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Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri: Explore the Secrets & Traditions
Shree Jagannatha’s Dham in Puri is one of the four renowned Dhams in India. The word Jagannath means the God of the Universe. The Scriptures say that Lord Jagannatha is the presiding deity of the Purushottam Kshetra. There are many holy places in the Purushottam Kshetra. Among them, Shree Jagannath is worshipped in the Shankha Kshetra on the beach of the Mahodadhi (the Sea of Puri).
The boundary of the Purushottam Kshetra starts from the southern sea coast extending between the temple of Goddess Birja, the river Rusikulya, the river Swarnarekha and the river Mahanadi. This Purushottam Kshetra is ten ‘yojanas’ in extent. Ten ‘yojanas’ are approximately one hundred and twenty kilometres.
The Skanda Purana provides strong evidence by determining the boundaries of the Purushottam Kshetra. The boundaries of the Purushottam Kshetra are defined in detail in the sixth and the twelfth chapter of the Utkal Khanda of the Skanda Purana. The following verse provides the proof from it:
Daksinasyodadhestire nilacalavibhusitam
Dasayojanavistirnam yavad virajamandalam ||
Neelamadhava: The Ancient Deity of Puri and His Natural Abode
There are many pilgrim sites in the vast Purushottam Kshetra. It is the story which belongs to Satya Era. Sri Jagannatha was earlier worshipped in Puri in the form of Lord Neelamadhava.
Based on many scriptures and authentic legends, it is known that Lord Sri Neelamadhava was worshipped on Neelachal Hill surrounded by the melodious flow of the ever-flowing river Mahanadi. There was a wonderful greenery of the forest and the most sacred atmosphere. The unparalleled beauty of Nature had made the place of Lord Sri Neelamadhava unique.
The location of Lord Neelamadhava in the forest environment on the banks of the Mahanadi delighted the gods. In ancient scriptures, Lord Neelamadhava on the banks of the Mahanadi has been given great importance. Many prominent saints and sages described Lord Neelamadhava flawlessly in their literature. Let us consider some interesting facts about Lord Neelamadhava described in the Scriptures.
Lord Neelamadhava is Lord Vishnu. This evidence is described in famous scriptures such as the Kapila Samhita, the Niladri Mahadaya, the Brahma Purana, and the Skanda Purana. There is classical evidence of the existence of Lord Neelamadhava on the banks of the river Mahanadi. The famous one is in the 26th chapter of the Kapila Samhita. That is:
Daksinasyam mahanadyam maninagottare tatha
Tatra madhye vasamyeva madhavo’ham sada dvija ||
From Neelamadhava to Daru Vigraha: A Divine Transition
Lord Neelamadhava tells a Brahmin named Alalaya about His abode, “Oh! Dwija! I reside in the form of Madhava between the south of the Mahanadi and the north of Maninaga Hill. There I hold my grand festival in the month of Magha. There, on the bright fortnight of the month of Magha, those who take a Magha bath in the Mahanadi, attain me.
From there, I will vanish and reside in the form of a wooden idol on the Blue Hill.” This evidence indicates that Lord Neelamadhava resided in the north of the Maninaga Hill situated near the south of the Mahanadi. Vidyapati visited Lord Neelamadhava but later, King Indradyumna, unable to find Lord Neelamadhava, went to Srikshetra Puri and worshipped Lord Nrusimha.
One fine day King Indradyumna got the grand ‘darshan’ of Daru Vigraha floating in the sea water.
In Niladri Mahodaya, one can find many verses. The sage Narada told Soota Muni that there is a great mountain called Vindhya Hill in the west. Lord Brahma worshipped the feet of Lord Vishnu on this mountain. The Mahanadi originates from that holy mountain and flows into the eastern sea.
This Mahanadi, like the Ganges, is the source of liberation. There are two holy pilgrim centres on the banks of the river Mahanadi. These two centres destroy the sins of the entire world. One of them is the place of a famous Mahadev named Subarneswar. The other site is Madhava, which gives grace to the devotees. Both the sites are very divine and provide enlightenment and liberation. The famous example of the text is:
Mahanaditi vikhyata purvasagaragamini
Tathaste Madhavah Sriman Bhaktanugrahakarakah ||
The Mahanadi, which flows from the Vindhya Mountains, merges with the sea. This river is very holy. There are beautiful forests on both banks of this river. Many saints practice penance here. The banks of this Mahanadi are part of the Purushottama Kshetra. Under the Kalpa (Banayan) tree, the blue idol of Lord Vishnu is worshipped. In the Brahmapuranam (Ch.44.1), the important verse is:
Mahanaditi namna sa punyatoya sarid vara ||
Daksinasyodadheh kanta duhitrsatasobhita
Kalpavrkso mahakayo nyagradho yatra tisthati ||
Pratima cendranilakhya svayam devena gopita
According to the Skanda Purana, the Purushottam Kshetra, which is ten ‘yojanas’ (120 kilometres) wide, was between the northern shore of the ocean and the southern shore of the Mahanadi. There Lord Neelamadhava was worshipped.
