Jagannath Kshetra, Vimala Devi , Surya Deva

sambya · June 4, 2009

Modern Puri resulted out of an amalgamation of different forces and synthesis of different cultures . Historians and scholars opine that on the present site of Jagannath temple once stood the famous buddhist monastery of Puri which housed the famed tooth relic of sri Gautama Buddha , the ruins of which now lies buried below the low hillock later named as Nila-Parvat , on which the present temple was built ! During war and other tensions in the kingdom the precious relic was carried to the island of Ceylon( present day Sri Lanka ) by the prince and the princess of the royality dressed as poor brahmins . To this day the tooth has remained in Sri Lanka .

After the shifting of the relic the monastery fell to neglect and was soon abondoned , later to be taken over by the Hindus with their post buddhist era revival .

Jagannath is also probably the most humansitic deity of India . He eats a lavish meal , goes to sleep . takes a luxurious bath on Snanayatra and then falls sick ( when royal physicians come with ayurvedic medicines to heal him) and finally goes on a pleasure vacation on rathaytra after he recovers !! And after twelve years he also leaves his body to get reincarnated !! A prime example to the divine play between bhakta and bhagavan .

Rathaytra was a common festival in ancient India . Different temples and different sects had their own chariot festivals at different times of the year . But slowly most of them died down . The strange thing is that in Puri the main vigraha is taken out in ratha instead of the pratibhu murtis , as done in southern temples .

The temple premises also has the Suryadeva temple where the original diety of Suntemple Konark is supoosed to be hidden since its fall in the hands of invaders centuries ago . On entering this temple one can see the brass diety of Surya Deva . But the original stone diety is hidden beneath this 'false' brass one . One can see the original diety by requesting the priest in charge and offering some small donation !!! On request he lights up a match or takes the lamp behind the brass diety and leads you the way to the dark interiors where after peeping in , you can see the beautiful meditative face of Sun hidden in absolute darkness !!!

Sri Kshetra is also a Devi Peetha and home of Vimala Devi . The same spot is the place where the nabhi or navel of Sati fell after Vishnu cut off her lifeless body into 51 peices in an attempt to pacify Mahadeva who was at fury on death of his beloved . Legend has it that Vimala was the original occupier of the premises when Jagannath wanted residence . Vimala laid one condition to allow him entry . She said that the bhoga of Jagannath after being offered to him shall be first offered to her before anyone else , and it was on this condition that he was allowed an entry into the temple .

Inspite of being one of the four dhams and the seat of vaishnava learning Vimala Devi is offered a goat sacrifice on the day of the Durgaashtami , within the temple premises !! The animal is brought in at midnight after Jagannath dev is put to sleep and the remains are taken out through the back door and the blood washed clean before daybreak !!

Every Devi Peetha is the home to a particular devi with Shiva in his form as bhairav as her companion and protector of the peetha . In amarnath the bhairav is Umaanada , in Vrindavan he is Bhutesh ,etc . The strange thing is that in Jagannath Puri the Bhairav of Devi is Jagannath Dev himself !!

This makes Jagannath identical with Shiva and husband or companion of Vimala . but Baladeva being the Sankarsana is also suppossed to be the expansion of Shiva . It is indeed a strange combination that we see in this holy place . The divine trinity all in the same temple -- Shiva as Baladeva , Yogamaya Durga as Subhadra and Vishnu or Krishna as Jagannath .

How this seemingly impossible combination of Shakta Shaiva Vaishnavas has been achived is a mystery ! Maybe the lord himself continues with his divine and secret play in this sacred land to achieve the impossible .

Nilachala adhisthata Jagannath mahaprabhu jayatu !

jaswant · June 4, 2009

Modern Puri resulted out of an amalgamation of different forces and synthesis of different cultures . Historians and scholars opine that on the present site of Jagannath temple once stood the famous buddhist monastery of Puri which housed the famed tooth relic of sri Gautama Buddha , the ruins of which now lies buried below the low hillock later named as Nila-Parvat , on which the present temple was built ! During war and other tensions in the kingdom the precious relic was carried to the island of Ceylon( present day Sri Lanka ) by the prince and the princess of the royality dressed as poor brahmins . To this day the tooth has remained in Sri Lanka .

After the shifting of the relic the monastery fell to neglect and was soon abondoned , later to be taken over by the Hindus with their post buddhist era revival .

Jagannath is also probably the most humansitic deity of India . He eats a lavish meal , goes to sleep . takes a luxurious bath on Snanayatra and then falls sick ( when royal physicians come with ayurvedic medicines to heal him) and finally goes on a pleasure vacation on rathaytra after he recovers !! And after twelve years he also leaves his body to get reincarnated !! A prime example to the divine play between bhakta and bhagavan .

