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Home , Balabhadra, Jagannath

June - 2012 Review

The Cult of

Rabindra Kumar Behuria

The political greatness of Odisha is long past, but (Sabara) known as ‘Biswabasu’ in the form of her religious greatness continues unabated. Her Nilamadhab. The most important evidence of this temples, images and many other monuments that belief is the existence of a class of Sevakas known stand proudly to-day rising above the ravages of as Daitapatis who are considered to be of the the time bear eloquent testimony to her lineage and who still play a dominant role in the predominance in the religious sphere and establish various services of lord in his temples. It is totally beyond doubt the antiquity of the sanctity of her a strange feature, nowhere seen in any Vaishnavite soil. Most of these monuments now stand forlorn shrine. and forsaken, but in the days gone by, they were In course of time, the cult of Jagannath the centres of varied activities of a brave jolly folk took an Aryanised form and various major faiths vibrating with rich gay life. These brave people like Saivism, Saktism, , and are gone, and with them has departed the soul of have been assimilated into this cult. In all those that they created, loved and respected. Jagannath temple, Jagannath worshipped as Their gods and goddesses, their temples and Purusottam or , as Siva and stupas and all that they held so dear to them are as Adyasakti . Finally the mostly dead things today lying uncared for here fourth one Sudarsana symbolizing the and there. Out of these gods and goddesses, wheel of Sun’s Chariot attracts the to the Tathagatas and have emerged the centre. great Lord Jagannath as the soul representative Among the celebrated deities of , of all the extinct gods and goddesses embodying Lord Jagannath stands out unique with His in Him the chief elements of all. So the cult of uncouth shape built of Daru and peculiar customs Jagannath is a curious mixture of many elements connected with His worship, According to some, heterogeneous and homogeneous, welded into Jagannath existed from Vedic times and in support one thought, a long synthetic process of evolution. thereof they quote the following Sloka from the We find the earliest reference to Lord Atharva Veda which contains the word ‘Daru’. Jagannath in and ancient Literature, “Adou Yaddaru Plabate, though the details of His origin are still shrouded Sindhou pare Apurusam in mystery. According to Legendary Sources, Yada Labhamdha Durdhano – Jagannath was originally worshipped by a tribal Tena Yahi Param Sthalam.”

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The supporters of the above theory them the three deities are the representatives of explain ‘Daru’ as meaning the deity made of the ‘Triratna’ of the Buddhists and that the uncouth wood, while others, like Macdonelle, Keith etc. forms of the deities represented the Buddhist hold that the word has been used in connection Stupas. The similarity between Buddhists Chaitya with rope, earth and other words of hymn. and the shape of Jagannath is so little that the We come across the word Purusottam () in supposition appears to be baseless and imaginary. the Puran. Nowhere we do find a ‘Chaitya’ in human form. More probably Jagannath is the representation “Gangayam (Gayayam) Mangalanam Bimala Purusottam of the original ‘Savara deity’ mentioned in the Gokarna Gaja Karnana mythology regarding Savara Origin of Jagannath. Tathacha Purusottam.” The Savaras are mentioned in post-Vedic literature. Pliny’s Sauri and Ptolemy’s Sabaroi Matsya Puran is ascribed to the close of were Savaras. They were the original inhabitants the 3rd century A.D. In the Jamala, of Orissa. When the Aryan came they had to face Jagannath made of wood is mentioned. these animist Savaras. Gradually the Savaras of “Bharate Chotkale Dese the plain region were Aryanised and a mixed race Bhuswarge Purusottam was the outcome. It is very probable that Darurupi Jagannath Jagannath was the of the Savaras. Bhaktanamabhayapradam.” Scholars like Pandit Nilakantha Das Jantra Jamala is mentioned in opines that three main images of Jagannath, Puran which is assigned to 4th century A.D. or Balabhadra and Subhadra represent the Jain earlier. So Tantra Jamala might have been written Trinity of Samyak , Samyak Charit and sometimes in 2nd or 3rd century A.D. In Samyak Drusti. It is also believed that the soul of Jamala Tantra we come across the name Jagannath, most secretly hidden within the image ‘Jagannath’ twice. In the Skanda Brahmanda and of Lord Jagannath is nothing but Tooth Relic of Siva Puranas there are detailed accounts of Lord Buddha. The Philosophy of Tantra, which Jagannath Kshetra. They are comparatively later in course of time became an integral part of in age and may be assigned to the 7th century at the earliest. Thus we trace the origin of Jagannath Buddhism has also significantly influenced the rites to 3rd century A.D. Jagannath must have been and rituals of Jagannath temple. existed long before Matsya Puran had acquired The Saiva elements in the Cult of celebrity to merit mentioned in that Puran. In that Jagannath are co-related with the doctrine of case we may reasonably place Him in the First or Tantricism and Sakta . According to Second Century A.D. We have nothing to place Saivas, Jagannath is Bhairav. The Tantric literary the origin of Jagannath in the Pre-Christian era texts identify Jagannath with Mahabhairav. It will excepting the doubtful Sloka mentioned in the not be out of place to mention here that Lord Atharva Veda referred to the above. The ‘Savara’ Jagannath sits on “Sri ” and is worshipped origin of Jagannath may be considered in this in the Vijamantra”Klim”which is also the connection. vijamantra of ‘’ or ‘Sakti’. The representation Many eminent scholars are of opinion that of Balaram as Sesanaga or Sankarsana bears Jagannath was a Buddhistic deity. According to testimony to the influence of Saivism on the cult

