Gaṅgā
1. Gaṅgā (Modern Ganges).– One of the five great rivers (mahānadī) that irrigate Jambudīpa, the others being Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī (e.g., Vin.ii.237; S.ii.135; v.401; A.iv.101; v.22; Mil.114 mentions ten).
The Commentaries (e.g., SNA.ii.438 f; AA.ii.761 ff; MA.ii.586; UdA.301) give a long description of their origin. From the Anotatta lake flow four rivers: that from the south circles the lake three times under the name of Avattagaṅgā, then as Kaṇhagaṅgā flows straight for sixty leagues along the surface of a rock, comes into violent contact with a vertical rock, and is thrown upwards as a column of water six miles (three gāvuta) in circumference; this column, known as Akāsagaṅgā, flows through the air for sixty leagues, falls on to the rock Tiyaggala, excavating it to a depth of fifty leagues, thus forming a lake which is called Tiyaggalapokkharaṇī; then the river, under the name of Bahalagaṅgā, flows through a chasm in the rock for sixty leagues, then, under the name of Ummaggagaṅgā, through a tunnel for a further sixty leagues, and finally coming upon the oblique rock Vijjha, divides into five streams, forming the five rivers above mentioned.
Among places mentioned as being on the banks of the Gaṅgā are Bārāṇasī, Campā, Ayojjhā, Kimbilā, Ukkacelā, Payāga, Pāṭaliputta, and Saṅkassa. The Gaṅgā formed one of the most important means of communication and trade for the districts through which it flowed — e.g., from Rājagaha to Vesāli. The district to the north of the river and bordering on the kingdom of Aṅga was called Aṅguttarāpa (SNA.ii.439). The river was five hundred leagues in length (SA.ii.119).
The name of the Gaṅgā appears again and again in similes and metaphors in the Pāḷi books:
- its sands are immeasurable (S.iv.376);
- its waters cannot be made bracken by adding to them a grain of salt (A.i.250);
- it is full of foam, and yet its foam is empty (S.iii.140);
- it were folly to wish to hold up the course of its waters with one’s fist (S.iv.298);
- as the river finds repose only in the ocean, so do the followers of the Buddha find repose only in nibbāna (M.i.493);
- some things are as inevitable as that the Gaṅgā should flow into the sea (S.iv.179);
- there is no such thing as the Gaṅgā apart from its sand, its water, and its banks;
- to be cast on the other side of the Gaṅgā (pāragaṅgāya) is great misfortune (see, e.g., S.i.207, SnA.i.228).
- The Gaṅgā flows from west to east (pācīnaninnā, S.iv.191);
- during the rains it is so full of water that even a crow could drink water from its bank (Vin.i.230);
- sometimes the banks would be flooded and the buildings on them destroyed (SA.i.164), and people would find difficulty in crossing;
- at others it was shallow and could be crossed by means of a reed bridge (SnA.i.18);
- cattle could easily be driven from one bank to another (M.i.225).
- At various spots were ferries where boatmen plied for hire (e.g., J.iii.230).
- On its banks, on the higher reaches, were numerous snakes and parrots (J.ii.145, iii.491),
- and all along the banks were hermitages (e.g., J.iii.476, v.191, etc.)
- Men always bathed in the river, and on festival days even women of very good family came for water-
sports, sometimes spending the whole day in the river; kings also came with their retinues (e.g., J.i.295; MA.ii.604; DhA.iii.199).
Reference is also made to a Gaṅgāmahīkīlā, (Smp. on Vin.i.191, and again, ii.276). Buddhaghosa says that Mahī here refers to the earth, but Rhys Davids (VT.ii.25, n.3) thinks it refers to the river of that name.
The junction of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā is frequently referred to, and is used as a simile for perfect union (e.g., J.vi.412, 415). A tributary of the Gaṅgā is mentioned which flows from Himavā, its name being Migasammatā (J.vi.72). The ford at Pāṭaliputta, where the Buddha crossed on his way from Rājagaha to Vesāli, was called Gotamatittha (Vin.i.230); its distance from Rājagaha was five leagues, and from Vesāli three (KhpA.162‑3). When the Buddha, after curing the plague at Vesāli, returned to Rājagaha, great festivities marked the event, and the celebration was known as the Gaṅgārohaṇa. The devā and the nāgā vied with each other to do honour to the Teacher, and there was a great assembly of all classes of beings, comparable to those on the occasions of the Twin Miracle and the Descent from Tusita (DhA.iii.444). Among the nāgā who dwelt in the Gaṅgā is mentioned Eraka (DhA.iii.231).
The water of the Gaṅgā was considered holy and was used for the consecration of kings, not only of India but also of Sri Lanka (Mhv.xi.30; MT.305).
The people on the northern bank were rough and coarse, while those on the south were pious and generous, believers in the Buddha (DA.i.160).
The upper reaches of the river were called Uddhagaṅgā (J.ii.283, vi.427) or Uparigaṅgā (J.iv.230), and the lower reaches Adhogaṅgā (J.ii.283, 329, v.3).
See also Kosikī, Bhagīrathī, Mahāgaṅgā, and Pāragaṅgā.
2. Gaṅgā.– See Mahāvāḷukagaṅgā.
3. Gaṅgā.– A lake, the residence of the Nāga king Doṇa. BuA.153.