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Biography

Return Yatra With Siblings

GS Tripathi, July 12, 2019: The Times of India

Lord Jagannath’s Return Yatra With Siblings

Jagannath, Lord of the Universe, with his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra, undertakes an annual yatra every Ashada Shukla Dwitiya from his abode, Sri Mandir to the Gundicha Temple, that symbolises his maternal home. He returns on Ashada Shukla Dashami. He gives darshan in all ten avatars.

The story of Vishnu’s incarnations conforms to the scientific theory of evolution. First as fish, then tortoise, third as boar, then Narasimha – half-animal and half-man. The dwarf incarnation and then the Parasurama avatar followed by Rama avatar, perfect in all respects. As Krishna avatar, the Supreme was splendid and magnificent. Some like to see the Buddha also as an avatar, detached from worldly pleasures.

The purpose of all of Vishnu’s avatars was to destroy adharma and establish dharma. In the Bhagwad Gita, seeing the reluctance of Arjuna to kill his kinsmen who were practising adharma, Krishna convinces Arjuna to do his duty by going to battle to re-establish dhar ma.

During his visit to his maternal home, Krishna conveys the message that he is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. His darshan in the Sri Mandir is restricted only to Hindus – he is suffocated by this discrimination. He is the Lord of the Universe, not only of Hindus. Therefore he embarks on the annual ritual, the Ratha Yatra, popular across demographics, race, religion and caste. He gives darshan to everybody, irrespective of who they are, rich or poor, strong or weak, Hindu or non-Hindu.

As soon as Jagannath returns, he does not go home. He gives darshan in all his splendour outside his home. He is dressed in beautiful ornaments and clothes and is all smiles. When we are home, we are simple. But when we go out, we want to look good in our best outfits. Moreover, it is celebration time.

The journey home is always pleasant. We also feel happy going to our place of birth. So Jagannath is happy both on Ratha Yatra day and on the Return Yatra day. Since the Lord is happy, people are happy. In the Bhagwad Gita, Krishna says, “Whatever the great do, others follow that.”

Many things in our lives are cyclic. Where there is a beginning, there is an end; where there is creation, there is annihilation. The Lord, too, appears from nothing and also disappears into nothing. In between it is a journey that is recorded. For us it is a journey through innocence, learning, action, wisdom and detachment. The Gita says that throughout our life journey the Supreme Power accompanies us as guide, philosopher, witness, controller and friend. We also try to reciprocate. We follow him in his journey from beginning to end. He enjoys our company, just as we enjoy his. He cheers us and we reciprocate by chanting his name. In order to understand Jagannath, one need not be highly learned. Just chanting his name with devotion is enough. Krishna says some people follow the path of devotion, some the path of action and some others, the path of knowledge, in order to understand him. But the path of devotion is said to be the best because it is bereft of ego that usually accompanies people of action and knowledge. Jai Jagannath!

The writer teaches Physics at Berhampur University

The Lord Of The Universe

Charudutta Panigrahi & Shallu Jindal, June 24, 2020: The Times of India

“OSudarshana! The fiery radiance, possessing power of millions of Suns, please pull me out of my ignorance and lead me to Vaikuntha.” – Skanda Purana.

Vaikuntha is the seat of Vishnu and Sudarshan is the energy which propels us to Vaikuntha, Puri. Sudarshan is placed on Chakra Yantra at Ratnasinghasan at Vaikuntha, Puri. He is invoked by reciting the Pavamana, mantras and hymns meant for purification.

The world is nothing but name and form. Reality is Atman, Brahmn, the Supreme Universal Consciousness, which pervades the world. The whole idea is to move from name and form to absolute reality. To do this, we need to uncover the Atman which is covered by impurities such as kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, matsarya and bhaya. These should be removed through karma, bhakti and jnana yoga, thereby moving to the light within from the darkness outside. Then, the body, mind and intellect that are mortal and unreal are negated and identified with Atman, the immortal reality. Thereafter there is attainment of enlightenment.

The Sri Yantra of Sudarshan is the key to prosperity and happiness. It radiates energy for the mortal world. There are nine interlocked triangles in the Yantra which surround and spin out from the mula, centre point, the point of convergence between the physical universe and its divine source. Similarly, this is manifested in the human body which has seven energy centres, chakras, that steer life.

