29. The Absolute Nature of Lord Jagannath

The Absolute Nature of Lord Jagannath:

Being absolute, Lord Jagannatha is identical in person, form, picture, kirtana and all other circumstances. If one thinks that the form of Lord Jagannatha is an idol made of wood, he immediately brings ill fortune into his life.

Lord Jagannatha is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, just as the body of Krsna is sac- cid-ananda-vigraha. A pure devotee who knows the science of Krsna consciousness makes no distinction between Lord Jagannatha and His body. He knows that they are identical, just as Lord Krsna and His soul are one and the same.

Lord Jagannatha is identical with Sri Krsna (krsnera 'atma-svarupa). But in Jagannatha Puri, He appears as daru-brahma, a non-moving entity (sthavara-svarapa). Thus Lord Jagannatha and Mahaprabhu, although appearing as two, are one because They are both Krsna, who is one alone. The supreme desire to deliver the entire world meets in both Mahaprabhu and Jagannatha, and for that reason also They are one and the same. To deliver all the materially contaminated people of the world, that same Krsna has descended in the moving form (jangama rupa) of Gaura. (Cc. 3.5.148- 151)

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