This place is located near the Navadvipa-Katva road, shortly before turning to Mamgachhi and is marked by a huge banyan tree. Bhativinoda Thakur says that there used to be a small forest monastery for ascetics, and then the “captivating palace” of Jahnu Muni. In Navadvipa-bhava-tarang it is said: “To the north of Vidyanagara, Jahnudvipa shines, where you can see the monastery for hermits belonging to Jahn Muni. Here Jahnu Muni was drunk by the Ganges, who then appeared as his daughter Jahnavi. "
Descent of the Ganges
This story is described in the ninth song, Srimad-Bhagavatam.
At the behest of the great sage Aurva, Maharaja Sagara performed the asvamedha-yagya and thereby satisfied the Supreme Lord, the supreme controller, the Supersoul situated in the heart of all sages, and the reservoir of Vedic knowledge. However, the king of heaven Indra abducted a horse intended for sacrifice.
The sons of Sumati, unusually proud of their retirement and power, at the behest of their father went in search of a horse. Trying to find him, they began to dig the earth.
In the northeastern part of the country, they found a missing horse grazing near the Kapila Muni ashram. “Here is the man who abducted the horse,” they cried. - He is sitting here with his eyes closed. Surely this is a great sinner. Kill him! Kill! ”With such shouts, all sixty thousand sons of Sagara grabbed their weapons. However, when they approached the sage, he opened his eyes.
Confused by the king of heaven Indra, the sons of Sagara lost their minds and offended a great soul. Because of this, their bodies caught fire, and the flame instantly turned them to ashes ...
Amsuman, grandson of Maharaja Sagara, at the behest of the king, went in search of the sacrificial horse. Following the same path as his uncles, after a while he came to where the pile of ashes lay, and next found a missing horse.
The great Amsuman saw the sage Kapila sitting nearby, a saint who is the embodiment of Lord Visnu. Amshuman bowed respectfully before Him and, clasping his hands, began to concentrate to offer Him prayers ...
The Supreme Lord said: Dear Amsuman, this is the animal that your grandfather sought for a sacrifice. Take it away. As for your ancestors, burned to the ground, they can be freed only with the water of the Ganges, and nothing else ...
King Amshuman, like his grandfather, for a long time indulged in austerities, but he still could not bring the Ganges into the material world. Later, when his term came, the king died.
Like Amshuman, his son Dilip was also unable to draw the Ganges into this world. Over time, and he met death. Then Bhagiratha, the son of Dilipa, wanting to bring the Ganges into the material world, began to perform severe ascetic feats.
Some time later, mother Ganga appeared to King Bhagirathe and said: "I am very pleased with your austerity and ready to fulfill your every desire." Hearing these words of Gangadevi, the king bowed his head in front of her and told her about his secret desire.
Mother Ganga said: “O king, I do not want to descend to Earth because people, plunging into my waters, will wash away the consequences of their sins. When these sins accumulate in me, how can I be freed from them? You have to seriously think about it. ”
Bhagiratha said: “He who has attained holiness by the power of devotional service and therefore has become detached from the world and free from material desires, who is pure in his devotion to the Lord and carefully follows the instructions of the Vedas, always leads a dignified, pure life and is able to free all the fallen. When such pure devotees are washed in your waters, the sins of people accumulated there will undoubtedly be destroyed, because these devotees always keep in their hearts the Supreme Lord, who can destroy the consequences of any sins ... ”
When King Bhagiratha, turning to Lord Siva, asked him to take upon himself the mighty waters of the Ganges, he agreed and said: “Be your way.” Since then, Lord Shiva, in deep concentration, began to hold on his head the Ganges, whose waters have purifying power, for they originate from the feet of Lord Visnu.
The great and holy king Bhagiratha sent the Ganges, capable of freeing all fallen souls, to the very place where the bodies of his ancestors lay, turned into a pile of ash.
Bhagiratha mounted a fast chariot and rushed ahead of the mother Ganga, who followed him, clearing many countries along the way, until they reached the place where the ashes of the ancestors of Bhagiratha, the sons of Sagara, lay.
Maharaja Bhagiratha and Jahnu Muni
The path of Maharaja Bhagirathi also passed through the present Navadvipa. Somewhere in those places, the great sage Jahnu Rishi, the son of Khotraki, performed austerities (he is mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam, 9.15.3). He sat chanting the Gayatri Mantra, hoping to receive the darshan of Lord Gauranga. The Ganges, flowing past this place, accidentally washed off a glass for the great sage achaman. Seeing this, Jahnu Muni became angry and drank the whole Ganges in one gulp. He achieved this power through severe repentance and spiritual practice.
After some time, Bhagiratha noticed that the Ganges was no longer following him, and returned to find out what was the matter. Seeing the sage and learning that he swallowed the Ganges, he began to serve him, begging to return the river. A few days later, Jahnu Muni agreed, and the Ganga came out of his ear. Bhagiratha and Ganga set off on. It is said that it was after meeting with Jahnu that Muni Ganga was divided into many streams, which formed Navadvipa - nine islands.
After that, the Ganges became known as Jahnavi - the daughter of the sage Jahnu.
Lord Gauranga, pleased with Jahnu Muni, appeared before him. Jahnu prayed to the Lord to allow him to be born from life to life in Navadvipa. The Lord blessed him, promising that in the future, the sage will witness the sankirtana-lila of Gauranga.
Translated from dhama.dayalnitay.ru