1) The document discusses the origins and philosophies behind Lord Jagannath, a central deity in Hinduism worshipped primarily in Puri, Odisha.
2) It explores potential origins in Vedic scriptures, Jainism, tribal traditions, and Buddhism and how these various influences may have combined over time.
3) Lord Jagannath and the associated rituals like the Ratha Yatra are analyzed in relation to Hindu philosophical concepts like the unity of the individual soul and universal soul, as well as mirroring aspects of daily human life.
1) The document discusses the origins and philosophies behind Lord Jagannath, a central deity in Hinduism worshipped primarily in Puri, Odisha.
2) It explores potential origins in Vedic scriptures, Jainism, tribal traditions, and Buddhism and how these various influences may have combined over time.
3) Lord Jagannath and the associated rituals like the Ratha Yatra are analyzed in relation to Hindu philosophical concepts like the unity of the individual soul and universal soul, as well as mirroring aspects of daily human life.
1) The document discusses the origins and philosophies behind Lord Jagannath, a central deity in Hinduism worshipped primarily in Puri, Odisha.
2) It explores potential origins in Vedic scriptures, Jainism, tribal traditions, and Buddhism and how these various influences may have combined over time.
3) Lord Jagannath and the associated rituals like the Ratha Yatra are analyzed in relation to Hindu philosophical concepts like the unity of the individual soul and universal soul, as well as mirroring aspects of daily human life.
Emblem of Cosmic Consciousness Dr. Chinmayee Satpathy Balabhadra and Subhadra reside. The origin of Lord Jagannath can be traced into the hoary past most probably to the age of pre-history and the cult of Lord Jagannath is Prak-Vedic derived from the oldest civilization of the world. For which it has been rightly said that the uniqueness of Jagannath Cult is that all the old religions and sects of the world are assimilated in this Cult. Many arguments and counter arguments have been put forth by the scholars for defining the truth regarding the origin of Lord Jagannath from various sources like Jainism, Buddhism, Tribal origin or from Veda & Brahminical sources since its very inception.
Ek Brahman ditiya nasti. Ahom Brhmasmi.
The fundamental truth of Adweitabad of Hinduism propagated by Adiguru Sankaracharya is that the Atma or Soul and the Paramatma are one and inseparable. When the soul attain Nirbikalpa Samadhi the individual consciousness is fully absorbed into supreme consciousness without any sense of duality and the soul never parish as it is completely assimilated into the absolute. It has been rightly said by the intellects that Rathe tu Bamana d r u s t w a punarjanma na vidyate. In Upanisad the Soul means Bamana where the Lord Jagannath represents the Soul. The Greek philosopher Pluto has also defined that Body of the individual is the vehicle or the carrier of the Soul, where the body represents the Yana i.e the Chariot. The whole irony is that Atmadarshan is the highest kind of realistions for attainment of ultimate salvation.
Some says the origin
can be traced into the Jaina cult. Jaina is derived from the word Jin which means Nirgrantha i.e to conquer over wishes and desires in order to attain Nirvana. The Jaina Gurus are called Nathas like Adinat h, Parswanath, Rusavanath. According to which Jagannath is Jagat Nath that means the Swamy or the Lord of entire universe. Jagannath Cult is the combination of the two major sects of Jainas i.e Sunyavadi and Atmavadi. The scholar like Adiguru Sankaracharya the upholder of
According to Sanatana Dharma among
the four most important holy shrines of Hindus, Puri or Shree Khetra is the most important pilgrim centre where Lord Jagannath 144
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as Nilamadhaba the Dravidian God, who was
offered kacha (Raw) food by the primitive tribes and with the passage of time as the Aryan elements introduced into Hinduism Jagannath he is worshipped as God of Aryan (a more civilized race) who is offered pakka (cooked) food. At present these two fold worship coexist side by side. Till today the Sauras or Savaras worship trees "the Nature God" known as "Kitung" which means God for which they donot cut trees because they believe that Kitung dwells inside the tree. Kitung is otherwise known as Jagant and according to them Jagant is the 10th incarnation of Vishnu. As it is said the word Jagannath is not a Sanskrit word nor it is a Pali word but a derivation of Austric word Jagant.
