Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/238

 194 THE AEAB AL-BIKUNI ON HINDU KELIGION it. Now Mahadeva took the Ganges and put it on his head. When the Ganges could not move away, it be- came very angry and made a great uproar. However, Mahadeva held it firmly, so that it was not possible for anybody to plunge into it. Then he took part of the Ganges and gave it to Bhagiratha, and this king A SACEED LAKE IN INDIA. made the middle one of its seven branches flow over the bones of his ancestors, whereby they became lib- erated from punishment. Therefore the Hindus throw the burned bones of their dead into the Ganges. The Ganges was also called Bhagiratha, after the name of that king who brought it to earth." In every place to which some particular holiness is ascribed, the Hindus construct ponds intended for