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Sacred river Bath ~ "Snana" / ಸ್ನಾನ

enrouteindianhistory.com/rivers-and-rituals-the-idea-of-snanam

The Nadi-stuti Sukta (praise of rivers) of the Ṛig Veda identifies 7 sacred rivers of India, namely Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sidhu (now, Indus), Narmada, Kaveri, Godavari, Krishna, Tapti and Brahmaputra. The Hindu mythology aggrandizes water as “the elixir of immortality.” In Vedic texts, water is referred to as ‘apah’, and is considered to be purifying in a spiritual context. Water bodies, the rivers, in particular, are regarded as the source of life in tangible and mythical senses and particularly manifested as a source of feminine energy or Sakti. These places of manifestation of life, power, and piety are known as tirthas (sacred places), and thus we have places of worship (temples, or religious fairs) alongside these tirthas. These act as the “gateway to the unknown” realm of spirituality, according to Chris C. Park (1994), and are mostly linked to water attributes.

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