Gangaa

Braahman asked Vyaas Jee - "Now you tell us about a Teerth where taking bath destroys all sins certainly." Vyaas Jee said - "It is Gangaa Teerth where if you take bath, your all sins will be destroyed immediately. It is such a big Teerth that one who dies in there, voluntarily or involuntarily, with knowledge or in ignorance, he gets Swarg and Moksh. Vaayu Devtaa has mentioned 35 million (3.5 Crore) Teerth in Swarg, Prithvi and sky, all are there in her water. If somebody does the Jap of Gangaa's Mool Mantra even once, he himself becomes Vishnu. That Mantra is as follows -

Om Namo Gangaayai Vishwaroopinyai Naaraanyai Namo Namah

Who die within one Kos of Gangaa River they are like Devtaa. Who pronounce "Gangaa, Gangaa" even from hundreds of Yojan far place, they go to Vishnu's Lok free from all kinds of sins."

Braahman asked - "Tell us how she appeared in this form and why is she regarded so holy?" Vyaas Jee said - "In ancient times, once Naarad greeted his father Brahmaa Jee and asked him - "Have you created anything which is dear to Vishnu and Shiv as well as to all human beings?" Brahmaa Jee said - "In the beginning I said to Prakriti "Devee, You be the cause of all Creation. I will start my Creation from you only." Hearing this Paraa Prakriti expressed herself in seven forms - Gaayatree, Vaagdevee (Saraswatee), wealth giver Lakshmee, Gyaan treasure Umaa, Shaktibeejaa, Tapaswinee and Dharmdravaa. These seven are the forms of Paraa Prakriti.

Among them, from Gaayatree has manifested all Ved and Ved are the cause of existence of the whole Universe. Swasti, Swaahaa, Swadhaa and Deekshaa have also appeared from Gaayatree, therefore Gaayatree must always be pronounced in Yagya etc. Bhaaratee (Saraswatee) lives in everybody's mouth and heart and preaches Dharm in all Shaastra. Third Prakriti is Lakshmee from whom clothes and ornaments appeared. Comfort and kingdom of Tri-Lok is also because of her, that is why She is beloved of Vishnu. Fourth Prakriti is Umaa who is beloved of Shankar, should be considered the mother of Brahm knowledge. She lives in half body of Shankar. Fifth Prakriti is Shaktibeejaa, she is very angry and confuses the whole world. She maintains and destroys the world. Sixth Prakriti is Tapaswinee, she is the goddess of Tapasyaa. Seventh Prakriti is Dharmdravaa who lives in all Dharm.

I considered Dharmdravaa as the highest so I kept her in my Kamandal and manifested her at the time Bali did the Yagya. When Hari measured the whole world in two steps. His one of the two steps appeared before me piercing the sky and Brahmaand. At that time I washed that foot from that Kamandal water. Its water fell on Hemkoot mountain and from there it went to Shiv Jee and stayed in Shiv's matted locks for long time. Later Bhageerath brought that water onto Earth by worshipping Shiv Jee. That water can give Mukti even to bones. Sagar's sons got Mukti only with a touch of that water to their bones."

Vyaas Jee said - "Then Naarad Jee went to Gangaadwaar (Haridwaar) and became like Brahmaa Jee after doing Tapasyaa there. In spite of easily available at all places, Gangaa is difficult to get in three places - Gangaadwaar, Prayaag and Gangaa Saagar Sangam (below Bengal state where she falls into the sea). Only lucky people can get her there. If one lives there for one or three nights he gets Param Gati.

Ganesh
see also    Ganesh

Pulastya Jee said - "One day Vyaas' disciple Muni Sanjaya asked him - "Please tell me in what sequence I should worship Devtaa. Which Devtaa I should worship first?" Vyaas Jee said - "First of all you should worship Ganesh Jee. In earlier times Paarvatee gave birth to two sons - Skand and Ganesh, from Shiv Jee. Seeing both of them Devtaa got very happy so they gave a Divine Modak (Laddoo - Indian sweets in ball form) to Paarvatee. Seeing that Modak, both children asked for that Modak. Paarvatee said to both - "Let me first explain its qualities. Whoever even smells this Modak he gets immortality, and he will know all Shaastra and Tantra. He will become writer, artist, learned, knower of Tattwa. Whoever among you will prove better in a justified way, I will give this Modak to him only."

