Gangasagar Mahatmya

 Gaṅgāsāgara Māhātmya 

यथाभागीरथीगंगासागरेणसमागता 

~Agastya Saṃhitā 

Introduction:— 

Warm greetings to all readers on the auspicious occasions of Makara Saṃkrānti (मकर संक्रान्ति) and Pauṣapārvaṇa (पौषपार्वण).

Goddess Ganga

One of the most renowned sacred pilgrimage sites of the holy land of Bengal (Vaṅgadeśa-वङ्गदेश) is Gaṅgāsāgara (गङ्गासागर). Like Devīkoṭṭa (देवीकोट्ट), Trisrota (त्रिस्रोत), Aṭṭahāsa (अट्टहास), the sanctity and greatness of this tīrtha are attested in the Mahābhārata, other Itihāsa śāstras, and various Purāṇas.

The hermitage of Sage Kapila (कपिल मुनि), the propounder of Sāṃkhya philosophy (सांख्य दर्शन), is situated at this very site. Here the sacred river Gaṅgā meets the ocean at the Gaṅgāsāgara confluence and merges into it. Therefore, Gaṅgāsāgara is regarded as the southernmost and final tīrtha of Goddess Gaṅgā.

The spiritual glory of this sacred place is truly immeasurable. 

Śāstrīya statements:— 

In the celebrated historical scripture, the Mahābhārata, it is stated:

गङ्गायास्तत्र राजेन्द्र सागरस्य च सङ्गमे।

अश्वमेधं दशगुणं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः॥४॥

गङ्गायास्त्वपरं पारं प्राप्य यः स्नाति मानवः।

त्रिरात्रमुषितो राजन् सर्वपापै: प्रमुच्यते॥ ५॥ 

 [[ Reference:— Mahābhārata: Vana Parva: Chapter 85]]

“O King! The learned declare that by bathing at the confluence of Gaṅgā and the Ocean (Gaṅgāsāgara), one attains the merit equal to that of ten Aśvamedha sacrifices.

O ruler of men! A person who reaches the Gaṅgāsāgara confluence on the farther bank of the Gaṅgā, bathes there, and resides at that sacred place for three nights, becomes completely freed from all sins.”

Again, the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa proclaims:

आर्द्रायां मार्गशीर्षे वा गङ्गासागरसङ्गमे । 

स्नात्वा मध्यदिने दत्त्वा यथाशक्ति धनं मुदा ॥ १३ ॥

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात्। 

[[Reference:— Skanda Purāṇa: Suta Saṃhitā: Śiva Māhātmya Khaṇḍa: Chapter 13]] 

“By bathing at the sacred Gaṅgāsāgara tīrtha during the Ārdrā nakṣatra or in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, and by joyfully offering charity at midday according to one’s capacity, a person is liberated from all sins and attains sāyujya with Śiva (Śiva-sāyujya).”

In the Itihāsa Śāstra Śivarahasyam (शिवरहस्यम्), it is declared:

गङ्गासागरसङ्गमोऽत्र गिरिजे सोमेश्वरोऽयं सदा । 

सेव्यानां सफलं करोति च मनस्सन्तापपापापहम् ॥ 

[[ Reference:— Reference:— Śivarahasya Mahetihāsa: Chapter 20]]

“O Girijā! At this very confluence of Gaṅgāsāgara, Lord Someśvara eternally abides. His worship renders the spiritual practices of devotees fruitful and completely destroys the sorrows of the mind as well as the afflictions arising from sin.”

In the work Jīrṇoddhāra-Daśaka (जीर्णोद्धार-दशक), composed by Nigamajñānadeva(निगमज्ञानदेव), within the Śaṭcatvāriṃśat-Liṅgasthāna Stotra (64 Śaiva sites), it is stated that:— 

गङ्गासागरे अमरहोङ्कारममलेश्वरे

Lord Śiva resides at Gaṅgāsāgara in the form of Amareśvara.

Alongside being a prominent Śaiva tīrtha, this sacred place is also the abode of Lord Viṣṇu. In the Brahmāṇḍa Mahāpurāṇa, within the Aṣṭottara-Vaiṣṇava-Tīrtha Stotra, it is mentioned that:— 

प्रयागे माधवं देवं गयायान्तु गदाधरम् । 

गङ्गासागरिके विष्णुं चित्रकूटे तु राघवम् ॥१३ ॥

Lord Nārāyaṇa dwells here in the form of Viṣṇu.

This tīrtha also holds profound significance among the Kaula or Śākta tradition, wherein it is said that:— 

शतजन्मकृतं पापं गङ्गासागरसङ्गमे

[[Kaula Rahasya : Chapter 21]]

The sins accumulated over a hundred lifetimes are eradicated by bathing at the Gaṅgāsāgara confluence.

Lastly, with regard to the sanctity of Goddess Gaṅgā, beloved of Mahādeva, the following verse is noteworthy:— 

शिवगङ्गेति गङ्गेति वा चावदतियः पुमान्।   

शिव एव स विज्ञेयश्चन्द्रभूषणवर्ज्ञितः॥८३॥ 

[[Reference:— Varāha Mahāpurāṇa: Saindhavāraṇya tīrtha māhātmya:Chapter 1]]

One who devoutly utters or remembers Gaṅgā by the names “Śiva-Gaṅgā” or “Gaṅgā” is to be known as Śiva himself; such a person is in no way distinct from Mahādeva adorned with the crescent moon.