Original Kannada article – Subrahmanya Somayaji
English translation- Shrinivasan
Ganga and Gowri are depicted as Lord Shiva’s
consorts in Puranic mythology. This has been enumerated in Epic poems,
Dance, Drama, Films etc. Co-wives and the attendant rivalry, competition
and fights is common knowledge. This trend gets extrapolated in the case
of Ganga and Gowri too. In the show business,
this gets depicted often as an unmanageable task for Lord Shiva, particularly
in the narration of Dance, Drama and Films. We must bear in mind that Divine
incumbents are not like mortals that are driven by sensory impulses. We
should not forget that they are radiant forces that act in the spiritual world within,
which can be perceived only by penance.
Our perception graduates from the physical to the spiritual only
when the Divinity of Ganga – Gowri is understood.
Goddess Swarna Gowri is worshipped with gaiety on
the auspicious third waxing day in Bhadrapada (the
previous day of Ganesha Chathurthi). We are the children of the primordial Couple
– Parvathi Parameshwara. Great Saints have experienced that nothing
in this universe exist that is not pervaded by them. Thus prayers to Divine
Mother Parvathi are auspicious.
Sri Adi Shankaracharya describes her beauty as ‘Champeya
Gaurardha sharirakayai‘- her hue is like that of champa flowers. Her name
Gowri derives from Gaura or white. When she is out
to destroy – she is Kali (Black), when she is offering
education she is Shyamala (deep hue), while bestowing Sowmangalya –
Sowbhagya – prosperity (auspicious presence – benevolence – Prosperity), she appears as fair as a champa
flower, at other times she is spotlessly clean like snow, known as Gowri;
when she pervades the three worlds as a profuse shower of knowledge within –
she is known as Ganga (flowing).
As the Great Lord manifests Himself as Bramha – Vishnu –
Maheshwara for creation, sustenance and destruction, his
consort para – prakruthi, the divine mother takes
upon herself various roles and responsibilities in various forms Saraswathi
– Lakshmi - Parvathi to execute different activities.
Even now, the tradition exists, to obtain clay from the river
bed of Ganga to prepare the idol of Gowri for
worship. The epics depicts both Ganga and Gowri as
daughters of King Himavaan. Ganges originates in Himalayas.
According to the context of epics, Ganga is also known to
spring up from - Lord Vishnu’s feet, emerge from the sacred pitcher of Brahma,
daughter of Maharshi Jahnu, as Bhagirathi, the daughter of King Bhagiratha.
From a spiritual or taattvic view, Ganga, is
the flow of brahma vidya personified. The origin or seat of brahma vidya is the
abode of the Lord. From there she descends for the wellbeing of all. Himavaan,
the personification of clusters of lofty sacred mountains and the hermitage of
saints is the supreme lord’s representative. When she emerges from Maharshi Jahnu’s
right ear – where Jnanis hear the sound of Pranava, she may rightly be called
the daughter of a Maharshi. Ganga came down to earth from the crest of the
lofty mountains due to the spiritual exertions of Yogi Bhagiratha – again an
allegory to the yogic experience of Brahmanubhava at the crown permeating the
entire body. All these point to the fact
that Ganga is the personification of the Supreme Knowledge flowing within a
Jnani.
Adi Shankaracharya proclaimed “tribhuvana janani
vyapinee jnanaganga” –Divine Mother who as Jnana ganga engulfs three worlds.
Likewise, Gowri has been proclaimed as ‘Brahma vidya
swaroopini’ - embodiment
of sacred knowledge. Both Ganga and Gowr
Thus Ganga and Gowri are two
embodiments of para – prakruthi. The core essence of both is
Knowledge. Thus, the shastras recognize them as siblings as well. It is
childish and travesty of truth to perceive Ganga and Gowri as
squabbling co-wives. When the brahma Jnana flows downwards, it is Ganga and
while engaged in sustenance and propagation of Nature, as per
the wish of the Lord, she is Gowri.
On the auspicious occasion of Festival of Gowri Pooja let
us worship them both with the remembrances of this sacred truth.