thank you dear nora for this compilation of quotations on the river
and waters from vedas and upanishads...

yes, the hindus worshipped rivers, plants , mountains and animals
etc from time immemorial - in worshipping 'nature' or 'prakriti' they
were worshipping Mother goddess herself...


here are a few more quotations on this fascinating topic...

"Like a moonless night, like flowerless trees,
such are the countries and regions deprived of the Beneficial virtues
of the Ganges.
Like a sunless sky, an earth without mountains, an atmosphere without
wind -
thus undoubtedly are the countries and regions that the Ganges does
not bathe.
If the wind which has caressed the waves of the Ganges touches a
man's skin,
it immediately carries off all the sin he has committed. As small
children tormented by hunger crowd
around their mother begging, so men here below, desirous of attaining
their salvation, hurry
imploringly to the Ganges!"

such are the virtues of the Ganga celebrated in the Mahabharata.

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Waters contain
All disease-dispelling medicaments,
Useful for the upkeep of our body,
So that we may live long
To enjoy the bright sun.
That there is ambrosia in waters,
There is healing balm in them,
And there are medicinal herbs,
Know this all,
And by their proper use become wiser.
- Rig Veda 1.23
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I seek the Lord of the Waters of golden appearance.
May he hear our entreaty and grant us a place of ablution.
Whatever food I have taken in the house of the wicked, whatever gift
I have received at the hands of the crafty, whatever sin of thought
or word or deed I have committed, from this may Indira, Varuna,
Brhaspati and Surya cleanse me again and again.
I have eaten or drunk to excess, or consorted with people of violent
ways, may king Varuna wipe it all away.
Thus, rid of impurity and evil and free from my sin, may I find
liberation and pass to the world of the Lord of creation.
- Taittiriya Aranyaka 1.12-13

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from the river goddess we can learn so many valuble lessons... She
teaches us how to give and give without expectations ...can you
imagine a life without 'water' - i know how the people of tamilnadu
are recently affected by the river water dispute betwen karnataka and
their state- life comes to a standstill, so to speak...

she also knows how to 'discipline' mankind - she shows her 'wrath' by
bursting into floods or by 'drying up totally resulting in
droughts...she is benevelent and malevelent all at the sametime!

she also teaches us that the 'course of true love never runs smooth'
so on the path of bhakti, there are obstacles and impediments...

She never discriminates - to her all are equal just like one's own
womb mother - have you ever seen Mother ganga giving 'preferntial'
treatment to someone because he or she belongs to a higher class or
a visitor from a royal family- she 'purifies' us all when we take a
dip in her holy waters!!!

NATURE WORSHIP IS MOTHER WORSHIP AT ITS BEST!

LOVE