Ganga Water question

[ScottMalaysia]

My wife wants us to move back to New Zealand for her work. I have emailed the temples in Auckland and Wellington, asking about things like Hindu supply shops, vegetarian restaurants, bookshops etc. I received a reply tonight from one man, who said yes to all of my enquiries except the last one - Ganga water apparently is not available in Wellington. It is available here in Malaysia, though.

Even if we sent a few boxes over, it would not last. So here is my question:

Would adding a small amount of Ganga water to a large quantity of pure rainwater make all the water holy and able to be used for purification? Would it be equivalent to Ganga water?

I remember the Orthodox Christian priest in New Zealand telling me that if I add rainwater to the holy water that I get from the church, all of it becomes holy water. Tap water apparently doesn't work. I'm asking if the same is true with Ganga water.

[ravrajsharma]

Namaste Scott,

Ganga water is really pure, here in our puja places and shrines a little amount of ganga jal is mixed with water (i believe its tap water) to purify it.

One of my elders told me that when the quantity of our ganga jal starts decreasing we can add normal water to it to increase the volume. I believe people have different perceptions on this :-)

I am from Auckland, im not really sure about wellington but i know quite a lot of shops here that sell ganga jal and majority of prayer materials, everythings available here, the only ones that we had difficultly with during our diwali pooja was kush and dhoop grass. I think since wellingtons the capital, it should be more equipped.

aum

[devotee]

Namaste Scott,

Ravirajsharma has given correct advice. However, I will like to add here :

You can mix normal pure water with Ganga-water to make sufficient quantity. However, this mixed water is not normally stored for future use. It is normally used the same day.

OM

[rainycity]

Isn't the ganges river now very polluted? What is it about the water which makes it pure? I know that in mythology ganga is a goddess/river that flows out of lord shiva's topknot who sits on top of Mount Kailash, but obviously this isn't literally true, the river is sourced from a lake up on Mount Kailash or somewhere in the himalayas, so what is the actual significance of ganga water?

[Eastern Mind]

My wife wants us to move back to New Zealand for her work. I have emailed the temples in Auckland and Wellington, asking about things like Hindu supply shops, vegetarian restaurants, bookshops etc. I received a reply tonight from one man, who said yes to all of my enquiries except the last one - Ganga water apparently is not available in Wellington. It is available here in Malaysia, though.

Even if we sent a few boxes over, it would not last. So here is my question:

Would adding a small amount of Ganga water to a large quantity of pure rainwater make all the water holy and able to be used for purification? Would it be equivalent to Ganga water?

I remember the Orthodox Christian priest in New Zealand telling me that if I add rainwater to the holy water that I get from the church, all of it becomes holy water. Tap water apparently doesn't work. I'm asking if the same is true with Ganga water.

If it were me, I wouldn't trust the statement of one man. Here in Edmonton, because the people sort of gather in groups, shop at the same stores etc., many do not know of all the stores. I can find Ganga water here, in those small brass pots the size of a cup. When you get to Wellington, try going to most or all of the Indian shops. Look in the puja/incense department of the grocery stores. Here its in an Ammadiya (sp) run store.

Aum Namasivaya

[ScottMalaysia]

Isn't the ganges river now very polluted? What is it about the water which makes it pure? I know that in mythology ganga is a goddess/river that flows out of lord shiva's topknot who sits on top of Mount Kailash, but obviously this isn't literally true, the river is sourced from a lake up on Mount Kailash or somewhere in the himalayas, so what is the actual significance of ganga water?

This Ganga Jal is collected high up in the mountains before the river begins to be polluted.

[ScottMalaysia]

Namaste Scott,

Ganga water is really pure, here in our puja places and shrines a little amount of ganga jal is mixed with water (i believe its tap water) to purify it.

One of my elders told me that when the quantity of our ganga jal starts decreasing we can add normal water to it to increase the volume. I believe people have different perceptions on this :-)

Thanks for this. I use it to purify anything I take into the prayer room or temple. I don't want to take anything that hasn't been purified into a temple.


