Ubhaya Godavari
॥ गङ्गे च यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वति ।
नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरि जलेऽस्मिन् संनिधिं कुरु ॥
From time immemorial Bharath, the land of Sanatana Dharma, has revered and worshipped the incessantly flowing rivers, which not only quench the thirst of the Mankind but also have been a cradle for civilization, culture salvation
The people of Bharath have exonorated the rivers as gods and goddesses and not just as water bodies, there by deeping their faith in this age old Dharmic practice. These rivers are divine by nature as they have been associated with the Paramatma, the eternal and these have been extolled in the puranas.
महादेवजटोधभूते । लोकानम हितकाम्याय।
गोदावरी नमस्थुभ्याम वरदे कांशिथार्थदे ।।
Sage Gauthama, to drift a grazing cow threw a darbha which made it lifeless and thereby incurring a great sin of 'Gau Hathya'. To get rid of this sin, Sage Gauthama fervently prayed to Lord Shiva in the mountain ranges of Brahmagiri at Nasik Triyambak. Lord Shiva pleased with the devotion of Sage Gauthama, released a stream from HIS headlocks at the Brahmagiri. This is how the river Godavari has taken birth not just to redeem Sage Gauthama of 'Gau Hathya' but also to sanctify the mankind during its course southwards.
गां स्वर्गम ददाती स्नानमिति गोदावरी ।
(origin of the word Godavari and it emphasizes the fact that anyone who takes a dip in this river would be confirmed a place in the heaven)
Narada Puranam says
ये तू गोवरीम गंगां प्राप्य भक्ति युक्ता नारा:
स्नानम कुर्वन्तु सुभागे ते स्युर्मुक्त भवार्णावात।।
(whoever takes a bath in this holy river with devotion is bound to be liberated)
According to the Brahma Vaivartha Puranam
इयं तु गौतमी पुत्र यत्र क्वापी ममाज्ञाया।
सर्वीशम सर्वदाम नृणाम स्नान मुक्थिम प्रदास्यति।।
(Having a bath in this holy river will grant liberation)
Brahma Puranam goes on to extoll in the following manner
विंध्यास्य दक्षिणे गंगा गौतमी सा निगद्यते।
रेवातीरे तपः कुर्यात मरणम् जाह्नवी तटे।
दानम दद्यात कुरुक्षेत्र गौतम्याम त्रितयम वरम।।
(while Narmada is synonymous with penance, Jahnavi/Ganga with death, Kurukshetra for charity, all the 3 acts have an equivalent effect on the shores of Godavari)
From its origin at Brahmagiri, the river flows through various Kshetrams - Triambkeshwar, Nasik, Basara, Sona, Dharmapuri, Manthani, Kaleshwaram, Bhadrachalam, Rajamahendri and Kovvuru to name a few.