19. Story of Appearance of Lord Jagannatha Deity from Skanda Purana

Story of Appearance of Lord Jagannatha Deity from Skanda Purana:

The Deity of Lord Jagannatha appeared in Satya-yuga on Snana Purnima during the first part of the Svayambhuva Manvantara. The Deities were installed 153,400,000 years ago! (Skanda Purana)

During Satya-yuga, King Indradyumna ruled the entire world from his capital of Avanti. Being very religious, the emperor desired to see God face to face, saksad-darsana. Once a palace guest related a strange event he witnessed while visiting Purusottma-kshetra, Jagannatha Puri: "Every night I saw demigods coming down to worship the presiding deity of Lord Nila Madhava with fragrant flowers and devotional prayers. Although I personally do not have any qualifications, just by living in Purusottama- ksetra I developed intense love for Bhagavan Sri Krsna."

Enchanted by the story, King Indradyumna deputed the brahmin Vidyapati to search for the Lord in Orissa. By good fortune, Vidyapati entered the forest around Nilacala Hill and was received by Visvavasu, the chief of the tribal woodsmen. After pleasantries, Vidyapati revealed his desire to attain darsana of Lord Nila Madhava, who was being worshiped by Visvavasu.

Visvavasu said, "Friend, a tribal legend tells that someday a king will come to worship our Nila Madhava. Providence has brought you here. Come see our beautiful Deity." Upon beholding the indescribably attractive Lord, Vidyapati offered prayers: "O my Nila Madhava! You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of unlimited bliss. Only by Your mercy can one understand Your divine form." Vidyapati soon left Niladri and returned to Avanti to give King Indradyumna the good news.

One day, while Visvavasu was collecting forest articles to worship Nila Madhava, a huge cyclone ripped into Puri uprooting trees and throwing sand everywhere. When the violent storm subsided, the Deity of Nila Madhava had disappeared! Overwhelmed in loving separation, the tribal chief Visvavasu searched madly through the forest crying for the Lord. An aerial voice announced, "Nila Madhava will no longer be seen. The Lord will reappear in another form when King Indradyumna arrives. Be patient."

King Indradyumna gathered all his belongings and subjects and set out for Orissa. Upon entering the state of Orissa, the royal procession was met by the King of Utkal (present day Orissa). Unfortunately, the sovereign of Utkal conveyed some bad news: "O King Indradyumna, it is our good fortune that you have come to this sacred land. However, recently, a vicious storm created havoc in our country and covered the area of Nilacala with sand. Hence, the Deity of Nila Madhava was lost."

Narada Muni, who was travelling with him, comforted the disconsolate King Indradyumna saying, "Sri Krsna reveals Himself to His loving devotees. Be assured, your desire to see the Lord will be realized upon reaching Purusottama Ksetra. Lord Brahma told me that the Supreme Lord will appear again in a unique form especially to fulfill your desire."

Leaving their chariots, Narada led the king to a clearing amidst the dense forest surrounding Nilagiri Hill. There they saw a ferocious Deity of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Narada worshiped that Deity, and showed King Indradyumna the kalpa-vrksha tree under which Lord Nila Madhava previously stood. An aerial voice advised the king to follow Narada's orders. Narada instructed the king to build a temple for Lord Nrsimhadeva and perform one thousand horse sacrifices. Meanwhile, Narada Muni went to the heavens and returned carrying a Deity of Nrsimhadeva to install in the temple built by Indradyumna. [This Nrsimha Temple is on Grand Road directly north of the Gundica Mandira]

During the final sacrifices, some citizens informed the king, "We have just seen a wonderful tree floating in the ocean's waves. From a distance, we perceived its sweet smell and dazzling effulgence. Looking closer, we found the symbols of Visnu on that extraordinary log."

King Indradyumna collected that tree and kept it on an altar in the Gundica Mandira. A supernatural voice proclaimed, "O King! A carpenter will come to carve the Lord's proper form. Play music to cover the sound of carving and allow the carpenter twenty-one days to complete the work. Disaster will follow if anyone interrupts the carving." After sometime an old carpenter arrived and fashioned four Deities. When the work period ended, King Indradyumna beheld the beautiful forms of Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarsana. After erecting a lavish temple, Narada and the king went to invite Lord Brahma to inaugurate it.

