Three-Way Traveling River Ganga
Birth of Kumara Swamy
Vanam Jwala
Narasimha Rao
The Ramayana is not just an ancient story.
It is a living journey of wisdom, culture, values, and eternal truth. It
continues to speak to modern minds about identity, purpose, humility,
sacrifice, and spiritual strength. In today’s fast-changing world, where
many young minds are distanced from Indian languages and cultural texts,
stories like these bridge time and space, reconnecting everyone to roots while
inspiring thoughtful living. This narration, told by Sage Vishwamitra to
Rama and Lakshmana, revealed the origin of River Ganga and the divine birth of
Kumara Swamy, also known as Kartikeya or Skanda.
The story of Ramayana is never a tale of
the past, but the timeless guiding light for humanity, continued as Rama and
Lakshmana while on the move listened to Vishvamitra, who narrated them more
subjects of interest. As soon as Brahmadatta left, and when king Kushanabha was
performing Putra Kameshti Vedic-ritual, in quest of son, his father Kusha, the
brainchild of Brahma, conveyed some good news to him. Kush told him that, he
would be blessed with a highly virtuous son, to be known as Gaadhi, through whom
Kushanabha will be renowned in the world. Kusha saying so, journeyed to the
abode of Brahma. In ancient times, lineage mattered not just for royalty but
for responsibility and righteousness. Even today, true legacy lies not in
wealth or titles but in values and character one leaves behind.
Vishvamitra’s chronicle henceforth revolved
around his ancestral Kusha dynasty. As assured by Kusha, in due course,
Kushanabha had the supremely righteous son Gaadhi. Vishvamitra was born to him
in the Kusha dynasty; he came to be known as Kaushika. Vishvamitra also had a
sister by name Satyavathi who was given in marriage to sage Ruchika. She
journeyed to heaven with her body with her departed husband. Her exemplary
generosity resulted in her being coursed as the Great River Kaushiki, and
emerged with her divinely pious and delightful waters, taking recourse to
Himalayan Mountains. In a world where relationships often weaken with
distance, Vishwamitra’s reverence for his sister reminds how spiritual
affection transcends time and space.
Saying this, Vishvamitra revealed that he
had been delightfully and abidingly residing on the mountainsides of Himalayas,
in contiguity of his sister Kaushiki, in all his affection for her. Owing to
his vow, he said that he left her for a while and came to the Accomplished
Hermitage and turned out to be an accomplished Sage, thanks to Rama’s splendor.
Thus, he said that it was all about his dynasty, and the province on which they
were then camping at the riverbanks of Sona, and about his birth. The
Himalayas in our scriptures symbolize inner peace and discipline, and virtues
that elevate a person beyond ego and earthly ambitions.
Here the poetic depiction of Valmiki
describing the place at midnight, in the words of Vishvamitra, has no parallel.
It goes like this: ‘Standstill Trees, Slouched Animals and Birds, Night Somber
pervading all the Confines, Slowly Lapsing Eventide, Vault of Heaven filled
with Stars and Starlets, Splendorous View as though Planets of Heaven are
overspread on its Arch, Moon with coolant moonshines rising up to gladden the
Hearts of Worldly Beings, Moon dissipating the darkness of the world with his
brilliance etc.’ Nature, silence, moonlight; these eternal elements still
speak the same language of serenity, even when expressed through modern
photography, poetry, or meditation.
Vishvamitra paused. Meanwhile, all the
other sages revered him for the superb narration. They all, including Rama and
Lakshmana, applauded Vishvamitra, and his dynasty. Vishvamitra was pleased. All
spent that night at the beautiful riverbanks of Sona. As usual, they were awake
and got ready for further travel, on completion of morning time religious
activities. Then Rama asked to show the right place in the River Sona where it
was not so deep for crossing. As suggested by Vishvamitra all three followed the
other sages. The humility of Rama, despite being a prince, shows
how greatness always walks with humility and willingness to learn.
On going a distance, they reached River
Ganga, with her pious waters and adored by swans and waterbirds. They sojourned
on the Ganga Riverbank, had bath in Ganga, performed routine oblations, had
food, and perched on the banks of Ganga, surrounding Vishvamitra. Rama and
Lakshmana too sat down. They expressed their desire to listen about River
Ganga. Vishvamitra began to recount the genesis of Ganga. Even today,
families visiting Ganga feel a sense of purity, not just in water but in spirit
and memory. The Sum and Substance of what Vishvamitra recounted was:
Himavat, or Himavanth, the personification
and guardian deity of the Himalayas, treasured two incomparable daughters:
Ganga the elder and Uma the second. The Fascinating daughter of Mount Meru, by
her name Mena, was the wife of Himavanth. The divinities requested Himavat to
spare Ganga for the welfare of tri-world, who was destined to become a
tri-way-cruising river. Himavat agreed. Just as rivers connect lands, wisdom
connects generations, cultures, and hearts worldwide.
The divinities, with heartfelt joy,
welcomed Ganga to heaven, because their purpose of the well-being of tri-world was
fulfilled. The other daughter, Uma, through rigorous penance, taking hold of a
supreme spirituality, became the wife of Rudra, the Lord Shiva. Both sisters, Ganga
and Uma, were revered across the world. Thus, the Three-Way Traveling River
Ganga cruised to heaven in her first phase. In modern terms, Ganga
represents flow, the flow of love, knowledge, compassion, and service, reaching
all without discrimination.
