Alakanandā

Alakanandā · alakā-nandā, “she who gladdens Alakā”

Nanda has other meanings too: see all meanings of Nanda.

The Alakanandā, “she who gladdens Alakā“, is a holy river, the southern of the four streams into which the Gaṅgā divides when she comes down from the Saptarshi-maṇḍala onto Meru. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa tells that from Brahmapurī on the summit of Meru she flows south over Hemakūṭa and the peaks of the Himālaya, with great speed and whirling eddies, into Bhārata and on to the ocean. On Kailāsa, the Alakanandā and the Nandā flow outside Alakāpura, the city of Kubera, made holy by the dust of Bhagavān Śiva‘s lotus feet, and deva women come down from svarga to play in their waters.

She is named among the holiest places, with Badarikāśrama and Citrakūṭa, and Śrī Hari names her among his own forms, to be remembered at dawn. Śrī Kṛshṇa sent Uddhava to Badarikāśrama to have her darśana and wash away all pāpas, and the Bhāgavata says that one who comes to bathe in her may gain, for every step, the fruit of the aśvamedha and the rājasūya.

The southern stream of the Gaṅgā

Śrī Śuka Maharshi tells Parīkshit how the Gaṅgā comes down. The Saptarshis bear her even now in the knots of their jaṭās (matted locks), saying that the full siddhi of tapas is only the attaining of this Gaṅgā. Coming down from the Saptarshi-maṇḍala along the path of the devaloka, crowded with many thousands of crores of vimānas, she floods the Candra-maṇḍala on the way and falls into Brahmapurī on the summit of Meru.

There the Gaṅgā divides into four streams: Sītā, Alakanandā, Cakshu and Bhadrā. These streams flow in the four directions and reach the ocean, “for the goal of nadas and nadīs is the ocean”. Sītā flows east through Bhadrāśva, Cakshu west toward Ketumāla, and Bhadrā north through Uttarakuru. The Alakanandā flows south from Brahmapurī, crossing many mountain peaks, and reaches the Hemakūṭa mountain. From there, flowing south across the peaks of the Himālaya with great speed and whirling eddies, she flows toward Bhārata and reaches the ocean.

Of the Alakanandā the text says: “They say that for a person who comes to bathe in her, it is not impossible that for each step he takes he obtains the fruit of performing yajñas such as the aśvamedha and the rājasūya.”

Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 5, Chapter 17

The rivers of Alakāpura

After the yajña of Daksha had been destroyed by the hosts of Rudra, Maitreya Maharshi tells Vidura, the devas went with Brahmā to Kailāsa to seek the grace of Bhagavān Śiva. Around Kailāsa flows the river Nandā, whose water became exceedingly holy because Satī Devī had bathed in it. On Kailāsa the devas saw the city famous as Alakāpura and the Saugandhika forest. Outside Alakāpura flow two rivers, the Nandā and the Alakanandā, made exceedingly holy by the dust of the lotus feet of Bhagavān Śiva, whose feet purify all.

“O Vidura,” says Maitreya, “when the women of the devas are wearied by the enjoyments of the devas, they come down from the devaloka and play in those two rivers, swimming and splashing water on their husbands.” When they bathe, the fresh kuṅkuma on their bodies dissolves and the water turns yellow, and the elephants, drawn by its fragrance even when they are not thirsty, drink it and give it to their mates. Above Alakā, vimānas full of pearls, gold and gems move in crowds, with the yaksha women playing in them, so that the sky shines like a sky of lightning and clouds. Passing beyond Alakāpura, the devas reached the Saugandhika forest and then the great vaṭa tree where they had the darśana of Bhagavān Śiva.

Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 4, Chapter 6

Among the holiest places

Nārada Maharshi, teaching Yudhishṭhira the places where dharma bears the most fruit, says: “O king! Badarikāśrama, the Alakanandā, Citrakūṭa and the others that were the āśramas of Sītā and Rāma, and the kula-parvatas Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Śuktimat, Ṛkshavat, Vindhya and Pāriyātra are the holiest places.” One who seeks welfare should visit these places again and again, for dharma done there gives a thousand times more fruit.

Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 7, Chapter 14

Among Śrī Hari’s forms

When Bhagavān Vishṇu had freed Gajendra, Śuka tells Parīkshit, he spoke to Gajendra while all beings listened: “Those who rise in the last watch of the night, become pure, and with a fully one-pointed mind remember me and these forms of mine, are certainly freed from all pāpas.” Among the forms he named as his own are the Gaṅgā, the Sarasvatī, the Alakanandā and the Yamunā, with the diggaja Airāvata, Dhruva, the seven brahmarshis and Nala and the other great ones of holy fame.

Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 8, Chapter 4

Uddhava sent to her

At the end of his teaching to Uddhava, Śrī Kṛshṇa said: “O Uddhava! By my command go to my Badarikāśrama. There, bathe and do ācamana (sipping water for purification) in the water of the holy Gaṅgā, born from my feet, and become pure. Have darśana of the Alakanandā and wash away all pāpas. Wear garments of bark, eat the fruits of the forest, and be without thirst for enjoyments.” Uddhava walked around him in pradakshiṇa, bathed his feet with tears, placed his pādukās on his head and went.

Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 11, Chapter 29

Sources

• Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 4, Chapter 6; Skandha 5, Chapter 17; Skandha 7, Chapter 14; Skandha 8, Chapter 4; Skandha 11, Chapter 29