Jaya Jagannatha

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Svami B. V. Madhava (Dr. N. K Brahmacari, Ph.D.) was born into a family of Vaisnavas in Midnapur, West Bengal, in 1956. He has been a full-time practising monk in the Gaudjya Vaisnava tradition since 1979 and accepted initiation in disciplic succession from Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, a Vaisnava of the highest level with all the characteristics of a true guru described in the scriptures. For nearly thirty years, Svami B. V. Madhava has served continuously as the sevaka, or personal servant, of his instructing guru, Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. Like his initiating guru, his instructing guru is also a Vaisnava of the topmost calibre and a true guru, as described in the sacred texts of the tradition. In March 2000, the author was given the sacred order of sannyasa, the highest level of a renunciant.

In 1977, Svami B. V. Madhava graduated in Sanskrit with honours from the University of Kolkata. Thus, the author is fluent in Bengali, Sanskrit and Hindi. This has allowed him to read and study the Vedas. Upanisads, Puranas, Itihasas and later writings that comprise the Gaudiya Vaisnava canon in the original languages in which they were composed Accordingly. Svami B. V. Madhava is in a privileged position to undertake this study. He has dedicated the better part of his life to serving his guru directly as his sevaka. Thus, he has met all the requirements of a disciple, as set out in the Vaisnava scriptures. This renders this contribution particularly authoritative and valuable.

Following the Spiritual Hierarchy of India. I first offer my full prostrated obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating Gurupadapadma, nitya- lila-pravista om visnupada astottara sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja and I offer my full prostrated obeisances at the lotus feet of my instructing Guru, nitya-lila- pravista om visnupada astottara sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.

The main ingredients of this book Firstly- Lectures of Paramaradhyatam Gurudeva Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. Paramaradhyatam Guru Maharaja Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja, Param Pujyapad Snla Bhaktivedanta Trivikram Gosvami Maharaja Secondly- Mid 80’s one very popular learned scholar from Sri Jagannatha Puri, Late Dr. Sadashiv Ratha Sharma visited Sridhama Mathura He did one exhibition in Sri Krsna Janmabhumi (Birth place of Supreme Godhead Sri Krsna) Dr. Ratha Sharma brought all the dresses of Sri Jagannathadeva from Sri Puri dhama. Janmabhumi committee invited our beloved Gurudeva for the Inauguration ceremony. Lots of discussion took place between Srila Gurudeva & Dr. Ratha Sharma for few days. I made so many notes from their discussion. Thirdly- I have taken some portion of Srila Gaura Govinda Gosvami Maharaja’s Ratha-yatra booklet. He will bless this fallen soul to advance in Krsna consciousness. Fourthly- Thanks to Dr. Bhaskar Mishra for his magnanimity. He generously allowed me to take anything from his book. So I have taken some portion of different dresses of Sri Jagannathadeva from his book.

Srila Gurudeva had cherished desire to make a book of Sri Ksetra Mandala Parikrama He compiled Sri Vraja Mandala Parikrama, Sri Gaura Mandala Parikrama books besides so many other books in Indian National Language Hindi as well as International language English during his Physical manifest past time. Srila Gurudeva time to time expressed his desire to me Madhava Maharaja! I am organizing Navadvipa Parikrama and Braja Mandala Parikrama every year for the benefit of devotees. I have compiled both Braja Mandala and Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama books. I also want to compile Sri Ksetra Mandala book. But due to work load of other books by chance if I am not able to compile this book during my life time, then you have to compile this book in near future after my departure from this world.

So for the satisfaction and for the pleasure of Srila Gurudeva I have taken this topic as a challenge. By the causeless mercy of Srila Gurudeva, Srila Guru Maharaja and all Rupanuga Guruvarga, this impossible task became possible very easily.

