Orissa Review

being worshipped by the century ( in the meanwhile full aborigines at several parts of eight centuries pass by) it was Orissa till as late as 7th century. deeply imprinted in the Savari As the literary historians believe conscious and sub-conscious around the latter part of 7th of the masses that Sri Narayana : century Savari Narayana or and Savari was popularly Narayana are one and the Sarala called Purushottama or same. Hence, this theme Jagannath. continues to recur very often in Further, as Sarala Sarala Mahabharata. As he and Sri mentions in his Mahabharata, writes, Neela Madhava took Savari Narayana was being the form of Savari Narayana Jagannath worshipped at the Dhauli Hill and was worshipped by the near Bhubaneswar. Later on Savaras during the Satya Galamadhava, the king of Yuga. Further, Neela Dr. Satyabrata Das Kanchi-Puram, shifted this Madhava was wedlocked with Dr. U.N. Sahoo Savari Narayana fromDhauli a Savari girl called Shriya. to the Neela Giri (Purushottam Savari Narayana partook the food of the Savaras too. Savari Narayana, as figures in ). As the myth goes, any Sarala Mahabharata, has mortal who had a darshan of As the myth goes intimate relationship with Neela Savari Narayana got instant (which Sarala Dasa revives) a Madhava and Sri Jagannath. liberation from the cycle of Savara called Ajara got the Savari Narayana or Neela birth and death. So Raj darshan of Sri Neela Madhava was being originally approached lord and got Madhava under a tree called worshipped by the Savaras his proposal approved by the Agra. He was endowed with that subsequently became Lord latter to shift Savari Narayana the mace, the lotus, the conch Jagannath. As a noted scholar from the Savarapalli to the and the disc (Sudarshan) and Pandit Nilakantha Dash Yamanika Teertha (Puri). But whose body was as soft and as says, Savari Narayana was a as the mortals continued to blue as blue-lotus and whose wooden pillar with a head on avail liberation at the darshan eyes were as red as red-lily. the top. And he further argues of the Lord at Puri too Yama When Ajara (the Savara) with substantial evidence that Raj once again shifted Savari enquired Neela Madhava Savari Narayana is the other Narayana back to the about his identity he revealed name of Neela Madhava. Yet Savarapalli out of disgust and Himself and asked Ajara to another group of researchers frustration. worship Him with a potful of gives ample evidence that This account ofSarala water. He further cautioned Savari Narayana was being Dasa is based on the ancient Ajara (the Savara) to keep worshipped on the Mahendra scripts and texts. We have this tight-lipped and not to Hill by the savaras. As a already discussed this issue in divulge it under any matter of fact this Daru Devata the context ofNeela Madhava circumstances to any of his kith or Savari Narayana was in the previous section. By 15th or kin. Neela Madhava gave

34 September - 2010 Orissa Review an ultimate warning to the Brahman Purana king was apprised of Savara (Ajara) that if he Indradyumna belongs to the this development. But when violated His command his Satya Yuga. Both the king Indradyumna arrived at family would be completely Purana and the Skandha Neelachala Kshetra Madhava wiped out. Therefore, the lord Purana endorse this fact. He vanished mysteriously. Neela Madhava took the form belonged to the Solar dynasty Interestingly, no Oriya of a stone image and was and happened to be the fifth poet before Sarala Dasa worshipped as Savari incarnation of Lord mentions this episode of Narayana by the Savaras and ruled over . On the Indradyumna. According to under the Agra tree. This other hand, as per the Sarala, Indradyumna was the account is vividly portrayed by Purana king Indradyumna son of Galamadhava, the Sarala Dasa in the Malati was of ¶s lineage and Soma King, who ruled over the Savari episode of the epic. As belonged to the Solar dynasty Sakalya Islands. And we see, Sarala Dasa, while of the Satya Yuga. This is Indradyumna himself ruled elaborating this episode, has corroborated by yet another over Kanchi. More drawn extensively from significant scripture Neeladri importantly, Sarala places king Skandha Purana. Mahodaya.As both these Indradyumna in Kaliyuga not INDRADYUMNA: scriptures maintain,king in Satya Yuga as other ancient Indradyumna ruled over the scriptures do. As There is no mention of ancient kingdom of Malav, Sarala Dasa elaborates, King king Indradyumna nor of who was blessed by Lord Indradyumna built the Jagannath Kshetra Puri in the Visnu Himself as He revealed Jagannath temple in . However, in the before Indradyumna (in the Yuga. And