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Nepal JyotishTraditional Science
Water Names

Ratnasagar

The story of how the pond where a maiden found a pot of gems for a mahant who was seeking provisions for a feast became Ratnasagar.

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Ratnasagar

A pious mahant of Janakpur organised a vast bhandara (feast) to feed holy men and the poor and destitute. Many sages and ascetics came from far and near to accept the invitation. But as the day of the feast drew near, the mahant grew deeply worried to see a shortage of food supplies.

Unable to bear the public shame and humiliation of having to send his guests back hungry, he began wandering through the villages begging for help. But from no one could he gather sufficient support.

At last, in despair, as he set off along a lonely forest path, he met a divine and beautiful little girl on the way. Seeing the shadow of worry on the mahant's face, the girl asked: "O holy one, why do you look so anxious and sad?"

The mahant told her the whole of his trouble: "Little one, tomorrow is the bhandara for the holy men, but I have neither grain nor provisions to feed them. I have fallen into a great moral crisis."

The girl said with a gentle smile: "Do not worry. Go straight from here towards the south-west. There, on the shore of a beautiful pond, you will find a golden pot filled with precious gems. Take out as many gems as you need to meet your requirement and carry them away."

Going to the shore of that very pond, the mahant found, before his own eyes, a pot of gems. He took the gems he needed and completed the grand bhandara. All the sages and mendicants were satisfied. Later the secret was revealed that the girl was none other than Janaki (Sita) herself. That sacred pond, where the pot of gems was found, came to be called 'Ratnasagar'.

Note: These are traditional Nepali folk tales (kimbadanti), passed down orally through generations. They may or may not reflect actual historical events, but they are told and believed as part of Nepal's cultural heritage.

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Prabhavati and RatnavatiThe story of how the Ratnavati and Prabhavati rivers came to be when the wealth hidden by a danava was sought and gems flowed away.SurmasarovarThe story of how the lake where Queen Surma performed penance after abandoning the leprous Shiva became Surmasarovar.Trishuli and GosaikundaThe story of how the Trishuli river and Gosaikunda came to be when Shiva drank the Halahala poison from the churning of the ocean.Bagmati and Keshawati (Vishnumati)The story of how Krakucchanda Buddha pressed his thumb into the rock and brought forth the Bagmati and Keshawati (Vishnumati) rivers.Roshmati (Rosi)The story of how the Roshmati (Rosi) river came to be when the kings of Patan and Panauti asked for the water of Phulchoki.UgratirthaThe story of how Shiva appeared in response to the fierce penance of Chyawan Rishi and made Ugratirtha a sacred place of pilgrimage.