Hearing this, intelligent Skand immediately proceeded for Teerth Yaatraa of Tri-Lok. He finished it in one Muhoort (50 minutes) only. But Ganesh Jee was more intelligent than him. He circumambulated his parents and stood before them. Skand also came there and said - "Give this Modak to me." Paarvatee said - " Bathing in all Teerth places; greetings to all Devta; all kinds of Yagya, Vrat, Mantra, Yog and observing discipline - all these cannot be even 1/16th part of worshipping parents, that is why Ganesh is greater than hundreds of sons and hundreds of Gan. I give this Modak to him only. Because of the devotion to parents he will be worshipped first in all Yagya."

So Paarvatee Jee gave that Modak to Ganesh Jee and appointed him the leader of all Gan. Ganesh's 12 names are - Ganpati, Vighnraaj, Lambtund, Gajaanan, Dwaimaatur, Heramb, Ekdant, Ganaadhip, Vinaayak, Chaarukarn, Pashupaal, and Bhavaatmaj. Who read these 12 names in the morning, the whole world comes under his control. On all auspicious occasions one should worship Ganesh, this brings everybody under his control. Learned person should have his image at all places so that he can see him every time and worship him according to his capacity. Who worships Ganesh with the materials which are dear to Vishnu and other materials such as sweet smelling flowers, fruits, Modak, yogurt, milk, lamp etc he gets all kinds of Siddhi.

Soorya and Daan in Sankraanti

Vaishampaayan Jee asked - 'Who is this who rises in the sky daily? What is his effect? I see that even Devtaa, the great Muni, Siddh, Chaaran, Daitya etc worship him." Vyaas Jee said - "Hey Vaishampaayan, He is the grace of Brahm appeared from Brahm only. Consider him Brahm only. He is the giver of all the four - Dharm, Arth, Kaam, and Moksh. He was very terrible before. People started running away; rivers and oceans etc started drying up. Seeing this Indra etc Devtaa went to Brahmaa Jee and told him everything. Brahmaa Jee said - "He is Brahm. He is the protector of everything that is why there is nobody else equal to him. All beings - Jaraayuj, Andaj, Swedaj and Udbhij, all are protected by Soorya. Who eat food already eaten by others and who are of very low level, they also get holy with the touch of Soorya's rays. Whoever Braahman worship him in Sandhyaa (dusk and dawn) time their all sins are destroyed."

Devtaa said - "How do we do Sandhyaa or worship of Soorya, we can't even look at him. Many people on Earth have died because of his grace, ocean etc water bodies have dried up. Therefore be pleased with us so that we can worship him." Hearing this Brahmaa Jee went to Soorya and prayed him and said - "Hey Soorya Dev, Your rays are very piercing, people cannot tolerate them. Do something so that they can be a bit tolerable." Soorya said - "You may decrease them by cutting them somehow."

Then Brahmaa Jee called Vishwakarmaa and he decreased them a little bit. Whatever was cut, he built the Sudarshan Chakra of Vishnu. Yam Dand, Shankar's Trishool (trident), Kaal's sword, Kaarttikey's Power, Durgaa's lance, all were built by that leftover grace of Soorya. Only his 1,000 rays now remain, all others have been cut off.

Since he was born from Kashyap Muni and Aditi, he is called as Aaditya. He stays 100,000 (1 Lakh) Yojan up the Prithvi. Moon also stays there. Soorya takes 12 forms and crosses 12 signs in 12 months of the year - with one form in each month and in one sign. Dhanu (Sagittarius), Mithun (Gemini), Meen (Pisces) and Kanya (Virgo) signs Sankraanti are called Shadasheeti; and Vrish (Taurus) Vrishchik (Scorpio), Kumbh (Aquarius), and Sinh (Leo) signs Sankraanti are called Vishnupadee. Any Punya Karm (Daan etc) done in Shadsheeti Sankraanti gives 86,000 times fruits; and in Vishnupadee Sankraanti gives 100,000 (1 Lakh) times, and on Uttaraayan and Dakshinaayan Sankraanti  gives millions of times. This Punya Karm, done on Uttaraayan and Dakshinaayan Sankraanti is eternal. On Makar (Capricorn) Sankraanti, in January, one should take bath before sunrise - this gives the fruit of 10,000 cows donation. The Triteeyaa (third day) of Shukla Paksh of Maagh Maas is called Manvantar Tithi. Who donates anything on that day it is all indestructible."

