49. Lord Jagannath and His Pujaris

Lord Jagannath and His Pujaris:

In privacy, Jagannatha Swami sometimes talks and engages in personal exchanges with His Oriyan pujaris. There are many ancient and modern stories to confirm the confidential dealings of Jagannatha deva and His devotees. 

500 years ago, Srila Sanatana Gosvami described the intimacy shared between Jagannatha Swami and His pujaris:

nijaih priyatamair nitya, 

sevakaih saha sah prabhuh 

narma-gosthim vitanute, 

prema-kridam ca karhicit 

"Sometimes Jagannatha Swami jokes with His dearest permanent servants (nitya-sevakas), and sometimes He enjoys loving pastimes with them."

(Br. Bh. 2.1.202) 

Srila Sanatana Gosvami's commentary further condenses the sweetness of this verse: "Lord Jagannatha is not a lifeless log; He only pretends like that. Every chance He gets, Jagannatha indulges in all sorts of sports and tricks with His pujaris and devotees, Jagannatha's pujaris continually marvel over how Jagannatha Swami frolics like a naughty child at one moment, and the next poses as a motionless deity. Nevertheless, the pujaris happily go along with whatever pastime Jagannatha Swami plays at the moment, be it active or passive."

Those who are priests engaged in Lord Jagannatha's service are called "pandas or panditas", and they are brahmanas. 

The attendants who look after the temple's external affairs are called "palas". 

Including the pujaris, various sevaks execute the following 36 categories of duty in their daily service of Sri Jagannatha deva: 

1. Temple opening and closing 

2. Fire sacrifice 

3. Bhoga offerings 

4. Decorating the deities 

5. Collecting puja paraphernalia 

6. Works with Dayitas during Ratha- yatra. 

7. Door guards 

8. Store in-charge 

9. Bhoga preparation 

10. Deity guards 

11. Fixing temple door locks 

12. Special sevaits engaged in Ratha-yatra and Nava-kalevara 

13. Deity painting 

14. Records in-charge 

15. Providing betel nuts 

16. Grinding sandalwood paste 

17. Providing yogurt for abhisheka 18. Providing water 

19. Drummer 

20. Singing songs 

21. Singing Gita Govinda 

22. Holding the umbrella 

23. Torch carrier 

24. Supplying clay pots 

25. Laborer 

26. Cleaning of the temple 

27. Astrologer 

28. Doctor 

29. Preparing vegetables for curry 30. Blacksmith 

31. Cleaning the temple if someone dies inside 

32. Blacksmith and carpenter 

33. Boat carriers 

34. Horse and elephant caretaker 35. Dress cleaning

36. Cleaning the temple premises

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