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Worship of Balabhadra in the Purushottama - Jagannath Temple

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Worship of Balabhadra in the Purushottama - Jagannath Temple ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review significant aspect of the study on the AJagannatha cult is the introduction of the worship of Balabhadra in the main temple of Purushottama Jagannatha in the Purushottama Kshetra. The available epigraphical evidences state that the worship of Balabhadra with Purushottama-Jagannatha, Subhadra and Sudarsana (Chaturddhamurtti) in the temple of Jagannatha was very popular during the period of king Anangabhima III (A.D.1207-1238).1 But the date of the introduction of the worship of Balabhadra as an important deity in the Purushottama Kshetra is an interesting matter for Worship of Balabhadra in the Purushottama - Jagannath Temple Kailash Chandra Dash the scholars. In this article I have proposed to Chodaganga, the founder of the Ganga rule in 2 consider some important views on the date of the Odisha. This view is based on an inscription of introduction of Balabhadra worship in the Puri the Narasimha temple in the inner compound of 3 temple. It also aims to present new evidence for the Jagannatha temple .The inscription is found the probable period and the beginning phase of on the south wall on the lotus base near the Varaha this worship in the Purushottama Kshetra. image of the Narasimha temple. A note of the Archaeological Survey of India (Mysore) states Worship of Balabhadra in the Puri Temple that this inscription belongs to the period of during the period of King Chodaganga Chodaganga.4 The inscription refers to the gift (A.D.1078-1147) of coins (Nishka) by Jayaraja (a florist) to the gods-Purushottama, Balabhadra and Subhadra.5 According to a recent view Balabhadra According to S.N.Rajaguru, this Malakara- was included in the system of Jagannatha worship Jayaraja was an important servant under king in the Purushottama Kshetra during the period of Kamarnava, the son and successor of 94 JUNE - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Chodaganga and according to his study an period of Kamaranava was the same Jayaraja of inscription of the 6th regnal year of Kamarnava the undated Narasimha temple inscription. Hence in the Narasimha temple also refers to Malakara it may be stated that Jayaraja who had seen the Jayaraja.6 On the basis of these inscriptions deity Purushottama in the sixth regnal year of Rajaguru thinks that the worship of Balabhadra Kamarnava was probably different from Jayaraja with Purushottama and Subhadra was either an who had seen Purusottama, Balabhadra, event of the period of Kamarnava or even of the Subhadra in another period when the latter period of Chodaganga.7 According to worship was popular and that the inscription could K.S.Behera, the inscription which evidently have belonged to the post-Kamarnava period. belongs to the time of Anantavarman We are not certain about the placement of the Chodagangadeva conclusively proves the worship inscriptions of the Narasimha temple because the of the Trinity at Puri during his time or even prior temple could have been rebuilt at another period to the construction of the temple.8 On the basis and so the inscription could have been misplaced. of literary texts like Kriyayogasara and the There is another inscription of the period of Hayasirsa pancharatra (which were composed Anangabhima III in that temple which refers to before the period of Chodaganga) and which the worship of Balabhadra in the temple. So the refer to Jagannatha Trinity) K.S. Behera even inscription containing the name of Jayaraja and states that this worship was well known in the the Trinity could have belonged to the period of Purushottama Kshetra in the pre-Ganga period.9 Rajaraja III or even to that of Anangabhima III. As we do not know the age and identity of I am, however, not inclined to accept the Jayaraja from the inscription and as it is a views of Behera and Rajaguru on the following fragmentary record and could have been inserted grounds: when the Narasimha temple was rebuilt we cannot take it as an unmistakable evidence for the worship (I) The inscription containing the subject of of Trinity in the temple during the period of the worship of Balabhadra with Purushottama and Chodaganga and his son Kamarnava. We feel Subhadra is near the inscriptions of Chodaganga that this inscription was recorded in the blank side and it is not dated. Hence we cannot be certain of the stone containing the inscriptions of about the exact period of the inscription. The Chodaganga and Kamarnava at a later date. This present scholar has verified the content of the was inscribed at a time when Balabhadra worship inscription in the temple and can now conclude was well known in the Puri temple and Jayaraja that it belongs to the post-Chodaganga period. was probably