Sacred Rivers in Bharat & Shiva Purana

Sacred Rivers in Bharat & Shiva Purana
Rivers are vital for economic growth and development. Rivers provide water for irrigation, domestic supply, power generation and industry as well as a range of other ecosystem services and intrinsic and biodiversity values. Now, rivers in India are gradually becoming important for transportation as waterways are cheaper than other modes. The ancient civilizations in India, China, Egypt and Mesopotamia have flourished due to large rivers. Harrapan & Mohenjo-Daro civilizations flourished on the banks of Sindhi river.

Sacredness of Saptanadi:
In Hinduism, rivers are sacred. The most significant rivers are the Saptanadi: the Ganges, Yamuna, Sindhu, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri which are originated from Gangotri glacier Uttarakhand, Yamunotri glacier Uttarakhand, western Tibet, Amarkantak MP, Nashik Maharashtra, Satara district Maharashtra and Kodagi Karnataka respectively. Most rivers in Bharat are represented as female deities. A galaxy of saints & seers either meditated or built great institutions of spiritual research and teachings on their embankments.

On the banks of these rivers, several sacred cities have flourished.  Great cities like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Prayagraj and Varanasi were built on the banks of Ganges; Mathura & Prayagraj on the banks of Yamuna; Amarkantak, Omkareshwar & Maheshwar on the banks of Narmada, Nashik & Rajmundry on the banks of Godavari, Srisailam on the banks of Krishna and Tiruchirappalli on the banks of Kaveri.

The Vedas and Puranas mention Ganges as most sacred river. Ganga is perceived as mokshdayini and associated with Shiva. Yamuna is blue like Krishna. Like him, she represents romance (Shringar). The legendary Saraswati, white and elegant like a swan, is now extinct and is called the river of knowledge (Vidya), being associated with Brahma, the creator of the universe. The dark and elusive Narmada is often referred to as the virgin river associated with the quality of detachment and surrender (Vairagya). The Godavari is the saffron river of devotion (Bhakti), sanctified by the presence of Ram, Sita and Lakshman, who spent much of their exile years from Ayodhya in the forests along the river. Kaveri, the silvery river of wisdom (Gyan). The Krishna River represents courage and valour (Shourya).

Holiness of Rivers as per Shiva Purana:
In Chapter 12, shlokas 5-43, Vidhyeshwara Samhita (first Samhita) of Shiva Purana, the importance of holiness of Indian rivers has been highlighted as under:

1. On the shores of ocean and in the confluence of hundreds of rivers, there are many holy centres and temples.
2. There are many holy centres on the banks of Ganga, Sone (rises from Amarkantak, Chhattisgarh) Kaveri, etc. Their banks are highly sacred during the month of Margasheesh (November-December) or when the Jupiter is in the zodiac of Capricornus.
3. The Ganga River is holy & have hundred mouths, Sone River is holy & have ten mouths, Narmada & Reva is holy & have twenty-four mouths, Tamsa river (rises from Budelkhand) is holy & have twelve mouths, Godavari River is holy & have twenty-one mouths, Tungabhadra, Pampa & Kanya rivers are holy & have ten mouths, Kaveri River is holy & have twenty-seven mouths.
4. By ablutions (holy dip) in Sone River and observing fast, the devotee shall attain region of Ganesha; by dip in Narmada & residing on its banks, the devotee attains the region of Vishnu; Godavari quells the sins of killing Brahmin or slaughtering Cow; Tungabhadra accords Brahmaloka; Pampa & kanya accords Indraloka; Kaveri accords all cherished desires.
5. When Jupiter and Sun are zodiac of Aries (Mesha), holy dip in Gomti in Naimisharnya, Sitapur UP and Badrinath (hermitage of Nar & Narayana in the neighbourhood of Gangodbheda, the source of Ganga) and worship thereafter accord Brahmaloka.
6. When sun is in zodiac of Cancer (Karka) or Leo (Singha) and the day is of Sankranti, holy dip in Sindhi River and holy dip in Kadarnath & drinking water, accord perfect knowledge.
7. When Jupiter is in zodiac of Leo (Singha) and day is of Sankranti and month is Bhadrapada, holy dip in Godavari, it accords Shiva loka.
8. When Sun & Jupiter are in zodiac of Virgo (Kanya), holy dip in Yamuna & Sone River attains Dharamraja and Ganesha Loka respectively.
9. When Sun and Jupiter are in Libra (Tula), holy dip in Kaveri attains cherished desires.
10. When Sun and Jupiter are in Scorpius (Vrishik) in month of Margashirsha, holy dip in Narmada accords Vishnu loka.
11. When Sun and Jupiter are in Sagittarius (Dhanu), holy dip in Swaranmukhri River accords Shiva loka.
12. When Sun and Jupiter are in Pisces (Meen), holy dip in Krishnaveni River attains Indra post.        
13. Pilgrimage in Ganga or Kaveri certainly destroys the sins.
14. In the month of Magha when the sun is in zodiac of Kumbha, Shradha, offering of pinda and water is done, it raises the crores of manes of Paternal as well as maternal sides of family.  
15. Only by good conduct, good predilections, good concepts and by being sympathetic, devotee derives benefits, otherwise not.
16. A small meritorious deed done in holy place multiplies and likewise sin committed in a holy centre becomes very big.
17. Meritorious deeds done in holy place, accords prosperity and quells physical, verbal and mental sins.
18. The mental sins can be destroyed by meditation and not otherwise. The verbal sins can be wiped off by Japas and physical sins by forcibly causing the emaciation of the body (Tapas).
19. Both merits and demerits have three aspects – the seed stage, flourishing stage and the enjoyment stage. It they are the seed stage that can be quelled by perfect knowledge; if it is flourishing stage that can be quelled by the pilgrimage and if it is the enjoyment stage that can be destroyed only by enjoying and experiencing their fruits and not otherwise though one might have performed crores of meritorious deeds. If one regularly performs worship of gods, make gifts to Brahmins and sufficient penance, enjoyment becomes unbearable. Hence those who wish for happiness must refrain from committing sins.           

Reference: Shiva Purana, Vidhyeshwara Samhita (first Samhita), Chapter 12, shlokas 5-43