Rishi Jahnu appears in the story of Ganga and Bhagiratha. When Ganga came to earth after being released from lord Shiva's locks, her torrential waters wreaked havoc with Jahnu's fields and penance. Angered by this, the great sage drank up all of Ganga's waters to punish Ganga. Seeing this, the Gods prayed to the sage to release Ganga so that she could proceed on her mission to release the souls of the ancestors of Bhagiratha. Jahnu relented and he released Ganga from his ear. For this, Ganga is also known as Jahnvi or Jahnavi, meaning "daughter of Jahnu".