Sri Balabhadra Maharaj ki jai

March 14, 2009

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To,

Miss Katherine

Q - how can he be Siva Mahadeva ?

A - Yes indeed, at Sri Khetra Puri Balabhadra is Mahadeva.

Please remind me after a fortnight. I am likely to receive few photographs (which i am calling forth) with which the narration is likely to become more meaningful.

Q - Nag and wine cup ?

A - i have to check up with Sri Jagannath Temple servitors/officials regarding this. I have often seen him with the plow. The other two ......i am confusing, i will have to recheck (should you require do feel free to remind me sometime later). Sri Balabhadra comes from Jamuna valley regions (i had the grace of the Lord to also visit his native place). Puri is his adopted place. Secured my might from the marauding bands who think people like me who worship trees, snake, frogs, dogs, lion, and even blood, wine & fire - as Pagans. I am indeed happy to be. For, for me He the infinite joy bestowing Lord (whatever be his name & form) also lives in wheat and wine, although he was God in Palestine at some point of time.

Getting back, Lord Balaram (Daoo baba) had to be shifted as Islamic thought swept those regions in parts. At Sri Ketra Puri he is popularly known as Balabhadra (strong+gentle), while the natives of Bengal and the north east indians of mongoloid descent know him as Balaram and the natives Ganga-Jamuna valley region (his original folk) call him out (full throttled) as Baldeo & as Daoo baba ki jay (hail the elder !). His consort is goddess Durga alias Bimala i.e. Sivani. He is worshipped with Tulsi (sanctum sanctalum).

The shrine of Sri Jagannath at Sri Khetra Puri has a kitchen that cooks daily for around 10,000 people ++. The items on his menu ranges to 108+. The place where eatables are sold and free served is known as Ananda Bazar (joy market). On festive days the kitchen service covers half a million ! Pagans like me swarm around. They all with pride label themselves as Devasarmanams (believer/faithful). In July 2008, i was on official duty tailing my Lord Sri Jagannath's chariot (as part of my very large turn out crowd management study duty) i was part of the Pagan crowd of 1million+. The local natives (odiyas) are madly in love with him. Sri Jagannath is Sri Vishnu.

Amidst the crowd i could see numerous euro-americans. Some chanting, some bewildered, some at more ease than i was at, some were there with body guards, some even with icons of Sri jagannath on their heads, on shoulder or clutched fondly and tight to their brest. i was not. i had a pen in my hand and a posse of police men behind me, for they thought the crowd will deal me with their feet, should i fall. While i thought, Ah ! these far off men are on way to perfect paganhood. i am only in parts. The Lord is Sri - the honourable.

Now, the rice is cooked in mono use earthen utencils and the cooked rice is known as Arua. It is first offered to Balabhadra and then the same plate is re-offored to goddess Bimala, after which the prasada (as if the Lord has part taken it and has left a part for us) it gets to be known as Mahaprasada (the great offering). Not to Lord Sri Jagannath. His is de-jure known as only Prasada. The sutra (axiom) is Mahadeva-Mahadevi-Mahaprasada. Before the lord came to Puri in his present form, he was worshipped as a Siva Linga in the very same place i.e. on the Ratna vedi (jewel throne). Therefore those who are in the know of things also know him as Mahadeva.

