Lord Shiva: Why does Mother Ganga reside in Lord Shiva’s locks? Know its mythological story

Lord Shiva: In Hindu religion, Lord Shiva is called Mahadev, the god of gods. Every part of his form contains some deep mystery within itself. There is a crescent moon on his head, a snake around his neck, ashes on his body and Mother Ganga sitting in his hair.

But have you ever wondered why Mother Ganga resides in the hair of Lord Shiva? Is there just a mythology behind it or does it also have a spiritual message?

Let us know about the religious beliefs and mythological stories related to this mystery.

How did Mother Ganga come to earth?

According to the legend, 60 thousand sons of King Sagar were burnt to ashes due to the curse of Sage Kapil. Penance was done for many generations for their salvation. In the end, King Bhagiratha, after performing rigorous penance, received the boon of bringing Mother Ganga from heaven to earth, so that the souls of his ancestors could attain salvation.

But there was a big problem. The velocity of Mother Ganga was so great that if she had descended directly on the earth, the entire earth could have been submerged and destroyed.

Why did Lord Shiva wear it in his hair?

King Bhagiratha performed severe penance to Lord Shiva to get the solution to this crisis. Mahadev was pleased with his devotion and decided to embrace Mother Ganga in his huge locks.

When Mother Ganga descended from heaven with full speed, Lord Shiva gathered her in his locks. This controlled his speed. After this, Mahadev made a stream of Ganga flow towards the earth from his matted hair. For this reason Lord Shiva ‘Gangadhar’ Also called, that is, the one who holds the Ganga.

What is its spiritual message?

This story is not just a mythological incident but also gives a deep spiritual message.

• Mother Ganga is a symbol of knowledge, purity and life.
• Lord Shiva’s matted hair is considered a symbol of patience, restraint and self-control.
• The message is that even immense power or knowledge is beneficial only when it is controlled with restraint and prudence.
• Lord Shiva teaches us that power should be used in balance and for public welfare.

Religious importance of Lord Shiva and Mother Ganga

There is a religious belief that remembering Lord Shiva and Mother Ganga together destroys a person’s sins and gives peace to the mind. This is why SawanOn festivals like Mahashivratri and Ganga Dussehra, devotees anoint Lord Shiva with Ganga water. Doing this is considered very auspicious.

Opinion of Pandit Suresh Shrimali

astrologer Pandit Suresh Shrimali According to this, Mother Ganga seated in the locks of Lord Shiva is a symbol of the fact that even the biggest power, success or circumstances that come in life should be controlled with patience and prudence.

They say that anointing Lord Shiva with Ganga water and chanting the mantra “Om Namah Shivay” is believed to bring mental peace, positive energy and spiritual progress.

Should Shiva be anointed only with Ganga water?

According to religious beliefs, Abhishek of Lord Shiva can also be done with Ganga water, clean water, milk, honey and Panchamrit. However, Ganga water is considered the most sacred. If Ganga water is not available, Abhishek can also be done with clean water with devotion.

The presence of Mother Ganga in the locks of Lord Shiva is not just a mythological story, but a deep spiritual message of Sanatan Dharma. It teaches us that power, knowledge and energy become beneficial only when they are adopted with patience, restraint and humility.

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