04/06/2021
The Lord of the Universe (V)
Sankha Khetra Puri
(Penned by Sanjeev Hota bhai)
Puri is kali-yuga ksetra for establishing yuga-dharma of sankirtan or congregational chanting; Dwarka is dwapar-yuga ksetra for establishing deity worship; Rameshvaram is treta-yuga ksetra for establishing sacrifices or yagna mode of worship and Badrinath is sat-yuga ksetra for establishing Dhyana or meditation dharma of worshipping the Supreme.
Why Puri is the Sankha Khetra
The Skanda purana, Utkala khanda 3.52-53 describes the holy dhama of Sri Purushottama kshetra as adakshinavarta sankha (a special Lakshmi conch shell with the hollow part on the right side), having an area of 16 kms of which 40% is submerged under the sea.
As per a legend, Shankhasura was born from the sweat of demon Madhu. Lord Vishnu killed demon Madhu when he was on the verge of killing Brahma. Shankhasura wanted to avenge demon Madhu’s death. Shankasura thus pleased Shiva by his penance and attained knowledge to tantras. While he was learning Ta**ra he could hear the recitation of veda. Rishi Yagnavalkya was learning Yajur veda from Brahma at the moment. Shankhasura wanted to learn the recitation and he asked Shiva for the source. Shiva instructed him to go to Brahma to learn the Vedamantra. But Brahma had already distributed the four Vedas among his disciples, so Brahma refused to teach him Vedamantra. Shankhasura was enraged and he took away the four Vedas from the disciples forcibly and hid them in the sea. Lord Vishnu took on the incarnation of “Meena” to search for the demon. The demon hid in the Kalpa Vriksha inside the Sri Jagannath temple. Lord Vishnu tried to kill the demon. The demon hid in a conch. Vishnu used the Sudarshan chakra but the hard conch diverted the chakra. Finally Vishnu killed the demon with his Brahmastra. Shiva was furious at the death of his disciple. The assembled gods pleased Shiva by singing “Vedasara Staba” (glories of Shiva). He requested Vishnu to name the place as Shankha kshetra after the name of Shankhasura. The proposal was accepted and the place was named as “Shankha kshetra”.
Shankha kshetra ('The Conch-shaped Region') is the religio-geographic name of the most sacred section of the holy city of Puri The Shankha kshetra derives its name from the typical dakshinavarti Shankha (conch)-shaped, outer locational pattern of various temples, sacred places and secondary and tertiary deities in Puri, with the Jagannath Temple at its heart centre.
The outlay kshetra (Region) of the Shankha kshetra has been defined from distant past and no definite period of such classification has been determined. As per the Shankha kshetra concept, the entirety of the holy land of Jagannath Puri has been conceptualised and described as a giant yantra of huge dimensions.
Geography of the Kshetra
The broad end of the Sankha Kshetra lies to the west where the temple of Shri Lokanath, one of the eight noted Shiva Temples of Puri is located and on the apical end or the cone in the east, is located another Shiva Temple called the Nilakantha. The area between the two temples is two miles in extent and is most sacred.
7 concentric folds of Shankh at Puri Dham:
First Fold: The innermost fold forms abodes the navel (core) divine platform on which the Lord Jagannath with his elder brother Balabhadra and their sister Subhadra are presiding.
Second fold: Its the outer layer of the first or the innermost fold, is hexagonal in shape to the following forms: 4 goddesses of power (Bimala, Kamala, Sarbamangala and Uttaral)
two tirthas (Rohinikunda and Pranitodakakunda)
2 sacred trees (Kalpapadapa and Salmalitaru) Garuda (vehicle of Lord Vishnu) at the top of the Nilgiri hill which is convex like the back of a tortoise.
Third fold: Central part of the lotus-like structure having eight petals, each inlaid with an idol of Lord Shiva and a goddess. These deities are responsible for watching and guarding the first fold having the Supreme Lord at the centre of the sacred complex. The eight Shivas are Agneswar, Bateswar, Khetrapaleswar, Chakreswar, Baikuntheswar, Pataleswar, Isaneswar, and Lokeswar.
The eight goddesses are Dwarabasini, Mahabajreswari, Swanabhairabi, Bhadrakali, Bhubaneswari, Mahakaliaghorea, Sitala, and Jagnyeswari.
Fourth fold: Resembles convex surface of the temple precinct (Mahakurma) and the inner compound wall.
Fifth fold: An outer layer of the fourth fold, is again the seat of another eight Shivas and eight goddesses. The Shivas are Bisweswar, Markandeswar, Mahakaleswar, Karnameswar, Mukteswar, Ugreswar, Kapilalochana and Agreswer. The goddesses are Bisweswari, Saptamatrika, Dakshinkali, Charchika, Alameswari, Barahi, Banadurgeswari and Basulikeswari. These deities are also in charge of watch and ward functions of the sacred complex.