Vidyapati’s Arrival in Odisha
At the request of King Indradyumna, Vidyapati, the brother of the royal priest, set out in search of Lord Neelamadhava in Odisha. Vidyapati came in search of the Purushottam Khetra and first reached the banks of the Mahanadi. It is true that in ancient times, civilization was built on the banks of the river.
Therefore, after visiting Goddess Charchika on the banks of the Mahanadi, Vidyapati set out in search of Lord Neelamadhava. After searching for a few days, Vidyapati entered a sabar (tribal) village. In Sabbarpalli, there lived a tribal named Vishwavasu. He was the king of the sabaras and a great devotee of Lord Neelamadhava.
When Vidyapati met Vishwavasu, Vidyapati was very happy. He felt that his hard work for many days would become fruitful. When Vidyapati requested to Vishwavasu to let him see Lord Neelamadhava, Vishwavasu refused. He said that only the gods could see Lord Neelamadhava. It is very difficult to reach the place where Lord Neelamadhava is worshipped.
The cave where Lord Neelamadhava is worshipped is always a place of wild animals. Therefore, it is impossible to go there. Hearing this, Vidyapati started crying. He felt that all his hopes and aspirations were in vain. He would not be able to see Lord Neelamadhava.
Then, seeing Vidyapati’s sad state, Shabar king Viswavasu remembered an incident he had heard before. He remembered that a king would come and establish a temple of Lord Shree Jagannath in Purushottam Kshetra. It is Lord Neelamadhava who will remain in the form of Lord Shree Jagannath. Remembering this fact, Shabar Viswavasu agreed to allow Vidyapati to have a glimpse of Lord Neelamadhava.
Vidyapati saw Lord Neelamadhava with the help of Viswavasu
This situation is reflected in a beautiful legend. When Vidyapati came to the tribal countryside, he fell in affection with a tribal girl named Lalita. Lalita was the unmarried daughter of ‘sabar’ king Viswavasu. In the next moment, Viswavasu accepted Lalita’s request and took Vidyapati to see Lord Neelamadhava.
But for the ‘darshan,’ Viswavasu blindfolded Vidyapati and took him to Lord Neelamadhava. The intention was that in future, Vidyapati or anyone else would not come to his revered deity Lord Neelamadhava.
When Vidyapati went to Lord Neelamadhava, he was holding mustard seeds in his hand. He scattered those mustard seeds on the narrow road in the forest and went. He hoped that the seed would grow into a plant and then he could come back with the help of that mustard plant. But this was without Viswavasu’s knowledge. Vidyapati was delighted to see Lord Neeelamadhava’s blue and beautiful unparalleled beauty. He repeatedly bowed to Sri Neelamadhava.
Later, Vidyapati went to Malva Pradesh and brought King Indradyumna to Purushottama Kshetra. The king came to the banks of Mahanadi and was blessed by Goddess Charchika. He visited the present Lord Lingaraja worshipped in Ekamra Kshetra and reached the place where Vidyapati got the ‘darshan’ of Lord Neelamadhava.
When he arrived, Lord Neelamadhava was not there where He was previously worshipped. He had disappeared. That place had become completely deserted. The sage Narada said that Lord Neelamadhava had disappeared that day when Vidyapati got the grand ‘darshan’ of Lord Neelamadhava. On the advice of Narada, the king went to Sri Kshetra Puri and worshipped Lord Nrusimha with devotion. He performed the Ashvamedha Yajna there.
After this, Lord Vishnu was pleased with him. Once, the king heard that a divine trunk of a tree was floating in the waters of the Mahodadhi (the Sea of Puri). Then King Indradyumna reached the Mahodadhi. Then the king came to know that Lord Neelamadhava had taken the form of a Daru (Divine Tree Trunk) and emerged in the sea of Puri. The Daru was brought to the seashore with devotion.
The idols of Sri Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, Lord Jagannatha and Sri Sudarshan were built in the Gundicha temple from that divine ‘Daru.’ To build the idols, Lord Vishnu Himself came in the form of Vishwakarma, built His idol and disappeared. From that day onwards, Lord Vishnu was worshipped in Puri as Shree Jagannath.
