Lord Jagannatha and Mother Ganga
With love and confidence I share these two verses of Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 15, 134 and 135:
134- Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, \”In this Age of Kali, Kṛṣṇa is manifest in two forms-wood and water. Thus He helps conditioned souls to become liberated by seeing the wood and bathing in the water. 135- \”Lord Jagannātha is the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of wood, and the River Ganges is the Supreme Lord Himself in the form of water.
I share this beautiful prayer to Mother Ganga: Sri Ganga Stotram: Prayer to Mother Ganga, by Srila Sankaracharya.
1) Oh, goddess Ganga! You are the divine river of heaven. You are the one who saves us from the three worlds. You are pure and restless. You adorn the head of Lord Shiva. Oh mother! May my mind always rest on your lotus feet. 2) Mother Bhagirathi! You give happiness to everyone. The meaning of your sacred waters is praised in the Vedas. I am ignorant and I am not able to understand its importance. Oh, Devi! You are full of mercy. Please protect me. 3) Oh, Devi! Your waters are as sacred as the charanamrite of Sri Hari. Your waves are white like snow, the moon and pearls. Please wash all my sins and help me cross the ocean of samsara. 4) Oh, Mother! Those who participate in your pure waters, reach without a doubt the highest state. Oh, Mother Ganga! Yama, the Lord of death cannot harm your devotees. 5) Oh, Jahnavi! Your waters flowing through the Himalayas make them even more beautiful. You are Bhishma’s mother and the daughter of sage Jahnu. You are the savior of the one who falls from his path, and that is why you are revered in the three worlds. 6) Oh, Mother! You fulfill all the wishes of your devotees. Those who bow before you do not have to suffer. Oh, bargain! You are restless to merge with the ocean, just like a young man eager to meet his beloved. 7) Oh, Mother! Those who bathe in your waters do not have to be born again. Oh Jahnavi! You are in the highest esteem. You destroy the sins of your devotees and save them from hell. 8) Oh, Jahnavi! You are full of compassion. You purify your devotees with your holy waters. Your feet are adorned with the jewels of Indra’s crown. Those who seek refuge in you get the blessing of happiness. 9) Or Bhagavati! Take away my illnesses, sorrows, difficulties, sins and bad attitudes. You are the essence of the three worlds and you are like a necklace around the Earth. Or Devi! You are the only refuge of mine in Samsara. 10) Oh, Ganga! Those who seek happiness love you. You are the source of happiness for Alakapuri and the source of eternal bliss. Those who reside on its banks are as privileged as those who live in Vaikuntha. 11) Oh, Devi! It is better to live in your waters, like turtles or fish, or on your shores like a poor chandala, than to live far from you like a rich king. 12) Oh, Goddess of the Universe! Purify us! Oh, daughter of Jahnu muni! Who recites this Ganga Stotram every day, certainly achieves success. 13) People who have devotion to Mother Ganga, always achieve happiness and achieve liberation. This beautiful and lyrical Gangastuti is a source of supreme happiness. 14) This prayer, Sri Ganga Stotram, written by Srila Shankaracharya, devotee of Lord Siva, purifies us and fulfills all our desires.
Hare Krishna, this YouTube link is a beautiful Artika or Mother Ganga worship in Varanasi.