he mentions that the Sanskrit Mahabharata of guise of a Sanyasi) and gave half-burnt corpse of Sri Krsna Vyasadev there figures the holy him the message that was being worshipped there. pond of Indradyumna. As we Madhava(Neela Madhava) hear from ¶s account in had descended on the Sree Jagannath as a the Mahabharata king Neelachala kshetra as Personality and Character: Indradyumna and the holy Purushottama. As the The character of Sree pond Indradyumna both are sequence of events follow ± Jagannath is portrayed in much older and more ancient King Indradyumna sent Sanskrit scriptures like than Rishi . In fact Vidyapati to track down Skandha Purana, Brahma king Indradyumna is the Madhava in Neelachala Purana, Brihad Naradiya original founder of Sri Kshetra. Then Vidyapati had Purana, Neeladri Mahodaya Jagannath. This is the a chance meeting with Savara and Kapila Samhita though, unanimous opinion of all King Viswavasu. He was Sarala Dasa is the earliest and scholars and literary historians blessed to have the darshan of the pioneer in portraying Sree without a shred of Madhava there. Prior to that Jagannath in Oriya literature. equivocation. But opinions vary Vidyapati had got the darshan He deviates from the Sanskrit with regard to king of Madhava in dream and scriptures in several ways and, Indradyumna, his kingdom received His blessings to go often, very strikingly. For and tenure. According to ahead on his mission. King example, the concept that the

September - 2010 35 Orissa Review half-burnt or unburnt Narada revealed the fact to must go to the sea where he remnants of Sri Krsna¶s Vidyapati that the hair of the shall find an island full of corpse is being worshipped as Lord (Whom King greenery. He must go alone Sree Jagannath is entirely and Indradyumna had seen in with an axe through the foamy exclusively Sarala¶s dream) had taken the form of a waves of the sea into the island imagination. Let us now tree. Narada instructed where he shall find a tree. He examine the similarities, Vidyapati to get that tree, make must fell that tree and make the parallels and differences of the image of the Lord and to idols out of that wood. The Sarala from the Sanskrit worship. Accordingly, with a lot king did exactly as he was scriptures in the portrayal of of excitement and jubilation instructed. Thus in Brahma Sree Jagannath. king Indradyumna brought that Purana there is no mention of According to tree and put that on a holy Neelagiri, Neela Madhava, Skandha Purana Viswavasu, platform. Then he thought Vidyapati, Viswavasu etc. as the Savara King, worshipped about making the image from they figure in Skandha Neela Madhava. King that wood. Purana. Similarly in Padma Indradyumna got this As the Vishnu Purana Purana there figure information from a yogi (who relates, the king of Malava, Purushottama and Neelagiri, was on pilgrimage) and was Indradyumna (of Satya but both Sree Jagannath and instructed by the latter to look Yuga) came to Purushottama King Indradyumna don¶t. In for Neela Madhava (who is Kshetra to worship the Lord Neeladri Mahodaya there is none other than Lord Vishnu) with the conch, the disc, the the mention of King in the Purushottama Kshetra. mace and the lotus (lord Vishnu Indradyumna. Here we find an Soon king Indradyumna obviously). But at Yama Raj¶s account very much like that of despatched a holy in entreaty, the idol of lord Vishnu Skandha Purana how search of Neela Madhava. was covered up with sand. Narada appeared to king Vidyapati could somehow Hence it was not visible. When Indradyumna, indicated him locate Purushottama Kshetra king Indradyumna couldn¶t about the lord Madhava and was extended hospitality by see any idol he thought of existing in the form ofdaru, then a Savara called Viswavasu. building a temple over there. the king (Indradyumna) By his help Vidyapati could His idea was that if a temple organizing an Aswamedha reach the Neelagiri (the abode was built lord Vishnu might and bringing the daru of Neela Madhava), but was manifest Himself. The king was from the sea-coast and putting shocked to find Neela particularly worried about the them on the holy platform Madhava vanishing from his nature of the idol he would specially constructed for the abode. But soon Narada was make to adorn the newly built purpose. Besides, both gracious enough to appear temple. He fasted for full five Vidyapati and Savara king before Vidyapati and assure days and nights with all rituals Viswavasu do figure in it. him that the Lord would soon and single-minded devotion. At But interestingly, the manifest Himself in His the end of the fifth night Lord account of consigning Quadruple form (Chaturdha Vishnu appeared in his dream the unburnt or half-burnt Murtti) as Daru and reveal and instructed King remnants of the corpse of Himself to Vidyapati. Further, Indradyumna that at sunrise he Sree Krsna to the sea, Jara