I am from Auckland, im not really sure about wellington but i know quite a lot of shops here that sell ganga jal and majority of prayer materials, everythings available here, the only ones that we had difficultly with during our diwali pooja was kush and dhoop grass. I think since wellingtons the capital, it should be more equipped.

aum

Auckland sounds like the better place to live for Hindus. However, my wife and I will most likely be moving to Wellington, which is where my mother lives. While Wellington is the capital, Auckland is bigger and has more Hindus, so I'm assuming it would be better equipped. I know of three temples in Wellington (Kurinji Kumaran Temple, Wellington Indian Association Mandir and ISKCON). Auckland has at least eight (counting ISKCON and Swaminarayan). Possibly we could investigate moving to Auckland when we get here.

[rainycity]

This Ganga Jal is collected high up in the mountains before the river begins to be polluted.

what is the spiritual significance of ganga water? is there any reason aside from mythology?

[Ganeshprasad]

Pranam


what is the spiritual significance of ganga water? is there any reason aside from mythology?

Apart from Vishnu's Padi Chari and trapped in Shiva's locks, what is more spiritual significance one might need?

mythology, what myth? i know not of any.

fact that form time in memorial many a saints have done their tapas on the gnaga banks, a faithful need no any reason.
and biggest gathering of Sadhu's and millions of Hindu's takes place on Kumbhmela, again timeless must have significant or perhaps they have all gone mad.

Jai Shree Krishna

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté

There is much written about water (āpa) in the veda-s especically the 7 rivers. This is introduced on the ṛg (rig) ved 1.32.12.
The rivers including gaṇgā have great significance throughout the ved-s. Many see āpa or water as the symbol for consciousness ( pure, clean, flowing, flexible, essential to life, etc). Others too see the 7 rivers as significant as the 7 planes of existence i.e. bhūr, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ, … satyaṁ.

There is another sūkta in the ṛg ved 10.75 that calls out 10 rivers. It is called nadīstuti sūkta (nadī =river + stuti = praise). Yet IMHO the sūkta is much more profound then just water flowing and rivers. I bring this up as to the significance and appreciation of the gaṇgā and other rivers e.g. sarasvatī , etc. to one's spiritual unfoldment.

Below is the nadīstuti sūkta from the ṛg ved 10.75 then the translation from Mr. Ralph T.H. Griffith ( circa 1896) appears below the śloka. Perhaps when there is time I can do a translation word-by-word and discover the deeper significance of this wonderful sūkta and the connection back to the rivers, water, consciousness and ourselves. I have hilighted Mother gaṇgā & the other rivers mentioned below.

pra su va āpo mahimānamuttamaṃ kārurvocāti sadanevivasvataḥ |
pra sapta-sapta tredhā hi cakramuḥ prasṛtvarīṇāmati sindhurojasā ||
The singer, O ye Waters in Vivasvān's place, shall tell your grandeur forth that is beyond compare.
The Rivers have come forward triply, seven and seven. Sindhu¹ in might surpasses all the streams that flow

pra te.aradad varuṇo yātave pathaḥ sindho yad ājānabhyadravastvam |
bhūmyā adhi pravatā yāsi sānunā yadeṣāmaghraṃ jaghatāmirajyasi ||
Varuṇa cut the channels for thy forward course, O Sindhu, when thou rannest on to win the race.
Thou speedest o’er precipitous ridges of the earth, when thou art Lord and Leader of these moving floods.

divi svano yatate bhūmyoparyanantaṃ śuṣmamudiyartibhānunā |
abhrādiva pra stanayanti vṛṣṭayaḥ sindhuryadeti vṛṣabho na roruvat ||
His roar is lifted up to heaven above the earth: he puts forth endless vigour with a flash of light.
Like floods of rain that fall in thunder from the cloud, so Sindhu rushes on bellowing like a bull.

abhi tvā sindho śiśumin na mātaro vāśrā arṣantipayaseva dhenavaḥ |
rājeva yudhvā nayasi tvamit sicau yadāsāmaghraṃ pravatāminakṣasi ||
Like mothers to their calves, like milch kine with their milk, so, Sindhu, unto thee the roaring rivers run.
Thou leadest as a warrior king thine army's wings what time thou comest in the van of these swift streams.

imaṃ me ghaṅghe yamune sarasvati śutudri stemaṃ sacatā paruṣṇyā |
asiknyā marudvṛdhe vitastay-ārjīkīye śṛṇuhyāsuṣomayā ||
Favour ye this my laud, O Gaṇgā, Yamunā, O Sutudri, Paruṣṇī and Sarasvatī:
With Asikni, Vitasta, O Marudvrdha, O Ārjīkīya with Susoma hear my call.

tṛṣṭāmayā prathamaṃ yātave sajūḥ sasartvā rasayāśvetyā tyā |
tvaṃ sindho kubhayā ghomatīṃ krumummehatnvā sarathaṃ yābhirīyase ||
First with Trstama thou art eager to flow forth, with Rasā, and Susartu, and with Svetya here,
With Kubha; and with these, Sindhu and Mehatnu, thou seekest in thy course Krumu and Gomati.

