Ganga Ma -

Dear Everyone,

Radhe Radhe !


Can someone tell me why Ganga Devi is worshiped with a Makara (her crocodile carrier) ? Why a crocodile as her carrier ?

When is Her appearance day ?

Ganga Devi ki Jay

Oh yes... ! Happy Diwali to all !

One should meditate on Ganga-Devi as follow:

"She has four arms and three eyes. All her limbs are splendidly formed. She holds a jewelled pot and a white lotus, while she displays the gesture of granting boons and fearlessness with her other two hands. She is dressed in white garments, she is bedecked in pearl and jewels, she is pleased, her face is splendid, and her lotus-like heart melts with pity. She has flooded the entire surface of the earth with her nectar, and she is worshiped throught the three worlds."
[Narada Purana, Uttara-bhaga 41.33-35]

Ganga's Vehicle,

The Makara (crocodile)

The following is adapted by the bi-monthly publication of Tattvaloka (vol.XIII,No.5), wich is compiled urder the auspices of Sankaracarya of Sringeri-matha, Karnataka.

"The makara is associate with both earth and water,Yogis (transcendentalist, or those practicing astanga-yoga, the eightfold path) with internal vision perceived a crocodile in the svadhisthana cakra.* This cakra has water as its element, symbolizing the subterranean storehouse of innate tendencies, vasanas, or impressions unconsciously left in the mind of a person by past karma, which impels us around in the world.”

“ Ganga’s carrier is no ordinary crocodile, for it is white, not brown, in color. The crocodile has two powers: to destroy and to redeem. When its mouth open, it has the power to devours us, whereas Ganga has made the crocodile’s power submissive to her command. She is able to stand on her vehicle and travel around according to her wishes, whereas the ordinary man is obedient to his sensual nature.”

In the summary os the Eight Canto Chapter Two, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Gajendra-moksa, A.C.B.Swamiji says:

“The Lord appeared and rescued him from the crocodile’s deadly grip, freeing him from material existence.

Similarly, with the assistance of our merciful Mother Ganga, who uses a crocodile as a vehicle, the crocodile of maya can easily be tamed. Her crocodile assists her in delivering the living entities within the three worlds from their material contamination. We should not wait until the jaws of death are directly facing us, but begin at once to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, with the help of mother Ganga, who is accompanied by her enchanting and merciful makara.

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* There are seven cakras or circular psychic centers in the human body. The second cakra is known as svadhisthana. The vehicle for this cakra is the makara, or crocidlile. As this crocodile moves with serpentine motions, it can arouse the sensual nature in a person. A crocodile capture its prey through many tricks. It floats, dives deep in the water, and is strong in sensual power. These habits of hunting, trickery, floating, and fantasizing are qualities of a second cakra person.

The source : "Our Merciful Mother Ganga"
by Jaya Vijaya Dasa, Padayatra Press

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Srila Abhirama Thakura in his Sri Ganga Stavam, glorifies Srimat Ganga Devi as an auspicious daughter of Sri Nityananda and Vasudha. More over, it is said that she is considered to be a manjari named Vara-prema.

Our question is: What is her eternal service in the Radha-Krishna-Lila? And if she is a manjari that has not sambhoga with Sri Krishna, like the other Gopis Lalita and Vishaka, than how comes that she appeared as Mitravinda, the daughter of queen Avanti, and eventually married Krishna and became one of His dearest wives in Dvaraka?

And as she married in Goura-Lila, is there any descendent (parivara) coming from her family members?

Ganga Devi ki jay !

Yours,

Just on Ganga's crocodile carrier, the Ganges crocodile was once very common but is now an endangered species. Because of its size, it is probably not a threat to human life like the larger crocodiles elsewhere in the world. Here's a small picture and description (scroll to bottom of page):

http://home.planetinternet.be/~evdleene/ra...j/raj_day20.htm

On this site Ganga Jayanti, the appearance day of Ganga, is also called Ganga Saptami:

http://www.upportal.com/culture/fairsnfestivals_g.asp

I like the entry for Gurupurnima:
"On this day, snakes and dolls made of cow-dung are worshipped. "
Now that sounds like a festival to look forward to!

Hope you had a happy Diwali, Harisaranji.