Back in the Dvapara Yuga (Copper Age), some demons hunted by Indra’s army hid in the waters. The deities asked Sage Agastya – a grandson of Lord Brahma – for help, and he swallowed all the waters. Proving that even Divine Sages can be less than wise. But this allowed Indra’s army to hunt and kill the demons.
So, all was good. Right?
Except – tiny detail – there was no water on earth, and all life would vanish.
But in the Dvapara Yuga, unlike our current Black Age (according to the Mahabharata) or Iron Age (according to Hesiod), people had brains. So they prayed to the gods, asking them to send new water down to earth.
After some contemplation the gods decided to send Lady Ganga down to earth. Ganga, of course, was unwilling. I mean, who would want to leave the Divine World to descend into this mortal world? Not to mention: look at what people have done to her body (the river Ganges).
Anyway, she was determined to fall and smash the earth, so that she could then return to the Divine World again. When she fell, though, and before crashing, Lord Siva trapped her in his hair, stopped her fall, and gently and controllably released her on earth.
Hence, unlike her plans, earth was not destroyed. On the bright side, she met the love of her life, married him, and had eight sons (and drowned seven of them). And, oh yes! There was water on earth. And people lived.
But imagine if this were to happen in 2025, during the Black Age.
Once Agastya had swallowed the waters, there would be people screaming as loudly as they could:
“Glory to Agastya for swallowing the waters!”
Yes, not for killing the demons, but for swallowing the waters. And their voices would be loud enough to scare those who wanted water, and to cover the prayers of those who dared pray for Ganga to fall.
“But we are thirsty!”
“Glory to Agastya for swallowing the waters!”
“But we will die!”
“It’s to kill the water demons. Glory to Agastya for swallowing the waters!”
“But the other demons are fine!”
“It’s to kill the water demons. Glory to Agastya for swallowing the waters!”
“But the drought demons are stronger now!”
“It’s to kill the water demons. Glory to Agastya for swallowing the waters!”
…
Well… I want Ganga to fall.
Preferably tangled in Siva’s hair, but I want Ganga to fall!
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