Lord Jagannatha down the Ages

Description

PREFACE “The facts and fictions of Lord Jagannatha down the ages” is a simple book, narrating the unlimited glory of Lord Jagannatha and the pure magnetic aura of Srikshetra and Shrimandira. The present work, in a direct way deals with the historical facts and fictions of the Jagannatha culture. This is the primary treatise which significantly discusses about the day to day activities of the Lord. This book is mainly divided into two portions. The first portion specially deals with the Mädala Päñji where Chronological record of the kings of ancient Odisha and their royal reigns, their day to day living, their achievements related to the construction of Jagannatha temple and its structural progressive developments down the ages. The chronolgoy of Kesari, Bhoi, and Ganga dynasties, their events played in the service of Lord Jagannatha. The second portion consists of fourteen small chapters. At first this work has discussed about Jagannatha, the absolute, then the universal Lord has been vivdly described as “Folk deity”. After that, the reader would be undoubtedly astonished when he would discover “Mahaprabhu” as a Vedic deity. From time immemorial, indeed this ‘Great God’ has been existed now. He exists, and in the future, he will only survey and survive. His sacred and glorious names, here the author has pointed out in this work. Patitapāvana is otherwise named as Lord Jagannatha, different decorative forms on festive occasions, Śri Mahāprabhu have been mentioned in an informative manner. Parikramaņa or Circumambulation inside the premises and having a ‘darśana’ of different Gods and Goddesses, has been systematically stated with the names and with proper geographical hints of location. Navakalabara of the year-2015 has been described precisely from important collective extracts. The author has not neglected the ancient poet Śri Jayadeva and his eternal collection of lyrical composition Gitagovinda in a brief way by giving a title- “Śri Jayadeva Gitagovinda” A lovely legendary love lyric, Gitagovinda’s holy songs are sung twice in the Srimandira premises which bring a brief analysis of the lyrical composition, on the whole depicting the literary laurels of the medieval period. A devotee, belongs to any sect, caste or religion, knows how Lord Jagannatha loves to listen the songs which are devotional and erotic, this is the way the love happenings of Lord Krşņa and Rädhäräni are vivdly composed, expressed and disclosed in the immortal writing of Śri Jayadeva. Here Mädala Pañji, with a brief notes gives the chronological record of different ages like Satya, Tretā, Dväpara and the age of Kali, having their kingdoms and the administration of various monarchs.