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In the saga of Mahabharat's aftermath, a tale unfolds of Lord Krishna's demise and the journey of his sacred heart, shaping the divine destiny of Puri's Jagannath Temple.
Characters in the story:
Lord Krishna: Lord Krishna is one of the most popular and revered deities in Hinduism. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu and is known for his divine teachings in the Bhagavad Gita and for his role in the epic Mahabharata.
King Indradumnya: King Indradumnya was a devout king of a kingdom currently known as Odisha, who dreamt of discovering Lord Neela Madhava, the Blue Krishna, and erecting a temple in His honor. This led to a remarkable journey of faith and devotion.
Lord Jagannath: Jagannatha means Lord of the Universe is a deity worshiped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra, and sister, Subhadra. Jagannath, within Odia Hinduism, is the supreme god, Purushottama, and the Para Brahman.
In the ancient epic of Mahabharat, it was foretold by Queen Gandhari that the Yaduvansh would face a tragic fate, eventually leading to their self-destruction. True to the prophecy, turmoil engulfed the Yaduvansh, culminating in their mutual annihilation.
Amidst the aftermath of this tragedy, Lord Krishna, consumed by grief, sought solace by the riverside. Unknown to him, a hunter named Jara, mistaking Krishna’s feet for a deer, aimed an arrow that unwittingly brought about the end of the Dwapara Yuga. As the arrow found its mark, fulfilling Krishna’s divine will, the mortal coil of the Lord met its end.
Recognizing his grave error, Jara, in remorse, sought to honor Krishna’s departed soul. He performed the last rites, yet Krishna’s heart remained untouched by the pyre. Unsure of what to do with this sacred relic, Jara cast it into the sea, where it found its way to the shores near Puri.
Centuries passed, and the heart of Krishna metamorphosed into a fossilized wood, known as Nilamadhava, emitting an ethereal blue hue. Hidden within a cave by the local tribes, its radiance remained concealed until it beckoned to King Indradyumna in a vivid dream.
Prompted by divine guidance, King Indradyumna embarked on a quest to unearth Nilamadhava and enshrine it within the grandeur of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Accompanied by an aged artisan, later revealed to be Lord Vishwakarma in disguise, the king witnessed the miraculous transformation of a log of wood into three divine idols.
Despite the king’s fervent desire to see the completion of the idols, a premature interruption by anxious guards left them incomplete. Yet, undeterred by this setback, the king revered these statues and installed them in the temple, where they became objects of veneration for generations to come.
Thus, Sri Krishna became Lord Jagannath for the Kali Yuga – Present Age.
During Nabakalebara, when Jagannath gets a new body, the heart is transferred to the new body. This ritual is known as Brahma Paribartan. Brahma Paribartan is the changing of the soul from the old Lord Jagannath murti to the new murti. The change of Brahma takes place at midnight. No one is allowed to watch the ritual. In fact, electricity is cut during the ceremony in the city of Puri. The ritual takes place in pitch darkness.
Thus, the timeless saga of Lord Krishna’s legacy finds its eternal home within the revered walls of the Jagannath Temple, where his divine essence continues to guide and inspire devotees through the ages.