Initially known as Ganga in Himalayas, she
later became Mandaakini or Sudiirghika in heaven and Jahnavi when she descended
to Earth and entered the ocean and netherworld. Some narrations vary that, the
river's entry into sky was the first, the next was her entry to heaven, and finally
her coming to earth. Nevertheless, her divine threefold journey earned her the
title of Tri-Path River. This symbolizes our own journeys, from
origins to aspirations and finally to contributions to the world.
Meanwhile, Lord Shiva, the Sagacious and blue-throated
after consuming the cosmic poison, on marrying Goddess Uma, a hundred divine
years passed in spiritual union, yet no child was born. The gods including Lord
Brahma, worried as to ‘Which Being’ would emerge from Goddess Uma after that
prolonged Yogic Act of copulation between Uma and Shiva. They were also worried
as to who consequentially can sustain that Being. Concerned about cosmic
balance, they approached Shiva to retain his divine potency to protect the
universe as the worlds were incapable to bear his sperm. Even divine beings
demonstrate restraint and responsibility, reminding humanity that power without
discipline is dangerous.
They requested Shiva to sustain his energy,
the semen in His virility (Similar to fertility in Women) within himself in
Yogic discipline for the welfare of the world. Shiva consented, to bear his
sperm in his virility and Uma in her fertility, wishing bliss for both mortals
and immortals, but revealed that, a portion of his energy {The part that was
irrepressible by Him} had already stirred and must be contained by someone. This
act reflects how even supreme power yields to wisdom, humility, and cosmic responsibility.
The gods replied that Earth would endure
the part of energy already stirred. Shiva then discharged his radiance,
spreading across mountains and forests. Agni (Fire-God) and Vayu (Wind-God)
were tasked by all the gods to contain it to prevent cosmic imbalance. They further
requested him to consume anything that would oblate in him. In our lives,
when overwhelming energy, like emotion, talent, or ambition, arises, guidance
and discipline shape it constructively.
Agni
entered the radiance of Shiva, forming a mountain of divine energy,
becoming the divine forest of stems
equivalent to Fire and Sun in its magnificence,
known as Saravana. From
this, Kumara Swamy emerged, being the son of Shiva’s radiance, Agni’s warmth,
and Ganga’s purity, destined to vanquish evil. Since
he was born in Kritika stars he was also called as Kartikeya. This shows how greatness often springs
from cooperation, sacrifice, and shared purpose.
As Uma
desired a son and felt deprived by the divine intervention, as a punishment, she
cursed the gods that, they shall be infelicitous to beget children through
their wives and from then onwards their wives shall remain infertile. She also cursed Earth to lose her
uniqueness, becoming wife to many. Ashamed, Shiva traveled to the west, and
settled in ascetic meditation with Uma in Himalayas. Even in divinity,
emotions like hurt and grief exist, reminding that, sensitivity is natural, but
wisdom lies in overcoming it.
Meanwhile,
the gods approached Brahma, seeking a new leader for divine forces, as Shiva
was no longer Chief of Army. They further requested for a suitable replacement to Shiva. Leadership, even divine, is not about
position but responsibility and inner readiness. Lord Brahma confirmed that Parvati’s curse was
unalterable but assured that Fire-God, through Ganga, would beget a child
acceptable to Parvati as her own, one who would become the Chief of Celestial
Army. This reflects how destiny often finds alternative paths, even when
obstacles arise.
All the gods on going to the Mount
Kailash assigned the Fire-god,
to father a son.
Agreeing to their request, the Fire-God Agni approached Ganga to bear Shiva’s radiance by keeping the potence of Shiva in her womb. When she agreed, Agni drenched River Ganga with the radiance of
Shiva, that inseminated
Shiva's potence in Her, which he contained till then. When River Ganga radiated tremendously, the divine energy overwhelmed her. Ganga disclosed to the Fire-god that, she was incapable to
bear the fervor of Lord Shiva, combined with that of him. Sometimes, even
divine tasks require collaboration, reminding us to seek support rather than
suffer alone.
On seeing the miserable condition
of Ganga with all Her body parts were weakening and being burnt, the Fire-God
suggested her to lay away the embryo at the bottom side of Himalayas.
Accordingly, River Ganga ejected the embryo in the place suggested by Fire-God.
As the embryo touched Earth,
it became rich in gold, silver, and metals. The glittering gold was named
Jatharupa. Thus, the divine seed became both life and wealth. This
symbolizes how true wealth is not merely material, but born of sacrifice,
purity, and divine purpose.
The boy born there was to become Chief of
Divine Forces as assured by Lord Brahma. The gods entrusted the six Kritika
stars to nourish him. Agreeing to the breastfeeding they put a condition that the
boy shall be recognized as their son for which the Devatas accepted. He became six-faced to receive their care
and was named Skanda, Kartikeya, Kumara Swamy. His six faces symbolically
represent courage, wisdom, compassion, willpower, leadership, and humility, virtues
relevant even today.
On sipping the milk for one day, though of
delicate body, He
became an adolescent soon. Even
in his youth, Kumara Swamy emerged powerful, defeating demonic forces, and was
appointed Chief of Celestial Army. Thus, Vishvamitra narrated the sacred
origins of River Ganga and Kumara Swamy to Rama and Lakshmana. His birth
reminds that true strength is not aggression but protection, purpose, and
righteousness.
Thus
flows the story, not just of a river, but of purity, strength, purpose, and
divine responsibility. Ganga's journey across heaven, earth, and the
netherworld is symbolic of our own passage through life, upward in spirit,
grounded in duty, and deep in compassion. These ancient tales are not merely
mythology, they are mirrors, reminding us of who we are, who we aspire to be,
and how we must serve the world around us, wherever we live. (Chapter from my forthcoming book)