At Brahmaloka, the gatekeeper had Narada and the king wait until Lord Brahma finished the raga that he was singing. "O King," said Brahmaji, "Since you left the earth, hundreds of different kings have come and gone. Now return to Purusottama-ksetra and I will soon come when everything is ready." To the visiting demigods, Lord Brahma said, "For the first half of my life, the Lord appeared as Nila Madhava, and from now on He will be worshiped in the wooden forms of Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra and Sudarsana cakra. They will be carved from a special tree which is a transformed hair from the body of the Lord in Svetadvipa."

Upon reaching Purusottama-ksetra, King Indradyumna found that by the Lord's mercy his temple had been preserved despite the fantastic time interval. Narada Muni guided the king in all the details of the installation ceremony. Three handsome chariots were built to carry the Deities from the mahavedi (construction site) at Gundica to the main temple for the inauguration. Lord Brahma arrived and performed the elaborate Vedic rituals to install the Deities.

Lord Brahma gave mantra diksa to the king and advised him to diligently worship the sacred Daru known as Lord Jagannatha. Finally Brahma said, "O King! Anyone from any caste or creed who worships this form of God with devotion will become completely freed from all his sins." Then Lord Jagannatha Himself smiled and spoke to the king in a deep and pleasing voice, explaining the details of performing each ritual and ceremony. Thus ends the story of Lord Jagannatha manifesting in Sri Ksetra Dhama.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1. Sri Jagannath Pranama From Skanda Purana

Image
Prayers to Lord Jagannath - From Skanda Purana: Sri Jagannatha Pranama: deva-deva jagan-nätha prapannārti vināšana  trähi mam pundarikakşa patitam bhava-sagare O God of gods! O Jagannatha, the Lord of the Universe! Please destroy this great distress that has overcome me! O Lotus-eyed One! Please deliver this fallen soul from the ocean of material existence! namas te jagadadhāra jagad-ätman namo 'stu te  kaivalya trigunatita  gunānjana namo 'stu te I offer my obeisances unto You, the support of the universe. To You, the very soul of the universe, I humbly bow. You are situated above the three material qualities and the impersonal brahman as well, yet You are decorated with wonderful transcendental qualities. To You I offer my respectful obeisances.  karunāmṛta päthodhi  sudhamne namo namah  dinoddharaika guhyaya  krpa-päthodhaye namah O You who are an ocean of nectarean compassion and whose abode is most attractive, I offer my obeisances unto You again ...
Read more

84. The Dayana festival of Lord Jagannath

Image
The Dayana festival of Lord Jagannath: Under the veil of darkness on the 13th evening of the bright fortnight of the month of Caitra, a little known festival takes place for Lord Jagannath in Sri Kshetra Dham Jagannath Puri. This festival revolves around a plant known variously as "dayand, damanaka, damana, and damanna" (Artemisia indica).  The Skanda Purana (5.2.2.38.124) glorifies this special variety of herb as follows: tasya mala bhagavatah  parama-priti-kärini suska paryusita vapi  na dusta bhavati kvacit A garland made of this plant is very pleasing to the Lord. Even if it becomes dry, or even after the lapse of a long time, it never becomes defiled. There are two stories about the origin of this herb. One is from ancient times, found in the Skanda and other Puranas and the other from a local legend in Puri that connects damanaka to Lord Jagannath's worship today. The Demon Damanaka: The Skanda Purana (5.2.2.38. 118-126) relates a story about a demon named "Dam...
Read more

80. Tour of Main Jagannath Temple

Image
Tour of Main Jagannath Temple: The four sections of Jagannatha Swami's temple are listed here in the sequence you will see upon entering from the east side through the Lion Gate (Simha-dvara). The following entry beautifully describes the transcendental ambience one experiences within the sacred space of the Supreme Lord Jagannath. "While approaching the innermost sanctuary (Garbha Grha) of the Jagannath Temple through the various halls and past the many pillars and carved panels, a devotee is subtly influenced by the sacredness of the architecture. He finds himself enclosed with the Supreme Lord in a dim, soothing atmosphere. His eyes find rest after the fierce light of the day outside. Not only is the lighting dim, but the air is filled with the scent of flowers, burning oil lamps and incense coming from the sanctuary. Gradually, his mood calms and his spiritual feelings are awakened as he approaches the deities." According to Vedic scriptures, the doors and the deities...
Read more