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Lord Sri Venkateswara of Seven Hills and Lord Sri Jagannath of Blue Hill

Lord Sri Venkateswara of Seven Hills and Lord Sri Jagannath of Blue Hill

Orissa Review Lord Sri of Seven Hills and Lord Sri of Hill

Prof. A.V.P.R. Rao

It is essential to point out that both presiding Purusha or . There is no second to -Lord Sri Venkateswara of the seven hills this ultimate truth. Everything including you, is at Thirupati (A.P.) and Lord Sri Jagannath at “Swarupa Bheda”, i.e. manifestation of the (Orissa)-represent the same omnipotent and ultimate in different shapes. The waves of the sea omnipresent Almighty who is, are “Swarup Bheda” of sea water. The waves in “Purnamadah Midam motion contain the same salt water as the sea Purnat Purnam Udacyate which is steady. The waves are bound to fall and Purnasya Purnam Adaya merge into the sea. Another analogy is different Purnam Evavasiyate.” gold ornaments-be it bangles, chain or ring etc. (“The invisible is the infinite, the visible too is the are all “Swarup Bheda” of the same gold. infinite. Form the infinite, the visible universe of Goldsmith values only the gold in the ornaments, infinite extension has come out. The Infinite but not shape. This is Jnanam. He, who sees the remains the same, even though the infinite universe same in everything in this ephemeral world is has come out of it.”) fit for salvation. And But, however, duality (dwaitam) exists due to “” which envelops this world. “Tad ejati tan naijate tad dure tadivantike, Bhagwadgita suggests “” Marga (path of Tad anterasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyasya tahyatah.” devotion) as one of the paths towards salvation (It moves and it moves not. It is far away and it is to overcome Maya. In “Bhakti” you assume very near. It is within all this and it is also outside yourself to be different from Him. He is Lord and all this.) you are his devotee, seeking bliss. Bhakti is full It is Upanishadic version of Almighty. He of emotion (Bhavapurnam). The angle of is changeless Chaitanya Shakti from which ever perception of the same ultimate truth is deviated changing universe has come into existence. due to emotion of Bhakti. Hence worship differs depending on the degree of feeling intimacy with Almost every Hindu, atleast in one of his God, the method of worship and the customs that innumerable births and rebirths, realizes and seeks are observed in temples are different from one salvation. This is ultimate Jnanam. In fact another. Thus the customs, the rituals, the mention the Almighty as Jnana observance of different Pujas, car festivals and

July - 2011 119 Orissa Review the idols at Jagannath Temple are unique and in devotee stands at the centre from a distance, he no way similar to other Vaishnava temples. The will see full view of and half view of customs at Jagannath Temple coined in one word, Jagannath and . “Jagannath Culture”. The structure of idol of Subhadra, its Jagannath culture is different. It is a blend placement, and her sister relationship with of and non-Aryan culture. Primordial Jagannath, suggest that Subhadra is considered people realize the presence of ultimate by instinct, to represent Maya. Maya, according to if not by the , gained by reading Upanishads, makes her presence with Ishwara religious texts like and Upanishads. They at the same time. Thus Ishwara and Maya coexist are innocent and less materialistic when compared and they are inseparable. But Maya has an end to urban people. They identify themselves with while Ishwara is infinite and hence He is the Almighty. They offer food to god, if not with “anadianantam”. Maya exists due to “avidya” or traditional orthodoxy. ignorance of Jeevatma. Maya disappears or One of the important aspects of Jagannath vanishes if once jnanam is drawn on Jeeva. The Culture is identifying Jagannath as of fact that Subhadra has no hands and it is a small God with all characteristics of human being. Thus idol in comparison to other two suggests that she He is Purushotham. has no independent existence just like Maya. The whole Jagat is only due to projection of Maya. In The original idols were installed at Puri this mundane world we meagerly see the presence by the king, . According to the of God in the form of , truth, and instructions of Lord Jagannath Himself in a dream, humanity. This fact is suggested to the viewer as the king had sent one by name to the he can see half view of Jagannath and Bhalabhadra forests where the tribal head by name, Viswabasu at a distance. was worshipping Neelamadhab in a secret place. (The entire story is not described due to lack of The Vedas say that God has created this space). universe. But Upanishads which came to us latter say that God has not created this world, but The shape and placement of idols on a Trigunas, viz. Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic are platform, known as “Ratna Simhasana” attracts responsible for the emergence of this Jagat. The Upanishadic interpretation of Ishwara. Lord Sri Vasanas (impressions) in the form of pair of Jagannath is with his elder brother, Sri Balabhadra opposites, such as good and bad, sweet and bitter, at his right and in between them is placed their love and hatred which are experienced by jeeva sister, Sri Subhadra. Sri Subhadra has no hands in the previous births, make room in the sub- at all, but one hand of each brother appears to be conscious. They with the help of ‘Chit” (mind), her own. Jagannath and Balabhadra have two take the shape of birth. Thus Malina (impure) hands each which are blunt without palm. None Chaitania or in other words Chaitania, covered of the three idols has legs, but rests on the base by “Avidya” (ignorance) is responsible for the birth of the wooden body. of jeeva and entangle in the cycle of births and Lord Sri Jagannath is not with his consort, rebirths, taking sorrows and pleasures as true and , but with his sister, Subhadra. Again indulge in bondage. If this Upanishadic placement of the three idols is such that if a interpretation is believed to be true, the fact that