a different person belonging to No doubt there is a reference to Jayaraja in the the period of Rajaraja III and Anangabhima III. inscription. But we do not know the age of Jayaraja. Jayaraja could have continued to live (II) If Balabhadra worship was well known during the reign of the other Ganga kings like in the period of Chodaganga the donative Raghava, Rajaraja II and Aniyamkabhima II and inscriptions of that time could have stated about Rajaraja III, because between Kamarnava and it. But except this inscription all the records of Rajaraja III there is only a gap of about fifty this period refer to Sri Purushottama only. This years.There is no certainty that Jayaraja of the also makes it clear that the worship of Trinity was JUNE - 2017 95 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review not known in the period of Chodaganga and his Chodaganga. The composer of the verses of the son Kamarnava. copper plate grant was conscious about the activities of Chodaganga in the Purushottama (III) The reference to Jagannatha Trinity in the Kshetra. Had there been the worship of texts stated by K.S.Behera may have been Chaturddhamurtti in the Purushottama Kshetra interpolated at a later time when the worship of during the period of Chodaganga, the composer the Trinity was popular. We cannot ignore this of the verses of the copper plate grant would have interpolation and so the evidence of the learned certainly mentioned it in one or the other way. historian is not helpful in the fixation of the date of Balabhadra worship in the Puri temple. (V) There is another argument for the absence of the worship of Balabhadra in the Purushottama (IV) Copper plate grants of the Ganga period Kshetra during the period of Chodaganga. state that the worship of Balabhadra with According to a traditional taboo, Balabhadra is Jagannatha and Subhadra in the Purushottama the elder brother of Purushottama-Jagannatha and Kshetra was not known during the period of he is not allowed to see his sister-in-law Lakshmi. Chodaganga. An unmistakable evidence in this In fact this taboo could have been one of the context has been presented in the copper plate reasons why the wife Lakshmi was exchanged grant of king Rajaraja III of A.D.1198 and has for the sister Subhadra when Balabhadra was been repeated in all the copper plate grants of introduced into the Trinity.12 The medieval Odia the Ganga family after that year.10 The verses of literature starting from Sarala Mahabharata the grant state that only Gangesvara-Chodaganga (15th century A.D.) refers to the brotherly became successful in the completion of the relationship between Balabhadra and construction of a huge temple for Vishnu- 13 Purushottama. It further states that before the Purusottama-Jagannatha. The kama (amorous construction of a residence for Purushottama by nature) aspect of Vishnu-Purushottama was Chodaganga, the deity was living in his father-in- known in the pre-Ganga period and also in the law’s house (the ocean). Purushottama was period of Chodaganga. Anargha Raghava (a ashamed of living in his father-in-law’s house and text in Sanskrit) of Murari Mishra who is usually when Chodaganga completed the building of the placed in the 10th century A.D. by most of the temple, he became happy to live in his residence. scholars refers to the deity of Purushottama Lakshmi, his consort, was also glad to live with Kshetra as Purushottama of dark blue bodily her husband. This statement of the copper plate colour resembling blue sapphire, residing on the grant clearly indicates that before and during the sea-shore of the salt ocean and sporting with reign of Chodaganga the main deity in the Kamala (Lakshmi) by drawing patterns in her 14 Purushottama Kshetra was Sri Purushottama.The breasts with the paste of milk. If we accept the very concept of Purushottama demands that the amorous nature of Purushottama, the worship of God Purushottama and Lakshmi live together.11 Balabhadra with Purushottama and Lakshmi in Thus we can easily reject the view that Balabhadra one place is out of consideration. Balabhadra was also another deity of the Purushottama was introduced as an important deity only when Kshetra with Purushottama and Subhadra in the the Hinduized tribal deity Purushottama was pre-Ganga period and also in the period of accepted as Krishna. But during the period of 96 JUNE - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Chodaganga the concept of Purushottama was Kshetra.18 The record refers to land grants to clearly known and it is supported by the copper Balabhadra and also to the three gods at plate grant of A.D.1198. Hence Balabhadra was Patavada pataka (Patavada pataka worshipped as an important member of the tridevanam).19 It clearly indicates that Jagannatha Trinity in the post-Chodaganga period. Balabhadra cannot be included in the group of the three deities of Patavada pataka.
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