________________ 36 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY and brought down to the earth by Bhagirath, woman is dressed as Una, the wife of the grandson of Sagar, When the Ganges Shiva, and Brahmans are entertained fell from the heavens, it was supported and at a feast, dakshina being given to held fast by God Shiva in his jata or matted them.2 hair. It was released by his loosening the The water of the Ganges, as well as that hair, and in its coirse, iaandated the sacri- of the Jumna, is believed to be so pure that it ficial ground of King Juins. The latter cannot be affected by microbes, even if kept being angry, drank up to waters. On the for years in the house. This quality is entreaties of Bhagirath, ie released the believed to be a manifestation of its divine stream by tearing off his thigh.* The river nature. It is further called patit-pavan(lit. then flowed to the spot where the sixty purifier of the fallen), and exculpates the thousand sons of Sagar were burnt to ashes; sinful from their sins, either by a single and it is said by some that one of the draught or by bathing in it.3 Gangajal is sixty thousand was saved at the end of kept in most Hindu families, a draught of it each year up to the year 1955 of the Samvat | taken by a dying person being believed to era (corresponding to A. D. 1899), by the secure moksha or eternal salvation for the end of which period all the sixty thousand soul. had attained salvation. From the earth A vow is observed by women, in honour of the Ganges went to the nether regions. the Ganges, for the first ten days of the Thus flowing in the heavens, on the earth month of Dyeshtha. On these days they and in the Patal, the Ganges is called rist early in the morning and bathe in the Tripathaga (i. e., flowing in three courses). holy waters of the Ganges. In its divine form, the Ganges is the Sometimes ghi lamps are placed upon the wife of Shiva. Owing to the course of waters of the Ganges or the Jumna, and Brahma, she was born in human form in this vessels of metal, pice, and cocoanuts are world and was married to Shantanu, by cast into the stream. At such a time, when whom she became the mother of Bhishma, many people are standing on the banks the heroic uncle of the Kauravas and the offering prayers with folded hands, or Pandavas, 1 engaged in the arati,t the river presents a It is customary among Hindu pilgrims, | very picturesque scene, the numerous lights when they visit Kashi (Benares) to take with being reflected in the water. them copper-vessels filled with Gangajal, | The Jamuna or Yamuna is the daughter (water of the Ganges) and to worship the of the Sun, and the sister of Yama, the god Ganga when they reach their homes after of Death. The banks of the Jumna are the pilgrimage. A figure is drawn in seven well known as the scene of the amorous different kinds of corn: the bowl is placed sports of God Krishna.? The story of the on it : abil gutal (red powder), frankincense, defeat of the demon Kahya Naga who was and naivedya (an oblation of food) are ejected from the Jumna by Krishna is welloffered : a ghi lamp is lighted : a Brahman | known. Mr. M, M. Rana, Rajkot. 2 The Schoolmaster of Lilapur. * Mr. D. K. Pandya, Dhhank. The Schoolmaster of Kolki. 0 The Schoolmaster of Upleta. The Schoolmaster of Kolki and the Shastri of Jetpur Pathasbala. ? Mr. N. M. Dave, Sanka. * The river is, therefore, regarded as his daughter, and is called Jahnavi. + The waving of lights to and fro-before an object of worship.
