Origin of Ganga – Story
When Lord Vamana approached Bali Maharaja and begged three steps of land from him, Vamana pierced the covering of the universe with His second step.
A few drops of water from the Causal Ocean leaked through this hole and became the sacred Ganga.
The Ganges River purifies Dhruvaloka and the planets of the seven sages;
She inundates the heavenly planets, especially the moon; and she flows through Brahmapuri atop Mount Mem, where she divides into four branches (known as Sita, Alakananda, Caksu and Bhadra), which then flow down to the ocean of salt water in four directions (as described in the chapter summary of Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.17).
There are more accounts of how the Ganga came to Lord Brahma’s abode.
Another account says that when Lord Shiva was chanting the glories of Lord Krishna, and Narada Muni and Ganesh were playing the vina and mridanga, the harmonious spiritual vibration pierced the universe and Lord Narayana came to hear their concert.
Narayana told Shiva that their music was so ecstatic that it was causing his body to melt.
The water formed by the Lord’s melting body was liquid Brahman, full of compassion.
Lord Brahma preserved that water in his water pot and used it to wash Lord Vamana deva’s feet.
Another account says that Lord Shiva once gave Brahma specially sanctified water, with which Brahma washed Vamanadeva’s lotus feet.
Srila Prabhupada took those other versions into account {Bhag. 8.21.4): “Here we understand that the Ganges began when the water from Lord Brahma’s water pot washed the lotus feet of Lord Vamanadeva. But, in the Fifth Canto it is stated that the Ganges began when Vamanadeva’s left foot pierced the covering of the universe so that the transcendental water of the Causal Ocean leaked through.
And elsewhere it is also stated that Lord Narayana appeared as the water of the Ganges.
The water of the Ganges, therefore, is a combination of three transcendental waters, and thus the Ganges is able to purify the three worlds.
This is described by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti. “By any account, the Ganga water fell on Mount Mem and flowed down in four directions. Lord Shiva caught hold of the water that flowed south.The water that flowed west went back into Brahma’s water pot. Vishnu caught the water that flowed north. The sages, demigods and ancestors caught the auspicious water that flowed east.
Two divisions of the southern waters were stationed in the matted hair of Shiva, and two persons later brought them down to earth: Maharaja Bhagiratha and Gautama Muni.
Thus the water in Shiva’s hair attained two forms. To the north of the Vindhya Hills, she is called Bhagirathi. To the south of the Vindhya Hills, she is called Gautami.
The Ninth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam describes Bhagirathi Maharaja’s adventures. The narration about Bhagirathi says that when the Ganges water was released from Lord Shiva’s locks, it descended to the Himalayas and split into seven streams: the Hladini, Pavani and Nalini ran in the eastern direction; the Suchaksu, Sita and the Great Sindhu flowed in the western direction; and the seventh and main branch of Ganga followed the chariot of Bhagiratha.
Bhagiratha’s purpose was to bring the Ganga to the place where the ashes of his ancestors were lying.
The Bhagavatam (9.9.13) notes that simply by having water from the Ganges come in contact with the ashes of their burnt bodies, the ancestors went to the heavenly planets.
(GANGA WATER LIBERATES – STORY! READ HERE!)