The Loving Play of Lord Jagannatha

The Loving Play of Lord Jagannatha

In his Brhad-Bhagavatamrta, Srila Sanatana Gosvami has written about Lord Jagannatha and Jagannatha Puri Dhama. He has picked up a personality named Gopa-kumara and everything is being described through him. While staying in Vrndavana, Gopa-kumara met some very elevated sadhus coming from the southern countries. They explained to Gopa-kumara, “In Jagannatha Puri

Dhama, also known as Purusottama Ksetra, Bhagavan Jagannathadeva is manifested as Daru- brahma. Daru-brahma saksad bhagavan. ‘Daru’ means that the Lord appears in a wooden form.

On the shore of the sea, upon the blue mountain known as Nilacala, stands the temple of Jagannatha. Jagannatha is very opulent, and He is also bhakta-vatsala, very affectionate to His devotees. Residing in the land of Orissa, He personally maintains that land and manifests His glories there. In that dhama no one else cooks food for Jagannatha but Svayam Laksmidevi.

Jagannatha personally eats it and His remnants, known as mahaprasada, are distributed to innumerable devotees. Such mahaprasada is available there in Jagannatha Puri Dhama! Even the great demigods, headed by Brahma and siva, are greedy for it. If they can get this Jagannatha- prasada they become very happy.

Even if a candala, a dogeater, touches that mahaprasada, it can never be polluted. It is so transcendental that even if it falls from the mouth of a dog, it is still not polluted. Therefore, anyone can touch it and take it thousands and thousands of miles, to any part of the world, yet it never becomes polluted. You can accept it because it is transcendental. Such is Jagannatha’s prasada.”

The sadhus continued, “What shall we say about the glories of that dhama! Jagannatha Puri is such a dhama that even if an ass enters into it, immediately he will become four-handed. Aho tat ksetra-mahatmya gardabho ‘pi catur-bhujah.”

Sanatana Gosvami has written this in Brhad-Bhagavatamrta (2.1.6): “yatra pravesa-matreNa na kasyapi punar bhavah”, “If someone simply enters into that dhama he will have no more rebirth.

The lotus-eyed Jagannatha, with His big eyes, is casting His merciful glance over one and all. If someone is fortunate and gets His darsana, his life becomes successful. Such is Jagannatha.

When Gopa-kumara heard the glories of Jagannatha and Jagannatha Dhama, he developed a great eagerness to have the darsana of Jagannatha. He had never before heard such wonderful glories.

Gopa-kumara said, “Immediately I started to chant the glories of Jagannatha and set off on the road to Jagannatha Dhama. When I arrived there, I paid my dandavat prana as to all the residents of Puri Dhama, and by their mercy I entered into the Jagannatha temple.

“From a distance I had the darsana of Purusottama Bhagavan Sri Sri Jagannathadeva—such a beautiful moon-like face, and big, dilated eyes. The forehead of His lotus-like face is decorated

with maNi-puNdra bhalah, tilaka which is dazzling like a jewel. His complexion is like that of a dark cloud and the sweet smiling of His reddish lips is soothing like moonlight rays. Thereby, Jagannatha showers His unlimited mercy upon everyone. Seeing the beauty of Jagannatha, this thought came to my mind, ‘I’ll go to Him and embrace Him.’ But then such ecstasy arose in me that I could not go there.

My hair stood on end, my body shivered and tears rolled down from my two eyes. Because my eyes were filled with tears, I could not see the beautiful face of Jagannatha. With much difficulty, I went up to the Garuda-stambha and from there I had the darsana of Jagannathadeva. He was decorated with transcendental robes and ornaments.

The more I looked at Him, the more I felt transcendental pleasure. He was sitting on His si hasana, eating varieties of food. Different types of musical instruments were being played such as khola and karatala. Some devotees were singing, some were dancing. And Jagannatha was casting His merciful glance over all the devotees.

It is my good fortune that I had the darsana of Jagannathadeva. I became so ecstatic that I lost consciousness and fell to the ground. When I regained consciousness, I opened my eyes and looked again at the transcendental beauty of Sri Sri Jagannathadeva. I became like a madman, and again the thought arose in my mind, ‘I will go to Him and embrace Him.’ But someone said, ‘Don’t go there.’

“‘No,’ I replied. ‘Today I have obtained this good fortune of having the darsana of Sri Sri Jagannathadeva. That was my long cherished desire and it has been fulfilled today. My life has become successful. He is the Lord of my heart, so I must go there and embrace Him.’

“I had marched forward only a few steps when the doorkeeper came and beat me with a cane. He checked my entrance and did not allow me to go near. So I accepted that it was the mercy of Jagannatha to get such a beating. When I came out of the temple I received a large amount of mahaprasada.

Then, when I went inside the temple again, I remained there the whole day, just gazing at the beautiful face of Jagannatha. I have no language to express the beauty I beheld. So I stayed there for some days and met many sadhus, mahatmas, and saw many festivals. I completely forgot Vrajabhumi.

“Jagannathadeva is very merciful to His devotees, and He was giving them different orders. I have personally experienced it. I developed an intense greed to constantly see the beauty of Jagannatha and nothing else. Whenever I had some bodily or mental distress, I would go to the temple of Jagannatha. Just by looking at Him, I was cured immediately. So I stayed in that wonderful Jagannatha Ksetra for some days.

“One day, all of a sudden, I met my Gurudeva who had previously given me a mantra in Vrndavana. Gurudeva said, ‘The mantra you received from me will fulfil all your desires, and you should understand that to chant this mantra is also jagannatha-seva, service to Jagannatha.

