Rivers 02 - The Holy Ganga Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

The Holy Ganga

The sons of King Sagara
committed a grave sin,
would achieve salvation
only by the waters of Ganga.

Ganga flowed in the Heavens;
King Bhageeratha a descendant
of Sagara did rigorous penance,
was granted Ganga's descent to Earth.

The powerful the fall of Ganga
on Earth would shatter it to pieces;
Bhageeratha pleased Lord Siva
by penance to receive the fall in His jata.

From Rudra's coils of locks of tangled hair
Bhageeratha led her through Devprayag
to join Alaknanda, through Haridwar to Prayag
where she joinsYamuna and flows to the ocean.

She then sinks to the netherworld
to salvage the sons of Sagara.
As she is led by Bhageeratha here,
on Earth she is called Bhaageerathi.