Ganga Dussehra 2023: Celebrated on the tenth day of Jyeshtha Shukla Paksha, the festival marks the appearance of Goddess Ganga on earth. Every year, Ganga Dussehra is celebrated with a whole lot of pomp and grandeur all over the country. Varanasi is especially known for the celebrations of Ganga Dussehra. Devotees take a bath in the holy waters of Ganges and celebrate the day. This year, Ganga Dussehra is being celebrated on May 30. Acharya Indu Prakash states that it was due to the hard penance of King Bhagirath that Ganga Maiya's arrival on Earth was possible. However, because the Earth did not have the strength to bear the velocity of the Ganges, Lord Shiva placed her in the middle of his hair, so that the water of the Ganges could be available on the earth in the form of a stream. This is the reason why worshipping Lord Shiva along with mother Ganga is equally important on this day. Just in case you are unversed in the significance of this day and the measures that should be adopted, read below!
By taking a bath in this river Ganges, one gets rid of sinful deeds and gets auspicious results, but if a person cannot bathe in the Ganges river, then he can take a bath in any other holy river while meditating on the Ganges Maiyya. And if that is not possible for you, then mix a little Ganges water in your bathing water.
Ganga Dussehra 2023: Date and Time
- Dahsami Tithi Begins - 11:49 AM - May 29, 2023
- Dashami Tithi Ends - 01:07 PM - May 30, 2023
- Hasta Nakshatra Begins -04:29 AM - May 30, 2023
- Hasta Nakshatra Ends - 06:00 AM - May 31, 2023
- Vyatipata Yoga Begins - 08:55 PM - May 30, 2023
Ganga Dussehra 2023 Significance:
According to the Puranas, after the penance of Bhagirath, when Ganga Mata comes to earth, that day was the tenth day of the Jyeshtha Shukla Paksha. The day of Ganga Mata's descent on earth came to be known as Ganga Dussehra. On this day, one who recites Ganga Stotra standing in the river Ganges gets freedom from all his sins. In the Skanda Purana, there is a Ganga stotra named Dussehra. If you are not able to go to the Ganges, then you can take a bath in a river or pond near the house while meditating about the Ganges. While meditating, worship should be done with Shodashopchar.
Ganga Dussehra 2023 Mantras:
After meditation, this mantra should be chanted:
"Om Namah Shivay Narayanyai Dussehraai Gangaai Namah." After this mantra “Om Namo Bhagwate Om Hreem Shree Hili Hili Milli Milli Gange Maa Pavya Pavya Swaha.”
Offering five flowers to the mantra, the name of Bhagirathi should be worshiped with the mantra to bring Ganga down to earth. Along with this, the place of origin of the Ganga should also be remembered. All things should be of ten types in the worship of Ganga Ji. For example, there should be ten types of flowers, ten scents, ten lamps, ten types of naivedya, ten betel leaves, ten types of fruits.
If you want to donate after worship, then donate only ten things, because it is considered good, but the donation of barley and sesame should be of sixteen fists. Dakshina should also be given to ten Brahmins. When bathing in the Ganges river, then B should take a dip ten times.
Ganga Dussehra 2023 Story:
In ancient times, the king of Ayodhya was Sagar. Maharaja Sagara had sixty thousand sons. Once Sagar Maharaj thought of performing Ashwamedha Yagya and left the horse of Ashwamedha Yagya. King Indra wanted to make this sacrifice unsuccessful and he hid the horse of Ashwamedha in the ashram of Maharishi Kapil. Sixty thousand sons of King Sagar reached the ashram looking for this horse and on seeing the horse, started shouting. Due to this Maharishi Kapil's penance was disturbed and as soon as he opened his eyes, not a single one of the sixty thousand sons of King Sagar survived. All were burnt to ashes.
King Sagar, after him Anshuman and then Maharaj Dilip, all three did severe penance for the liberation of the dead souls so that they could bring the Ganges to earth but could not succeed and gave up their lives. The Ganges had to be brought because all the waters of the earth had been consumed by the sage Agastya and there was no river left for the peace and offerings of the ancestors.
Maharaj Dilip's son became Bhagirath, he did severe penance to bring Ganga to earth and one day Brahma ji was pleased with his penance and appeared and asked Bhagirath to ask for a boon, then Bhagirath took Ganga ji with him to earth. Brahma ji said that I will send Ganga with you but will he bear its very fast velocity? For this, you should take shelter from Lord Shiva as he will help you.
Now Bhagirath does penance of Lord Shiva by standing on one leg. Lord Shiva, pleased by Bhagirath's penance, agrees to stop Ganga ji in his hair. By stopping the Ganges in their hair, they leave one strand of hair towards the earth. In this way, Bhagiratha succeeds in liberating his ancestors from the waters of the Ganges.
