Jahnu


Rishi Jahnu appears in the story of the Ganges and Bhagiratha. When the Ganges came to earth after being released from Lord Shiva's locks, her torrential waters wreaked havoc with Jahnu's fields and penance. Angered by this, the great sage drank up all of the Ganges' waters to punish her. Seeing this, the Gods prayed to the sage to release the Ganges, so that she could proceed on her mission to release the souls of the ancestors of Bhagiratha. Jahnu relented and he released the Ganges from his ear. For this, the Ganges river is also known as Jahnavi, meaning "daughter of Jahnu". He belonged to Amavasu Dynasty and an ancestor of Vishwamitra.