JAGANNATH SWAMI NAYANA PATHA GAMI BHAVA TUME – Part 01
Suresh Chandra Sarangi
The waves of the sea wash the punyabhumi, across sand dunes, where the lord is manifested as Lord Jagannath, along with his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, overseeing his devotees, within the sanctum sanctorum and outside it. The colossal hand-carved twelfth century temple, the abode of the lord, is 190 feet high, a marvel of Orissan architecture and sculpture. The town of Puri is the most popular pilgrimage destination and one of the four Dhamas for salvation. Well connected with the rest of the world, the people make a bee line, to have a glimpse of the Chaturdha Murti, with a belief that all their sins are washed away.
Lord Jagannath exhibits his leela in Shreekshetra Puri, and like the bees hovering around the flowers the devotees overwhelmed with Krishna prema, have darshan in order to receive His eternal bliss. After visiting the deity each one embraces spirituality and feels that their birth has now become meaningful. Such is the attraction of Lord Jagannath who took Krishnavatara to save the devotees and world, after realizing the moral fall of people and world being trampled by the vices. The lord took birth to kill the demon and establish Satya and Dharma.
Spiritual Bliss
The undeniable fact that Purushottam kshetra is the Vaikuntha on earth is amplified by, the spiritual fervour that graces the air of Puri, which gravitates the people of Odisha who swim in the ocean of spiritual bliss because of the gracious presence of Lord Jagannath. Shreekshetra, the abode of pristine bliss revels with anxiety of devotees to have a darshan of the living deity. Day becomes night, season changes, generations of man and woman take birth and get old, but lord remains an ocean of love and splendid manifestation of the Param Brahma. The particular leela of Lord Jagannath, with his brother and sister is unparalleled in the world. Jagannath is so much attached with the people of Odisha that, in everything here, like the pounding waves of the sea. Jagannath is manifested on every wall, every billboard, every appliqué work, every poster, calendar, wedding invitation, every sticker, every taxi and cycle or auto rickshaw, every T-shirt and Hand bags, that carries a feeling of the glory of Odisha, Lord Jagannath is reflected in all.
Jagannath is a miracle God, the eternal lover and in his human form mesmerizes millions. His daily lifestyle appears to be alaukika, and resembles that of any common man.
But he is the manifestation of super consciousness. The very finer consciousness has attracted the devotees through the ages. He is indescribable, symbol of bright light and the thinkers, philosophers, poets, saints have tried to describe him, but he remains indescribable and there will be no end to this saga of expression.
This is continuing from time immemorial and shall continue till the end of time.
He is timeless. He is so big and again so small to have his atomic presence. He has a form and still formless. He is Sakar, He is Nirakar, Saguna and Nirguna, the holy Vedas and outside Veda as well. The poets, saints, writers and philosophers have tried to describe Him, but He cannot be limited and thus, they are baffled.
He is incomplete in form but still the most beautiful, and the satisfaction after seeing him is full of self-satisfaction. Human intelligence takes a beating in front of his miraculous shape and unparalleled Leela. He puts on so many ornaments, such designed clothes, with His Koustav Mani and Nath, that is beyond the comprehension of the wisest. The limitless God, with His rituals, festivals, worship rituals, remains a mystery.
He is described as Narasimha of Satya Yuga, Maryada Purushottam Ram of Tretaya Yuga, Krushna of Dwapar Yuga, and still incomprehensible. It is said He is the Krushna whose soul is transferred within the wooden idol. He is leelamaya, and in Dwapar Yuga, His eternal love with Radha is mysterious. The glimpses of his rituals in Shri Mandir are incomparable, his Ratha Yatra or Car festival to give a darshan to millions of devotees outside the temple. His journey within Narendra Pond sitting atop a boat during Summer is the manifestation of unbelievable Leela.
Shree Jagannath is one in many and many in one. He is himself the nature, the heat, the energy, the day, the night, the expression of divine bliss. He absorbs everything in Him. He is the Biswarup, the eternal flame of spiritualism, the culture of Odisha is influenced by his rituals and earthly activities. He is culture, development, conscious and a brook of unbroken continuity, nourishing the mortals’ heart and soul. He is not comparable, the supreme consciousness and unfathomable in his beauty. He is the deity in every Odia house and the sovereign lord. In Madala Panji, the official chronicle of Lord Jagannath and Srimandir, it is written that Shree Jagannath is the king of Odisha. His journey to Kanchi Kaveri in the defense of his worshiper King Kapilendra Deva is the symbol of his love for his devotees and citizens.
He is Darubrahma, the mysterious incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is Baman, Nirakar, Nirguna, Kalasrimukha. He is the fountain of spiritual bliss and the God who also creates spiritual vibration in human beings. His humanist values, gospel of equality, coordination of coordinated consciousness is sung by all, rich and poor, Brahmins and Chandals.
(The writer is a retired banker and lives in Bhubaneswar. The information/data cited in this article along with the views/opinions are written/curated by the author. OdishaPlus does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same)