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Savara being instructed by Brahmin boy acted smart. He Lord would incarnate Himself Sree Krsna to worship that and went on dropping corn seeds as Buddha and He would Jara seeing Lord Vishnu with all the way and thus could finally appear in Neelagiri. Further, he that in his dream, his shifting of trace back the route to the would change his form in the the idol to the Dhauli Hills and Lord¶s place of worship. Rohini Pond and take up His laying that under the Agra tree Galamadhava, the king, was new form as Buddha. And his ± the entire dramatic sequence duly intimated. But when the unburnt corpse would serve of events that we get in Oriya king arrived at the place as Daru. This account was Mahabharata is the product following the track marked by given to the king by Jara of Sarala¶s rich and powerful the freshly sprouted corn he Savara. Both king imagination. No other Sanskrit found no idol nor any trace of Indradyumna and Jara scripture corroborates that. the Lord. Out of anger and Savara came to Neelagiri together. When they Besides, as Sarala frustration he massacred all the approached the Rohini Pond mentions, king Galamadhava Savaras. Later on, as the Lord they could see a giant eighteen of Kanchi, a devout desired to stay among the foot tall Daru. Jara could worshipper of Lord Vishnu, savaras on the Dhauli Hill and explain and convince the king used to see the Lord reflected so instructed the king, that the same was the unburnt on the water in his Palm Galamadhava shifted the Idol remnants of Lord Krsna¶s (Chalu) every morning after his of Lord Vishnu to Neelagiri corpse. With all his royal effort bath. But he could no longer see and started worshipping Him the king couldn¶t simply lift the that after the demise of Lord there. Daru out of the pond. The king Krsna. When message Moreover, as Sarala was disheartened and went to reached the king about Arjuna narrates, Jara Savara was a deep sleep while meditating consigning the unburnt camping near Konark on the the Lord. Lord Krsna remnants of Sree Krsna¶s East Coast in search of the appeared to the king in dream corpse into the sea, he unburnt remnants of Sree and said that onlyJara Savara promptly sent people to locate Krsna¶s corpse. and the Brahmin Vasudeva the corpse. To the south a Indradyumna, the son of both could lift the Daru. Next Brahmin was despatched Madhu Kesari, the king of morning the king did as he was whose name was Vasudeva. , had heard about the instructed. And the Daru was He somehow reached the Lord residing in Neelagiri. He out in no time. Then the king hamlet where Jara Savara was came over there and built a entrusted Jara the job of staying. Then he got closer to temple with the help of a making the idols. the only son of Jara and with Brahmin called Vishwavasu. his help Vasudeva could know But as he had no idea where Making the Idols: the location where the Lord the unburnt remnants of Lord Many a Sanskrit was being worshipped. Jara Krsna¶s corpse lay he was Scripture features the making of vividly narrates how Jara perturbed and impatient. At this the Idols for the temple built by blind-folded the Brahmin boy point the king met Jara Savara king Indradyumna. According Vasudeva and took him to the and enquired about that. Jara to Skandha Purana, after secret hide-out where he Savara could know in his Indradyumna got that tree from worshipped the Lord. The meditation that in Kali Yuga the the Island Lord Vishnu

September - 2010 37 Orissa Review appeared to him in his dream constructed a great temple and that the sound of making the and revealed Himself. And shifted the deities over there. As idol doesn¶t go outside.´ After Indradyumna was instructed to regards the making of the idols getting this message from make the Idols out of that and Narada the king commissioned wood. Further, the Lord Purana both are unanimous. an old carpenter for the job. Himself came in the form of an Only on the point of building the After fifteen days there old carpenter and took the main temple both vary a little. appeared all the four deities responsibility of carving out the Narada Purana doesn¶t (Balabhadra, and idols. As this old carpenter (the subscribe to the view (as the Sudarshan with Sree Lord Himself in disguise) case of the former) that king Jagannath of course) on the advised, he was put in a closed Indradyumna sought