Appearance of Lord Jagannath
Hare Krishna,
As you have already been informed about the Sri Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra festival, to be celebrated on 27th June 2006, Tuesday at ISKCON Mira Road (also in Jagannath Puri), we are bringing to you a series of articles depicting the most wonderful pastime of Appearance of Lord Jagannatha, starting today.
Please do not miss out any of these articles!
Jaya Jagannath!
Moderator
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Article 1: King Indradyumna wishes to see the Lord
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The first history of the appearance of Lord Jagannatha is given in the Skanda Purana, as well as in the Padma Purana, the Purusottama-mahatmya, and The Diary of Jagannatha. The particular version presented here is from the Skanda Purana and the Purusottama-mahatmya. There are minor differences in the versions from the other scriptures, but the history is basically the same.
In Satya-yuga there lived a King named Indradyumna Maharaja, and his wife was Gundica. That King reigned in the beginning of the first half of Lord Brahma's day, when Brahma first created the material world by the mercy of Krsna and with the help of Mahamaya. He lived in middle-India, in the ancient city of Avanti Nagari in Ujjain, where Krsna was taught by Sandipani Muni. He and his queen were very religious and advanced devotees, and although they were royalty they were always engaged in the service of Bhagavan. That King wanted to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead with his own eyes, and he continually waited for an opportunity. He always prayed, "When will a day come that I will see my Lord?"
The King used to receive and host travelers from the various holy places of the world, especially those in India, in the compound of his palace. One day, some pilgrims came and spent the night there. They had just come from a very high class of holy place (tirtha) and had taken darsana of the beautiful four-handed Nila-madhava; now they discussed among themselves the glories of that deity. A devotee overheard their conversation and informed the King's minister about it, and he in turn informed the King and made him aware of the deity's beauty. He told the King, "Anyone who receives Nila-madhava's darsana will not have to return to this world and will be liberated forever. He will attain a four-handed form and become an associate of Narayana in Vaikuntha. Even if someone simply vows, 'I will go to His temple to see Him tomorrow,' but dies that day without reaching the temple, he will still go to Vaikuntha and attain a four-handed form."
The King wondered, "How can I obtain the darsana of Nila-madhava? Where is He located?" He wanted to ask the pilgrims, "Where can I find Him?" but they had departed during the night; so he became upset and decided to somehow search for the deity. He called Vidyapati, the very intelligent son of his priest, as well as his officials and commanders, and ordered them all to search in different directions: "Some of you go to the east, others to the west, others south, and so on. You should all return within three months. I will give vast wealth and an important position to the one who informs me of the deity's whereabouts." In this way, all the officials enthusiastically set out in all directions from Madhya Pradesh. Vidyapati, who was very young and handsome and who possessed all good qualities, went toward the east.
After three months they had all returned except Vidyapati, and the King was worried because no one knew where he was. Vidyapati had gone to the east coast of India, near the Indian Ocean, and there he traveled continually, searching and searching for Nila-madhava. One day, on the shore of the ocean, he saw a very beautiful village, where there was a mountain covered with flowers and trees and where the residents were very cultured. Evening was approaching and he decided to stay in that village, so he told some of the residents, "I would like to rest here tonight." They replied, "Visvavasu is the prominent leader of this village. He is a sabara (a lower caste), but he is very qualified and religious-minded, and he is also intelligent, humble, and liberal. Whenever any traveler or guest comes, he visits Visvavasu's house; so you must go there."
When Vidyapati arrived, Visvavasu was not at home. Only his very beautiful sixteen-year-old daughter, Lalita, was there. She opened the door and said, "You can wait for my father, because he is not here. He has gone out, but when he returns home he will arrange everything. Kindly wait outside." After some time Visvavasu arrived. A very sweet fragrance emanated from his body, and he was wearing very beautiful and aromatic tilaka. When he saw his guest, he became ashamed and told him, "Oh, excuse me for returning so late. Now you may come in." He and his daughter took their guest inside. Very happy to see that beautiful personality, Visvavasu told him, "You can reside here for some days." Then he told his daughter, "Take care of this brahmana. Give him food and everything else he requires, and look after him in all respects. There should be no lack of anything."
Vidyapati took his meal and rested there. He smelled a very beautiful fragrance in the house, especially when the master of the house was home, and he wondered, "Where does that beautiful fragrance come from? I have never smelled anything like it in my entire life. And that girl is so beautiful. I should wait here for a few days, and it may be that I can find Nila-madhava." He then began searching here and there for some days.
Lalita was now regularly serving him, and gradually she became attached to him. Vidyapati began to develop a close friendship with her, and after some time he fell in love with her. He was already married to someone else, but still he had great affection for Lalita; so he requested her to ask her father to allow him to marry her. She asked her father, he agreed, and Vidyapati became Visvavasu's son-in-law.
Visvavasu went out regularly every day, and returned in the evening very fresh and fragrant. One day Vidyapati privately said to his wife, "My dear, now you are my wife, and I have great faith in you. Can you tell me where your father goes every day for worship, and where that fragrance comes from? Please tell me."
Lalita replied, "I cannot say. My father ordered me, 'Do not tell anyone where I go. Keep it secret very, very secret.' "
Vidyapati said, "You cannot tell me? You are one with me, non-different from me. You must tell me, because I am your husband."
