Page 3 - Story of Lord Jagannath’s Appearance

Story of Lord Jagannath’s Appearance

The Ratha‐yatra fes val, the parade of the chariots of Lord Jagannatha,
Subhadra and Balarama, is yearly celebrated at the home of Lord Jagan‐
natha in India called Jagannatha Puri. At Jagannatha Puri, Lord Jagan‐
natha is worshiped in one of the oldest temples in India. The story of
how Lord Jagannatha appeared is a very interes ng episode in Vedic
history.

King Indradyumna was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and was very ea‐
ger to meet Him face to face. One me, by the Lord’s arrangement, a
devotee of the Lord arrived in the court of King Indradyumna, and in the
course of discussion he began to talk about an incarna on of Lord Vish‐
nu named Nila‐ madhava. A er hearing these topics, King Indradyumna
became very inspired and sent different brahmanas in different direc‐
ons to search for and inquire about Lord Nila‐ madhava. All of them,
however, were unsuccessful and returned to the capital city of the King,
except for one priest of the name Vidyapa . A er wandering in many
places, Vidyapa finally came to a district whose popula on was of a
non‐Aryan type called Sabara. There he took shelter in the house of a
local of the name Vishvasu. When he arrived, the master of the house
was not there, but his young daughter, Lalita, was there alone. In a short
me the master of the house returned and instructed his daughter to
render all service needed for hospitality to the brahmana guest. For