26. Nabhi Brahma (Brahma padartha) - The Life force of Lord Jagannath

Nabhi Brahma (Brahma padartha) - The Life force of Lord Jagannath:

The nabhi-brahma, also known as brahma padartha, is considered to be the "life force" of Lord Jagannatha. Its history and nature are shrouded in mystery and legend. The word nabhi means navel. At the time of nava-kalevara, the four most senior priests place this object in a cavity carved in the belly of Lord Jagannatha that has a small wooden door. Even the priests who transfer it from the body of the old Deity into the new cannot say exactly what that nabhi-brahma is.' For the benefit of our curious readers, we wanted to say something about nabhi-brahma.

The only authoritative reference to the nabhi- brahma we know is found in Śrila Sanatana Gosvāmi's prayers to Lord Jagannatha in his Śrī Sri Krsna-lila-stavah':

praphulla-pundarīkākṣa lavanaddhi-tatamṛta gutikodara män pahi nänābhoga-purandara

"O You, Whose eyes are like fully blossomed lotuses! O You Who are the nectar on the shore of the salty ocean! O You who have a pebble (Salagrama-sila) in Your belly-gutika-udara! O enjoyer of varieties of food offerings! Please protect me!" Śrila Sanatana Gosvāmi describes Lord Jagannatha as being gutika-udara-literally having a pebble or Salagrama-sila within His belly. 

Lord Jagannatha Abducted:

There is an amazing story related to the nabhi-brahma from the year 1590." That year, the Afgan Muslim king of Bengal, Sultan Sulaiman, sent his general Kalapahad to Puri along with an army for the purpose of plundering the temple of Lord Jagannatha. Kalapahad captured the temple and in addition to taking many valuable ornaments of the Deities, he also carried away their Lordships Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra. Taking them to Calcutta, on the bank of the Hoogly river (Ganges) he lit a big fire and threw the Deities in. 

Unknown to Kalapahad, one devotee of Lord Jagannatha named Bisara Mahanty followed them from Puri all the way to Calcutta. Seeing them burning the body of his Lord, it is said that he waited for an opportune moment and then jumped into the fire. The Muslims were taken aback by this apparent suicide but there was nothing they could do to stop him. The pyre continued for hours, and by the end of the day only a few Muslim guards remained, as the fire became smaller. Suddenly, the devotee Bisara Mahanty emerged from the flames unharmed and walked off in front of the stunned guards. Knowing that the nabhi-brahma was there in the belly of Lord Jagannatha and wanting to rescue his dear Lord, Bisara Mahanty jumped into the fire and grabbed the nabhi-brahma. Due to his contact with the nabhi- brahma and by the mercy of the Supreme Lord, he was untouched by the flames. Kalapahad threw the remains of the Deities into the ocean. Meanwhile Biśara Mahanty returned to Orissa with the nabhi-brahma and went to the village of Khurda. Meanwhile, the residents of Puri were feeling great separation from Lord Jagannatha. 

One night, the King of Puri, Raja Ramachandra deva, had a dream. Lord Jagannatha appeared to him and told him, "Don't lament. I am still present. My dear devotee Bisara Mahanty retrieved My nabhi- brahma. He is staying now in Khurda. You should go there and bring Me back here to the temple." Ramachandra Deva did as the Lord bid him, and, taking the nabhi-brahma, he had a new Deity of Jagannatha made. After which, with great fanfare and much to the happiness of the devotees in Puri, he brought Lord Jagannatha back to Puri and re-installed Him in the temple. For his service, Bisara Mahanty was highly honored by the king, while the king himself became known as Dvitiya Indradyumna, or Abhinaba Indradyumna-the second, or new, Indradyumna.