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Home , Jagannath, Krishna, Neela Madhava

Orissa Review June - 2009

Sri and Lord

Somanath Khuntia

Before dealing with the system of the great Jagannath Temple of , we must look into the real definition of the terms Vaishnava and . According to Indian epics, there are three , known as Trishakti, Trideva or Trio. They are , the creator, , the maintainer and the destroyer. These three attributes are indispensable in all matters; even now in science and in the simple construction of a building. Everything we think, feel, and hear is subject to these three influences, as told by the of a divine man, or , as a father would ancient Rishies in the days of yore. come to protect his children. It is most interesting to note, however, that 'Jada jada hi dharmasya Avataras, or Divine Beings who incarnate on earth Glanirbhabati Bharat as man from time to time to uplift humanity, are Abhyuthanamdharmasya never born. They come to earth in a divine way, Tadatmanam Srujamyaham from Vishnu, the Maintainer Himself. There are Paritranaya Sadhunam no of Brahma or Shiva. According to Binasaya cha Duskrutam." Ishabasya Upanishad, all creation is filled with "Whenever problems overwhelm the world, Divinity. To uphold , or Righteousness, "Ishabasyamidam sarbam jat kichnitya I incarnate from age to age." dagatya jagat." From the word Vishnu, "Vaishnava" is That which is created is easy to destroy, derived, that is, one who worships Vishnu, the but difficult to maintain and protect. For this maintainer and protector. This worship or spiritual reason, Lord Vishnu Himself comes in the form practice is known as "Vaishnavism".

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In Vaishnavism, we do not give so much and its sweetness. So mixed with good feelings is emphasis to 's , such as: it that even is not anger, and sadness is not 1. - Non-violence, having truth, sorrow. The main of Krishna's childhood , forgiveness, purity days, , was the foremost example of this . When Krishna left Brindaban for Dwaraka, 2. - Spiritual practice, puja, worship, He did not return. Four days became four years or telling holy names, giving alms and more, although He had promised to return. 3. -such as Radha one day tells her friends like this. 4. Pranayama-breathing exercises "Krishna is now busy in Dwaraka. He is 5. Pratiyahara-worship through forms, known not coming. I will die one day. Please, my dear as Sakara, formless worship, known as sisters, you can do this one thing for me. At that Nirakara, and seeing in all, known as time, carry my dead body on the path where He Atmabhava. once walked. Over it you throw a cloth on which is written only Krishna, Krishna, and Krishna. 6. Dharana- one- pointedness, or forbearance Write His name on my breasts. If by chance the 7. Dhyana-rneditation sound of a sweet is heard, turn my head so 8. -God realization that its sweet music will enter my ear. This is my last to you, my dear sisters. Let my dead Here what alone is essential is Bishwasa, body also be content that I have been with Him, or Faith, and Anuraga, or Loyalty and Affection, and let all remember that here is a lady who liked and most importantly, Abhimana or Unconditional Him so much." Love. In Vaishnavism complex rituals are not at "Bishwasa" means having complete faith, all necessary. The essential thing is only this with no doubt, blind faith even. With such faith in Radha-Bhava, the Love of Radha for Sri Krishna, her Lord Krishna, while uttering His name, the and Anurakti, the feeling that Radha had of being poet-saint drank poison. The poison inseparable from God. This Anurakti is the feeling turned to nectar. "Anuraga" is the feeling of of treating God as a man; no third party is required. loyalty, even if it is only one-sided. The child There is just the devotee and God, not a God meditated in the forest, not to get anything. made of wood or brass, but alive and one, we But when he had a of Lord Vishnu, he was can talk to in a human way. What is true to us is given a place in the sky, known as Dhruva Star. true to Him also. A true or is When one gives flowers to God, decorates God, not far away, but right here in the midst of the brings food to God, and meditates on Him out of home. God is with us like a member of the family. such deep affection, with no thought of results, Krishna Himself said in Bhagavat Geeta. but simply as an offering, this is Anuraga. "Abhimana" is the highest feeling for a " Bhaktra Gayanti Vaishnavite. It is that found only between a Tatra Tisthami " husband and wife, or a devotee and God. It is "I do not live in Vaikuntha or Dwaraka, love of the deepest kind, as in the union of the but where My devotees sing and remember Me, sun and its ray, a flower and its scent; or sugar I am there."