ṛjītyenī ruśatī mahitvā pari jrayāṃsi bharate rajāṃsi |
adabdhā sindhurapasāmapastamāśvā na citrāvapuṣīva darśatā ||
Flashing and whitely-gleaming in her mightiness, she moves along her ample volumes through the realms,
Most active of the active, Sindhu unrestrained, like to a dappled mare, beautiful, fair to see.

svaśvā sindhuḥ surathā suvāsā hiraṇyayī sukṛtāvājinīvatī |
ūrṇāvatī yuvatiḥ sīlamāvatyutādhi vastesubhaghā madhuvṛdham ||
Rich in good steeds is Sindhu, rich in cars and robes, rich in gold, nobly-fashioned, rich in ample wealth.
Blest Silamavati and young Urnavati invest themselves with raiment rich in store of sweets.

sukhaṃ rathaṃ yuyuje sidhuraśvinaṃ tena vājaṃ saniṣadasminnājau |
mahān hyasya mahimā panasyate.adabdhasyasvayaśaso virapśinaḥ ||
Sindhu hath yoked her car, light-rolling, drawn by steeds, and with that car shall she win booty in this fight.
So have I praised its power, mighty and unrestrained, of independent glory, roaring as it runs.

praṇām
sindhu सिन्धु- river, stream, flowing; mascline gender it can be applied to water ejected from an elephant's trunk
source of mantra: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm)

[sambya]

each area in india seems to follow its own distinct shastras . in the eastern regions it is the tanric texts(including vaishnav tantra) which rules .


here it is explicitely forbidden to mix ganga water with any other water . there is even one sloka saying that such a mixing renders the water as useless as urine .

however our ancient purohits and sadhaks have reflected on the problem that arises when pure ganga water is not available . then it is advisable to use suddha jal or pure water from any source including pond , tanks , river etc .

to bring in the holiness of ganga jal there is a mantra which is used right in the begining of puja .

----touch the water pot(panchapatra) with ankush mudra(middle finger extended and the rest curled back with the palm facing downwards ) and utter " gange cha yamuney chaiva godavari sarawati narmade sindhu kaveri jalehsmin sannidhim kuru " . meaning-- i request the holy waters of ganga yamuna godavari saraswati narmada sindhi kaaveri to descend on this bowl . the resultant water becomes pure and holy and is fit to be used in any puja activities .

[isavasya]

Isn't the ganges river now very polluted? What is it about the water which makes it pure? I know that in mythology ganga is a goddess/river that flows out of lord shiva's topknot who sits on top of Mount Kailash, but obviously this isn't literally true, the river is sourced from a lake up on Mount Kailash or somewhere in the himalayas, so what is the actual significance of ganga water?

Namaste,

It is very true that ganga water remains very pure for a long time, even when you keep it in a sealed bottle.One of my teacher once told me that ganga water contains slightly heavier concentration of D20 (Deuterium oxide -one of Isotopes of water) than normal water. Slightly higher quantity of D20 retards the growth of bacteria etc, so may be this the reason why ganga water remains pure for such a long time.

[sambya]

whats happening here ? i did not write in the last part of the above post starting with " namaste........." .

someone else's post seems to have got intertwined with mine . moderator please look into the matter !!!

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakam:

Here is a link to a nice half hour documentary on the Ganga, and more.

http://explore.org/videos/player/india-spiritual-india

Aum Namasivaya

[satay]

namaste,


whats happening here ? i did not write in the last part of the above post starting with " namaste........." .

someone else's post seems to have got intertwined with mine . moderator please look into the matter !!!

No, your post is not interwined with any other. I see your post separate. Are you using firefox by any chance? This type of problem seems to be happening for people that use firefox. If you can, please check out the thread with IE that way you can see the difference.

[Riverwolf]

I've got my own quick question about Ganga water.

Is it okay to drink it?