God of the Universe

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Lord of the Universe - Puri Jagannath

http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/743362.cms

by Seema Burman

 

The Jagannath temple at Puri is one of the four main holy Hindu

pilgrimage sites (char dham). Adi Sankara established a Vedanta math

here.

 

The wooden deities in the Jagannath temple are all-weather sculptures —

they remain unspoiled as they are made from margosa or neem wood.

 

According to legend, Biswabasu, a tribal devotee, worshipped Jagannatha

in the form of Nilamadhava. Another legend says that Lord Vishnu was the

carpenter of these wooden images.

 

An impatient Gundica, the queen of Indradyumna opened the doors of the

carpenter's workshop after 14 days whereas they were to remain closed

for three weeks. Disturbed, the divine carpenter vanished, leaving his

work unfinished. This is the explanation given for the unusually stocky

depiction of Krishna, Subhadra and Balabhadra — the three divine

siblings.

 

The earliest reference to Lord Jagannatha is found in the puranas and

other ancient literature. Since the images look unfinished, there was

uncertainty as to whether they would evoke feelings of devotion among

the people. Myth has it that that is why Krishna's idol here was

designated Jagat-natha, Lord of the Universe. Jagannatha is a magical

word and evokes shraddha immediately...

 

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu worshipped Jagannatha and was guided by Him to go

to Vrindavan. Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa regarded the Jagannatha aspect

as Vishnu's param dhama. When asked by his devotees to visit Jagannatha

he would say that if he were to go there it would be impossible for him

to come back.

 

Poet Jayadeva's Gita Govinda, referring to the love of Krishna for

Radha and the gopis would be recited before the Puri deities every

night. It is said that a gardener's daughter went around plucking

flowers while singing the Gita Govinda. Jagannatha followed her closely

and His clothes got torn in the thorn bushes. The next morning the

temple sevaks noticed that the clothes of the deity were torn. When the

mystery was revealed, King Prataparudradeva prohibited the recitation of

Gita Govinda outside the temple!

 

The car festival is held every year on Ashada Shukla Dwitiya. It is

known as the rath yatra, Gundicha yatra or garden yatra. The three

wooden deities are taken out of the temple and placed in their

respective chariots, then taken in procession to the Gundicha ghar

temple for a seven-day sojourn. Gundicha ghar is believed to be home of

Lord Jagannath's aunt. The deities are taken out from the Ratnasimghasan

to the accompaniment of the strains of the ghanta, Kahali and Telingi

Baja.

 

During these seven days the deities are dressed in Dasaavatara Besa

(ten incarnations form). On the ninth day the deities start their return

journey on Ashadha Shukla Dashami.

 

In the Jagannath Puri festival the king works as a sweeper, cleaning

the pathway ahead of the chariot, denoting that no labour is

insignificant if done for a higher cause. People from all communities

get together to draw the chariots with great enthusiasm, upholding the

spirit of celebration and exalting the concept of dignity of labour.