From the golden spires of Puri’s Jagannath Temple, where bhakts chant the name of Bhagwan Jagannath with hearts full of bhakti, we journey back to a divine moment in Dwarka, where the vibrant colors of Shri Krishna’s love painted the very form of Jagannathji. In this sacred tale, the air shimmers with the fragrance of love, and the universe hums with the melody of bhakti, revealing how Bhagwan Jagannath’s lotus eyes and radiant smile came to bless us in Kali Yuga.
Picture the royal palace of Dwarka, bathed in the soft glow of countless oil lamps, their golden flames dancing like stars in the twilight. The air is heavy with the scent of sandalwood and jasmine, swirling gently as Devaki, Shri Krishna’s mother, sits with Rukmini, her voice tender and warm. She begins to weave the story of Shri Radha’s boundless bhakti for Shri Krishna—a love so pure it sparkles like the Yamuna’s waters under moonlight. Devaki’s words flow like a river, painting Shri Radha’s heart: how she danced in Vrindavan’s groves, her anklets tinkling, her eyes shining with love for her beloved Kanha. Each word is a brushstroke of divine color—emerald forests, crimson flowers, and the sapphire glow of Shri Krishna’s flute.
As Devaki speaks, Shri Krishna, seated nearby, listens with His lotus eyes glistening, His peacock crown swaying gently. The story of Shri Radha’s selfless love stirs His heart, and in that sacred moment, His divine form begins to melt. His body, radiant as a thousand suns, softens into a fluid, cosmic essence, like molten gold flowing with love. His heart, the eternal Brahma Padartha, pulses with such overwhelming bhakti that the palace seems to glow brighter, the lamps flickering as if bowing to His ecstasy. The fragrance of sandalwood grows sweeter, the air hums with an unseen melody, and Rukmini’s eyes fill with tears, feeling the divine love that binds Shri Krishna and Shri Radha.
In this moment of celestial beauty, Naradji, the divine sage, appears, his veena strumming softly, its notes echoing like a gentle breeze. Moved by Shri Krishna’s melted form, Naradji falls at His feet, his heart trembling with bhakti. With folded hands, he pleads, “O Shri Krishna, let this form of Your boundless love grace the world in Kali Yuga, when hearts wander in darkness. Let bhakts see Your melted heart, Your love for Shri Radha, and find Moksha.” Shri Krishna, His smile radiant as a crescent moon, nods gently, promising that this divine form—known as Darubrahma, the sacred wooden essence—will become Bhagwan Jagannath, with Balabhadraji and Subhadraji by His side, to guide humanity with love and unity.
To capture this divine moment, let us turn to a Sanskrit verse from the Skanda Purana, sung by bhakts in Puri’s sacred halls:
Sanskrit Verse (Devanagari):
कृष्णहृदयं संनादति राधाभक्त्या समन्वितम्।
दारुब्रह्म स्वरूपेण जगन्नाथः प्रसीदति॥
Poetic English Translation:
Krishna’s heart sings with Radha’s love, in boundless joy it flows,
As Darubrahma, Jagannath shines, where divine mercy grows.
Meaning of the Verse:
This verse celebrates the divine moment when Shri Krishna’s heart, stirred by Shri Radha’s bhakti, melts into a cosmic essence that becomes the Darubrahma—the wooden form of Bhagwan Jagannath. It signifies His eternal mercy, shining through His sacred form to bless bhakts in Kali Yuga, guiding them toward salvation with His radiant love.
This melted form of Shri Krishna, pulsating with the Brahma Padartha, is the soul of Bhagwan Jagannath’s wooden idol, crafted to carry His divine love to every heart. In Puri’s temple, His large, lotus-like eyes gaze with compassion, Balabhadraji’s white form stands strong like a protective mountain, and Subhadraji’s golden presence wraps bhakts in warmth, like a sister’s embrace. Together, They weave a tapestry of vibrant colors—crimson silks, emerald garlands, and golden ornaments—that reflects the heart of Hinduism, where all paths of bhakti unite.
In Kali Yuga, when the world often feels heavy with strife, Bhagwan Jagannath’s form is a beacon of hope, a reminder of Shri Krishna’s promise to Naradji. His wooden body, simple yet divine, carries the grandeur of the cosmos, inviting every bhakt to feel His love, to hear the distant flute of Vrindavan, and to see the colors of Shri Radha’s bhakti in His smile. But how did this divine form reach the shores of Puri? The answer lies in a sacred quest, led by a king whose heart burned with bhakti, waiting to unfold under the sacred banyan tree of Mount Neela.
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