Gaṇikā-saṅgama
Gaṇikā-saṅgama · gaṇikā-saṅgama, “the confluence of the gaṇikā”
Gaṇikā-saṅgama, “the confluence of the gaṇikā“, is the place at Cakratīrtha on the Godāvarī, the Gautamī, where Kshamā, a gaṇikā (courtesan) of Indra‘s court, melted into a river and joined the Gautamī, and rose to svarga by the power of the tīrtha. She had been sent by Indra to break the tapas of Yama, who sat on the bank of the Godāvarī while no creature on earth could die. At this confluence Bhagavān Sūrya and Yama bathed before Yama, his doubts cast off, returned to his work. The Brahma Purāṇa says that one who fasts on the ekādaśī (eleventh day) of the bright fortnight and bathes at the Gaṇikā-saṅgama attains the everlasting region. Brahmā tells Nārada the account.
Yama’s tapas
Brahmā tells Nārada that there was a vaiśya of great wealth named Viśvadhara. When he was far advanced in age, an excellent son was born to him, handsome, full of good qualities, fond of play and dearer to his parents than their own life. The son died before his time, and his parents, overcome with grief, wished to die with him. They lamented: “O son, in the prime of youth, an ocean of virtue, you have been taken away by the evil-minded Yama. You were dearer to us than our very breath.”
Hearing their cry, Yama was overwhelmed with compassion. He left his city, went to the Godāvarī and sat on its bank in dhyāna (meditation) on Janārdana, Bhagavān Vishṇu. Soon every creature everywhere grew old, and no living being died. The earth was so full of the aged that they quarrelled over space, and the earth was overburdened.
Bhūdevī, the devī of the earth, went to Indra and told him that she was weighed down because there was no death. Indra sent the Siddhas and Kinnaras to bring Yama, but they could not find him in his city. Bhagavān Sūrya, Yama’s father, told Indra that Yama was performing very severe tapas on the bank of the Godāvarī. Indra feared that Yama sought to seize his place. He asked the apsarās which of them could spoil Yama’s tapas, and when no one answered, he made ready to march against Yama with the armies of the devas. Then Bhagavān Hari, the bearer of the cakra, sent his cakra to protect Yama, and the place where it appeared is Cakratīrtha.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18
Kshamā becomes a river
Menakā, anxious about what would happen, said to Indra: “O ruler of the devas, none of us can even look at Yama. It is better to die at your hands than at Yama’s. Among us the gaṇikā Kshamā is proud of her beauty and youth. Ask her and send her to turn Yama back, if you think it right.” Indra honoured Kshamā and said: “O gaṇikā, go and do my work, beautiful one. If you succeed and return, you will be as dear to me as Śacī.”
Kshamā flew across the quarters and in a moment came near Yama, lighting up the ten directions. She sang the sweet Hindolaka song with exquisite grace. Yama’s mind was moved; he opened his eyes and gazed at her, as if with the fire of desire. At once the woman melted and became a river, and that gaṇikā joined the river Gautamī. The gaṇas and kiṅkaras sang her praises, and by the power of the tīrtha she rose to svarga seated in a vimāna (a divine chariot). Yama saw her go and was greatly astonished.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18
Yama bathes at the confluence
Then Bhagavān Sūrya came and said to Yama: “Dear son, do your duty of taking away the creatures. See the wind that always blows, Brahmā who creates the creatures, the Earth who bears them, and me, who wander over the three worlds.” Yama said: “I shall not do this despicable work. It does not become you to command me to do so cruel a task.” Sūrya said: “O Yama, how is your duty despicable? It is right for you to do it. Did you not see the gaṇikā plunge into the waters of the Gautamī and go at once to svarga, while the gaṇas and kiṅkaras sang her praises? O son, you have performed severe tapas, very hard to do, and I see no end to it. So go to your city.”
Saying this, Bhagavān Sūrya bathed and went to svarga. Yama too bathed at the confluence, cast off his doubts, and went back to his city. Seeing Yama go, the cakra returned to Govinda, adorned with his garland of forest flowers.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18
The rite and its phala
The rite of the Gaṇikā-saṅgama, in its order:
- Fast (upavāsa) on the ekādaśī of the śukla paksha (the bright fortnight).
- Bathe at the Gaṇikā-saṅgama.
One who does so attains the everlasting region. The chapter gives two more phalas for the place: one who bathes at Cakratīrtha with devotion obtains Vishṇuloka, the world of Bhagavān Vishṇu; and one who reads or listens to this account obtains long life, and all his adversities perish.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 18