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A true Vaishnavite is a selfless servant and 2. Dharjya - Patience surrenders to this almighty, before acting. He 3. Kshyama - Forgiveness does not believe in his own strength or worldly power or wealth. To him, his body and the whole 4. - Justice world consist of only two things. Chetana and 5. Nirapeksha - Impartiality Achetana." Achetana" means non-awareness and 6. Nirasakta - Detachment refers to the physical transient blood and bones that make up the body. "Chetana" means 7. Tapasya - and spiritual powers awareness and refers to the invisible and Supreme 8. Aparchitta - Invincibility Purusha, or Divine Being residing within this pure 9. Danasheel - Beneficience, Bestower of all shell. When a Vaishnavite surrenders, he forgets wealth in the world and nature. the misery of "Achetana" and communicates directly with the invisible God dwelling inside 10. Saundarjyamaya - Beauty Incarnate himself. 11. Nrityajna - Best of dancers , Mohammed, Buddha, Adishankar, 12. Sangitajna - Best of singers Chaitanya, , they all had glimpses of 13. Neetibadi - Embodiment of Honesty Godhood. Their ways and means were different, but their goal was the same. But Sri Krishna came 14. Satyabadi - Truth itself to be the symbol for Vaishnavism. 15. Sarvagnata - Perfect master of all arts, such If a devotee thinks of God to be his inner as poetry, drama, painting, etc. master, closer than the eyelid to the eye, Krishna 16. Sarvaniyanta - Controller of All comes as Krishna ; as friend, So eventhough many sages and seers have Golakchandra; as divine child, Balkrishna; as come, having divine attributes, such as lover, Gopikrishna; as cowherd boy, Compassion, Dharrna, Sacrifice, which have Krishna, as the one who steals all hearts, Chitta helped the world, none was having the spiritual Chora; as the most attractive in the world, as power of Sri Krishna. Krishna Himself. The word "Krishna" means to Krishna is Brahmanda Pati, "Lord of all the attract, and from the derivative word of Krishna, universes, of which this world is only a small part. "Karsayati iti Krishna." His name also means the There are numerous universes not even seen or excuser of all mistakes. Taking anyone name and knowable. Narada tells that for this reason alone its substance, a devotee can reach Krishna. In all should take shelter in him". such a way was He a peculiar and unique Avatar to the world. In the Oriya version of , it is told, Many divine souls and Avatars have come "Brahmanda mala mala hoi / to the world, but only Sri Krishna was called the To lomakupe jhuluthai //" "Poorna Avatar", the full Avatar having all 16 "Whole universes are revolving around me, I am kalas, or divine arts or attributes within Him. They here to care for all." are as follows: In the last part of Mahabharat,a mysterious 1. Daya - Compassion connection is made. Sri Krishna told ,

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"Now that the war is over, hear what I want; I carve an image from it as he saw in this dream, wish to take rest in Seealee Lata, a distant forest and install it in the great Jagannath Temple of Puri. of creepers. I know all. There while I sleep, I will Thus Sri Krishna became Lord Jagannath for the be killed by site of Jagannath Puri, as stated in modern age, and all of His Leelas and past times Rig Veda, continue today in the Sri Kshetra of Puri, as they "Ato Jutta daru Plabate once did in Brindavan. Sindhupara aparusiya". According to the Neelamani and "Ato" means here, "Jutta" means that, "Daru Niladri Mahodaya, it was this same image of Sri means wood, Plabate" means floating, Krishna that was being worshipped by "sindhupare" means that side of the ocean, Bishwabasu, the tribesman who met King "apuruseya" means not manmade. 's minister, who had been sent to find the divine . "Something will be carved from a log of wood floating on the ocean here (describing the The image was called Neela or origin of the Murti of Lord Jagannath along the Nilakanta Bigraha. 'Neela'means the colour of the beach of Puri) that cannot be manmade". sky and Kanta' means beautiful. This 'Bigraha'. or was none other than Ghanashyam, or Sri About that dense forest more details are Krishna Himself. On reaching the tribal man' hut, given in the ancient text of Jagannath the minister was fed a sumptuous meal, which he Temple, called Niladri Mahoday, in which the called 'Mahaprasad', or the food of the . origin of the temple and the basic outline of the Wonderful rice preparations and exotic fruits were Puja systems are described. It is stated that the offered to him. The minister wondered how such great Niladri Temple of Lord Jagannath was once a poor man, who himself ate not a grain of rice, on a huge hill surrounded by a dense forest. could offer or find such food ! The tribal man The inhabitants worshipping Lord Jagannath here said it was the Prasad, or of his beloved were tribal people called Dayitapatis. Even today Lord. All the gods and of the world a street of the temple community bears their name, bring with them the best foods to offer at the feet Dayitapati Sahi. of the Murti. The minister begged Bishwavasu to Lord Krishna came here and while resting take him to this strange god. But after the minister under a tree, the hunter Jara Sabara appeared he saw the deity, it vanished. He could only give a thought the two feet of Sri Krishna to be the ears description of it to the King. of a deer, so soft red in color they were. When Thus the birth of Lord Krishna is observed he realized he killed this Krishna with his bow every year in Jagannath Temple, alongwith many and arrow, he tried to burn the body. But it was holy days connected with His life. Chandan the body of Purusha Himself; it could never in the spring is a festival in which the images of be burnt. So he left it at a place by the sea in Puri Jagannath as Gopi Krishna with Radha, and called Banki Muhana. It becomes a fossil of wood. Madan Mohan, two dancing , are taken This marked the beginning of Yuga. After in procession in or Palanquins, to a some thousand years passed, King Indradyumna reservoir and floated on boats for 21 days. This of had a dream and in the dream, he was celebration is said to be in remembrance of the told to find the log of wood there in Banki Muhan, loving boat journey of Radha and Krishna on the

