Saktism in Purusottama Kshetra

Orissa Review * July - 2005 Saktism in Purusottama Kshetra Prabhas Kumar Singh Puri or Purusottama Kshetra has a great particularly during the reign of Imperial Gangas, antiquarian value in art, architecture, literature, it was also a centre of Saktism of India as attested religion and tradition. For centuries, it has been from literature, tradition and archaeological the principal religious centre of the Hindus; one remains. In the tantric lore, Lord Jagannath is among the four Dhams of Hinduism alongwith considered to be a Bhairava and Vimala is Dwarika, Badrinath and Rameswaram. This holy worshipped as Mahadevi. In Devi Bhagavata, city has been variously referred in ancient Sanskrit Vimala is considered to be a Kshetra Sakti. texts and Puranas as Nilachala, Niladri, Nilagiri, Matsya Purana refers to Purusottama Kshetra as Purusottama Kshetra, Srikshetra and a Sakta Pitha, with its presiding goddess Vimala, Sankhakshetra. Even in Rig veda, Yogitantra and Vamana Purana refers to Purusottama alongwith Kalika Purana, Puri is referred as Purusottama. Viraja as a sacred pilgrimage centre. Tantric We find syncreticism of different cults; such as literature Rudra Yamala composed in C. 950 Vaishnavism, Buddhism, Jainism, Saivism, A.D., glorifies Jagannatha as adorning the Saktism etc. in Jagannath Cult. In the daily rituals Mahapitha. Kalika Purana refers to Odrapitha and practices of the Jagannath temple, Jaina, as a famous Saktipitha which was the celebrated Vaishnavite, Buddhist, Saivite, Tantrik influences seat of goddess Katyayani and God Jagannath. are found. In the present paper, an attempt has Tantra Yamala, another Tantric work refers to been made to study traces of Saktism in Jagannath as the presiding deity of Purusottama Purusottam Kshetra. Saktism is the worship of Kshetra in Utkala. Vimala has been mentioned Sakti or the female principle-the primary factor as presiding goddess of Purusottama Kshetra in in the creation and reproduction of the Universe. the list of 108 pithas found in the Pranatosini Faminine Sakti commands as much respect as Tantra. In the puranic list of 108 names of the does Vishnu or Siva. Saktism is a popular religious mother goddess in Namastottara Sata, we come cult of the kings and people of Orissa from very accross the expression "Vimala Purusottama". In ancient time to the modern age. In Sakta literature, the list of Mahapithas and Upapithas given by Orissa is well known as Odrapitha. The city of the author of Siva Charita also we come accross Viraja, Ekambra and Puri were notable early Nila parvata or Nilachala, an upapitha where Sakta Pithas in Orissa as attested from various Vimala is the presiding Devi and Jagannath is literary, archaeological as well as folk tradition. Bhairava. Thus many tantric texts, recognise Puri as Pada pitha where the foot portion of the Sati Although Purusottama Kshetra came to be fell at Purusottama Kshetra as per the recognised as a great centre of Vaisnavism, Dakshayajna episode. 99 Orissa Review * July - 2005 If we take into account the recent discovery daily in Bhubaneswari mantra. Thus it seems of the stone images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and that the central placement of Subhadra in the Subhadra alongwith Daksina Kalika dated to c. Jagannath tried is an indication of pivotal position 9th century A.D. by scholar Sasanka Sekhar of Sakti in the great tantra pitha of Puri. Learned Panda at Tetelkhunti in the district of Balangir, it scholar Sasanka Sekhar Panda has opined that allures us to conclude that in these forms the goddess Samalei of Sambalpur is worshipped in Jagannath Triad were worshipped in the upper the same Bhubaneswari mantra as in the case Mahanadi valley in the 9th century A.D. In the of Subhadra in Sri jagannath temple, Puri. The Mahanirvana Tantra, Jagannath has been uniconic form of goddess Samalei like the present identified with Dakshina Kalika (Tara Saksyat anthropoid form of Subhadra seems to be Sulapani Subhadra Bhubaneswari / Niladrou identical. Samalei initially worshipped by the tribals tu Jagannatha Saksyat Daksina Kalika). and later absorbed into Hindu fold by the The worship of holy trinity in Shree Somavamsis, who were ruling over Orissa from Jagannath Temple, represents the inter relation the upper Mahanadi valley from Subharnapura in between Vaishnavism and Saktism. Devi c.9th-10th century A.D. Subhadra enshrined between Lord Jagannath and The temple of Goddess Vimala, an Balabhadra is no other than Ekanamsa, one of important Sakta shrine is located in the south the manifestations of Durga or Katyayani. In eastern corner of Lord Jagannath temple. She is Brahama Purana, Ekanamsa is identified with also known as Shreekshetrasvari. On examination Katyayani. In Purusottama Mahatmya of of ritual pattern connected with Jagannath temple, Skanda Purana, Subhadra has been identified it is observed that the role of Vimala is more as the Sakti of Vishnu, Krishna as well as sister important than that of Lakshmi, because, rituals