LORD TRYAMBAKESHWAR OF NASIK

When confided to Vinayaka, her eldest son he suggested to cut off Siva's jatas the seat of Ganga for solution. Mother Parvati resented at it, for her Lord should not be deformed. Then they took recourse to a strategam - sending out Ganga through human agency. Vinayaka with the aid of Varuna created an artificial famine on earth - everywhere except near Gautam's asram. So all ascetics came to him for shelter. He happily accepted to play host. It went on for years. During then, one day, by chance he drove out a cow eating away grain in his asram with a bunch of Kusa grass. It died as planned by Vinayaka and his party. So he was charged with killing of cow - a grave sin. To be absolved of it, only Gangasnana was prescribed. Anon he began penance invoking Siva's grace. Yugas passed. He stood against several attempts of seduction even by Mother Parvathi sending her maid Jatika to disturb his penance when the celestial beauties returned crest - fallen. Gautam's austerity brought Siva down. When Gautama was asked to name his intention, he expressed that Mother Ganga should come down from her place and flow here to enabling him bathe in her for getting absolved of the sin of Gohatya. Gratified, he bade Ganga to flow down. Though unwilling to leave her Lord, Ganga started flowing. Gautami bathed in it and was cleansed of his sin. Thenceforth, Ganga was called Gautami after the originator. Thus Mother Parvati got rid of her Savati for ever. It did inestimable help to the land; for, Ganga with her perennial flow turned the deserted land into fertile soil, feeding thereby millions of people with bumper crops rised on the either side of its course, covering hundreds of miles. Godavari descended thus on the 10th of the bright half of Magha during the reign King Mandhata established for itself a highly coveted place among the rivers, and its basin gave asylum to several human species, who brought immortal fame to Mother Bharat. Now remains the visit to the temple of Tryambakeswar.

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