Chakras are energy centres in our body also called the ‘whirlpool of energy’ and are the embodiments of Sudarshan. Sudarshan has laid the blueprint for Kundalini awakening and is believed to be Jupa Shakti, “staff of power”, associated with lightning or thunderbolt, and is representative of the divine power, the shakti of purusha.

The Stambha, Jupa Shakti, Sudarshan, are usually installed at yajna salas where rituals are performed. He symbolises the cycle of birth and death and is always attached to Subhadra. Many also believe that Sudarshan is also Radha. His position is always to the left of Jagannath and during Radhashtami, Sudarshan goes on nagara-parikrama, on a city visit. The four letters ja, ga, na, tha of Jagannath encompass all –Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan. This fourfold image is known as Chaturdha Murti. Sudarshan stands for energy and agility, and hence during Rath Yatra, Sudarshan is carried to the Rath by running daitapatis, servitors, and is never ushered slowly into Rath, as is the case for the other Lords. In the Chaturdha Murti, Sudarshan also symbolises the amalgamation of both Purusha and Prakriti and so his vertical shape indicates the holistic dimension of life by enriching prana through a straight spine. During disasters like the pandemic we are currently experiencing, maintaining a straight back will reduce stress considerably.

The Skanda Purana refers to Sudarshan as the personification of Pranava Omkara, bright and all-pervading. In Puri Rath yatra, when he is seated beside Subhadra in Debadalan Chariot, Sudarshan embodies the Adya Shakti of Jagannath. He is also the conductor of energy, the Brahma Purusha in shaft form known as Chakraraj Sudarshan. He ushers in life force as an integral part of Chaturdha Murti. With the blessings of Pranava Omkara, let us straighten our backs, generate positive energy and fight the Covid-19.

Details

The Times of India, Jul 16 2015

Ashok Vohra

The eternal mystery of Lord Jagannatha

The cult of Jagannatha, the `Lord of the universe,' is an enigma. The question of whether it is an aboriginal Shavara cult which worshipped logs of wood as Lord Nilamadhava; a Vaishnavite cult devoted to the worship of Vishnu in His incarnation as Krishna; a Mahayana Buddhism cult; Jaina Tirthankar cult; Shaivite cult, or a Tantric cult -has so far not been settled.

Some see God as Purushottama ­ the Supreme Self, the vedic Brahmn, Supreme Consciousness; the tantric tradition conceives Him as Bhairva and still others believe that God is the redeemer of the fallen ­ the Patitapabana of the Mahayana tradition.

Even the mantra `Aum Klim Krishnaye, Gobindaye, Gopikajanavallabhaye Namah' which is chanted to worship Lord Jagannatha does not help us solve the riddle. The term `Aum' is the vedic syllable which refers to Brahmn, Ultimate Reality . `Klim' is used in the tantric tradition. `Krishna', `Gobinda' all refer to the Vaishnavite tradition.

The three figures with their round heads, with stumps for arms and rather shapeless bodies are made of wood.According to General Cunningham these figures represent the tri-ratnas ­Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha respectively. In Buddhist tradition dhamma is always represented as female.Even the pedestal on which the trinity now stands is called Ratnavedi, home of the jewels.

According to the Vaishnavite tradition the three figures are those of Krishna, his sister Subhadra and brother Balabhadra. Subhadra, the daughter of Yashoda, saved the lives of Krishna and Balarama from the mighty hands of Kan s sa. She was then known by the names of Yogamaya or Yoganidra. She is also known as Ekanamasa ­ the one who is One ­ advaita, and not the part of any other ­ akhanda. She is regarded as the creator of kala, time.

The worship of brothers and sister is unique. In Indic tradition through worship of God and His consort, His power is widespread; the worship of God and His sister is rare. Even on the occasion of Ratha-jatra, Mahalakshmi does not accompany the Lord. He is accompanied by His sister, brother and the Sudarshan chakra. This indicates the importance given to filial love rather than passionate love, conveying that human beings must love each other like brothers and sisters.

Another exclusive feature of Lord Jagannatha is that the deity is carved out of wood. In all other temples the deity is carved in stone or metal. It never changes its material form.However, Lord Jagannatha and His companions discard their wooden bodies and take up new bodies made of new wood every twelve years. The ceremony of change of the body-material is called `nabokalevara'. The old material body is burnt in a pit in the backyard of the present temple.

That is why Jagannatha is also called Darudevata ­ the wooden God. The trinity's large, wheel-like eyes dominate their visage. The imagery of the large eyes of Jagannatha indicates that He is keeping a watch on all creation and nothing is hidden from the Lord. The icon does not resemble any person or other being that we have seen or can imagine.

