13
votes
Does taking a dip in the Ganges River actually wash away your sins?
The only way to cleanse one of sins permanently is to bathe in the Atman. What does bathing in a Tirtha mean?
Tirtha
Tuladhara said, ‘ All rivers are as sacred as the Saraswati, and all
...
- 32.7k
12
votes
Accepted
What is that sloka which says Tirthas reside in our right ear?
There are some Shloka found in Parashar Smriti, 12th Chapter source1 source2 source3 source4.
प्रभासादीनि तीर्थानि गंगाद्या सरितस्तथा।
विप्रस्य दक्षिणे कर्णे वसन्ति मनुरब्रवीत॥
According to Manu ...
- 23.3k
12
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Accepted
Why is Ganga considered sacred? Why do so many devotees worship this river?
As per the scripture, river Ganga is considered sacred because it has arisen from the feet of Vishnu and destroys the sins of a person:
caraṇābjasamudbhutā gaṃgā nameti viśrutā
pāpāanāṃ ...
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10
votes
Godavari and Ramayana
This is neither a sectarian literature nor an unpopular story. Ramayana has many versions. One of them is from Padma Purana. The story mentioned is present in Padma Purana Uttara Khanda chapter 242.
...
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9
votes
Does taking a dip in the Ganges River actually wash away your sins?
Puranas don't contradict with it. One must also have internal Purity while taking dip in holy waters. The significance of taking dip in Ganga is mentioned in many scriptures. Not only Ganga, taking ...
- 30.5k
7
votes
Why is Ganga considered sacred? Why do so many devotees worship this river?
Valmiki Ramayana states that Ganga is considered sacred because it came by touching Anga (Head) of Lord Shiva:
तत्र ऋषि गण गन्धर्वा वसुधा तल वासिनः १-४३-२६
भव अंग पतितम् तोयम् पवित्रम् इति ...
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7
votes
Accepted
Why doesn't the description of Godavari river match with what the shastras tell us?
The origin of Godawari river is given in Vaman Purana (Chapter 13 , Shloka 30 - Description of Bhuvan Kosha)
Here are the Sanskrit Shlokas-:
शिवा पायोषनि निर्विन्ध्या तापी सनिषधावति॥28॥ वेणा वैतरणी ...
- 31.4k
6
votes
Does taking a dip in the Ganges River actually wash away your sins?
A dip in Ganga river does remove all the sins when it is done with śraddhā and bhakti. To do so, the words śraddhā and bhakti should be understood.
Bhakti is well known to everyone. Narada Bhakti ...
- 3,339
6
votes
Accepted
Where is the Saraswati river according to Hindu scriptures?
Yes the location is mentioned at multiple places in the holy books. According to various Hindu scriptures it originated in the Himalayas and ran a full course through the modern states of Haryana, ...
- 18.5k
5
votes
Accepted
Shall we name our girl children after the name of rivers?
Looks like there are statements not to name them after rivers.
Manu gives some characteristics of a woman a twice born man should not marry.
naṛkṣavṛkṣanadīnāmnīṃ nāntyaparvatanāmikām |
na ...
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5
votes
Why is Ganga considered sacred? Why do so many devotees worship this river?
During the course of Hinduism, the local elements played a crucial role in forming the sacred.
During the Rigvedic Ages, Saraswati and Indus played a crucial role in forming the hymns and myths.
...
- 7,516
5
votes
Accepted
Do any of the scriptures mention the story of Badavagni/Vadavagni?
Yes the story is mentioned at various places but it is not Shiva's energy but that of a rishi Aurva that turns into the Vadavagni.
SECTION CLXXX of the Adi Parva of Mahabharat gives the detailed ...
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5
votes
Accepted
What do Hindu scriptures say about river worship?
The Devi Bhagavata Purana and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana mention the process of worshiping Ganga.In the context of Bhagiratha's penance to bring the holy river on earth.
It was the Grandson of ...
- 107k
5
votes
Story of river Samanga which cured Ashtavakra
Please see SECTION CXXXV of Mahabharata
Lomasa said, 'Here, O king, is visible the river Samanga, whose former
name was Madhuvila, and yonder is the spot named Kardamila, the
bathing place of Bharata....
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5
votes
Story of river Samanga which cured Ashtavakra
According to Śrimad Vyāsa Mahābhārat 3.136.24 (Kumbakonam) the river was the sacrificial ground of Varuṇa Dev, where the Vāndin (son of Varuṇa Dev; the one who used to debate in the court of King ...
- 326
4
votes
Why do certain goddesses exist in the form of rivers?
There are different stories related to different rivers but most of them land up in the mortal plane because of certain curses. According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana Yamuna was born from Viraja, a ...
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4
votes
Where is the Saraswati river according to Hindu scriptures?
There is a Saraswati river in gujarat, near sidhhpur.
Saraswati River, Gujarat, Wikipedia
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3
votes
Are there references to sharks or dolphins in hindu mythology?
Yes many aquatic species are mentioned in the texts including doplhins, sharks, turtles and whales. The Dolphin (or Śiśumāra) is in fact associated with many gods including Varun, the Lord of the ...
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3
votes
Why is Gangotri so far from mount Kailash?
Gangotri with Shiva's locks - 2004 or 2005
Speaking from personal experience, having been to Gangotri and Gomukh, at Gangotri there are rock formations that resemble long locks of hair. I think the ...
- 23.1k
3
votes
Is there a tradition that girls shouldn't be named after rivers?
Manu Smriti:
Let him not marry..
..Nor one named after a constellation, a tree, or a river, nor one
bearing the name of a low caste, or of a mountain, nor one named after
a bird, a snake, ...
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3
votes
Geography of Malini river
The shloka mentioned in the question is as follows.
प्रस्थे हिमवतो रम्ये मालिनीमभितोनदीम् |
जातमुत्युज्य तं गर्भ मेनका मालिनीमनु'॥
Malini is the river originating in Shivalika mountain range ...
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3
votes
Accepted
Why did Muni Jahnu drank entire water of holy river Ganga?
It appears in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana.
After descending from Heaven on the head of Shiva and from there to Earth, Ganga started following the course Bhagiratha took.
As she inundated the ...
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2
votes
What is the story Of River Narmada from Puranas and significance of Narmada Parikrama?
गतं तदैव मे भवं त्वदम्बुवीक्षितं यदा
मृकण्डसूनुशौनकासुरारिसेवि सर्वदा ।
पुनर्भवाब्धिजन्मजं भवाब्धिदुःखवर्मदे
त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे
Meaning: Salutations to Devi Narmada O Devi, ...
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2
votes
Does taking a dip in the Ganges River actually wash away your sins?
Yes, bathing in Ganges washes away the effect of your sins to a certain extent.
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna / Volume 2 / The Master and Buddha:
DR. SREENATH (to his friends): "Everything is under ...
- 5,132
2
votes
What is the significance of bathing in the kaveri river during the thula month?
SIVAPURANA: VIDYESVARA SAMHITA: Chapter 12 mentions the fruits of bathing in different rivers in different solar months. Here is the relevant verse for bathing in Kaveri in the Tulā month:
[Suta ...
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2
votes
Sarasvatii - a goddess or a river first?
Keeping in mind the various points of view expressed in the OP and the comments above, it would be best if we approach this from the point of view of etymology.
The word "sarasvatī सरस्वती" ...
- 2,704
2
votes
Is Brahmaputra the only river with masculine name?
Appearantly, the “Sindhu” is also regarded as a male river:
sindhu m. and f. (prob. fr.1. sidh-,"to go") a river, stream (especially the indu-s, and in this sense said to be the only river ...
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