Goddesses
of India ~ G
Ganga
The goddess who is the incarnation of the Ganges, India's most sacred
river. She is the sister of Parvati, and has been linked as a consort
of Agni, Vishnu, and Shiva. She is the mother of Jalamdhara through
a union with the ocean. Hindus believe that by bathing in her holy waters,
one's sins will be washed away. Repeated ritualistic washings in the
river will secure one a place in heaven. The ashes of the dead are spread
over her. Often represented as a beautiful woman with a fish tail in
place of legs, she rides on the Makara, a water monster.
Ganga originally flowed only through heaven, where she sprang from the
toe of Vishnu, and it was due to a mortal that she came to earth. Saghara,
a king, desperately wanted sons. He prayed and performed rituals and
penances, so that his two wives both became pregnant. They gave birth
to many sons. Some time later, to thank the gods, Saghara made ready
to perform a horse sacrifice, a very solemn and powerful ritual, but
the horse was stolen. Saghara's sons went searching for the animal,
and they began to dig into the earth, thinking it might be underground.
When their excavations became too large, Vishnu turned all of them to
dust. Saghara learned that his sons would be allowed to go to heaven
only when the sacred River Ganges flowed to the earth. The sage Bhagirathi,
Saghara's grandson, performed rigid penances, and Brahma agreed to allow
the river to fall to earth in the Himalayas and flow through India.
Ganga was not at all happy about this, however. She was perfectly happy
to stay in heaven. She consented to flow to the earth, but promised
she would flood the whole world and destroy humanity. To prevent this,
Shiva stood under the spot where she fell from the sky and cushioned
her fall. Her stream was divided into seven rivers, which are the Ganges
and her tributaries.
Gauri
An epithet of Devi in her mild form as the yellow or brilliant one. She
is also known as Parvati and U ma the consort of Lord Shiva. It is sometimes
an epithet for Varunani, wife of Varuna.
Gayatri
Chanting her mantra deeply from the heart during meditation at dawn and
dusk can heal the soul: "Aum/Bhoor, Bhuvah, Svaha/Tat Savitur Varainyum/Bargo
Devasya Dimahi/Dyo Yonaha Prachodiyat." An initiation into Hindu
mystical tradition, the steady practice of Gayatri's mantra will dissolve
the boundary between flesh and spirit.
Gopis
"Milkmaids" Said to be the lovers of the young Krishna.
Grama Devi
A village goddess who is a form of Kali Ma.
Gujeswari
Mother Goddess.