Because the chanting of this diksa-mantra will fulfil all your desires, if you desire to get Krsna, this mantra will also fulfil that desire. It is such a mantra. Always think of Krsna. Always think of His beautiful syamasundara form, His transcendental qualities and lilas. If you do so, this mantra will fulfil your desire to get Krsna.’ Having spoken thus, all of a sudden, Gurudeva disappeared again.

“Then I became very agitated and restless, ‘Oh, Gurudeva disappeared.’ But when I saw the beautiful form of Jagannatha, my mind became pacified once again. After staying there for a few days, again the thought arose in my mind, ‘I’ll go to Vrajabhumi.’ But by the mercy of Jagannatha, as I wandered in Jagannatha Dhama Ksetra, the ocean appeared to be the Yamuna River. When I saw the Cataka-parvata, it appeared to be Govardhana Hill.”

Varieties Of Lila

Gopa-kumara said, “Jagannathadeva had many servitors and sometimes He would cut jokes with them. Sometimes He would engage in loving play with them, prema-krida. Many devotees chant, dance and do nama-sankirtana before Jagannatha. They also offer prayers with a devotional heart.

Hearing this, the remembrance of Vrajabhumi came to my mind and I became very impatient to go there. A while later, upon meeting some sadhus and hearing the glories of Jagannatha, I entered into the temple. When I saw the beautiful form of Jagannatha, and especially His face, all my thoughts of returning to Vrajabhumi went away.

“One day, very early in the morning, I got up and went to the temple. Because I had this desire to go to Vrajabhumi, I entered the temple to get permission from Lord Jagannatha. I petitioned the Lord, ‘Please give me permission to go to Vrajabhumi.’ But as soon as I looked at His beautiful lotus-like face, I forgot everything.

In this way, one year passed. Then I met some sadhus who had come from Mathura. When I heard from them, memories of Mathura and Vrndavana came to my mind again. That night Jagannatha appeared in my dream and gave me this order,

bho gopa-nandana ksetram ida mama yatha priyam

tatha Sri-mathurathasau janma-bhumir visesatah

balya-lila-sthalibhis ca tabhis tabhir alankrta

nivasami yathatraha

tatha tatrapi vibhraman

“Jagannatha said, ‘O Gopa-kumara, this Purusottama Ksetra is very dear to Me. It is as dear as Mathura, My appearance place. This is also My appearance place. In that Mathura-maNdala I have manifested all My boyhood lilas. Similarly, I am also manifesting varieties of lilas here. This is as good as Mathura.

You can see all My lilas here, so why are you feeling distress in your heart? You may go to Vrajabhumi, but after some days you will come back again and you will see My cowherd boy form here also.’ (Brhad-Bhagavatamrta 2.1.216, 217)

“The following morning I got up early, took bath, and went to the temple to have the darsana of Jagannatha. When I entered into the temple, the pujari took the ajna garland from Jagannatha and gave it to me. Then I thought, ‘Oh, now Jagannatha has given me permission. “All right, Gopa- kumara. Now you may go to Vrajabhumi.”’ Putting that garland around my neck, I looked at the cakra on top of the temple of Jagannatha and paid my obeisances. Then I left for Mathura- maNdalabhumi.”

While Gopa-kumara was staying in Vrndavana, Narada Muni appeared before him and said, “Gopa-kumara, that Jagannatha Puri Dhama is a very opulent dhama, like Dvaraka Puri. I am your well-wisher, so I am giving you this instruction. Dvaraka Puri is on the western side of India, whereas Purusottama Ksetra is on the eastern side. You have visited that ksetra where Jagannatha, Baladeva-jiu and Subhadra-jiu are residing. In that dhama, Jagannatha-jiu is performing the same lila as He did in Vrndavana, Mathura and Dvaraka. There you will see the same Govardhana and the same Yamuna River.”

Gopinatha

Gopa-kumara saw the sea as the Yamuna River, and Cataka-parvata appeared before him as Govardhana Hill. This was also experienced by Mahaprabhu when He stayed in Jagannatha Puri. This means that the same lila is going on there.

kintupadesa hitam ekam eta

mattah srnu sri-purusottamaksam ksetra tad atrapi vibhaty adure

purva tvaya yabhuvi drstam asti

tasmin subhadra-balarama-sa jatasta vai

vinoda purusottama bhajet cakre sa govardhana

vrndakatabi kalindaja tira bhuvi svaya hi ya sarvavatara eka nidhana rupas tat caritrani ca

Narada Muni said, ”In that Purusottama Ksetra resides Krsna, the source of all avataras. There He manifests all His lilas—Vraja-lila, Mathura-lila and Dvaraka-lila. Whatever lila the devotee wants to see, Jagannatha will manifest that lila to him. It is up to the devotee. Whatever form the devotee wants to see, that form he can see in Jagannatha Puri. If someone is fortunate enough to see the beautiful form of Jagannatha in Purusottama Ksetra, his life becomes successful. That dhama is as dear to Krsna as Mathura; and it is as beautiful as Mathura also.

“Gopa-kumara, now you should go back to Jagannatha Ksetra and see the beautiful form of Jagannatha there. If you do not become satisfied, still you should stay in that dhama and pray to Jagannatha to fulfill your desires. He will surely fulfill all of them.”

Narada Muni revealed to Gopa-kumara, “Develop love for the lotus feet of Jagannatha, that is, love for the lotus feet of Gopinatha. The same love that the vrajavasis have for Gopinatha you can also develop at the lotus feet of Jagannatha, because He is Gopinatha. There is no other sadhana required.”

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