Hinduism says Jagannath is the incarnation of
Lord Buddha the last Tenth Avatara (Kalki Avatara) of Dasavatara of Lord Jagannath. Buddha has been acknowledged as one of the Avataras of Vishnu. Again the four dimensional Stupa of Lord Buddha is identified with Lord Jagannath since he is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Historians say Puri was an ancient seat of Buddhism. After the conquest of Kalinga by Samrat Ashoka, Buddhism was widely spread and gained its popularity after getting the royal patronage. Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang also described that the cult of Buddhism flourished in Orissa in 7th Century A D. and in pre Christian Era Buddhism was having strong foothold in Orissa. Regarding tribal origin of Lord Jaganath it is said that Nilamadhaba was worshipped by Savara King Viswabasu inside the dense forest of Nilagiri (the Blue Mountain). Subsequently Nilamadhaba disappeared and reincarnated in the forms of three deities Lord Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra. These three deities together symbolize Nilamadhaba (Nila-Ma-Dhaba). Nila (Blue) represent Lord Jagannath, Ma (Mother) represents Goddess Subhadra and Dhaba (White) which represents Balabhadra who are worshiped at Puri. The Savaras became known as Daitas who are the hereditary servitors of Lord Jagannath. They observed the funeral rites of Lord Jagannath during Navakalevara (when the deities changed their body) and the sole responsibilities of Snana Jatra and Sri Gundicha Jatra are bestowed upon these Daitas. The worship of Lord Jagannath by Savara is also mentioned in Darubrahma Gita written by Jagannath Das in 16th Century AD and in Deula Tola written by Nilambara Das in 17th Century AD. Regarding origin of Lord Jagannath historian William Hunter also remarked t hat the aboriginal people worshipped a Blue Stone inside dense forests
Mythology is called the language of the
primitive, because in Pre-Vedic age due to absence of literature it represented the temporal reflections to attain the penultimate truth if not the truth itself. Early Vedic religion is simple, natural and pure and t he Early Vedic Mythology is the outcome of the intellectual inputs of numbers of scholars for generations together for which it is evolutionary in character which represents a dynamic process that converts simple Vedic God to God of a complex character by introducing various new elements into it. At the initial stage the Griha Devata transform to Village Deity was used to be worshipped outside the village and ultimately the God of mass is worshipped inside the temple. This signifies the merger or polarization of oriental primitive tribal tradition, the so-called little tradition in to the great tradition of Hinduism, which exist as two bipolar extremes. Hindu Mythology represents some distinctive features of Hinduism, its strengths and weaknesses from Pre-historic era. The body of Lord Jagannath is made up of Neem Wood for which he is regarded as Daru Brahma (wooden image). The origin of the 145
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Jagannath & The Human Philosophy
deity is also traced to the Vedic sources and
Bhagabat Gita. In Vedantic literature of Rigveda, Daru is used to indicate the material from which the entire universe is made. The philosophy is the basic foundation of all religions and rituals and the superstructure in which mythology is the ornamental use for their decorations.
Lord Jagannath, the so called Istadevata
of every Oriyas whose rites and rituals are fully identified with the manly character. Sri Jagannath is identified as the Lord of Masses since the rites and rituals observed in the temple have wide similarity with day-to-day activities of common man. The different rites of the deities that are performed everyday in the temple are Dantadhapana (cleaning tooth), Snana(bath), Chandanapuspa dharana (flower decoration), Bhojana (Eat), Sayana (Sleep) etc. The worship of Lord Jagannath inside the temple is done in tantric method. Tantra means tan (body) + tar (above). The prasada (offering) of Lords called Mahaprasada or Kaibalya, which is other wise called Arnabrahma accepting it gives liberation to Jiva. It is prepared by traditional method of steaming for preservation of nutrient value of food as it is done in the house of common men. Besides Chhapana Bhoga is offered to the Lords like Areesa, Kheeri, Chenakakara, Gaja, Podapitha, Rabidi etc which are the typical foods of Oriyas. Like common man the Lords also suffer from fever for a period of fifteen days in a year after Deva Snana Purnima (Cermonial Bat hs of Lords) immediate before the Ratha Yatra. The significance of this occasion is that the deities take heavy bath and give darshan to devotees in the Gajabesha after which the three deities are kept in Anasara (convalesce inside the sanctum for treatment) and given some natural medicines, which are served only by the daitas. During this time the devotees are not allowed for the darshan of the deities.
