shree gangaa asht'ottarashatanaamaaval'ih'

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1. om gangaayai namah'
2. om vishnupaadasambhootaayai namah'
3. om haravallabhaayai namah'
4. om himaachalendratanayaayai namah'
5. om girimand'alagaaminyai namah'
6. om taarakaaraatijananyai namah'
7. om sagaraatmajataarakaayai namah'
8. om sarasvateesamaayuktaayai namah'
9. om sughoshaayai namah'
10. om sindhugaaminyai namah'
11. om bhaageerathyai namah'
12. om bhaagyavatyai namah'
13. om bhageeratharathaanugaayai namah'
14. om trivikramapadodbhootaayai namah'
15. om trilokapathagaaminyai namah'
16. om ksheerashubhraayai namah'
17. om bahuksheeraayai namah'
18. om ksheeravri'kshasamaakulaayai namah'
19. om trilochanajat'aavaasaayai namah'
20. om ri'natrayavimochinyai namah'
21. om tripuraarishirashchood'aayai namah'
22. om jaahnavyai namah'
23. om narakabheetihri'te namah'
24. om avyayaayai namah'
25. om nayanaanandadaayinyai namah'
26. om nagaputrikaayai namah'
27. om niranjanaayai namah'
28. om nityashuddhaayai namah'
29. om neerajaaliparishkri'taayai namah'
30. om saavitryai namah'
31. om salilaavaasaayai namah'
32. om saagaraambusamedhinyai namah'
33. om ramyaayai namah'
34. om bindusarase namah'
35. om avyaktaayai namah'
36. om avyaktaroopadhri'te namah'
37. om umaasapatnyai namah'
38. om shubhraangaayai namah'
39. om shreematyai namah'
40. om dhaval'aambaraayai namah'
41. om aakhand'alavanavaasaayai namah'
42. om kant'hendukri'tashekharaayai namah'
43. om amri'taakaarasalilaayai namah'
44. om leelaalingitaparvataayai namah'
45. om virinchikalashaavaasaayai namah'
46. om trivenyai namah'
47. om trigunaatmakaayai namah'
48. om sangataaghaughashamanyai namah'
49. om bheetihartre namah'
50. om shankhadundubhinisvanaayai namah'
51. om bhaagyadaayinyai namah'
52. om nandinyai namah'
53. om sheeghragaayai namah'
54. om siddhaayai namah'
55. om sharanyai namah'
56. om shashishekharaayai namah'
57. om shaankaryai namah'
58. om shaphareepoornaayai namah'
59. om bhargamoordhakri'taalayaayai namah'
60. om bhavapriyaayai namah'
61. om satyasandhapriyaayai namah'
62. om ham'sasvaroopinyai namah'
63. om bhageerathabhri'taayai namah'
64. om anantaayai namah'
65. om sharachchandranibhaananaayai namah'
66. om omkaararoopinyai namah'
67. om analaayai namah'
68. om kreed'aakallolakaarinyai namah'
69. om svargasopaanasharanyai namah'
70. om sarvadevasvaroopinyai namah'
71. om ambhah'pradaayai namah'
72. om duh'khahantryai namah'
73. om shaantisantaanakaarinyai namah'
74. om daaridryahantryai namah'
75. om shivadaayai namah'
76. om sam'saaravishanaashinyai namah'
77. om prayaaganilayaayai namah'
78. om shreedaayai namah'
79. om taapatrayavimochinyai namah'
80. om sharanaagatadeenaartaparitraanaayai namah'
81. om sumuktidaayai namah'
82. om paapahantryai namah'
83. om paavanaangaayai namah'
84. om parabrahmasvaroopinyai namah'
85. om poornaayai namah'
86. om puraatanaayai namah'
87. om punyaayai namah'
88. om punyadaayai namah'
89. om punyavaahinyai namah'
90. om pulomajaarchitaayai namah'
91. om bhoodaayai namah'
92. om pootatribhuvanaayai namah'
93. om jayaayai namah'
94. om jangamaayai namah'
95. om jangamaadhaaraayai namah'
96. om jalaroopaayai namah'
97. om jagaddhaatryai namah'
98. om jagadbhootaayai namah'
99. om janaarchitaayai namah'
100. om jahnuputryai namah'
101. om jaganmaatre namah'
102. om jamboodveepavihaarinyai namah'
103. om bhavapatnyai namah'
104. om bheeshmamaatre namah'
105. om siktaayai namah'
106. om ramyaroopadhri'te namah'
107. om umaasahodaryai namah'
108. om ajnyaanatimiraapahri'te namah'

