A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.705

c5.705

JAGAN-NĀTHA. ‘Lord of the world.’ A particular form of Vishnu, or rather of Krishna. He is worshipped in Bengal and other parts of India, but Purī, near the town of Cuttack, in Orissa, is the great seat of his worship, and multitudes of pilgrims resort thither from all parts, especially to the two great festivals of the Snāna-yātra and Ratha-yātra, in the months of Jyaishtha and Āshādha. The first of these is when the image is bathed, and in the second, or car festival, the image is brought out upon a car with the images of his brother Bala-rāma and sister Su-bhadrā, and is drawn by the devotees. The legend of the origin of Jagan-nātha is peculiar. Krishna was killed by a hunter, and his body was left to rot under a tree, but some pious persons found the bones and placed them in a box. A devout king named Indra-dyumna was directed by Vishnu to form an image of Jagan-nātha and to place the bones of Krishna inside it. Viswa-karma, the architect of the gods, undertook to make the image, on condition of being left quite undisturbed till the work was complete. After fifteen days the king was impatient and went to Viswa-karma, who was angry, and left off work before he had made either hands or feet, so that the image has only stumps. Indra-dyumna prayed to Brahmā, who promised to make the image famous, and he did so by giving to it eyes and a soul, and by acting as high priest at its consecration.