Essay name: Purana Bulletin
Author:
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Faculty of Oriental Studies
The "Purana Bulletin" is an academic journal published in India. The journal focuses on the study of Puranas, which are a genre of ancient Indian literature encompassing mythological stories, traditions, and philosophical teachings. They represent Hindu scriptures in Sanskrit and cover a wide range of subjects.
Purana, Volume 4, Part 1 (1962)
155 (of 236)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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149
In one of the inscriptions of Samudragupta of about 350 A. D.,
there is reference to Gangā being entangled in the matted hair
of Śiva
Jan. 1962] FOUR FOLD DIVISION OF HEAVENLY RIVER
To take a review of the above discussion, we find that, the
story of the Gangavataraṇa of the Rāmāyaṇa agrees somewhat
with Vayu P. In Harivamsa (3. 17. 22-25) the words of Vāyu
( सोमपादप्रसूत� सा ) [somapādaprasūtā sā ) ] is differently worded. The story of Ganga
coming from the foot of Vamana must have been set rolling by
the Vaisnavas. Harivamsa, the oldest literary record of the
Vaisnavas, has not got this. But the Sabha Parvan of the
M. Bh. 47. 22 and Visnu P. has got this account. In Viṣṇu P.
(4. 4. 15) Gangā is described as coming from the lotus like feet
of Viṣṇu. Bāṇa and Kālidāsa make use of this, Rāmāyaṇa has
this legend in detail. Vayu has not the legend in such a great
detail (Ad. 47). Vayu P. 32-33 and Rāmāyaṇa Bala-Kāṇḍa Adh.
43 8-9 are almost identical. On comparison, we find, that the
description about the descent of the Ganga was in vogue from
antiquity. Vayu and Rāmāyaṇa may have made use of
the third source. The storyof Hariv. as compared to Vāyu
and Rāmāyaṇa appears to be modern. It may be as old as 4th
cent. A. D. as it is used by Kālidāsa. Jambudvipaprajnaptti, a
work on Jaina Cosmology, divided into seven sections makes a
reference to the Gangā.
The sacred river Ganga is very well known as tripathaga
In accordance with the account of the M. Bh. 109, the heavenly
Gangā as she was made to fall down on the earth, divided not
in seven but in three paths. In V. 10 it is stated: "Spreading
about in different directions she became of three paths as she
was going to the ocean." According to this threefold division
the Gangā is generally called as one going in three paths.14 She
possesses this name even there where she is specially called the
Heavenly river. 15 For the explanation of this expression, it is
said in the Rāmāyaṇa I. 44. 6. "She is called tripathagā because
she purifies the three paths. 16 Other passages give scope for no
doubt that the three paths go through the three worlds. M. Bh.
I. 96. 19 mentions Gangā as Trilokagā. In the Gangavatāra of