68 Orissa Review June - 2009 river . One of these dancing Krishnas is "Akshaya", the universe itself having 100,000 worshipped every day inside the main temple forms. The universe is His dress, His Vishwarupa. beside Lord Jagannath Himself. Only for Rath He is the uppermost and the nearest. The entire Yatra, the great Car Festival of Puri, does the universe is pervaded by Him, as it proceeds again deity of Lord Jagannath emerge from the temple. into Him. As is said in Brahma Sanhita, For all other holy days, it is in His image of Sri "Eksada bipra Bahudha Bhabanti" Krishna that He comes out. "From one, I have become many". During Jhulana Yatra, the Festival of swings during the rainy season, the images of Radha and Mind, which ever flows like a river and Krishna are set on a flower decorated swing in whose speed exceeds even that of wind, is ever front of Lord Jagannath. The love songs of drawn to Him, held to me, the one who attracts 's immortal poem, The Geeta Gobinda, all, like an iron is drawn to a pure magnet. His are sung before Them for seven days. On smaller five-coloured garland, known as Baijayanti Mala, Jhulanas the same is done in many monasteries is the garland of the senses. All the senses, or and of Puri during this period. An Indriyas, the five outer ones meant for service to inscription on the great temple reads that only the man and the five inner ones for god realization, songs of Krishna as written in Geeta Gobinda must are held by Him as arrows. The Lord who has no by tradition be sung nightly in the temple. They shape assumes shape, out of his great love, His were sung by Kokila, the last living , or prema, for the good of created beings. temple dancer, before Lord Jagannath while the deity was being dressed for bed. Earlier in the He is Prema Swarupa, the essence of all evening, the Bhagabata, recording the childhood . He is fully self-contained and free from pastimes of Sri Krishna and the Gopies, is sung destruction of any kind. He knows no birth, no inside the main temple and every tiny street temple motive, no cause or effect. He is ever mysterious of Puri as well. and about whom the only thing that can be said is that He exists always. He is called Basudeva, as The name of Sri Krishna is not directly is stated by the ancients in the . "Basu" is associated with Jagannath, but is the derived from the root "Bas" which means to exist." same sister Subhadra of Dwapara Yuga, and Deba" is derived from the root "Dib", to glow. is called Balaram also, the name of Thus "Basudeva, as" means the lustre that exists. Krishna's elder brother. No epics depict such a His lustre is everywhere and in everything. Trinity; their names associated only with the Everything rests in Him and proceeds from Him. glorious life of Sri Krishna. However, in describing This is how Basudeva, as is described by those Lord Krishna, Narada gave Him the epithet of who knew. "Jagannath". "Jagat" means universe and 'Natha' means Lord. Narada says He is the Lord, the Basudeva, also means Lord Krishna, the directing force behind the Universe. The entire illustrious son of Basudeva, or Basudeva universe proceeds from Him and rests in Him. In Nandana, in the "Krishna Avatara", as the Vaishnavism, too the supreme Lord has been mysterious bond between the form and formless described as having two shapes, one with form is ever present 'He alone", Narada says. It is to and the other formless. He is "Akshaya" be known, Sanhita states that those who imperishable, beyond birth and death and were Tapi, sages or seers in Yuga, become

