10/07/2024
On the eve of Ratha Yatra today, I have summarised the Story of Jagannatha's origin in just 10 brief points. Do read this interesting legend of Sri Jagannatha and some other information about the temple-
1- King Indradyumna, a Vishnu devotee received divination in dream about Lord Vishnu's presence in form of form Nila Madhava (Vishnu in form of Blue Stone) somewhere in Odra (Odisha). He desired to bring Nila Madhava to worship him as the main deity in the grand temple constructed by him at Puri.
2- The King sent 4 Bramhins in 4 direction in search of Nila Madhava. Bidyapati, the youngest of the four went in the East and reached Sabaradwipa on the bank of river Mahanadi where he got to know that Nila Madhava is being worshipped by the tribal King of the Sabara clan Biswabasu as Kula Devata inside a secret cave. He stayed there waiting for the opportunity to reach the cave.
3- During the stay, Bidyapati and Biswabasu's daughter Lalita fell in love with each other and got married. Through Lalita, Bidyapati convinced Biswabasu to take him to the cave of Nila Madhava.
4- Biswabasu agreed but made sure that Bidyapati doesn't see the path leading to cave by blindfolding his eyes. However Bidyapati cleverly kept pouring mustard seeds throughout the way during the journey to mark the path.
5- After coming back from the cave, Bidyapati escaped from village and returned to the cave with King Indradyumna following the mustard trees on the path. But by that time Nila Madhava had disappeared from his place.
6- After a long wait, King Indradyumna got divination from Vishnu who said he would manifest himself in 4 forms in Kali Yuga - Jagannatha, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana to be worshipped in the temple at Puri. He asked the King to look for a Daru (wood) floating in the Mahanadi river near Banki and construct the idols of those 4 forms from that wood.
7- Indradyumna got the floating Daru (wood) from Mahanadi, but When artists and craftsman didn't get any idea about the structure and form of the idols to be made, Lord Vishwakarma appeared before the King assuming the form of a old craftsman and offered to make the idols but with a condition that he would build them alone in 21 days staying inside a closed door without being disturbed by anyone from outside.
9- On 14th day, when Queen Gundicha didn't hear any sound of construction, she opened the door suspecting the death of the old craftsman without food. The condition was violated, Vishwakarma disappeared leaving incomplete idols of the deities. This is the reason today we see half constructed hands of all three deities.
10- These deities came to be known as Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The Nila Madhava (the blue stone), said to be the Bramha or Soul or Moola Swaroopa of Sri Vishnu is kept inside the idols. The idols are reconstructed once in every 12 years and at that time the "Bramha" or "Soul" is transferred from old idols to the new idols. The process is known as "Bramha Parivartana".
Till today, no body knows what the actual Bramha is and how it looks like, as only four senior most priests participate in this process with blindfolded eyes. But it's believed to be the original Nila Madhava or the blue stone representing Vishnu.
The place where there was the cave of Nila Madhava is today known as Kantilo situated in Nayagarh district of Odisha. Nila Madhava Temple is situated there as the Moola Sthana of Vishnu.
You will be amazed to know that the Sevakaras serving the deities in Jagannatha Temple, Puri are the descendant of Lalita-Vidyapati and Biswabasu. The rituals and way of worship followed in the temple is a blend of Vedic-Vaishnava, Tribal and Ta***ic procedures. Maa Bimala's Temple inside the Main Temple is one of the 108 Shakti Peethas dedicated to Adi Shakti.
There are actually multiple versions on what happened after Nila Madhava disappeared from the cave. But the one I have written is a widely accepted one. I have written it in brief for understanding of the people who have no idea about it. Let us spread the glory of Sri Jagannatha, the King of Odisha, the Lord of the Universe.
Jay Jagannatha ⚫️❗️⚫️
