Jagannath Swami Nayana Patha Gami Bhava Tume – Part 03
Suresh Chandra Sarangi
He is known as Parambrahma, the protector of the Universe. Deep faith in the deity brings a special feeling to mind and soul. Lord Jagannath after taking the bath is put into the Anasara ghara and locked there and it is said that the Lord, like a human being, suffers from fever and is treated with natural medicines. The daitapati as well as the devotee offer different fruits like banana, pineapple, jackfruit, mango, rabidi, khua, etc. The devotees surrender themselves for the services of Lord Jagannath with joy and unfathomable faith in the great God. The Car festival is a unique festival, now being observed throughout the world is a function of Sanatan Dharma.
The three deities and Prabhu Sudarshan sit on wooden chariots covered with Chandua appliqué and devotees become frenzied pulling the strings of the chariots across the Bada Danda to the beating of drums & cymbals and dancing of Odissi and Gotipua dancers. The overwhelming joy in the heart of people pervades the entire atmosphere with spiritual fervour and the dancing of devotees makes the occasion very special and overwhelming for which it is said the Gods also offer flowers from heaven. This should be seen to be believed. People believe that their prayers of several births has been successful and the sound produced by the wheels make them more enthusiastic.
He is the Protector of all living creatures in the world, man, animal and plants. Puri, known as the land of Lord Vishnu, attracts people from all walks of life and he is the only unique God who gets out of the sanctum sanctorum to bless his own people without any discrimination of caste, culture, religion or gender.
A great devotee of Vishnu and Shri Rajrishi, Indradyumna had listened to the greatness of the Lord Nilamadhaba and he became mad to have a darshan of Nilamadhaba. He sent somebody from the courtyard named Vidyapati who met with the tribal king Vishwavasu and married his daughter Lalita and by applying his intelligence had stolen the Lord Nilamadhaba who is now worshipped as the Darubrahma. It is understood that Kota Kaivalyanath Shri Jagannath is the living representation of all religions, all philosophies, all logic and all coordination of human consciousness.
Shree Jagannath is the creation; he is the manager and he is the destroyer. He is unmoved, does not possess any values but is at the center of all values, is formless but has innumerable shapes. He is indescribable, shapeless and eternal without a beginning or an end, indestructible, beyond consciousness and omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all powerful Purna Brahma. He is Vishnu and he is also Shiva manifesting qualities of Goddess Lakshmi, being as powerful as air and being as aggressive as fire, being the God of the entire world and their protector, he is Varuna and being resourceful, he is Indra.
As he engulfs the entire world he is known as Kali and has taken birth in different forms to protect the earth from suffering and exploitation. Shreekshetra is the most important pilgrimage destination in the entire India and thus, has created a niche in the world of tourism. The way the leelas of Lord Jagannath is mysterious, similarly, is the soil of Puri, its water and air. He is the source of the religious feelings of Odisha.
The people of Odisha love Lord Jagannath and his culture more than their lives. This is reflected in fighting with the external enemies from Afghanistan and the Mughals sacrificing their life to keep the deities untouched. It is said that history has witnessed an interesting phenomenon: how to protect the idols from destruction by the invaders. Lord Jagannath was transported in a boat to Kotsamalai of Subarnapur district.
For some decades, Rath Yatra was not staged and the place at which Lord Jagannath was placed in Subarnapur district became a place of pilgrimage and that is why Lord Jagannath is known as Patali. Puri is also known as the Shankha Kshetra, as it is shaped like a conch. He is the supreme soul and the entire world functions at his will. He is the supreme deity of the Hindus, supports and protects them when in danger, happiness, sadness, profit or loss and thus is the main architect of Odisha’s social, political, religious and cultural life. His abode, Puri, known as the Baikuntha on earth is not only a famous pilgrimage destination but the Purushottam kshetra has emerged as a coordinating centre of all religions.
Lord Jagannath is a mystery, his miracles to protect his devotees are unbelievable. Besides his sanctum sanctorum there is the temple of Lakshmi who is his consort. There is a Kalpa Brukhya which satisfies the desires of devotees with blessings inside the temple. The temple of Satyanarayana, Shiva, Maa Kamala, Maa Bimala, Prabhu Ganesha and the famous 22 stairs of the temple also possess the various qualities and divine blessings of Lord Jagannath. The Mathas around the town of Puri send a spiritual vibration and make the atmosphere joyous.
In the Shwetasweta Upanishad, it is said that Lord Jagannath does not possess natural legs and arms and still can move as lightning in the blink of an eye. Without ears he can listen to everything and that is why he is Adipurusha. Though complete in everything, still he is incomplete without his limbs and ears which remained as such when Queen Gundicha opened the door while the deity was being created by Lord Vishwakarma, the carpenter of heaven. Great is his throne, his dresses, his temple, his courtyard, his road, his seas and supreme is his consciousness.
Lord Jagannath is the symbol of eternal beauty, unadulterated bliss. The great poet Gita Govinda describes Shri Jagannath with lyrical obeisance to the lord of the universe. Shri Jagannath occupies the favourite space not only in the heart of his devotees but also in the world of poetry. Odia literature has become great because of the attraction of Lord Jagannath and related expressions. Balaram Das expresses his gratitude to the Lord in Jagmohan Ramayana. Atibadi Jagannath Das views him as Vishnu advises to take shelter under his lotus feet.
Shishu Ananta Das has deciphered the Brahma in his Hetu Udaya Bhagabata and Anakara Brahmajantra describes him as Parama Purushottam whose sanctum sanctorum is covered with Nilachakra. Apart from the above Joshawant Das, Sarala Das speaks about the Lord who was sitting as the Nilamadhaba atop the blue hill. The woman poet Madhavi Devi of Panchasakha age describes him as Chakadola (Rounded eyes) and offers her services. Arjun Das and Durlava Das also sang the glory of God. Deena Krushna Das in his ‘Rasa Kallol’, gets lost in his poems praising the Lord.
(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)