Sixth fold: Assumes four sacred ashrams as follows: Angirs to the east, Pandu in the west, Markandeya in the north, and Bhrigu in the south.
The seventh fold: Outermost zone consists of the sentries of the Shankha Kshetra and two pilgrim centres.
The Nilachal (Blue Mountain) is part of traditional division of Puri into seven concentric circles having the Lion throne in the place of common centre. This type of plan, which is evidently inspired by the symbolism of the yantra of Hari-Narayana is illustrated by a painted map of the Samkha Kshetra(Samkha – Conch-shaped, Kshetra – Region: The Conch-shaped Region) found in the upper part of the southern entrance to the principal jagamohan of the Jagannatha Temple of Puri.
The shape of the sacred section of Puri resembles a conch shell (sankha) and, therefore, it is also known as the Sankha Kshetra. Like the other names, that is, Shri Khetra and Purusottam Khetra, which have bearing on the Lord Jagannath, the paramount deity of Puri, Sankha Kshetra has equal ritual and symbolic significance. The name Sankha Kshetra is the most significant because Sankha is one of the Aiyudhas or weapons of Lord Vishnu who resides in the navel or the central part of the shell in the form of Lord Jagannath. Samkha Kshetra is about 10 miles in extent, of which nearly two koshas are submerged in the sea and the remaining three koshas are above water and sandy because of its origin from the sea. In the centre of the Kshetra lies the hillock called Nilachal where the temple of Shri Jagannath stands and within its compound many sacred institutions of importance are located
Alternate Formations
The first zone is in the form of the archetypal circle within which the modem wooden icons are represented standing on the Lion throne. In the words of the Visrttt Reliasya of the Brahma Purana "In the centre of the seven enclosures, in the cave of the Blue Mountain there is an abode . . . full of “consciousness". The text explains that inside "the three innermost circuits, Vishnu, the highest Purusa, is present in the wooden form.
The second circuit is in the shape of a hexagon. In the six angles are depicted four goddesses) Durga-VimaIa, Kamala-Laksmi, Uttara Durga and Batamangala, together with Garuda on the south, and the summit of the Blue Mountain on the north. In the outer eastern facing spaces are found Sarasvati, the Salmotaru tree and the Golden Well. In the western ones are the sacred banyan tree, the Rohini Well and Ucchista Ganapati.
The third circuit consists of a circle with a sixteen-petalled lotus. On the petals are placed the eight Sivas and right Saktis who guard the Lion throne. These deities are found on the Blue Hill and are as follows: Agnisvara, Indranidevi, Ksetrapala, Svanabhairavi, Multtesvara, Citraltali, Vatamarltandeya, Katyayani, Gopesvara, Bedakali, Patalesvara, Bhuvartesvari, Vailtuntesvara, Jagnesvari, lsanesvara and Sitala.
The fourth zone is in the form of a yantra or square with four points of access. It corresponds to the Blue Mountain (Nila-achal/Niladri) with its gateways and steps.
The fifth circuit is in the shape of it sixteen-petalled lotus. This mandala comprises the Candis and Sambhus who guard the outer perimeter of the hill. The Sivas are Viiwesvara, Markantleiwara, Mahakalesvara, Karnainesvara, Muktesvara, Ugresvara, Kapala-mocana and Agnisvsra, also the Goddesses Visvesvari, the Saptamatrika (stone images of the Mothers from the Somavansi period at the Martandeya tirtha), Dakshinakali, Charchika, Alamesvari, Varahi, Vanadurga and Vaseli.
The sixth is in the form of a lotus which contains the major sacred bathing places and the four oldest monasteries at Puri. The panchatirtha consists of the Markandeya Pool, the Rohini Well, the King Indradyumna Lake and sometimes includes Svetaganga, while the four ashrama are Angira in the east, Bhrgu in the south, Pandu in the west and Markandeya in the north.
The seventh and last circuit is in the shape of a conch-shell. On the top of the shankha is a huge symbolising Lokanatha Svaymbhu, and on the tip, which is orientated towards the south-east, the Vilvesara temple. The last three Sivas, together with Kapalamocana and Goddess Ardhasini, act as the day and night guardians of the town, Nilakantha is the governor of the kshetra, Narasimha protects the places where the fire ceremony is performed. Both Svargadvara, with its cremation ground and Chakra tirtha are represented on the map. Surrounding the city is the sea below, the sky above and a branch of the Bhargavi River which forms the handle of the Sankha kshetra.