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Kapi, monkeys with in Tretaya Yuga, and Krishna's companion in Dwaraka, Udhava, was Gopi, cowherd companions of Sri Krishna in a true seeker and Krishna sent him to Brindavan Dwapara Yuga, and now Sevakas, or to learn realization from Gopies. worshippers of Lord Jagannath in . At The forth and final type of devotee is a Jnani, least that is the feeling of persons born into families one who knows God, who has some direct of worshippers in Jagannath Temple, how blessed experience of him. Sankaracharjya was such a they are to again be connected with and serve Sri one, but so were Radha, and , Krishna's Krishna. Not only do they feel themselves to be foster mother, and all the Gopies. When Udhava gopies, but the three main worshippers of the three asked them about Krishna, Yashoda simply cried deities are bound by tradition to wear their hair and the other Gopies were silent and could not long. They do Puja as a lady before the Supreme utter a word finally Radha said. Purusha. Not even a day went by that the Gopies were without Krishna, so for the Sevakas not even "He has not gone from us. He is Kalia Kamala, a single day can go by without going to Lord The black lotus; He is the dark rain cloud. Jagannath in the temple. They think of Lord How can He leave us ? He is the very Life Force Jagannath for everything, from birth and naming in us; He is never apart from us". ceremonies, to marriage and death." He is life and Just as Sri Krishna was to the Gopies in death to us, without him what are we to do". Such Dwapara Yuga, Lord Jagannath is now to Sevakas was the feeling of the gopies. All worshippers in and devotees alike in Jagannath Puri. On first Jagannath Temple may not be true seekers, but meeting, or sight, He is Abyakta, unknown. Seeing the feeling is universal among them that "Lord his strange form and manner, one may not like it Jagannath gives us everything". and may be full of doubts. But after some time, There are four types of devotion. First, a Jagannath becomes Byakta, known. The devotee devotee remember God in times of troubles. This or Sevaka has felt something, some divine touch, is Artee, or danger. When he faces a tiger, he is a and divine intervention. He thinks as if he knows devotee and calls on God. But when the tiger is Jagannath. He feels Him, he slaps his own cheeks gone, he forgets, Droupadi called on Krishna in front of Jagannath for all his stupid mistakes. when she was in distress in the 's Court. He closes his own ears, to block out other's Krishna heard and gave her a Sari of such length, doubts. However, again after sometime, it no one could disrobe her. becomes the daily habit to go for Darshan of Jagannath in the temple and Lord Jagannath The second type of devotion is Artharthi, becomes again Abyakta, unknowable. He is again or worldly desires like to be a loan officer in a full of mystery, but now there is no doubt, only bank, one submits an application before God and inexpressible joy in beholding Him. prays for this or that to be given, be it wealth, These feelings of Byakta and Abyakta are health, fame, or a good marriage. Arjuna sought the day to day experiences of a devotee with God, Krishna's help to win the war and regain the lost just like the ever changing movements of the ocean Kingdom. and its waves, or the play of light and darkness, The third type of devotion is a Jignasu, a or the indescribable beauty of clouds passing true seeker, one eager to know of Jagannath, what across the sky. Worshippers in the temple take is divinity, this world, what is the . Jagannath to be their Lord and Master, as an