Lord Jagannath is also identified with the
Bijamantra OM (the trilateral syllabi A U M). In Upanisad Pranava is called Chatuspada i.e. four faces of Brahma out of which four Vedas have been uttered. Four Vedas represents the Chaturdhamurti. Lord Jagannath represents Sam Veda, Devi Subhadra represents Yajur Veda and Lord Balbhadra represents Rigveda and Sudarshan represents Sishu Veda which also symbolizes Dharma Artha Kama Moksha, the four stages of Hinduism. One Vijamantra along with one God and one Veda formed the Yogasadhana for awakening of Kundalini Shakti for attainment of final liberation or Moksha. In Rigveda Sun is the only living God, (the Soul) who has the Chariot. Most probably the Ratha Yatra of Shri Jagannath symbolize the same where Sri Jagannath represents the Sun God. Jagannath represents the Night Sun, the Symbol of Sunyabad (the blue/black colour), Subhadra represents Morning Sun represents Shakti or Symbol of Power (Yellow colour) and Balabhadra represents brightness (Day Sun). The three deities symbolize three stages of senses of mind, Unconscious, Subconscious and the Super-consciousness. Chaturdhamurti represents Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana, which symbolizes the unification of three deities. To understand the Supreme Consciousness, it needs higher sense of knowledge than any intellectual synthesis and power of reasoning of human mind what Sri Aurovindo has called the Supermind or t he Suprament al Consciousness.
Sri Jagannath is called the Lord of entire
universe with whose name the Bada (grand) is always associated. He is called Badathakura and the besa is called Badasinghara (decorated with flowers) whose temple is Badadeula, 146
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king, the height of Jagannath Temple was
48hands. The three Rathas were pulled from Singha Dwara to Balagandi. The three Chariots with four wheels were decorated over with gold coated Ratna Chanduas with Golden Bowls and decorated with colourful designs and devices. The Badyakaras used to go in front of the Rathas and the devotees behind. At that time the Ratha Yatra was held for one day and gradually it continued for seven days.
whose sewakas are called Badapanda, whose
prasada is called Mahaprasad, and whose danda (road) is Bada Danda, whose dwara (door) is called Singhadwara and the Samudra (Sea) where he resides is called Mahodadhi. Relevance of Nabakalebara Nabakalebara symbolizes the basic human philosophy of life and death in order to realize the eternal truth of life. As it has been illustrated in the Bhagabat Gita that just like the Atma of a Jiva takes a new birth leaving its old body so also the Lord change their old wooden body and take a new form once in twelve years when two Ashadha months are fall in a year. The term Navakalevara implies New Body (Nava means New and Kalevara means Body). The bodies of the deities are made up of Neem Wood and the Neem Tree is selected two to three months before, when the Sevakas of Lord Jagannath get the heavenly order from Kakatpur Mangala (the temple of the Goddess is 60km away from Puri). The significance of the Neem tree is that it contains the four symbols of Sankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma respectively, from which the body of the Lord is made. The Lords are called Darubrahma, which means Daru (the wood) containing Brahma (the Paramatma or the Supreme Soul). During the process of transfer of Brahma from the old wooden body to be kept in the new body, which is carved and in the darkness the sevaka with his eyes and hands closed bound with new cloths for which he is not allowed to feel or touch the Brahma directly. It has been said that the Brahma of Sri Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are rare Salagrams where as it is quite different in Lord Sri Jagannath.