Indradyumma, the king who built the present temple, when offered a boon by Lord Jagannatha, humbly replied “My Lord, grant that my family might become extinct so as not to leave behind even one person to claim, in the distant future, that this temple was built by an ancestor of his!“. This is a supreme example of complete surrender, the absolute negation of one's ego and negation of the individual self to realise the universal Self. So is the Jagannatha cult despite the unsolved mystery of its origin.

Rath Yatra

Goddess Lakshmi wants her spouse to come back

June 27, 2020: The Times of India

FROM LEFT- MURTIS OF BALARAM, SUBHADRA AND JAGANNATH
From: June 27, 2020: The Times of India

When Lakshmi Is Angry

ANITA SABAT writes of an interesting traditional ritual performed at Puri during the annual Ratha Yatra festival

Ratha Yatra is celebrated every year on the second day in the bright fortnight of the Ashadha month.This grand ‘car festival’ that began in the Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha, is now celebrated worldwide. The occasion is when Jagannath leaves the Sri Jagannath Temple and travels with his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra, to spend nine days at their maternal home at the Gundicha Temple, 2.6 km away. Jagannath does not take his consort, Lakshmi, along with him.

The Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri is known as Srimandira. Sri means Lakshmi, and mandira means temple; the name Srimandira signifies that Lakshmi is the principal goddess of the Sri Jagannath Temple. As the Ratha Yatra separates Lakshmi from Jagannath, she awaits his return to Srimandira. But as she misses Jagannath, she decides to pay him a visit on the fifth day of the Ratha Yatra.This day is called Hera Panchami. Hera means to ‘see’ and panchami means the ‘fifth day’. Hera Panchami ritual is performed on the Ashadha Shukla Shashti tithi — day.

As four nights pass, Lakshmi wants her spouse to come back. Being concerned, she takes the advice of Goddess Bimala, for Jagannath’s early return. Lakshmi decides to visit Jagannath at the Gundicha Temple where he is staying with his brother and sister. In the evening, Lakshmi — the golden idol of Goddess Sridevi — is carried to the Gundicha Temple in a bimana, decorated palanquin, by servitors, with great pomp and show with traditional music and a colourful procession via the Grand Road.

After reaching the Gundicha Temple, the procession halts near the Nandighosha Ratha, the chariot of Jagannath. Lakshmi is welcomed with ceremonial offerings. She enters the Gundicha Temple during sandhya dhupa, an evening prayer ritual. On behalf of Jagannath, she receives an Agyan Mala, a garland of consent.This is Jagannath’s message that he will return soon. For the sandhya dhupa, a strip of cloth called tera is hung in a way that the faces of the deities are veiled from sight. Due to this ritual, the door is closed. Goddess Lakshmi feels hurt and angry.

She leaves the Gundicha temple through the Naka Chana Dwara where Bhitarachha Mahapatra sevak worships her with offerings. Outside the Gundicha Temple, she again comes in front of Jagannath’s chariot that is parked there.

Jealous and angry because Jagannath is enjoying himself with his siblings, and to teach him a lesson for ignoring her, she asks her servitors to break a part of the Nandighosha Ratha. A small part is symbolically broken and this damage caused to the chariot demonstrates Goddess Lakshmi’s ire.

As the goddess feels guilty for causing damage to Nandighosha, she returns to Srimandira without any procession and fanfare. She takes a different and secret route via a lane called the Hera Gouri Sahi.

On the day after the Hera Panchami ritual, all the three chariots are turned to face south, thereby getting prepared for the return journey.After their nine-day outing, Bahuda Yatra marks the return of the deities to the Sri Jagannath Temple.

After the Suna Besha, when Jagannath and his siblings are adorned with gold jewellery, and Adhara Pana, the ritual of offering huge pots of refreshments to the gods and goddesses who stayed on the chariots to guard them, the concluding day of the Ratha Yatra is Niladri Bije, when the deities enter Srimandira.

Lakshmi, still angry and sulking, does not open the Srimandira gate for Jagannath. On Niladri Bije, Jagannath offers rasagola as a sweet present to Lakshmi to earn her favour and to regain entry.

These continuing traditions and centuries-old rituals of Srimandira show that even the Lord of the Universe has to placate his wife, the angry Goddess Lakshmi, on Hera Panchami.