This book has eleven sections. First of all Eight types of Vigrahas, and why Supreme Godhead manifested in the form of Wooden Vigraha Second-Attraction of Sri Jagannathadeva, Glory of Sri Purusottama Dhama & the title of Dhama, Third-Glories of Maha-prasada. Fourth-Prominency of Sri Krsna Nama Sankirtan in Kali yuga & the role of Yogamaya Devi. Fifth-Sri Ratha- yatra & Sobha Yatra. Sixth-Sri Mandira Parikrama, Process of Archana Seventh-Sevaks of Sri Jagannathadeva Eighth-Different dresses of Sri Jagannathadeva Ninth-Nava Kalevara. Tenth-Opinion of research scholars, Pilgrimage places in Sri Purusottama Dhama & other related topics. Eleventh-Associates of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

Specialty of This book

This book is a doctorial thesis. This book will be useful for everyone as well as devotees & general public, who has little bit of faith or sraddha, this book will help him or them to increase their attraction & faith towards Sri Jagannathadeva, Many books have been published so far about Sri Jagannathadeva and His Dhama but no one has covered each and every area. One sided discussion only present there. For the attraction of general public towards spirituality three certificates of my three Ph.d’s published here, it seems I am praising myself which is against the Vaisnava philosophy & which derails me from the rare Vaisnava track. I know Vaisnavas are very generous and they will overlook this fault of mine.

So many devotees has helped me to compile this book. I have tried my level best to respect them properly. I pray to Srila Gurudeva. Srila Guru Maharaja, to bless me and all devotees who helped me in this project & for the rapid progress in Krsna Consciousness to understand Sriman Mahaprabhu’s mood about Ratha-yatra. Generous readers are requested to rectify my faults. Let me know I may correct and add your suggestions for the next editions.

Situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal in the ancient kingdom of Utkal (present- day Odisha) exists the sacred abode of Lord Jagannatha. Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri is one of the four (char) dhamas or holy pilgrimage sites of India venerated by followers of sanatana-dharma, along with Badrinatha in the north, Dvaraka in the west and Ramesvaram in the south. Each year, hundreds of thousands of devotees make the pilgrimage to Jagannatha Purl to have darsana of Jagannathadeva and to witness and participate in the grand festivals of the Lord there.

Jagannathadeva, Lord (natha) of the universe (jagat), has been worshipped in His holy abode, Purusottama Dhama, for millennia. Jagannatha was originally worshipped as Nila Madhava and owing to this history Puri is also referred to as Nilacala Dhama, Jagannatha-Krsna is known as Madhava, the husband of the Goddess of fortune, Laksmi Devi, and hence His abode is known as Sri Ksetra and the Temple where He is worshipped is revered as Sri Mandira. The Sri Mandira of Jagannathadeva is unique in this world as Krsna is worshipped there along with His elder brother Baladeva Prabhu, Their sister Subhadra Devi and Sudarsana Cakra in the forms of daru-brahma, wooden Deities.

For many centuries foreigners have been fascinated by Jagannatha of Purl. The British Raj witnessed the grand worship and the Ratha-yatra car festival of Jagannatha. From their observance of these the word “juggernaut”, a term referring to an overpowering, destructive force, was introduced into the English language. Foreign officials, scholars, religionists and yogis were for the most part, however, unable to gain a proper understanding of the history and esoteric significance of Jagannathadeva in Purl. Many of these visitors instead propagated a number of misconceptions about Jagannatha’s cult.

The first luminary to transplant the culture of Sri Jagannatha outside of India was the great exponent of Krsna consciousness, Sri Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja, some fifty years ago. In the late 1960’ s Srila Svami Maharaja introduced the worship of Jagannatha and His famous Ratha-yatra festival in the cities of North America and later throughout the world. In his teachings, particularly in his translation of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami’s Srr Caitanya- caritamrta, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja established Jagannatha as one of the predominant Deities of Gaudiya Vaisnavism.