120 July - 2011 Orissa Review the idols of Lord Sri Jagannath and Sri “Anejad ekam manaso javiyo Balabhadra, having no full hands, but blunt ones, N’ ainad apnuvan purvam arsat is very well justified. Literally God has no hand in Tad dhavato’ nyam atayeti …..” your karmic births, but He helps to fulfill your (Though He is unmoved and undivided, He is desires. faster than the mind and reaches before the mind Krishnavatara appears at the end of arrives. So He is beyond the grasp of mind. Dwapara Yuga. Even at that time, people have Mightier , including Devendra cannot get no complete faith on God. There is a story, Him.”) regarding temple near Puri. Two The fact that idols of Lord Sri Jagannath friends, in their to Brindavan, and others, being devoid of legs, is irrelevant and made a vow before Sri , that if they would hence to have no legs is not impediment to come be blessed with a daughter and a son separately to your rescue, provided you are having faith in to each, their off springs would get married. After him. having blessed so, the Brahmin of the boy had not kept his word. So the father of the girl had The idol of Lord Sri Venkateswara of gone to Sri Krishna at Brindavan with a request is prepared from black stone in to come with him to the village as a witness. Sri traditional human form with Bhudevi and . Krishna had agreed to follow him but with a His consort in Kaliyuga Avatara, Sri Padmavati condition that Brahmin should not look back. The is not with him at Tirumala, but She is in Brahmin, while walking, was hearing the sounds down hills at Alamelu Mangapuram, near . of anklets of Sri Krishna. When the Brahmin could It is said that people in Bhuloka were not hear the sound after some time of his journey, suffering by the bad influence of , as a he got suspicious and lost faith in the words of Sri consequence of which injustice and false-hood Krishna and hence he looked back to verify ruling the world. Bhrugu Maharshi went to whether Sri Krishna was following him. As Loka to request Lord Sri Vishnu to incarnate in Brahmin lost his faith, Sri Krishna, who was in this world to save dharma from the clutches of fact following him, had stopped to follow and Kali. Lord Vishnu at that time, had happy turned to black stone idol, now known as ‘Sakshi moments with his consort, Lakshmi and did not Gopal.’ notice the presence of Bhrugu Rishi. The Rishi In , the faith in God is further got so much annoyed with Vishnu that he had deteriorated. Who is waiting for God until justice kicked Him on the chist, saying that He, being is done to him ? The growth of terrorism and the saviour and sustainer of the whole jagat, was Naxalism is an example. How many murderers merely spending time, while people in Bhuloka were suffering from bad influence of Kali. Lord are taking place every moment as a result of Vishnu, instead of getting offended and annoyed revenge ? Lord Sri Jagannath and his brother have with Rishi for having kicked him, prayed for no legs as you do not believe that they would pardon and enquired whether his tender feet got come to your rescue, but to those devotees who hurted. The Lord Vishnu promised to take have faith in Him. He is Chaitanya Shakti or pure incarnation in the name of Sri R.Venkateswara at conscious. lsavasa Upanishad says, Seven Hills Tirupati — Tirumala.

