This is the first part of a series that I will be posting here. An investment of time in this sort of katha will prove immensely beneficial and enthusing for one’s bhajan.

These deities of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra are amazingly powerful. They reside in a place within Sri Mayapur Dham that is considered non-different from Jaganntha’s Dham in Puri. It is said that within Sri Mayapur Dham all the other Dhams are accessable so, while I was staying in Mayapur from Oct 2003-April 2004 I would try to make a pilgrimage every Ekadasi to see Jagannatha, offer Him some bananas and serve His caranamrita to the pilgrims. In an effort to continue my service to their Lordships, over the next few days I will be posting some of the intriguing and mystical histories and pastimes of Lord Jagannatha here which will prove very good reading for those capable of focusing their attention. (Sorry but I don’t have many relevant pictures to decorate the postings with for those with spastic absorption thresholds.)

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Five hundred years ago, at the time of Lord Caitanya, there lived a very wonderful devotee named Jagadish Ganguli. His residence was in a small village near Mayapur. Although he was advanced in age, still yearly he would make the 900 km journey to Jagannath Puri on foot to associate with his mentor Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, take darshan of his beloved Lordships Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi and participate in the all-auspicious Ratha Yatra festival. One day, less than a month before his scheduled departure for Puri, Jagadish’s plans were foiled. He was stricken with a terrible disease that left him completely blind. Optimistic and buoyant by nature, this did not dampen his desire to make the yearly padayatra to Puri. He would no longer be able to see the divine, all-merciful forms of Lord Caitanya and Lord Jagannatha, that was for sure. But still he could relish the sound of sweet kirtan and discourses given by exalted Vaisnavas. His friends and associates were not so keen for him to travel. They considered the annual pilgrimage too long and dangerous for a blind man and refused to take him with them. They left without him. This broke the heart of Jagadish. His existence became a constant lamentation and despondency. Somehow he passed his days, calling out for the all-merciful Jagannath to be merciful to him.Then one night Lord Jagannatha appeared to his devotee in a dream. The Lord told him that on the following day when he went for his daily bath in the Ganges, a log would touch his head and restore his vision. The Lord instructed Jagadish to take that log to a nearby village and request a certain devotee carpenter there to carve a Deity of Lord Jagannatha. The Lord also explained that at first the carpenter would refuse to do the work because he was a leper and his hands were very deformed. It was Jagadish’s task to convince him to do the service. The Lord assured him that when the carpenter had completed the Deity his leprosy would be cured.

At the break of dawn Jagadish woke from his dream and marveled at it. Eagerly he readied himself for his daily bath. He paid his obeisance’s to Mother Ganges and then entered her sacred waters. Lord Jagannatha’s words were quickly proven true. A log touched his head and promptly restored his vision. Enlivened by the Lord’s shower of mercy, he took the log and quickly proceeded towards the nearby village. After many hours an exhausted Jagadish found the leper-carpenter who flatly refused to carve the Deity.

He showed his deformed fingers and asked his expectant customer, “How is it possible for me to carve the Divine form of the Lord with these hands?” an intense exchange followed, each devotee speaking his mind. Finally the leper agreed to carve Lord Jagannatha.

Jagadish lived with the devotee leper carpenter while he was carving his Lord. He saw him suffering terribly. Blood and pus oozed from the stumps that were once his fingers and his face was distorted by pain. He wanted to stop this torturous work. Somehow or other Jagadish managed to convince him to continue and constantly spoke to him the pastimes of his beloved Lord Jagannatha to distract his mind from the pain. Finally the Deity was completed and to his amazement, the devotee-leper was cured of his leprosy.

In great pomp and celebration, Lord Jagannath was carried to the site of the present temple and His worship was established there. A few nights later Jagadish had another dream. This time Lord Jagannath instructed him to take some nearby neem wood and request the same carpenter to make the Deities of Lady Subhadra and Lord Baladeva.

The devotee carpenter was delighted to offer his service and very soon Their Lordships were installed with great love and attention by their trusted devotee. But then, one fated day Jagadish left this mortal world. His beloved Deities were neglected. Indeed, Lord Jagannatha, Subhadra Devi and Lord Balarama were completely forgotten and over a time Their Temple deteriorated and collapsed around Them.

Some centuries later, a local villager noticed a unique, beautiful blue flower growing on top of a termite hill. Curious, he ventured closer and was amazed to hear a voice calling, “Please, please give Me some water”. Quickly he began digging, eager to search out the owner of the voice that instructed and intrigued him. To his utter surprise he unearthed the beautiful Transcendental Trio – Lord Jagannatha, Lady Subhadra and Lord Baladeva! He was further astonished to see that although the Deities had been residing in the middle of a termite hill, Their wood was miraculously unharmed. This event happened about sixty years ago. Once again a temple was constructed and elaborate worship established.

Then in 1978 the aging Pujari of Their Lordships began to worry. His health was failing him and he was fearful that history would repeat itself. He could not bear the thought of his beloved Lords being neglected and inconvenienced again. He decided to offer Their property to ISKCON. On the Gaura Purnima day of 1978 the most auspicious transaction took place and a beautiful new temple has since been constructed for Their Lordships pleasure.

It is said in the Vedic scriptures that the Holy Dhama of Sri Ksetra or Jagannatha Puri is eternally manifest in this holy place and that all the benefits one can attain by visiting Jagannatha Puri may be achieved visiting the Sri Jagannatha Mandir in Sri Navadvipa Dhama. One of these many benefits is the opportunity to partake of Lord Jagannatha’s famous Maha-prasad. Lord Jagannath’s mercy – in its most delicious form – is waiting for your visit and surely you will be blessed once you visit Their Lordships.

More fascinating stories to come …