Interestingly neither Sri Balabhadra, nor Sri Devi Subhdra have affinity for jewels. It is Sri Jagannath who used to be worshipped by the sabaras (aborigines) of India with raw and polished jewels. Hence he is known as Sabara devata (the lord of the aborigines) and his high alter as Ratna vedi. Sri Balabhadra is Mahadeva and means 'mighty-gentle', Sri Devi Subhadra (gracious gentle beauty) was earlier Durga/Mahisasuramardini. Jagannath is Mahapravu. One and the same. Yet not, information layers are one beneath the other. Only synonyms and synodical usage, that too also in layers on layers. Unbeatable Hindu scholarship at full play, at every step. The gamut is overbearing and unfathomable. If the Hindus have lost something somewhere, there is every possibility that some traces if not the whole is tucked away some where inside that great shrine and in its endless caravan of rituals. Sometimes, one feels belittled and at times vexed that so much has been riveted and hidden with such great ease, brevity and success from the evil eye i.e. the non Pagan eye. So much of mimansa (compromise), again at every step e.g., every day the Lords give public audience at about 6AM and listens to hyms sung by the congress of faithfull (from a distance of say 50mts). The 1st is in sanskrit, the 2nd hym is Islamic authored in odiya lingua. We the pagans in milieu sing the same at the top of our voice so that it becomes audible to him inspite of being 50 mts away, while craning our necks to take per chances head top glances of the Lord to ensure that he is indeed hearing ! In those moments of diurnal 6-to-6.30 AM any christmass choir would pale. Full fledged yelling, jumping, rolling is simultaneously allowed in paganic rituals from hereonwards. Yet, there seems to be self set limits. There is no dictation ! Oderly chaos and orderly confusion every where. Absolute democracy seems to be at full play at every step also. It took me decades to understand this, start deciphering and lapse into a an appriciative gear of mind. Blessed thy pagan and his anusilan (practices). It is said that an Bhatt-Acharya is a Brahman ! Pagan-Brahman ? The pair phonetically are close indeed. What about its meaning and scope in Hebrew, Parsi, Arabic......etc., languages ?

NOTE : non Hindus even if he/she be the Prime minister/President of India are not allowed even into the outer precinct of this great shrine (120 feet high). At any hour between 7Am & 9PM there could between 5000-25,000 pilgrims inside the precinct. This is because we the Pagans are large in numbers. We the large number of pagans are also innately conservative.

Q - See the design on the abacus of the Heliodors pillar (Katherine's picture).

A - It is very interesting. 3-6 months from now, my book on Hindu Temple art (funded by The Indian Council of Historical Research, Now in Press) will be released. Do remind me about this design. Very unique, lovely picture, valuable. Thank you. i will like to have a copy of this picture, if possible do please send me clipped in jpeg format.

Regards

Deepak

-

Katherine Brobeck

Saturday, March 14, 2009 12:10 AM

Re: Heliodoros Pillar

Dear Dr. Bhattacharya, I've seen the Tala-dhvaja capital, also, and believed?it was the?

cognizance of?Balabhadra, one of 5 Vrishnis as Samkarshana,

w Vasudeva,?Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Samba & sister Ekanamsa.

As you know he was prominent back then, almost a nagaraja, but how

can he be alias Siva Mahadeva?

I'm really quite fascinated by that deity, not only with the plow, but

with his Nag and winecup.

Wish I'd known about the delicious wheat.

Kathie

ps here's the pillar behind the VidishaDist. Museum.?

On Mar 13, 2009, oddisilab wrote:

Heliodors Pillar? is located in Vidisha, near? Sanchi, which is near Bhopal, in MP, mid-central India.? The locals call the pillar? as Khamba? Baba (father pillar).? Its Ayudha (pinnacle signature) is that of Tala Dhvaja (Borasus Flabelifera banner). It is a member of the ancient and long life flora.? People (including historians and iconographers possibly?including J.N.Bannerjee) say that Tala Dhvaja personifies Vasudeva Krishna.? There is a inscription (i? think the possible)? date is?c.1st A.D.

?

However at Sri Khetra Puri, Orissa (eastern sea board of India),? Tala-dhvaja is?the ayudha of Sri Balabhadra, alias Baladeva, alias Daoo baba, ?alias Balarama, alias Siva Mahadeva. His chariot is also known as Tala-dhvaja, which is drawn on his vehicle.

?

Pl. see? the? enclosed pictures? of? the Khamba? baba exposed by me in Jan 2008.?It is a ASI preserved site.? The ayudha has got severed and has fallen down. Now lies under a tree within the compound.

?

Vidisha? is famous? for? its wheat. Roti made of? Vidisha wheat can be with great pleasure be munched sans any other side dish. The taste is lingering.? Ah !? wish to go back.

?

Dr. Deepak? Bhattacharya

c/o? Sri Radha Krishna

Kedar Gouri Road

Bhubaneswar - 751002

India.