Category: Lord Jagannath

Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma) Lord Jagannath

A Poem on Lord Jagannath and His joyous Rath Yatra

Post author By gaudiya
Post date June 16, 2023

For centuries, the vibrant city of Jagannatha Puri in India has witnessed the exuberant Festival of Chariots, known as Ratha-yatra. This grand event commemorates Lord Krishna, also called Jagannatha, whose divine form with captivating eyes and rugged features is lovingly carried atop a colossal chariot during this festivity. The ancient temple at the heart of Jagannath Puri reverberates with devotion for this beloved deity. Ratha-yatra serves as a poignant expression of the Lord’s boundless love for His devotees. He personally descends to visit His ardent followers and the public, who joyously welcome Him on the streets.

Jagannath Puri Lord Jagannath

Jagannath temple of Puri – A Fascinating Journey to Lord Jagannath’s Abode

Post author By gaudiya
Post date February 22, 2023

jagannath puri

The holy site of Jagannath Puri is known by several names such as Sri Kshetra, Purushottama Kshetra, Nilachala Dham, Jagannath Dham, Samanik Tirtha, Uddiyan Pith, Marta-Vaikuntha, Nilgiri, Niladri, Sankha Kshetra, Bhu-svarga, and Nrsimha Kshetra. Regarded as one of India’s (Bharat) foremost spiritual destinations, it is believed that the Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu takes a bath at Badrinath in North India, changes His attire in Dwarka in West India, enjoys His meals in Jagannath Puri in East India, and retires to Rameshwaram in South India. In Jagannath Puri, the Supreme Lord is worshiped in the form of His deity. A sighting of the Lord is said to grant one liberation from the material world, and visiting Jagannath Puri is believed to have the same spiritual merit as visiting all other holy sites. The term “Jagannath” translates to “Lord of the Universe,” and the temple was established by King Indradyumna on the Nilachal hill. The current temple was constructed in the 12th century on the site of its predecessor by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, the progenitor of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.

Jagannath Puri Lord Jagannath spiritual stories

Jagannath Puri temple history (Part 3) – Appearance of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva & Subhadra

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 16, 2022

jagannath puri

In the previous article, we explained how Lord Neela Madhava disappeared from the general view being totally covered under the sand. We also came to understand how King Indradyumna was pacified learning that the Supreme Lord Vishnu would soon manifest Himself in the form of Daru-Brahma. Request you to browse through the earlier article for a detailed description of these mysterious events surrounding Jagannath Puri dham. This article is a humble attempt to present the subsequent developments.

#1 Narada Muni instructed King Indradyumna to install the deity of Lord Narasimha deva that was uncovered from under the Aguru tree. King Indradyumna did likewise. Sughata, the son of Viswakarma (the celestial architect ), created a beautiful temple within four days. Lord Narasimha deva was installed in that temple as per the directions of Narada. Deities of Bhu-devi and Lakshmidevi were also installed along with Narasimha deva.

Jagannath Puri Lord Jagannath spiritual stories

Jagannath Puri temple history (Part 2) – Neela Madhava disappears

Post author By gaudiya
Post date October 27, 2021

jagannath

In the previous article, we described how in Satya Yuga, King Indradyumna, ruler of Malav, was apprised of the glories of Purusottama Kshetra (Jagannath Puri) by an exalted saint who had previously visited the holy dham on pilgrimage. King Indradyumna had then sent Vidyapati, brother of the royal priest, in search of Sri Neela Madhava. After traveling for days, Vidyapati arrived at the Nilgiri hills where he met with an exalted Vaishnava named Biswabasu. Biswabasu showed him around the place and with his help, Vidyapati finally attained the darsana of Lord Neela Madhava. Request you to browse through the earlier article for a detailed description of these mysterious events. This article is a humble attempt to present the subsequent developments.

Jagannath Puri Lord Jagannath spiritual stories

Jagannath Puri temple history (Part 1) – King Indradyumna searches for Neela Madhava

Post author By gaudiya
Post date October 24, 2021

jagannath puri temple history

#1 In Satya Yuga, there was a King named Indradyumna who ruled over a Kingdom identified as Malav. He was of exemplary character and a great devotee of Vishnu, the Supreme Lord. He belonged to the same lineage as Lord Brahma and was his twenty-fifth descendant.

#2 King Indradyumna once asked his royal priest if there was any holy place in this world where he could behold the Supreme Lord with his own eyes.

#3 The temple priest then summoned numerous people who had undertaken extensive pilgrimages to holy places. He placed before them the same question that the king had asked him the other day. One of the pilgrims exclaimed that he indeed knew of a place where one could behold the Supreme Lord.

#4 Alluding to the present Indian state of Orissa, the pilgrim described that towards the south of this state, on the shores of the ocean, existed Sri Purusottama kshetra (the land of Purusottama – the Supreme Lord). Within Purusottama Kshetra lies a mountain named ‘Nilgiri’ and it is encircled with dense forests on all sides. On the top of this mountain, exists a giant banyan tree that is sometimes also referred to as ‘Kalpa-vata’. To the west of this place, is a beautiful lake called ‘Rohini-Kunda’ whose blessed waters grant liberation to whoever touches it. To the east of the Nilgiri mountains, Lord Vasudeva is worshiped in His enchanting deity form (Neela Madhava) that is embellished with blue gems. The blue Deity is exceedingly effulgent and beautiful. Anyone who bathes at Rohini Kunda and then beholds this beautiful deity achieves freedom from this material world. Towards the west of this deity lies an ashram called ‘Sabara Deepak’.

Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma) Jagannath Puri Lord Jagannath

Jagannath Puri Dham & its 13 glories

Post author By gaudiya
Post date October 17, 2021

jagannath puri dham

Jagannath Puri dham is addressed by various names. Some of these names are Sri Kshetra, Purushottama kshetra, Nilachala dham, Jagannath dham, Samanik tirtha, Uddiyan pith, Marta-Vaikuntha, Nilgiri, Niladri, Sankha kshetra, Bhu-svarga, and Nrsimha kshetra. Jagannath Puri is one of the most prominent spiritual sites of India (Bharat). It is said that the Supreme Lord bathes at Badrinath (situated in North India), changes His clothes at Dwarka (situated in West India), accepts His food at Jagannath Puri (situated in East India) and then proceeds to take rest at Rameshwaram (situated in South India). Here at Jagannath Puri, the Supreme Lord resides in His deity form. Anyone who takes His darsana attains liberation from this material world. By visiting Jagannath Puri, one attains the pious credit of visiting all the other holy places of pilgrimage. Below are listed some of the unending glories of Jagannath Puri dham.

Lord Jagannath spiritual stories

Lord Jagannath and demon Raktabahu

Post author By gaudiya
Post date October 14, 2021

Jagannath rajapur raktabahu

Lord Jagannath at Rajapur (Nabadwip, West Bengal, India), is non-different from Lord Jagannath at Puri. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura re-establishes this fact by citing the ancient history of the Jagannath temple at Rajapur in his book ‘Sri Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya’. Long ago, during the seventh century, there happened to be a demoniac king in Orissa, named Raktabahu, who desecrated temples and terrorized the hearts of the pious. The devotees at Jagannath puri became exceedingly fearful of the king’s sinister intentions and took shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Lord Jagannath Ranaghat

Jagadish Pandit – Biography | Jasra (Yashora) Jagannatha temple, Chakdaha

Post author By gaudiya
Post date March 27, 2018

chakdaha

Sri Jagadish Pandit was the fifteenth branch to have expanded out of Lord Nityananda’s trunk of devotional service.Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja has highly glorified him in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. Sri Jagadish Pandit has been described as ‘Jagat-pavana’, the deliverer of the entire world. It has been exclaimed that devotional love of Krishna showered from him like torrents of heavy rain.

jagadisa paṇḍita haya jagat-pavana
Krishna premamrita varse, yena varsa ghana
(Caitanya Caritamrta, adi, 11.30)

‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself exceedingly fortunate to have been able to visit the sripat of Sri Jagadish pandit in this holy town of Chakdaha and seek blessings from his worshipable Jagannatha and Gaura-Gopal deities. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has mentioned in his anubhashya commentary that both of Jagadish pandit’s parents were great devotees of Lord Vishnu. After they had passed away, Jagadish Pandit, shifted his residence to Mayapur to live in the company of Jagannatha Misra (Mahaprabhu’s father) and the other vaishnavas. His wife Dukhini and brother Hiranya accompanied him. Gaura Gonodesha Dipika confirms that both the brothers, Jagadish and Hiranya, were formerly the wives of the sacrificial brahmanas in Vrindavana. In the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, Jagadish pandit worshipped Mahaprabhu in the mood of parental affection.

Lord Jagannath Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Rajapur Jagannath temple, Mayapur Nabadwip dham

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 11, 2018

Jagannatha rajapur

“What one attains by travelling to all the holy places is attained just by remembering the transcendental abode of Navadvipa” –
Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya

The Lord proclaims in Bhagavad Gita, that one who understands the transcendental nature of His appearance and activities, does not upon leaving the body, take birth again in this material world (janma karma ca me divyam…)

Travelling north from Iskcon Mayapur, ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ reached the sacred island of Simantadvipa.It is a remote portion of Navadvipa dham, where Simantini devi (Maya devi) was once upon a time blessed by Lord Caitanya. The island embodies the devotional mellows of Sravanam or hearing the glories of the Lord. Within this island, at a place called Rajapur, is worshipped the enchanting deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra Maharani. This ancient temple is presently managed by Iskcon.The daily worship of the deities, and the temple management , is very nicely taken care of by the devotees serving the dham. We seek blessings of the Lord and His devotees, so that we are able to pen a few lines in their glorification.

Lord Jagannath serampore

Mahesh Jagannath Temple – History & Darshan | Kamalakara Pippalai

Post author By gaudiya
Post date January 9, 2018

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes at length regarding Mahesh Jagannath temple and its Rath Yatra in his commentary to Chaitanya Charitamrta (Adi lila ,11.24 purport). The temple, situated near Serampore in West Bengal, has a very beautiful history. There once lived a devotee named Dhruvananda who prayed to the lordships ,Sri Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra at Jagannath Puri, desiring to offer them the food that he had cooked with his own hands. However the devotees at puri informed him that offering of such outside food to the Lordships was not allowed there. Feeling dejected , Dhruvananda began fasting and decided to put an end to his life.Lord Jagannath then being greatly pleased with Dhruvananda, appeared in his dream and instructed him to go to a sacred place called Mahesh, on the bank of the River Ganges, and there start His worship. Dhruvananda left immediately and on reaching Mahesh, found the three deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra floating upon the Ganges water. Mahesh, during those days was a jungle full of carnivorous animals.

Dhruvananda was overwhelmed and installed the deities in his small cottage at Mahesh and started worshipping them there. He could now offer them the food that he had cooked himself . Lord Jagannath is very merciful towards His devotees. We have observed a very similar pastime at Navadvipa wherein Lord Jagannatha had showered His causeless mercy upon a devotee named Jagadish Ganguly and subsequently manifested His divine deity form. (‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has covered this pastime in a separate article entitled – ‘Lord Jagannatha at Rajapur , Navadvipa (Simantadvipa)’).