She replied, "Then you must promise that you will never tell anyone."
Vidyapati then said, "A wife should not speak like this. I know you are a very chaste wife, so you must tell me." He then became silent.
Lalita said, "I will tell you. He goes to worship a deity."
"Which deity?" Vidyapati asked.
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In Satya-yuga there lived a King named Indradyumna Maharaja, and his wife was Gundica. That King reigned in the beginning of the first half of Lord Brahma's day, when Brahma first created the material world by the mercy of Krsna and with the help of Mahamaya. He lived in middle-India, in the ancient city of Avanti Nagari in Ujjain, where Krsna was taught by Sandipani Muni. He and his queen were very religious and advanced devotees, and although they were royalty they were always engaged in the service of Bhagavan. That King wanted to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead with his own eyes, and he continually waited for an opportunity. He always prayed, "When will a day come that I will see my Lord?"
The King used to receive and host travelers from the various holy places of the world, especially those in India, in the compound of his palace. One day, some pilgrims came and spent the night there. They had just come from a very high class of holy place (tirtha) and had taken darsana of the beautiful four-handed Nila-madhava; now they discussed among themselves the glories of that deity. A devotee overheard their conversation and informed the King's minister about it, and he in turn informed the King and made him aware of the deity's beauty. He told the King, "Anyone who receives Nila-madhava's darsana will not have to return to this world and will be liberated forever. He will attain a four-handed form and become an associate of Narayana in Vaikuntha. Even if someone simply vows, 'I will go to His temple to see Him tomorrow,' but dies that day without reaching the temple, he will still go to Vaikuntha and attain a four-handed form."
The King wondered, "How can I obtain the darsana of Nila-madhava? Where is He located?" He wanted to ask the pilgrims, "Where can I find Him?" but they had departed during the night; so he became upset and decided to somehow search for the deity. He called Vidyapati, the very intelligent son of his priest, as well as his officials and commanders, and ordered them all to search in different directions: "Some of you go to the east, others to the west, others south, and so on. You should all return within three months. I will give vast wealth and an important position to the one who informs me of the deity's whereabouts." In this way, all the officials enthusiastically set out in all directions from Madhya Pradesh. Vidyapati, who was very young and handsome and who possessed all good qualities, went toward the east.
After three months they had all returned except Vidyapati, and the King was worried because no one knew where he was. Vidyapati had gone to the east coast of India, near the Indian Ocean, and there he traveled continually, searching and searching for Nila-madhava. One day, on the shore of the ocean, he saw a very beautiful village, where there was a mountain covered with flowers and trees and where the residents were very cultured. Evening was approaching and he decided to stay in that village, so he told some of the residents, "I would like to rest here tonight." They replied, "Visvavasu is the prominent leader of this village. He is a sabara (a lower caste), but he is very qualified and religious-minded, and he is also intelligent, humble, and liberal. Whenever any traveler or guest comes, he visits Visvavasu's house; so you must go there."
When Vidyapati arrived, Visvavasu was not at home. Only his very beautiful sixteen-year-old daughter, Lalita, was there. She opened the door and said, "You can wait for my father, because he is not here. He has gone out, but when he returns home he will arrange everything. Kindly wait outside." After some time Visvavasu arrived. A very sweet fragrance emanated from his body, and he was wearing very beautiful and aromatic tilaka. When he saw his guest, he became ashamed and told him, "Oh, excuse me for returning so late. Now you may come in." He and his daughter took their guest inside. Very happy to see that beautiful personality, Visvavasu told him, "You can reside here for some days." Then he told his daughter, "Take care of this brahmana. Give him food and everything else he requires, and look after him in all respects. There should be no lack of anything."
Vidyapati took his meal and rested there. He smelled a very beautiful fragrance in the house, especially when the master of the house was home, and he wondered, "Where does that beautiful fragrance come from? I have never smelled anything like it in my entire life. And that girl is so beautiful. I should wait here for a few days, and it may be that I can find Nila-madhava." He then began searching here and there for some days.
Lalita was now regularly serving him, and gradually she became attached to him. Vidyapati began to develop a close friendship with her, and after some time he fell in love with her. He was already married to someone else, but still he had great affection for Lalita; so he requested her to ask her father to allow him to marry her. She asked her father, he agreed, and Vidyapati became Visvavasu's son-in-law.
Visvavasu went out regularly every day, and returned in the evening very fresh and fragrant. One day Vidyapati privately said to his wife, "My dear, now you are my wife, and I have great faith in you. Can you tell me where your father goes every day for worship, and where that fragrance comes from? Please tell me."
Lalita replied, "I cannot say. My father ordered me, 'Do not tell anyone where I go. Keep it secret very, very secret.' "
Vidyapati said, "You cannot tell me? You are one with me, non-different from me. You must tell me, because I am your husband."
She replied, "Then you must promise that you will never tell anyone."
Vidyapati then said, "A wife should not speak like this. I know you are a very chaste wife, so you must tell me." He then became silent.
Lalita said, "I will tell you. He goes to worship a deity."
"Which deity?" Vidyapati asked.
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(to be continued..)
2006-06-17 10:51:33 GMT