75. Jagannatha Mandira Parikrama

Jagannatha Mandira Parikrama:

Sri Jagannath's temple has 2 compound walls and 4 entrance gates in the outer wall opening in the 4 directions. The east and main gate, Lion Gate (Simha-dvara) has 2 crouching stone lions flanking it. The south gate, Horse Gate (Aswa-dvara) has a pair of galloping horses carrying Jagannath and Baladeva on their backs with all Their martial glory. The west gate, Tiger Gate (Vyaghra-dvara) has two stone tigers, and the north gate, Elephant Gate (Hasti-dvāra) has a huge stone elephant. You may choose to first see Jagannath Swami, Baladeva and Subhadra in the main temple and then do parikrama or vice versa.

Our Mandira parikrama begins at the main gate called the Lion Gate, Simha-dvara, which opens east on Grand Road (Ratha-yatra road). Entering the gate, keep to your left and walk clockwise around the temple visiting the numbered places in the sequence listed below. Besides sequential numbering, the places are grouped by directions from east to southeast, then south, southwest, northwest, north and lastly northeast. Gauranga Mahaprabhu passed through the Lion Gate every day on His way to see Jagannatha Swami.

If you are truly identifying with the mood of Mahaprabhu and fully attached to Lord Jagannath, you may forego the parikrama, and let your nectar- thirsty bumblebee eyes follow your pure heart immediately into the temple for a darsana of your dearly beloved Jagannatha Swami.

In the following pastime, Sri Caitanyadeva shows how His pure loving heart would not allow His legs to move an inch away from Jagannath; thus making parikrama impossible.

Lord Gauranga Defeats Advaita Acarya:

One day in Jagannath Puri, Mahaprabhu met Advaita Acarya and asked, "Today, when you went to the temple to see Lord Jagannath, what did you do?"

Advaita Acarya replied, "Before taking darsana of Lord Jagannath, I did parikrama around the deities 5 or 7 times."

Upon hearing the word parikrama, Mahaprabhu smiled and said, "Acarya! You are defeated, defeated!"

Advaita Acarya: "And how am I defeated? Prove it to me and I will accept defeat."

Gauranga: "Listen clearly how you are defeated. You did parikrama of Jagannatha Swami and then took darsana. To do parikrama you have to walk behind Lord Jagannath, and at that time You are bereft of the Lord's darsana. However, when I take darsana of Jagannatha Swami, My eyes do not move anywhere else. I do not look to the left or right, nor do I do parikrama. I only gaze on the beautiful lotus face of Jagannatha Swami."

Folding his hands submissively, Advaita Acarya said, "Surely, in this way You have defeated me. No one in the three worlds can speak with such astonishing eloquence. I speak the truth. There is definitely no one like You." (Cb. 3.10.9-18)

Nevertheless, for those pilgrims who may opt for a bit of preliminary purification before taking Jagannatha's darsana, a concise, guided parikrama route is provided below. Of the 100 or more deities and places contained within the temple compound, the 19 most important ones are listed here.