About Sunday

Vyaas Jee further said - "One day when Mahaadev was sitting happily on Kailaash Parvat, Skand asked him - "Naath, I wish to know about the fruits of Ravi Vaar (Sunday)." Mahaadev Jee said - "My son, On Sunday, one should offer water and red flowers to Soorya Dev, keep fast and eat Havishyaann (food without grains) in the night. Such person goes to Swarg. Sunday fast is very holy and giver of all kinds of Punya. It makes one healthy and prosperous. If there is Sankraanti or Saptamee (7th day) of Shukla Paksh (lighted fortnight) then everything done on that day - worship, fast, donation etc all is eternal. One should worship Soorya on Sunday of Shukla Paksh. Take a flower and meditate on Soorya Dev, then smell the flower and throw it towards Eeshaan (North-east) direction. Later worship him with sandalwood paste, Dhoop, lamp, sweets and water.

Although Soorya is one, still he appears in 12 forms in all the 12 months. In Maargsheersh (Agahan) he is Mitra, in Paush he is Vishnu, in Maagh he is Varun, in Phaalgun he is Soorya, in Chaitra he is Bhaanu, in Vaishaakh he is Taapan, in Jyeshth he is Indra, in Aashaadh he is Ravi, in Shraavan he is Gabhasti, in Bhaadrapad he is Yam, in Aashwin he is Hiranyaretaa, and in Kaarttik he is Divaakar. (Compare these names given in Vishnu Puraan, 2/6). Thus he is called with these 12 names in these 12 months.

Soorya's Mahaa Mantra always gives happiness to everybody. Who does Jaap of this Mantra his all desires are fulfilled. Soorya has 12 names - (1) Aaditya, (2) Bhaaskar, (3) Soorya, (4) Ark, (5) Bhaanu, (6) Divaakar, (7) Suvarnretaa, (8) Mitra, (9) Pooshaa, (10) Twashtaa, (11) Swayambhoo, and (12) Timiraash. Who reads these 12 names he gets Param Gati being free from sins and diseases. He has some other names also - Tapan, Taapan, Kartaa, Hartaa, Maheshwar, Loksaakshee, Trilokesh, Vyomaadhip, Divaakar, Agnigarbh, Mahaavipra, Khag, Saptaashwavaahan, Padmahast, Tamobhedee, Rigved, Yajuhsaamag, Kaalpriya, Pundareek, Moolsthaan and Bhaavit. Who remembers these names he is not to be scared from any disease. Soorya's Mool Mantra fulfills all desires and is giver of all pleasures and Moksh.

Story of Bhadreshwar

Vyaas Jee said - "There was a Chakravartee King named Bhadreshwar in the middle part of the country. At one time he had a white leprosy spot on his left hand. Vaidya (traditional doctor) tried to treat it but it became more visible as they treated it. Then the King called Braahman and said - "I have developed such a mark that I will be defamed in the world so I want to go to some Teerth area and wish to leave this body." Braahman said - "O king, If you will go, people will be like orphan so please don't go and we tell you how to treat it. You worship Soorya, you should be all right."

King started doing Soorya worship. He worshipped him daily with Mantra, sweets, various types of fruits, red sandalwood paste, Kumkum (red powder), banana leaf, banana etc. He did this for one year and he was cured. Then his people also started worshipping Soorya. Pleased with all this Soorya came to him and asked him to ask for any Var. King said - "We should all be happy in your closeness only." Soorya said - "Your ministers, Purohit, wives, Braahman and other family members all should live in my Lok till this Kalp ends."

Vyaas Jee further said - "After that Bhadreshwar started living in Divine Lok. Even the insects of his kingdom went to Swarg."

Pulastya said to Bheeshm - "This was the Srishti Khand which is the essence of all Ved. In Sat Yug Tap, in Tretaa Yug Gyaan (knowledge), in Dwaapar Yug Yagya and in Kali Yug Daan (donation) has been prescribed. Making somebody fearless is the greatest donation. No other Daan is greater than this."

Padm Puraan-Srishti Khand Ends Here