Ganga Saptami: Rituals, Significance and Astrological Importance

Ganga, one of the most sacred rivers of India, has mysterious origins. It has a basin that spans 11 Indian states: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Delhi.

In all, its basin covers four countries, viz. India, Nepal, China and Bangladesh and 11 Indian states. But besides its practical locations on earth, river Ganga is actually said to have celestial origins.

Many legends surround the birth of the river Ganga. Some believe her birthplace to be Brahma’s kamandal, from where she descended onto the matted locks of Bhagwan Shiva, while for some, She erupts from the toe of Shri Vishnu.

Running through the entire Universe, She descended when Shri Vamandeva kicked a hole in the top of the Universe. Various tales are spun around this mystifying river. Ganga Saptami marks the celebration of one such iconic tale and the time when Ganga was re-born.

Ganga Saptami is the day when the mighty river descended on the earth. Popular legends from Padma Purana and Narada Purana state that Maa Ganga came down on the earth on the seventh day of the Shukla Paksha - the waxing phase of the Moon in the month of Vaishakha.

Bhagiratha was the legendary king of the Ishvaku dynasty. Upon his ascension to the throne of Ayodhya, he left for the Himalayas to practice severe austerities.

Sage Kapil cursed 60,000 of King Bhagirath’s ancestors and reduced them to ashes. To free them from the savage curse of Sage Kapil, King Bhagirath performed penance to please the goddess Ganga.

Upon his calling, Maa Ganga told him that her descent to the earth would prove menacing as she could not sustain her.

On Her instruction, King Bhagiratha performed penance and pleased Bhagwan Shiva so that he could cooperate to sustain the wild flow of the river Ganga. Bhagwan Shiva guarded the flow of the mighty Ganga through His matted locks.

This marked the beginning of the river Ganga on the earth, and this was Her birth, Her descent on the earth to free the 60,000 ancestors of King Bhagiratha.

However, Ganga’s waters broke into the ashram of the meditating Rishi Jahnu. Upon his penance being disturbed, he angrily drank all of the waters of the river Ganga. He retained Ganga and refused to release Her.

Upon this, all the deities, primarily King Bhagiratha, pleaded with Rishi Jahnu, heeding to which he released Ganga from his ear. This happened on the Saptami of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Vaishakha.

Ganga was now called the daughter of Rishi Jahnu. Besides Ganga Saptami, this day is also reverently called the Jahnu Saptami.

This year, the Ganga Saptami falls on the 27th of April. The Saptami begins on the 26th of April at 11:27 AM and ends on the 27th of April at 1:38 PM. The Madhyanha muhurta lasts exactly 2 hours and 38 minutes, from 11 AM to 1:38 PM.

1) Wake up at sunrise (preferably before it) and finish your cleansing rituals.

2) On the day of Saptami, it is auspicious to bathe in the divine waters of Maa Ganga. She symbolises purity and cleansing. It’s perfectly alright if you do not get a chance to bathe in the river Ganga on this day.

While bathing in the ordinary water, visualise Maa Ganga and bring your awareness to Her divine and purifying waters.

3) When done with your cleansing rituals, install a picture of Maa Ganga in your home shrine. She is seated on a crocodile and is personified as a beautiful woman.

You may offer her white flowers, sandalwood and fruits. The prasad that you offer Her should be sattvic and home-cooked, especially free of onions and garlic.

4) During the puja, light a ghee lamp as an offering to Maa Ganga and burn incense.

5) Even if you do not observe a fast on this day, try to avoid outside eatables, tea, coffee and intoxication.

6) After bathing, offer arghya to Surya devata and, if possible, chant his 12 names.

7) Seat yourself in a comfortable position on a kusha mat. It is not necessary to sit on the kusha mat, and you may even use a durry or a blanket. After you settle down, visualise Maa Ganga, meditate on her form, seek her blessings and chant Aditya Hridayam Stotram.

8) You may also read or listen to Ganga Stotram by Adi Shankaracharya.

9) After your puja, perform the aarti for Maa Ganga.

10) After the puja and worship, distribute the prasad among other devotees. If possible, feed Brahmins on this day.

11) To please Maa Ganga and seek her blessings, make a donation. It’s absolutely not essential to go overboard with your charity. Make simple donations as per your capacity.

12) Visit a nearby Shiva temple. If you have Gangajal in your house, offer it Bhagwan Shiva - onto the Shivlinga. In the absence of Ganga water, you may also offer ‘normal’ water. After you make your offerings to lord Shiva, meditate on His form and chant his mantra.

13) All the names of Bhagwan Shiva are auspicious, but it's preferable to chant the mantra, “ Om Gangadharaya Namah (ॐ गंगाधराय नमः।)”, either 21 or 108 times as per your capacity.

14) Donate lamps. Doing deepdaan on this day has special significance and is considered highly auspicious.

1) Worshipping Maa Ganga on the day of her descent grants you worldly pleasures, health, peace of mind, tranquillity and prosperity. Being the Divine Mother, She is the giver, and thus worshipping her will fulfil all your material desires.

2) Besides worldly pleasures, worshipping Maa Ganga on this day will quicken your spiritual ascension.

3) On this day, doing her puja and Jaap will free her devotees of bodily diseases.

4) Fortunate are the ones who take a bath in the holy waters of Maa Ganga. Bathing in her waters, especially on this day, is believed to grant one Moksha or liberation. This is why Maa Ganga is also called Moksha Dayini.

5) Good luck will replace bad luck.

6) Surrendering to Maa Ganga wholeheartedly will reduce the ominous effects on the planets in your horoscope. One of the most powerful astrological benefits of worshipping Maa Ganga on this day will reduce the malefic influence of Mangal in the horoscope of Her devotees.

7) Doing Ganga aarti is said to cut off sins, enhance focus and induce calmness and purify the mind and body.

8) Worshipping Maa Ganga on this day also removes Vastu Dosh.

Mantras carry potential energy and have the power to fulfil our deepest desires. On this Ganga Saptami, chant these mantras to seek the grace and favour of Maa Ganga.

Early in the morning, preferably in the Bharma muhurta, chanting any of these mantras for 108 times on the day of Saptami is believed to fulfil deepest desires and grant emancipation from the everlasting cycles of birth and death.

Maa Ganga is venerated for Her immense cleansing powers. Descending from the matted locks of the blue-throated Bhagwan Shiva and then from the ear of sage Jahnu, Maa Ganga certainly travels a long course to wash out the sins of her devotees.

Besides ample spiritual benefits, bathing in the waters of Maa Ganga has many scientific benefits as well. Her waters are believed to have medicinal properties.

Ganga worship, especially on the ghats, is a very ancient practice in the Vedic culture. It is through Her infinite grace that 60,000 ancestors of King Bhagiratha attained liberation from the curse of sage Kapil. It is through Her that the presence of Bhagwan Shiva can be felt in the tangible world as well.

Celebrating Saptami and venerating Maa Ganga on this auspicious day will not only invoke her blessings but also grant us overall protection from our terrifying sins.