42 June - 2012 Odisha Review of Jagannath. It may be pointed out that the third its embracing fold. Yosavanta Das in his deity, ‘Subhadra’ who represents the Sakta Premavakti Brahmagita describes as the elements is still worshipped in Bhubaneswari embodiment of all the holy places which sanctity . baffles description; , , Vrundaban, The Tantric texts also point out the name Dwaraka, Kasi, etc are all present here. of Jagannath and His worship. According to these Achutyananda Das in his Sunya writes texts, Jagannath is Mahabhairab and goddess that all the ten incarnations emanate from this Daru Vimala is His Sakti. The Prasad of Lord Jagannath (Jagannath) and are again absorbed in becomes Mahaprasad only when it is re-offered Him. In the same book Lord Jagannath Says, an to Vimala. Nowhere we notice this unique feature aspect (Kala) of mine will go to Navadip and will except in the temple of Lord Jagannath. Similarly, manifest itself as Chaitanya. has not different tantric feature of have been merely been identified with Jagannath by Odishan engraved on the Ratnavedi where Lord Jagannath, Vaishnavas, but has been depicted by some as Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are worshipped. the Anasavatara (part incarnation) of the later. In depicts Jagannath as Tantric God. Jagannath Charitamruta, a work of post Panchasakha Period, Jagannath has been Jagannath is both Sankara’s Advaita described as the Supreme Lord or Purna Brahma, and Mahayanic Sunya. During 16th whereas Krishna, the son of represents Century, Achutyananda Das, the famous Saint only a part of this glory. Poet of Orissa in his Sunya Samhita has conceived both Krishna and Jagannath as Sunya When Jagannath is worshipped at Purusa or Void Personified. Frequent mention of Ratnavedi, He is Narayan Manchasina, He is Jagannath is found in the Mahabharat of Sarala Rudra during Car-Festival and He is Das (Adi Parva, Sava Parva, Musali Parva etc. Narayan while enjoying divine slumber. He takes and in the Daru Brahmagira of Jagannath Das. the form of Durga. Thus, He combines in Him all The absence of caste distinction in the temple of the Pancha Devatas belonging to different sects Jagannath, especially in partaking of the just as the Jagannath cult is an assimilation of Mahaprasad; the Car Festival of the Lord is various forms of religions and modes of worship ascribed to Buddhist influences. The humanization so also there is undercurrent of some of the Lord is manifested in His Car Festival, philosophical system like ‘Abheda’ ‘Bhedaveda’, which is otherwise known as Patitapaban . and ‘Achintya Bheda’ as revealed Veda in the It may be pointed out that during Car-Festival, ritualistic Practices. Gajapati king works as a Sweeper and cleans Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe, is the Chariots in which the deities are placed. an emblem of an ideal and pure individual, a Nowhere, we see such a unique feature, where a symbolic representation of socialist concept. The king sweeps the chariot. One thing is clear from cream of humanism is evident in all His qualities, the Car Festival that no labour is detestable if it is attributes, functions, concepts and spiritualism. He required for a great cause. functions like a human being; the basic substances In the true Catholic tradition of Jagannath, of socialistic thoughts like love for humanity, social attempts have been made to accommodate and co-existence on cordial lines are discernible on absorb the Neo-Vaishnavism of Chaitanya with Him. A sparkling example of this socialistic thought