In this current volume, Jaya Jagannatha, Pujyapada B.V. Madhava Maharaja provides a deep analysis of the history and traditions of Jagannatha culture while elaborating on the pre-eminence of Purusottama Dhama in the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, A scholar well-versed in the Devotional literature of Jagannatha-Krsna, Madhava Maharaja is also a very experienced parikrama guide, as evidenced in this book, having conducted parikramas (pilgrimages) of the sacred sites of Vraja-mandala, Navadvipa Dhama and Purusottama Ksetra under the guidance of his diksa-guru Sri Srimad B.V. Vamana Gosvami Maharaja and his siksa-guru Sri Srimad B.V. Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. Jaya Jagannatha thus serves as a pilgrimage guide to Sri Mandira and the many holy sites in Sri Ksetra associated with Jagannathadeva and in particular those places wherein Sriman Mahaprabhu enjoyed loving pastimes with His devotees.

Sriman Mahaprabhu spent the last twenty-four years of His manifest main Jagannatha Dhama. The Lord’s biographers Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami and Srila Vrndavanadasa Thakura capture much of the intensity of the devotional moods Mahaprabhu experienced in Puri and bring the reader into the realm of unalloyed devotion. Sriman Mahaprabhu touched the heart of everyone He came in contact with. While in Puri, Sriman Mahaprabhu created a devotional revolution as He brought together great scholars such as Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Ramananda Raya, a government official who would become one of His most intimate associates, and even the Gajapati King Prataparudra to engage in the service of Jagannathadeva and the divine couple, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. A number of brief biographical sketches are given also of Mahaprabhu’s intimate associates within these pages.

All of the histories connected with Jagannathadeva and to a broader extent much of the history of the state of Odisha are recorded in Madala Panji, which is maintained within the confines of Sri Mandira. Madala Panji chronicles the history of Puri Dhama as well as all of the intricacies of the worship, festivals and pastimes of Jagannathadeva As such, the contents of Madala Panji provide the basis for much of the information presented in Jaya Jagannatha. Elaborate details are also given in Madala Panji of each of Jagannathadeva’s seasonal festivals as well as His nitya-seva (daily worship) and how these are to be conducted all of which are discussed extensively within this book.

As this is the first presentation of Jaya Jagannatha and much of its subject matter in the English language, many readers will be foreigners and based on this distinction unable to enter into Sri Mandira, History has it that many great personalities have not been allowed entrance into Jagannatha’s Temple. Significant religious figures from Indian history such as Kabir, Guru Nanak and Bhakta Salabega as well as in modem times M.K Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore were all refused entry into Sri Mandira.

In our own lineage, we can see that Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Gosvamis, nama-acarya Srila Haridasa Thakura were great devotees and intimate associates of Sriman Mahaprabhu, Owing to the status of their births and affiliations with barbaric culture, however, they were refused entrance to the Sri Mandira of Jagannathadeva. In this sense, as foreigners ourselves, we are in good company. These great souls accepted it as the will of the Lord that they were unable to attain the darsana of Jagannatha through entering Sri Mandira This did not deter them in their meditation and bhajana of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, rather it increased their desire to serve the Lord and Sriman Mahaprabhu who, seeing this in His intimate associates. blessed them with His gift of transcendental love.

Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja has very kindly compiled this volume for the benefit of the English-speaking community of devotees. As well as a pilgrimage guide, Jaya Jagannatha also serves as a means to gain even the smallest philosophical Understanding of the glory of Jagannathadeva and Puri Dhama Let it also be a source of inspiration and meditation for those of us who may not be able to visit Sri Purusottama Ksetra regularly and help bring our hearts and minds to the inner sanctum of Sri Mandira where Jagannatha resides. The Lord is merciful to the lowest of persons, and He is visible to everyone in Pursottama Ksetra in His form of Patita-Pavana. May that gracious Lord Jagannatha by His causeless mercy reveal to us just a glimpse of the grandeur of His eternal abode.