|| iti shree gangaa asht'ottarashatanaamaaval'ih' sampoornaa ||

Meaning

One hundred and eight numbered names of Ganga, opening om gangaayai namah, om vishnupaadasambhootaayai namah, om haravallabhaayai namah and closing with om ajnyaanatimiraapahri'te namah. The second and third names settle her parentage in a line: risen from Vishnu's foot, dear to Hara. She belongs to both and is claimed by neither alone.

Significance

The list ends where you might not expect. After a hundred and seven names about water — the river, the flood, the crossing, the purifier — the last one calls her the remover of the darkness of ignorance. What she washes, by the end, is not the body. Behind the names stands Bhagiratha, who did tapas for generations so that the river would come down and give rest to the sixty thousand sons of Sagara, burnt to ash by Kapila's glance; and behind him Shiva, who took the descent on his matted hair because the earth could not bear it. Tradition holds that remembering her by name does what bathing in her does, which is the mercy in this text for those who will never reach Kashi. Her descent is kept on Ganga Dussehra, the tenth day of the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha, and the name Dashahara is read as the removal of ten sins.

How and when to chant

Any day at the household water pot. The old habit is to invoke her into the water before a bath — the shloka that calls Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri into the vessel is doing exactly this, and the archana is its longer form. On Ganga Dussehra, offer in tens: ten flowers, ten lamps, ten dips or ten pourings if there is no river nearby, and the hundred and eight names between them. Families who keep Ganga jala at home use a few drops in the kalasha for any puja, and keep it for the last rites. Purnima days and Kartika are when it is recited most.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Ganga Dussehra and what does the name mean?

The tenth day of the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha, held to be the day Ganga descended to earth. Dashahara is read as the removal of ten sins, and the observance follows the number: ten flowers, ten lamps, ten dips. Check the year's panchanga, since the date moves with the lunar month.

Why is Ganga called both Vishnupada-sambhuta and Haravallabha?

Because both claims are old and the list keeps them together. She is said to have risen from Vishnu's foot, and she is dear to Hara, who received her fall on his matted hair when the earth could not take the force of it. Vaishnava and Shaiva accounts are held side by side rather than resolved.

Can the archana be done without Ganga water?

Yes. The tradition's own position is that her name does what her water does. Invoke her into the household vessel with the shloka that calls the seven rivers, and do the archana at that. Families who have Ganga jala add a few drops to the kalasha, but its absence stops nothing.

What is the Bhagiratha story behind these names?

Sagara's sixty thousand sons were burnt to ash by the sage Kapila's glance, and could not attain rest without the river's touch. Bhagiratha performed tapas over generations to bring Ganga down; Shiva caught her in his hair so the earth would survive the descent. The word bhagiratha prayatna comes from this.

Why does the last name speak of ignorance rather than water?

It is the point the list has been moving toward. A hundred and seven names describe a river that purifies; the last calls her the remover of the darkness of ignorance. The suggestion is that the final impurity is not on the body, and that is what her touch is finally for.

Which day is best to recite the Ganga Ashtottara?

Purnima days, the month of Kartika, and Ganga Dussehra above all. Many recite it daily at bath time as part of invoking the rivers into the water. There is no restriction of day or star for it, and no initiation is needed to begin.

Is Ganga jala used at the time of death?

Yes, this is the most widespread household use of it — a few drops placed in the mouth of a dying person. Families keep a small copper vessel of it for years for this purpose. It is also added to the kalasha at pujas and sprinkled to purify a space before a ceremony.

shree gangaa asht'ottarashatanaamaaval'ih'

Meaning

Significance

How and when to chant

Frequently Asked Questions

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