Rathaytra was a common festival in ancient India . Different temples and different sects had their own chariot festivals at different times of the year . But slowly most of them died down . The strange thing is that in Puri the main vigraha is taken out in ratha instead of the pratibhu murtis , as done in southern temples .

The temple premises also has the Suryadeva temple where the original diety of Suntemple Konark is supoosed to be hidden since its fall in the hands of invaders centuries ago . On entering this temple one can see the brass diety of Surya Deva . But the original stone diety is hidden beneath this 'false' brass one . One can see the original diety by requesting the priest in charge and offering some small donation !!! On request he lights up a match or takes the lamp behind the brass diety and leads you the way to the dark interiors where after peeping in , you can see the beautiful meditative face of Sun hidden in absolute darkness !!!

Sri Kshetra is also a Devi Peetha and home of Vimala Devi . The same spot is the place where the nabhi or navel of Sati fell after Vishnu cut off her lifeless body into 51 peices in an attempt to pacify Mahadeva who was at fury on death of his beloved . Legend has it that Vimala was the original occupier of the premises when Jagannath wanted residence . Vimala laid one condition to allow him entry . She said that the bhoga of Jagannath after being offered to him shall be first offered to her before anyone else , and it was on this condition that he was allowed an entry into the temple .

Inspite of being one of the four dhams and the seat of vaishnava learning Vimala Devi is offered a goat sacrifice on the day of the Durgaashtami , within the temple premises !! The animal is brought in at midnight after Jagannath dev is put to sleep and the remains are taken out through the back door and the blood washed clean before daybreak !!

Every Devi Peetha is the home to a particular devi with Shiva in his form as bhairav as her companion and protector of the peetha . In amarnath the bhairav is Umaanada , in Vrindavan he is Bhutesh ,etc . The strange thing is that in Jagannath Puri the Bhairav of Devi is Jagannath Dev himself !!

This makes Jagannath identical with Shiva and husband or companion of Vimala . but Baladeva being the Sankarsana is also suppossed to be the expansion of Shiva . It is indeed a strange combination that we see in this holy place . The divine trinity all in the same temple -- Shiva as Baladeva , Yogamaya Durga as Subhadra and Vishnu or Krishna as Jagannath .

How this seemingly impossible combination of Shakta Shaiva Vaishnavas has been achived is a mystery ! Maybe the lord himself continues with his divine and secret play in this sacred land to achieve the impossible .

Nilachala adhisthata Jagannath mahaprabhu jayatu !

Very nice !!

I had the great fortune to be in the sacred temple

± 17 years ago..had some problems getting in though

because i being a south african !...but managed to convince

the pandas that i was more hindu than them because they

could not speak gujerati and dwarka is in gujeraat !!

on that basis and by the mercy of the Lord i was granted

their darshan !!...lots of small temples in the main temple

grounds !! ± 108 smaller temples !

the reason why they do not allow foreiners is that because

in some of their very very old scriptures it is mentioned

that LORD JAGANATH will leave puri with a foreign bhakta !!

so they are trying to keep LORD JAGANATH there by their love

and some cunning !!

JAI JAGANATH !!

YOURS

jaswant

sambya · June 4, 2009

the reason why they do not allow foreiners is that because
in some of their very very old scriptures it is mentioned

that LORD JAGANATH will leave puri with a foreign bhakta !!

there is another more practical explanation of this rule-- it was an attempt to protect the temple from repeated attacks in the hands of muslim invaders by barring the entry of non-hindus altogether !!

Jahnava Nitai Das · June 7, 2009

it was an attempt to protect the temple from repeated attacks in the hands of muslim invaders by barring the entry of non-hindus altogether !!

An attacking army is not going to take head to your sign board saying non hindus not allowed. We should just admit it is based on caste discrimination, as untouchables and tribals were also included in the banned list for thousands of years. Discrimination based on caste is an evil practice within Hinduism that needs to be weeded out.

sambya · June 7, 2009

An attacking army is not going to take head to your sign board saying non hindus not allowed. We should just admit it is based on caste discrimination, as untouchables and tribals were also included in the banned list for thousands of years. Discrimination based on caste is an evil practice within Hinduism that needs to be weeded out.

yes , caste distinction and other vices did play a role for sure . no one can deny that !

but such rules came into force since the begining of the muslim era . for in the earliest days of temple worship in india you do not find such references -- for example no one have heard that any greeks were not allowed in entering a hindu holy place . the muslim atrocities and their strange and different mannerisms( to hindu eyes) also helped a lot to promote and solidify this untouchability concept and other orthodoxy .

but whatever happens is as per lords will . therefore all this untouchabilty thing also was not without purpose . it was this orthodoxy and rigidity that unknowingly preserved the solidarity and integrity of the oppressed hindu civilization .