43 Odisha Review June - 2012 is evident on the Car-Festival when countless religious conviction and consciousness. Lord devotees irrespective of caste, creed, religion Jagannath of , Who is so elaborately merge and converge to catch a glimpse of the mentioned in our holy books – as Nilachal, great humanist god Jagannath and drag the ropes Purusottam Kshetra etc has not only diffused to of His Chariot with a sense of enrichment and the Himalayan kingdom of where he has spontaneity. Jagannath culture epitomizes the been assimilated into the wider religious spectrum qualitative transcendence of humanistic of Buddhism, and Jainism, but the cult individuality from one to another. Intrinsic worth of Jagannath has reached the soil of America. This and talent not background of high caste, is the shows the wider acceptability of the religious primary consideration for participating in the philosophy and social tolerance of Jagannath Cult. Mukta Mandap is a rare example of the ideal of The Lord of Universe Sri Jagannath has rightly establishing a classless society. The beholding of cut across the administrative and political Lord Jagannath, joint eating of Mahaprasad, boundaries of the country to bring and strengthen participation of Mukta Mandap deliberations as the socio-religious solidarity in the universe. As it well as the human elements in the rites and rituals is Dham of Kaliyuga, it turns out to be the of the Lord help kindle an inevitable and confluence of all religious beliefs of all social inescapable sense of universal brotherhood. If standards. It is most probably the vivaciousness lakhs of devotees still throng the Jagannath temple that has kept the Jagannath cult alive through ages. to-day, the basic concept of egalitarianism and Sri Jagannath is really a symbol of love, truth and camaraderie lie at the root of it all. That is because tolerance and diffusion of the cult to other parts the Jagannath Dharma is humanistic and of the globe is due to this universal approach of introspective. This egalitarianism of fellow-feeling its consciousness. touches the core of every heart and permeates Bibliography: their will and intellect and affects a kind of 1. Dey, S.C. The Cult of Jagannath: Orissa Review. transcendental oneness. Though he is the God July 2003. kind-designate of Jagannath, the Gajapati king 2. Kanungo, S. Ibid, P.49-50. also does not hesitate to stoop to the role of an 3. Mishra, K.C. Philosophy of Jagannath, 1989. untouchable. All are equal before Lord Jagannath. 4. Mukherjee, P.K. History of Mediaeval The Jagannath Trinity exhibits these three Vaishnavism in Orissa. colours that are Balabhadra White, Jagannath 5. Nanda, J.Cult of Lord Jagannath 1977. Black and Subhadra Yellow. Such colour 6. Pattnaik, K.C. Orissa Review, 2003. P.96-8. combination is unique in the pantheon of gods and 7. Pattnaik, P.Ibid, P.89. goddesses worshipped in the whole world. There 8. Patel, C.B. Origin and Evolution of Jagannath Cult; can be no more convincing symbolic Orissa Review. July 2001. representation of whole world concepts as in the 9. Sahu, N.K (Ed). A History of Orissa by W.W. holy trio of Jagannath on the basis of four Hunter. combinations. 10. Orissa Review. BBSR, I P R, 2005. Starting from Socialist Philosophy to universal brotherhood, nationalistic ideal to patriotism, devotion, dedication and perseverance Rabindra Kumar Behuria, Freelancer, Chandbali, – all have been mingled with the vast ocean of Bhadrak, Odisha - 756133.

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