the help holy platform, the Ratna Vedi. chamber alone for fifteen long of the Kings of Kalinga, Utkal Lord Jagannath looked as days. And inside, the Lord and Koshala while constructing blue as the clouds against the carved out His own image on the main temple. Since azure sky. A huge hood of a the wood that king Indradyumna Purushottama Kshetra lies giant cobra adorned the crown was instructed to bring from the under the jurisdiction of both of Sri Balabhadra, Goddess Island. At the end of 15 days, the states it is quite likely that Subhadra radiated with her the king got the door opened king Indradyumna may have complexion of deep crimson, and was amazed to see the done that. and Sree Sudarsan dazzled on the crest of a pillar. deities neatly carved out exactly Yet another important as he had seen in his dream: Sanskrit text Neeladri All the ancient Sanskrit Sree Jagannath, Sree Mahodaya gives an altogether texts and scriptures Balaram,Goddess Subhadra different account of this episode acknowledge king and Sudarshan ± the four of making the idols. As it says, Indradyumna¶s unwavering deities adorning the sanctum king Indradyumna had one- commitment to the task of sanctorum of the temple. to-one dialogue with Narada making the Idols. While both According to Brahma on the making of idols, but the the Brahma Purana and the Purana, Viswakarma (the latter couldn¶t properly grasp Narada Purana mention about divine architect), as per the the matter nor could guide the the making of only three idols; direction of Lord Vishnu king satisfactorily. At this Neeladri Mahodaya speaks carved out the images of moment, however, there was a of four idols. And the Skandha Balabhadra, Subhadra and revelation from the blue Purana speaks of four idols Jagannath (from the tree king (Sunyavani): ³Oh king, (Chaturdha Murati) in a Indradyumna had got from the perform this act in strict Square, while the Brahma Island) and embellished them privacy. Keep the divine tree on Purana mentions three idols in with beautiful clothes and rare the holy platform and lock it a triangle and the Neeladri gems and ornaments. With from outside for fifteen days. Mahodaya speaks of the great jubilation and fan-fare Keep on playing bands and deities sans hands and legs. king Indradyumna got the music outside and maintain the As Sarala Dasa images onto the holy platform revelry. Place a carpenter narrates, after the descent of and performed the inauguration inside. The Lord Himself shall the Lord in the holy Rohini ceremony. Later on he make His own idol. See to it Pond in the form of Daru, He

38 September - 2010 Orissa Review was taken out by the Brahmin these in any Sanskrit text or was specially built for Sree Vasu and the Savara Jara to scripture. Thus we have reasons Markandeswara (Shiva) at the plain. And the divine to believe that all these are the Lord Vishnu¶s instruction and architect Viswakarma himself off shoots of Sarala¶s incisive a lake to its north (after the and Jara both joined together mind and dazzling originality. name of sage Markandeya) to carve out the idols. As per However, on the point of the was also created as one of the the instruction of Viswakrama idols Sarala subscribes only to holy shrines. the making of three deities, all the doors of the temple were As we know from the never four as we find in some shut till the end of the work. pages of history, the 12th Sanskrit texts. Here Sarala When no noise was heard from century king Vaidyanath had corroborates the idea put inside, after fifteen days the king built a common temple (for forward in Neeladri sensed something wrong and both Vishnu and Shiva) called Mahodaya that the three asked his men to open the door. Shobhaneswar. Though this is deities remain incomplete, Lo! There stood the half-built basically a Shiva temple we without legs and hands, while images of the three deities on find scores of Vasudeva Idols both Skandha Purana and the holy platform in the in its premises. Again, Brahma Purana give the sanctum- sanctorum of the Bhubaneswar being the account of the deities as temple. Since then the three Ekamra Kshetra, basically a magnificent and incomparable deities are being worshipped in Shaiva Shrine, we locate here in their look and luster. Sree Mandir. As Sarala further the famous 13th century explains, Sree Jagannath is The worship of Vishnu and Vasudeva temple (Ananta Lord Vishnu, Sree Balabhadra Shiva (Hari Hara): Vasudeva) in which Sree is Rudra or Shiva and Goddes , Sree Krsna and Subhadra is Brahma. According to Brahma Purana Vishnu and Shiva are Goddess Subhadra are being In this context Sarala one and inseparable. worshipped. According