(Sri Jagannath Temple of Puri)

(Sri Jagannath Temple of Puri - a hundred year old photograph )

There is a legend which talks about the construction of this temple and the installation of the holy trinity of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra therein. As per this legend in the Satya Yuga there ruled Maharaja Indradyumna, in Malava. He was a great devotee of Bhagwan Vishnu. At one time, in his dream he saw 'Nilamadhava' who was none other than Vishnu himself. The following day he directed his envoys in all directions to ascertain where the divine figure that he dreamt of, was being worshipped.

A brahman called Vidyapati was directed to the east. He reached Kalinga and entered a 'Savara' or tribal settlement. He took shelter in the house of the 'Savara-Raja' called Vishwavasu. His daughter Lalita fell in love with Vidyapati and got married to him. Vidyapati however wanted to know about Nilamadhava who was treasured by Lalita's father Vishwavasu. Vishwavasu used to go to the woods at the first light of the day to worship Nilamadhava who was enshrined in a cave called 'Nilakandara'. Vidyapati made his wife Lalita persuade her father to permit him to see Nilamadhava. Vishwavasu agreed however, stipulated that Vidyapati will be led to the cave and brought back from there completely blindfolded.

Vidyapati thought of a plan to know the way to the cave. Accordingly, he arranged some sesame seeds and scarred them along the route he took to reach the cave so that he could lead his master, Maharaja Indradyumna to it when sesame plants grew up during the rainy season which was about to come. As promised, Vidyapati was taken to the cave by his father-in-law where had his share of luck to witness Nilamadhava.

Inside the cave Vishwavasu offered 'bhoga' or food to the Lord which he did not accept as always. Vishwavasu felt dejected and realised what a great mistake he had committed by bringing Vidyapati all the way to the cave. Suddenly he heard an 'aakash-vaani' or a voice from the air which said, "Oh! Vishwavasu, I would not continue to be worshipped here any longer! I would not remain as Nilamadhava any longer! Now onwards, I shall assume 'Daru-Brahma' form and be worshipped by Maharaja Indradyumna in the temple built by him". The Savara-Raja was heartbroken to hear this but there was nothing he could do.

Then Vidyapati returned to Malava to convey this news to Indradyumna who immediately started for Kalinga to see the divine figure of Nilamadhava whom he had seen in his dream. By that time the the sesame seeds that Vidyapati had scarred along the route to the cave had already grown into plants. Indradyumna followed those plants to reach the Nilakandara cave. He went inside the cave but found it empty. Nilamadhava was not there. Again there was an aakash-vaani and a voice from the air ordered him to build a temple on 'Nilasaila' or the blue mountain.

Accordingly, Indradyumna initiated construction of a massive temple for the Lord. When the construction was over, he went to 'Brahma-loka' or Lord Brahma's place to request him to sanctify the temple. Brahma was in 'tapasya' or deep meditation and Indradyumna had to wait for nine yugas amounting to many a thousand years. Finally when brahma finished his tapasya, he came all the way to 'Martya Loka' or earth along with Indradyumna. He positioned a flag on the peak of the temple and sanctified it, pronouncing that whosoever from a distance will visualise the flag and bows his head to offer his prayers to Lord Jagannath would for sure be set free from the material world. Brahma told Indradyumna to wait for the right time when Nilamadhava would manifest himself in the form of Jagannath to be worshiped in the temple along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra.

Many years passed and Indradyumna turned impatient for Nilamadhava had not manifested himself. Considering his living useless, he made up his mind to bring it to an end by fasting till death. The Lord however did not let him do that, again he appeared in his dream and said that he would be found floating in the sea as 'Daru-Brahma' or a huge piece of wood. Accordingly, he went to the sea to find the Daru-Brahma that had the markings of 'Shankha' or a conch, 'Chakra' or a disc, 'Gada' or a club, and Padma or a lotus. Indradyumna was sure that this Daru-Brahma was Bhagwan Vishnu who came to his dream as Nilamadhava and who shall now be enshrined in the temple as Jagannath.

But there was a problem, the Daru-Brahma was so heavy that even a hundred men could not shift it a bit. Again Indradyumna was anxious and again the Lord appeared in his dream and asked him to get Vishwavasu and put a 'swarna-ratha' or a golden chariot in front of the Daru-Brahma. After Vishwavasu addressed him as Nilamadhava and offered him his prayers to mount the golden chariot, Daru-brahma could easily be lifted. Now that the Daru-Brahma was inside the temple premises, Indradyumna employed many expert carvers to carve out the figure of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra from it.

Surprisingly, none of them could do the job as their tools broke into pieces the moment they touched the wooden Daru-Brahma. Lastly an old man named 'Ananta Maharana' came on and assured that he would carve the the holy trinity out of the Daru-Brahma within three weeks however, with the stipulation that he would be granted to work behind folded doors. That old man was none other than the master of all crafts 'Vishwakarma' who was sent by 'Devaraja Indra', the ruler of 'swarga' or heaven. Indradyumna agreed to the condition put by the old man, consequently he went into the temple to start his work, all the doors were locked and no body was allowed inside.

After two weeks passed, Indradyumna turned much worried and impatient as he could no longer hear the sounds of the carving from inside the closed temple and finally as adviced by the queen he himself went ahead and unlocked the doors of the to find out what was materializing inside. The old man was not there but he found Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra inside the temple. The work was not finished, the hands and feet of the deities had yet not been carved. Indradyumna realised what a great mistake he had done by unfolding the doors earlier than the stipulated time and determined to end his life. Once More the Lord appeared in his dream, this time in the form of Jagannath and told him that though he did not execute his promise, he is not at fault as the Lord himself made him do that. The entire episode took shape corresponding to the wish of the Lord as he wanted to manifest himself in that particular form. Indradyumna was told that this form, though seemed unfinished, was in reality the form of the Lord that was intended to be worshiped in Kali-yuga or the present age.