Glories of Ganganagar
Nityanand Prabhu said to Jiva Goswami, “Listen, Jiva, this Ganganagar was founded by Bhagiratha of the Raghu family. When the Celestial Ganga came down, King Bhagiratha led the way, blowing a conch shell. But when Ganga Devi arrived at Navadvip-dhama, she stopped and would not proceed. Bhagiratha saw this and became fearful. Retracing his steps, he came towards Ganga. At this place i.e. in Ganganagar, he began to perform austerities. Satisfied with this, Ganga Devi personally appeared before him.”
Sagar Maharaj took birth in Ikshvaku Dynasty. He had two wives, Vaidavya and Shraddha. He worshiped Mahadeva and got sixty thousand sons from the womb of Vaidvaya, and got one greatly powerful son from Shraddha, by the name Asamanjas.
Now, Sagar Maharaj performed Ashwamedha Yajna for which a horse has to be allowed to wander and if any King stops it, he will be fought against and the horse has to be won back so that the Ashwamedha Yajna be successfully performed. The horse that was let loose to wander, disappeared, and could not be found. So, Sagar Maharaj’s sixty thousand sons, while searching for the lost horse, broke the ocean in parts and expanded it. Earlier the ocean was not so huge and vast. All the sixty thousand sons were very strong. Finally, they found the horse at Gangasagar in Kapila Muni’s Ashram. They thought Kapila Muni had hidden the horse. Some say, due to Kapila Muni’s curse, and our Guru-varga say because of committing offense at the lotus feet of Kapila Muni, they were burnt to ashes. So said in Bhagavatam also, Kapila Muni did not curse them, because of their own sins they got burnt.
If the sacrificial horse is not found how the yajna could be conducted? Asamanjas tried searching for the horse, but could not find it. Amshuman, son of Asamanjas, went to Kapila Muni’s ashram and, satisfying him by special service, got the horse back. But he could not liberate his ancestors because he could not bring down the celestial Ganga.
Amshuman’s son Dilip also performed penance, but he also could not succeed in bringing down the Ganga. Dilip’s son Bhagirath performed penance, worshiped Brahma and Shiva, and Ganga appeared. I will not speak in detail. He was leading her and when passing through Jahnu Muni’s ashram, he drank the Ganga and later brought her out by cutting his body. So, she got the name Jahnavi. When they were passing through here (Ganganagar) it was time for Mahaprabhu’s appearance, Phalguni Purnima. It was the month of Magh when Ganga along with Bhagirath was passing through this place. She did not want to go further.
After visiting Navadvip we will go to Samudragarh. Earlier the Ocean was there, but now it is near Gangasagar. At that time the place was an island, surrounded by water, but now no water. Bhagirath was walking ahead and when he turned back he found that Ganga was not following him. Bhagirath came back and at this place he resided waiting for Mahaprabhu’s appearance in great delight and bliss. So, this place was named Ganganagar.