In between the Ratha Yatra was not
organised for many years due to the attack of Yavanas like Kalapahada, Moghuls like Aurangjeb who tried to close the festivals for ever and provoked Mir Mahammad accordingly. After seeing Lord Jagannath in dream as Allah he again ordered to continue the same. But during the royal patronage of Marahatta kings the festival was promoted in many ways. Marahatta Guru Brahmachari was doing pahandi at the time of Car Festivals. Rani Ahalyabai constructed the road of Lord Jagannath and King Bira Kishore Dev made some major developments of the Car Festival. In the 12th Century the King Chodaganga Dev employed Rathakaras and subsequently Anangabhima Dev employed other Sevayatas in the services to Lords before the festivals. Thereafter the Ganga kings Narasimha Dev, Suryavamsi king Purusottam Dev brought certain major changes to make the Ratha Yatra more attractive and beautiful. The woods were brought from Tribhuban Jungle for making the cars. The heights of Rathas were increased to 32hands. Suryavamsi King Kapilendra Dev had constructed another dwara in Sri Gundicha Temple called Nakachana Dwara facing to the sea beach. During the rein of his grand son Pratap Rudra Dev, Gajapati himself was scavenging the Bada Danda during the Car Festival. Chera Pahara in the Chariot was started during the time of Suryavamsi king Purusottam Dev. From that day it has been continuing till date.
Ratha Yatra and Its Significance
When we cast our glance into the history of Ratha Yatra it has been said that during the time of Yayati Keshari who was a Soma Vansi 147
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twelve wheels and that Jagannath is called
Nandighosa which has eighteen wheels. The colour of Taladhwaja is Green and Red, that of Subhadra is Red and Black and that of Jagannath is Red and Yellow.
Rat ha Yatra otherwise called
Nandighosa (Ghosa) Yatra or Sri Gundicha Yatra has a wide relevance not only in India but all over the world. It is usually held in the month of July every year and continue for a period of nine days when thousands of devotees assemble at Puri for holy darshan of three deities, Lords Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. The Nine days Yatra represents Nabadha Bhakti. The four main functions that are observed during the Yatra are Pahandi Vije of three Lords Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra and Cherapahara by the King or Gajapati of Puri and ultimately the Ghosa Yatra and Bahuda Yatra of three Lords. In Pahandi Vije the deities are brought by the devotees who take them to the three Chariots made for the three deities. After performance of some rites and rituals Gajapati or the king of Puri sweep the three Chariots with golden broom and sprinkle sandalwood water on the floor in order to purify them. After observance of all rituals and worships to the Lords the three Chariots are pulled by thousands of devotees on the Badadanda (grand road) of Puri up to Sri Gundicha temple (aunt house of Lords). On the ways they are fed Podapitha (specially baked rice cakes). The deities after reaching Sri Gundicha Temple give darshan to countless devotees every day with ten different Besas continuously for eight days. Then the deities return to Sri Mandir (the main temple) riding their Chariots which is popularly known as Bahuda Yatra. The sevakas who are allotted to provide different services to Lords during the Yatras are called Dahuka, Chitrakaras, Khuntia, Dolia, Pahandia etc. The three Rathas are called by different names and are different from each other so far as their colour and structure are concerned. The Ratha (Chariot) of Balabhadra is called Taladhwaja, which has fourteen wheels, and the Ratha of Devi Subhadra is called Devadalana, which has
Ekam Satya Bipra Bahuda Badanti.
Truth is one but called by many names. The holy Pranava from which the three deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra originated where Subhadra symbolises Brahma who is the Creator and Sri Jagannath symbolises Bishnu and Siva symbolizes Sri Balabhadra the Mahakala o r the Destro yer. The basic philosophy Lord Jagannath is based upon is the central ideology i.e Bahu Jana Hitaya, Bahu Jana Sukhaya. Jagannath cult has crossed over all the narrow barriers and compartmental divisions of the society on which the caste divisions rest. The fundamental ethics of Bhagbat Geeta illustrates that the division of society is based upon the karma or the deeds of the individual concerned and not upon the caste, which is ascribed to the mankind and not achieved through individual dignity and self-consciousness. After all, caste is not made for the welfare of the society rather it create divisions in the society. It preaches the democratic principles and universal brotherhood i.e equality among the un-equals. The positivie philosophy of Jagannath cult teaches us that from the Raja the supreme authority of the state to the Praja the common man all are one and the same and there should neither be any discrimination nor any differentiation between the two, for which the cult of Lord Shri Jagannath is said to be the rarest of the rare cults and perhaps the best cult in the world, which embraces all sects and religions. Dr. Chinmayee Satpathy lives at Plot No.708, BJB Nagar, Bhubaneswar - 751014 148