70 Orissa Review June - 2009 woman takes her husband. They sing lines from spiritual power, the most communions with God, Adishanker's poem "Kadachit Kalandi Tata as well as deep devotion. The Gopies and Radha Bipina", as the cars move down the Grand Road Herself had been great sages in the past, who on days. desired to get Krishna as God. The worshippers "Jagannath Swami Nayana Pathagami of Jagannath Temple think themselves to be Bhavatu Me" Radha. For them, "not this, not this" or "nasti" which is the attitude of Netibada or nihilism is not "Oh Lord Jagannath May our eyes ever follow in present. Such persons tell that God is not small, your footsteps", not great, not tall, not white, or black, not having This sort of Gopi-Bhav develops from any shape at all or any symbol. All this felt to be childhood as the father teaches his son how to do not true. Rather Lord Jagannath is felt to be all his hereditary in the temple. It is strange how this. In the half-formed black Murti of Jagannath, in the modern world Sevakas maintain their God is felt to be very much alive and aware. With families. Some have outside careers, but for their His huge round eyes, called Chakadola, He sees temple service they receive no salary. They rely everything, with His handless arms, He embraces solely on Jagannath Himself to maintain them. If all and does all. This same God, this same food offered to Jagannath, called Mahaprasad Jagannath is also ever present in every house of from its earliest origins, is not arranged, no Puri. If a worshipper or devotee of His had marriage ceremony in the temple community can hundred percent faiths, He will even manifest be performed. This holy food of Lord Jagannath Himself in ordinary piece of stone, where no Puja must be distributed, or no rites are sanctified. has ever been done. His presence is felt to be all- pervading, in everything, and so all is to be This is the attachment of Radha with Sri worshipped as His form. Krishna. As Radha had only Krishna to see, touch, and to daily, so the worshippers of the When a worshipper of Jagannath Temple temple have only Jagannath in their lives. In is about to die, he has two last wishes, one is to previous generations fathers knew only two places, taste Mahaprasad the holy food offered to Lord the home and the temple. So during Car festival Jagannath, in his last hour. The second is to hear days, when Jagannath left the main temple for nine at that same time Bhagavata, where Radha's love days, the worshippers also left their houses for for Krishna is described. Thus in his last moments, the same period and slept on the road beside the the form and the formless merge into one. huge cars and ate only Prasad of fruits thrown to Banamali, a famous Vaishnavite poet of , Jagannath. This is again the feeling of Radha, as expresses it in this way. She, her house, her husband, everything, when "Jagannath Yasoda nandana she heard the call of Krishna's flute. If there are Shreemati Chitta Chatak nutan Jaladhar sorrows and difficulties, it is his wish. If it is His Laban Jaladhitata Niladree nama Prakat". wish, we will also be saved. Oh Jagannath, The word Radha, or Radhika, is composed Mother Yashoda's dear foster son, of "Radhika" "Ra" means beauty, strength, deep Your Radha is like the Chataka bird, meditation, and devotion. "A-dhika" means more. Drinking only the pure rain drops So "Radha" means the most beauty, the most You shower as Your grace".

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As stated at the beginning of this chapter, as washing, dressing, and putting scent and make rituals are not at all necessary for a Vaishnavite. up. But we never think of these as rituals. So too If the heart and mind are pure and one-pointed worshippers in Jagannath Temple give the deities towards God, spontaneous devotion will flow. daily bath, change their cloth, brush their teeth, However, to help arouse such sublime feelings, feed them, and put them to bed at night. They rituals are performed. To purify the mind, the never think these to be imposed rites, but the body, and the place, rituals are done daily in all natural things to do for a loved one. temples and churches. In giving a garland to God, the heart becomes filled with joy and the disturbed However, discipline in the Puja must be mind becomes redirected. strictly followed. Each family of worshippers has the right to serve, but only to do the one duty The rituals of the great Jagannath Temple given to him by hereditary tradition. The man who of Puri may appear complex and obscure at first carries flowers to Jagannath offered by devotees glance, as in comparison with even those of the cannot decorate him with them. This is the sole Catholic Church. Because of the long history Seva of another family of worshippers. Why is associated with temple, tinges of Tantric Mother this discipline imposed ? Perhaps the words of worship of and Saivism can be found, the great Vaishnavite saint Sri Chaitanya in addition to pure Vaishnavism. It is said in Manu Mahaprabhu best express it, Sanhita, "Only when man feels himself to be "Jatha dehi, Tatha debe". Lower than a blade of grass "What is true to man ? can then see the glory of God". Is true to God also". On Rath Yatra day, thousands of Sevakas Unlike the temples devoted to the Mother, must help to bring the deity of Lord Jagannath where there is blood and animal sacrifice, and out of the temple to the awaiting cars, each one complicated to be followed exactly, or doing his allotted Seva only. One has the vision Shiva temples, which are dark places of austere of a great black elephant being moved by meditation, Vishnu temples, such as the great thousands of tiny ants. By discipline and rituals, Jagannath Temple of Puri, are felt to be the Lord's , the feeling of ego, is slowly eliminated. own earthly home. The powerful hand gestures Noone alone can carry Lord Jagannath, but only performed during Puja and the Sanskrit Slokas by all working together. The way of life in the recited must be memorized and understood, but temple must be like that of a very large family. their meaning is simple. They simply invite the Lord Then it becomes a power-house of love and to come, to sit close, and take the food offered, peace, and it blesses the whole world. Such is and then to bless all present. They act as a the grace of Lord Jagannath for the entire modern powerful medium to draw God to us, to humanize world whether one lives in Jagannath Puri itself, Him, so we can feel him, feel His divine energy, or in some far off region of the globe, if one lives talk with Him, and serve Him. Our minds, like the raw iron drawn to the pure magnet, are under His influence, there is peace in one's home. transformed by this association with him.

Secondly, even in daily life we have our Somanath Khuntia lives at Manikarnika Sahi, Hazuri little personal rituals to perform for ourselves, such Lane, Puri-752001.

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