Introduction To Jaganatha Yatra

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Introduction to Jagannatha Ratha-yatra

 

--from the forthcoming book on Vaisnava festivals

by HH Giriraj Swami Maharaj

 

 

In His Jagannathastaka, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu describes, "On the

shore of the great ocean, within a large palace atop the brilliant, golden

Nilacala Hill, Lord Jagannatha resides with His powerful brother

Balabhadra and His sister Subhadra. In His left hand Lord Jagannatha holds a

flute, on His head He wears peacock feathers, and on His hips He wears

fine yellow silken cloth. From the corners of His eyes He bestows

sidelong glances upon His loving devotees."

 

Lord Jagannatha is a manifestation of Lord Krsna in Dvaraka, in the

mood of separation from the residents of Vrndavana. Krsna, Balabhadra, and

Subhadra came to assume their extraordinary forms while listening to an

account of Krsna's Vrndavana lila. The queens of Dvaraka were keenly

aware of their husband's special affinity for Vrndavana and its

residents, and they wanted to hear about His childhood pastimes there. Because

among them only Rohini-devi, the mother of Lord Balarama, had witnessed

those events, the queens begged her to describe them. Rohini-devi

agreed, but only on the condition that no one else be allowed to hear.

Subhadra-devi, Krsna and Balarama's sister, agreed to stand outside and

guard the door.

 

Rohini-devi began her narration, and soon everyone became enthralled

hearing the sweet pastimes of Sri Krsna. Even Subhadra became so

captivated that she forgot her role as doorkeeper. And thus she didn't notice

when Krsna and Balarama came to stand beside her, putting Their ears to

the door and listening with rapt attention. As one astonishing story

led to another, the eyes and mouths of Krsna, Balarama, and Subhadra

opened wider and wider, and their features assumed the forms that would

become immortalized as the deities known as Jagannatha, Baladeva, and

Subhadra.

 

To reciprocate with His devotees in Vrndavana, once a year, at the time

of the Ratha-yatra, Lord Jagannatha mounts His cart and proceeds along

the road. "Externally He gives the excuse that He wants to participate

in the Ratha-yatra festival, but actually He wants to leave Jagannatha

Puri to go to Sundaracala, the Gundica temple, a replica of Vrndavana,"

where He remains for some days. (Cc Madhya 14.120)

 

The first deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra were fashioned

by the celestial architect Visvakarma for King Indradyumna, who built

the original Sri Jagannatha temple in Puri thousands of years ago. The

deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra are made of neem wood.

Every twelve years, new deities are carved according to ancient

specifications and accompanied by complex rituals that last for several weeks.

A

search party consisting of descendents of Lord Jagannatha's original

servants goes into the jungle to look for the particular tree mentioned

in confidential palm leaf manuscripts kept in the temple by three head

priests whose sole responsibility is to read and interpret them. When

the tree is found, it is cut with an ax with a golden handle. Descendents

of those servants of Lord Jagannatha who had been authorized for this

particular duty then drag the tree back to Puri on a wooden cart made in

the temple specifically for this purpose.

 

Back at the temple, selected wood carvers take twenty-one days to carve

the new deities, all the while accompanied by continuous kirtana and

the recitation of slokas from the Vedas. During this time, the carvers

are not allowed to leave the temple; they eat and sleep in the courtyard.

And nobody, not even the head priest, is allowed to enter the carving

area.

 

The installation of the new deities is a mystical ceremony during which

the life force of the old deity is transferred to the new deity. This

"Great Transformation Rite" takes place after midnight and is performed

by the three oldest members of the Dayita-pati family, descendents of

the original servants of Lord Jagannatha. After they have fasted and

meditated within the temple for the entire day, they are blindfolded and

their hands are covered with cloth, for even they are not allowed to see

or touch the life force they transfer. And because it is said that if

anybody else happens to see any of the ceremony, he or she will die, the

government of Orissa orders a full blackout on that night. The three

Dayita-patis are not permitted to even speak of what takes place.

 

The carts are made new each year, taking over a hundred craftsmen more

than a month to construct. Lord Jagannatha's cart is forty-five feet

high and has fourteen wheels, Baladeva's is forty-seven feet high and has

sixteen wheels, and Subhadra's is forty-three feet high and has twelve

wheels. Attached to each cart are a wooden charioteer and four wooden

horses, but actually the carts are pulled by devotees who come from all

over the world for the occasion. It is said in the Brahmanda Purana

that "A person who sees the Lord's Ratha-yatra car festival and then

stands up to receive the Lord can purge all kinds of sinful results from his

body." (NOD 9) A similar statement from the Bhavisya Purana states that

"Even if born of a lowly family, a person who follows the Ratha-yatra

car when the deities pass in front or from behind will surely be

elevated to the position of achieving equal opulence with Visnu." (NOD 9)

 

On the day of the Ratha-yatra, Lord Jagannatha leaves His throne:

devotees called dayitas, specially chosen for their great strength, carry

the heavy six-foot deities to their festival chariots. Some take hold of

Lord Jagannatha's shoulders and some hold His lotus feet. Strong,

fluffed-up cotton pads are spread out from the throne to the cart, and the

deity is carried from one pillow-like pad to the next, bound at the

waist by a thick silk rope. From both sides the dayitas catch hold of the

rope and raise the Lord onto His cart.

 

While all this is taking place, various musical instruments are played

loudly and dancers perform for the pleasure of the Lord. To prepare the

way for Their Lordships' procession, the king of Orissa personally

sweeps the road with a golden-handled broom.

 

The Lord's carts are decorated with bright mirrors and hundreds of

white yak-tail whisks (camaras) and are adorned with pictures, brass bells,

and silken cloth. Crowning the carts are colorful canopies and

beautiful flags.

 

Lord Jagannatha is the first to get aboard His cart--then Lord

Baladeva, and then Subhadra Devi. Lord Baladeva's cart begins the procession

amidst tumultuous kirtana. Then Subhadra Devi leaves, and more kirtana

parties go along with her. Finally, Lord Jagannatha starts on His

journey, surrounded by joyous kirtaneers. Many hundreds of thousands of people

jam the parade route and completely fill Puri's streets, buildings, and

rooftops in hope of catching a glimpse of the colossal chariots and

incredible deities.

 

Along the route, Lord Jagannatha enjoys teasing His devotees. Sometimes

His cart goes very fast, sometimes very slow; sometimes it stops

altogether and cannot be moved. According to tradition, if the carts do not

reach Gundica before sunset, they remain the whole night at the place

where they stop. Sometimes Lord Jagannatha enjoys spending the night

under the sky and there, out in the street, He receives His first morning

worship.

 

After arriving in Sundaracala and reciprocating with His devotees for

five days, the Lord is paid a visit by His consort, Laksmidevi. She

implores Him to return with her to Nilacala, and He mercifully agrees.

 

In His Jagannathastaka, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu concludes, "May that

Jagannatha Svami, who bestows the opportunity for devotional service upon

all godly souls, be the object of my vision."

 

 

 

CHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY

Your humble servant

radhabhava gaur das

 

 

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