to the has introduced a couple of Purushottama Kshetra, as it historian Sterling the three innovations from his rich were, is treated exclusively as deities stand for Vishnu, Shiva imagination. Savari Narayana a shrine of Lord Vishnu. At the and respectively. This is being worshipped prior to Sree time of deluge, pralaya or the a clear indicator that long Neela Madhava by the apocalypse the most ancient before Sarala Dasa there was Savaras; the surfacing of the sage Markandeya prayed to a concerted effort to bring unburnt remnant of Krsna¶s Lord Vishnu (in His supine about a fusion or integration corpse as Daru in the Rohini posture) to make the Sree between the Shaivites and the Pond; the Lord assuming His Kshetra a unique shrine with Vaisnavites. As we have incarnation as Buddha and the integration of both Shiva already discussed, Sarala being worshipped in Neelagiri and Vishnu. Lord Vishnu Dasa visualized Sree are a few such examples from appreciated and granted such Balabhadra, Goddes among the many that Sarala¶s a prayer of sage Markandeya Subhadra and Sree Jagannath brilliant vision added to Sree and since then Purushottama as Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu Jagannath culture and to the Kshetra has exhibited a respectively. When Vishnu myths and legends of Hinduism. unique fusion of Hari-Hara decided to make Neelagiri His We never find the source of all or Vishnu and Shiva. A temple abode during Kali Yuga both

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Brahma and Shiva wished to the Padma Purana and desirable to give away new be with Him and Vishnu too Neeladri Mahodaya vividly clothes to the , put on agreed to it. Sarala adds yet portray the glories of Ratha new clothes and enjoy delicious another episode that explains Yatra, Gundicha Yatra or the ghee based food. Brahma¶s change of form into Car Festival. Sarala Dasa, in Sarala Dasa gives an Subhadra under a spell of his epic, draws an elaborate elaborate account of Sri Curse. However, Brahma, picture of Gundicha Yatra. Krsna¶s Pushyavishekha that Vishnu, Maheswara: the , in the course of fell on the day of Dhanuman trinity gets wonderfully narrating her previous birth, Purnami. At the command of projected in the epics of mentions Indradyumna and Sree Jagannath Akrura had Sarala Dasa, the Gundicha. Sarala clearly brought Arjun and Subhadra Mahabharata. mentions that Sri Krsna had to Dwarikapuri. That promised Bibhishana to give occasion is commemorated by The Car Festival (Ratha His darshan as Buddha on the poet Sarala Dasa as Yatra): Chariot (). Avatara Abhisheka or Sree The Car Festival of Sarala, in determining the day Jagannath¶s Pushyavisheka. and timing of Ratha Yatra, Lord Sree Jagannath is now References : famous all over the world. follows Skandha Purana. 1. Brahma Purana Presently, more than twenty Ratha Yatra is 2. Kathopa-nishada American and European otherwise known as Gundicha 3. Neeladri Mahodaya countries celebrate the Car Yatra after the name of the 4. Kapila Samhita Festival with great devotion and Queen of King Indrayumna. 5. Narada Purana fervor. In the Hindu pantheon Sree Jagannath leaves Sree chariot takes a significant Mandir and goes to the temple 6. Padma Purana position. It often refers to Body of Sree Gundicha where He 7. Sreemad Bhagavata or Corpse. Many a major spends seven days. Hence 8. Satapatha Brahmana Sanskrit scripture refers to the Ratha Yatra is otherwise and 9. Skandha Purana seven vivacious horses driving very rightly called Gundicha 10. Dr. Benimadhav Padhi: Daru Devata the Sun¶s Chariot. This is Yatra. 11. Pandit Nilakantha Dash. Hints corroborated in the Vishnu Pushyavisheka : As Skandha on the significance and history canto of Skandha Purana, Purana puts it, Sree of Jagannath, Part II. Brahma Purana and Narada Jagannath takes a holy bath 12. Pandit Narayan Dash : Purana. Further, all the above when there is the conjunction Sree Jagannath Mandir O three scriptures are unanimous of Pushya Nakshatra with Jagannath Tatwa. in their assertion that seeing lord Pushya Purnima. On this Jagannath on the Chariot brings occasion, besides all types of Dr. Satyabrata Das is the Head of incredible blessings to a mortal delicacies the kings take holy Department, Ekamra College, that can lift one to the zenith of bath and observe certain rites. Bhubaneswar. a spiritual journey, the According to Gadadhara Dr. U.N.Sahoo is the Head of Baikuntha, the very abode of Paddhati, on the occasion of Department of Oriya S.C.S. Lord Vishnu Narayana. Both Pushya Nakshatra it is Autonomous College, Puri

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