Once Bhagirath, the son of Suryavanshi king Dilip, was doing penance on the Himalayas. He wanted to bring Ganga down to earth. His forefathers were burnt to ashes by the curse of Kapil Muni. Only Ganga could save them. Bhagirath was doing penance by giving up food and water.
Ganga was pleased with his harsh penance. Bhagirath heard the voice of Ganga in a low voice. Maharaj, I am ready to come on earth as per your wish, but who will stop my fast current on earth. If it is not stopped, it will break the layers of the earth and go to Hades.
When Bhagirath asked the remedy, Ganga said, Maharaj Bhagirath, only Shiva can stop my raging stream. If they agree to stop my stream on their heads, then I can come to earth. Bhagirath started worshiping Shiva. Pleased with the penance, Shiva got ready to stop the flow of Ganga on his head.
On the day of Dussehra in the bright fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha, Shiva standing with his hands on his waist, untied his hair, looked at the sky above his eyes. The stream of Ganga began to fall on Shiva's head from heaven while doing every harm. Not a single drop of water was falling on the earth. All the water was getting absorbed in the hair.
On Bhagirath's prayer, Shiva squeezed a hair and dropped the water of the Ganges on the earth. The name of Ganga got Jatashankari because it emerged from Shiva's hair.
When the hut of Jahru Rishi came on the way of Ganga, the stream washed it away. Enraged, the sage stopped the stream with the power of yoga. When Bhagirath prayed, the sage freed Ganga. Now the name of Ganga has become Jahrnavi.
After reaching Kapil Muni's hermitage, Ganga uplifted the ancestors of Maharaj Sagar etc. of Bhagirath. From there the Ganges merged into the Bay of Bengal, it is called Gangasagar today.
Therefore, the work done with true mind, dedication and a goal becomes successful by breaking every obstacles and always inspires us to move forward.
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