river which is lauded by the Rishis, which has come out of the feet of Vishnu, which is very ancient, and which is highly sacred succeed in going to the regions of Brahman.

Fully convinced that children and other belongings, as also regions possessed of every kind of happiness, are transitory or frail, men of subdued souls, who are desirous of acquiring that everlasting station which is at one with Brahina, always pay their adorations to Ganga with that respect and love which are due from a son to a mother.

The man of purified soul who is desirous of acquiring success should seek the protection of Ganga who is like a cow that gives ambrosia instead of ordinary milk, who is prosperity's self, who is endued with omniscience, who exists for all creatures, who is the source of all sorts of food, who is the mother of all mountains, who is the refuge of all pious persons, who is immeasurable in power and energy and who charms the heart of Brahman himself.

Having, with austere penances, pleased all the gods with the Supreme Lord (Vishnu), Bhagiratha brought Ganga down on the Earth. Going to her, men always succeed in freeing themselves from every sort of fear both here and hereafter.

Observing with the help of intelligence, I have mentioned to you only a small portion of the merits of Ganga. My power, however, is inadequate to speak of all the merits of the sacred river, or indeed, to measure her power and sanctity.

One may, displaying his best powers, count the stones of the mountain Meru or measure the waters of the ocean. But one cannot count all the merits of the waters of Ganga.

Hence, having listened to these particular merits of Ganga which I have uttered with great devotion, one should in thought, word and deed, respect them with faith and devotion.

On account of your having listened to those merits which I have recounted, you are sure to fill all the three regions with fame and acquire a measure of success that is very large and that is difficult of being won by any other person. Indeed, you will soon after that, sport in joy in many a region of great happiness created by Ganga herself for those that respect her.

Ganga always extends her favour to those who are devoted to her in huinbleness of heart. She unites those who are so devoted to her with every kind of happiness. I pray that the highly blessed Ganga may always inspire your heart and mine with the attributes of virtue.

Bhishma said The learned ascetic gifted with high soul and great slendour and crowned with success having in this manner described to that poor Brahmana observing the Shila vow, on the subject of the infinite merits of Ganga, then ascended the sky.

The poor Brahmana observing the Shila vow, awakened by the words of that ascetic crowned with success, duly sought refuge with Ganga and acquired great success.

Do you also, O son of Kunti, seek Ganga with great devotion for you will then, as the reward thereof, acquire great and excellent Success.

Vaishampayana said Hearing this discourse from Bhishma of the praise of Ganga, Yudhishthira with his brothers became filled with great joy.

That person who recites or hears recited this sacred topic of the praise of Ganga, becomes purged of every sin.