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Again coming to Puri Jagannath, there are discs while Pandas (temple priests) dance two unique celebrations, viz., utsav ecstatically. The idols are tied with thick ropes, and car festival. When two Ashada months come held by some Pandas in front while some hold at in a calendar year, old moola vigrahas (old idols) the back. When the idols are dragged forward, are replaced by newly made wooden idols (made they swing forward on their bases, simultaneously from neem tree). After transferring powers Pandas at the back, pull the ropes so that idols (Shakti) from old ones to new ones by rituals, the slide forward without being toppled. This is known old ones are buried in the burial ground, outside as ‘Pahundi ’. What a wonderful sight it is! the temple premises, thus completely identifying The move forward while swinging back and the god with one among us, reiterating the fact forth as if they are nodding their heads in tune that any from in the Jagat is subjected to birth with the mood of devotees. and death. (Ja=birth, gat=passing away). The Bhakti of devotees, gathered in lakhs The annual car festival and preceding in Badadanda (the name of the location of temple) rituals are very unique to Jagannath Temple. Every reaches crescendo. At this stage, the difference year on “Jestha Purnima (full moon day in the between the god and devotees vanishes in such a month of Jestha) the three gods are given water manner that they touch, embarrass and make bath intensely, as result the gods are declared ill. gestures and talk very intimately as if to their The temple will be closed for general public until beloveds in love, forgetting themselves totally. dwitiya day of Ashada month. During these days, the gods are offered only pepper and other chera At this stage the Bhakti leads to jnanam, moolicas (roots of medicinal plants) but not regular though these two are different paths of realizing anna bhoga (offerings of cooked rice). the ultimate. On the dwitiya day of Ashada month Once Sri Rajagopalachari, the writer of newly painted original idols are taken out of the several religious books for children, while making for car festival by a special comment on “” of Sri Adi ritual, known as, ‘Pahundiyatra’. Sankaracharya, says that the paths of bhakti and jnanam, though appear to be divergent, they No where in any Vaishnava temple, converge into the same ultimate. Bhakti is a belief including Sri Venkateswara Temple of Seven Hills, and bhavapurnam, transforming the mind with original idols (Moola Vigrahas) are taken out of , while jnanam is totally logical and sanctum sanctorum for the car festival. beyond it without any emotion, rather you will realize the ultimate in absolute silence. First Sudarshan in the form of a pillar is taken out and kept in the of After the Lords take their seats in their Subhadra. Then Sri Subhadra, being in small size respective in the car festival of Lord Sri and also to give respect to the female identity, Jagannath, an unique function, called “Chhera she is carried with hands and placed in her chariot, Pahanra” takes place. of Puri (even now) Darpadalana. Sri Balabhadra and then Sri who is deemed to be the first citizen of Utkal, Jagannath are taken out. It is very pleasant and considers himself as the first servant of Lord Sri emotional scene when these idols are brought to Jagannath. Therefore he sweeps three chariots chariots amidst the sounds of conches and metallic one by one with golden broomstick while

122 July - 2011 Orissa Review sanctified water is sprinkled amidst the Vedic at Sabarimalai in State. Even women are chants. not allowed to enter the temple to have darshan of Sri Ayyappa. This act of the king signifies that he is only a means (Nimithamatra) of serving the people in the name But everlasting reality is that there is of God, thus leaving his ego and submitting himself nothing in this universe in which the Almighty is to God in the path of Karmayoga. It is a suggestion not present. According to lsavasya Upanishad, to all who are at the helm of affairs in legislature, executive and judiciary wings of our governments “, Isavasyam servam yatkin ca jagatyam jagat” to execute their work properly and perfectly in (Whatever there is changeful in this ephemeral the name of God. world — all must be enveloped by lshwara). The chariots of Sri Balabhadra, Sri There is nothing in this universe which Subhadra and lastly Sri Jagannath are drawn by does not possess Almighty. The body moves devotees to their birth place, (Gundicha Mandir) because of Him. If He is not there, this body is where they stay nine days and come back to their dead. So who is touching whom? This is Vedantic original temple in a return car festival. perception of God. But one thing, how to know In the temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara that a particular devotee, whether reached the at seven hills, there are no parallel rituals. The status of a “Seer” who is expected to be devoid moola vigrahas are never taken out of sanctum of doership. (Katrutvabhava) and enjoyership sanctorum in a car festival. Only utsav vigrahas (Bhoktrutvabhava) and enjoys the status of a (idols) are taken out to a single chariot which is “Sakshibhuta (a mere witness). People with not built every year. Venkateswara, in the name pseudo concepts are many in this world. He, who of Malayappa, enjoy the chariot riding. The idols touches the idols of sanctum sanctorum must return on the same day. In Brahmotsavam, each realize that he is not doing so physically, but with day Sri Malayappa rides on a specific vahanam, pure conscious where the mind is completely like vahanam, Adisesha vahanam etc., subdued when he really feels the touch of almighty. there is also no Chherapanhanra by the head of At the end of the day, after discussing so the state as in Puri. There is also no change of much about God and practices in the temples, moola vigrahas as in Nabakalebera Utsav in Puri what counts is only the realization of humanity and Jagannath Temple. love. Further no devotee is allowed to touch Since He is present everywhere Lord Venkateswara or in any South Indian (Omnipresent), it is essential to realize “the whole Vaishnava temples. But the practice of allowing world is Swarupbheda of the same Almighty. So any devotee to go into sanctum sanctorum and touch the moola vigrahas at Jagannath temple in “Service to humanity is service to God” particular timings is prevailing. And “Serve everybody and hurt nobody” In car festival also people are allowed to touch the original idols. This seems to be very odd practice especially to those who are Prof. A.V. Ranga Rao, D/15, Middle Street, acquainted with the orthodoxy of Ayappa temple Balajinagar, Chromepet, -44.

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