Story of Origin of Gandaka or Gandaki River

Gandaka or Gandaki is a holy river which rises in the hills of southern Tibet and flows through Nepal and India. The river is highly sacred because the pebbles in the river bear the chakra mark – Sudarshana Chakra of Vishnu. There are two stories associated with the origin of the Gandaki River.

As per Varaha Purana, Gandaki River flowed from the perspiration on Vishnu’s cheek.

Another legend has it that Gandaki River observed a severe penance to obtain boon from Vishnu that he should be his son. Vishnu granted the boon by residing in her in the form of Saligrama.

Gandaki is known as Sapta-Gandaki in Nepal. The river merges with Ganga at Sonepur in Bihar in India.