of Krishna. It is interesting to note here that of Vimala are based on tantric nities, where as Ambika, an aspect of Durga appears first as that of Lakshmi is Vaishnavite in character. Tantra Rudra's sister and then as consort. So there is Chudamani describe Vimala as Bhairavi and some similarity between the cult of Durga and the Jagannath as Bhairava. It is pertinent to mention cult of Subhadra. Devi Subhadra has been here that the Bhogas of Lord Jagannath became regarded as parasakti, Yogamaya, Kampilya Mahaprasad after these are offered to Goddess vasini, Ekanamsa, Bhubaneswari, Mahalakshmi Vimala. Learned Scholar Herman Kulke has and also in many other forms of the supreme power drawn our attention to the representation of of the world. She is worshipped in Bhubaneswari Jagannath in the form of Ajaikapada Bhairava mantra (Hrim) which implies that she is the lipta on a sculptural panel of the temple of Konark. (gnana) Sakti of Lord Jagannath. Learned The above quoted literary and sculptural scholars B.C. Pradhan and Herman Kulke hold evidences very well indicate that Puri was a centre the view that the iconography of Subhadra of Tantric form of Saivism and Saktism where resembles that of the iconography of the Goddess Jagannath was worshipped as Bhairava and Khambesvari. So Subhadra existed in the Jagannath triad atleast during the Somavamsi Vimala as his Sakti (Odresu Vimala Saktin Jagannathastu Bhairavah). period. she was a Sakta deity and was adored as Katyayani, Durga and Bhadrakali. The Sakta The Goddess Vimala is four handed image element in Subhadra is well indicated even today. of chlorite stone, holding naga keyura and The Parsva devatas in Subhadra's chariot are human figures in the upper hands and kalasa or Durga and Chamunda. She is also worshipped Madyapatra and rosary in lower hands. The 100 Orissa Review * July - 2005 origin of Vimala goes back to much before the Jagannath and Goddess Vimala are regarded as emergence of Lord Jagannath in Srikshetra. Madhava and Durga respectively. Goddess Noted scholar Dr. H.C. Das has dated the image Durga is worshipped in the inner sanctum of main to Bhaumakara period, when most of the Sakta temple near the Bhandarghar. The deity of tantrik pithas emerged in Orissa. Madhava worshipped on the left side of Sri Both Vaishnavite and Sakta rites are found Jagannath on Ratna Simhasana in inner sanctum. in the ritual pattern of Vimala. Earlier in the dead He is also known as young Purusottama and joins of the night of Vijaya Dasami of Dasahara, the festival on behalf of Lord Jagannath. animal sacrifice was performed. Later on this The festival begins with Sahasra practice was stopped with the imposition of Kumbha Abhiseka, on the dark fortnight of Vaishnavite rites. The tantric rites of Aswin. After being permitted by Devi Subhadra Dakshinachara, Vamachara and Kaulachara and Lord Jagannath, Goddess Durga comes out are performed here. to sit on Somanath Mandap to take bath with Deep influence of tantric rites can be thousand pots of purified and scented water and observed in the Yantra of Purusottama. The then offered Puja. The deity of Madhava also after Yantra consists of an eight petalled lotus with the getting permission from Lord Jagannath, leaves Vijamantra "klim" in the centre. The priests of Ratna Simhasana and joins Goddess Durga. Lord Jagannath temple first propitiate Lord Both the deities are tied together near the Purusottama with goddess Lakshmi and than Bhandarghar and after getting permission from worship eight Saktis of Vishnu, namely Vimala, Lord Jagannath, they are taken to the temple of Utkarsini, Yajna, Kriya, Yoga, Prathvi, Satya and Goddess Vimala, who also offered ceremonial Isana. Vimala is regarded as one of the eight bath and Puja. On the ninth day of Dasahara, Chandis of Purusottama Kshetra. The other both the deities are taken together in a chariot to seven Chandis are Ramachandi, Herachandi, Narayani temple near Dolamandap Sahi of Puri Baselichandi, Alamchandi, Dakshinachandi and town. There they offer puja and prasad and at Jhadesvari. In the traditional rites Vimala is the night, they returned again to Srimandir. This invoked as the Maya sakti of Jagannath, Kriya festival continues for nine days and occupies a sakti of Balabhadra and Ichha sakti of Subhadra. prominent place in the twelve festivals of Lord She is regarded as the consort of Balabhadra. Jagannath. Durga Madhava Rath Yatra Since early medieval period, Durga Madhava cult is very popular in Orissa. Madhava Every year, the car festival of Lord is a compound of two words, i.e., Ma (Mother) Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra is and Dhava (Father). So Madhava implies both celebrated with pomp and ceremony in the month the combination of Mother (Sakti) and Father of (June and July) at Puri. But few people know (Purusa). Durga Madhava worship can be found about another car festival at Puri that takes place in the Madhavananda temple in the Prachi valley.

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