Jagannath - Reference of Jagannath in Various Literary Works and Texts

Reference of Jagannath in Various Literary Works and Texts

References and mention of Jagannath have been found in numerous religious texts and semi-religious literary works.

The most ancient reference is found in the 3rd rca of the 155th sukta in the 10th Mandala of the Rig veda. In a sukta there is reference to sacred log (Daru) which runs as thus:

"Ado yad daru plavate sindhoh pare apurusam,
Tada rabhasva durhano, tena gaccha parastaram." (10.155.3 R.V.)

Vedic Commentator Sayanacharya has ascribed this sukta to Jagannath in the following manner:

"The exists on sea-shore in a far off place, the wooden image of a deity with name Purusottama;
O ye, by worshipping that wood so indestructible, attain the supreme place.

However, the acceptance of this rca as referring to Jagannath is not universal. Alternately, it has been argued by scholars that the rca is Alaxmi Stava only.

In the Uttara Khanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, mention of Sri Jagannath has been found where Sri Rama has advised Vibhisana to devote himself to the worship of the deity, who has been described as the presiding deity of the Ikshvaku Kula (Clan) or Surya Vamsa. As a matter of fact, even today, the ritual Vibhisana Bandapana is observed in the temple of Jagannath. Further, in the Kiskinda Kanda of the Ramayana, there are references to the names of Sri Jagannath among other deities.

In the Mahabharata, the tale of King Indradyumna and the tank named after him is a direct reference to the Jagannath lore. In this epic, there is description of Vedi, which is identified by the scholars as Antarvedi or the seat of Sri Jagannath in the Samkha Kshetra. In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, a reference has been made to the Jagannath Dharma.

Mention of Sri Jagannath and the Purusottama Kshetra abound in Puranic literature of Matsya Purana, Vishnu Purana, Agni Purana, Padma Purana, Narada Purana, Brahma Purana and Skanda Purana.

Also that, in some Sanskrit texts like Kapila samhita, Tirtha Chintamani, Niladri Mahodaya, Rudrayamala, Tantrayamala, Purusottama Tatwa etc. references to Sri Jagannath have been made.

The Jagannath Astakam of Adi Shankaracharya is another important historical literary piece on Jagannath which provides information about the temple and appearance of the deity.

Apart from the above Puranic and other ancient texts, the mention of Jagannath in medieval Oriya literature is enormous. Almost every Oriya literature literateure like Sarala Dasa, Jagannath Dasa, Jayadeva, Balaram Dasa, Achyutaand Dasa, Jasobanta Dasa, Ananta, Upendra Bhanja, Baladeva, Dinakrush Dasa, Kavi Jadumani have composed invocations, prayers pertaining to Jagannath.

In the modern Oriya literature, Jagannath has been a common reference point, both on historical as well as mythical paradigms. The most acknowledged literary pieces on Jagannath are Nila Shaila and Niladri Vijaya by renowned Oriya writer Late Surendra Mohanty with the author receiving the Kendra Sahitya Academy award in 1969 for the novel