Page 9 - Story of Lord Jagannath’s Appearance

world I move from one place to another. You have broken your prom‐
ise, but that is just a part of the sweetness of My pas mes to manifest
this Jagannatha form, which protects the eternal words of the Ve‐
das.Anyway, those devotees whose eyes are smeared with the salve of
love will always see Me as Syamasundara, holding a flute. If your desire
is to serve Me in opulence, then from me to me I may be decorated
with hands and feet made of gold or silver. You should certainly know,
however, that My limbs are the ornaments of all ornaments.”

The Vedas assert, specifically in the Svetashvatara Upanishad (3.19):

apani‐pado javano grahita
pashyaty acakshuh sa shrinoty akarnah
sa ve vedyam na ca tasyas ve a

“Without legs and hands, He moves and accepts. Without eyes He
sees, and without ears He hears. He knows all that is knowable, but no
one knows Him. They call Him the original Supreme Person.” To pro‐
tect this asser on of the Vedas,Lord Jagannatha takes His form with‐
out hands and legs. S ll, Lord Jagannatha is able to accept fi y‐ six
different types of food, offered eight mes daily, and He tours the
world in His splendid carts.

Hearing the words of Lord Jagannatha in his dream, the King became
sa sfied and prayed to Him as follows: “My Lord, grant that those who
appear in the family of the sculptor who manifested Your form may
age a er age assist in construc ng the three carts.”

Lord Jagannatha, slightly smiling, replied, “That shall be. “ Then Lord
Jagannatha said to the King, “The descendants of Vishvasu, who used
to serve Me as Nila‐madhava, should genera on a er genera on serve
Me. They may be called My dayitas.The descendants of Vidyapa born
from his brahmana wife should perform the Deity worship for Me. And
his descendants born from his Sabari wife, Lalita, should cook My food.
They shall be known as suyaras.”

Then King Indradyumna said to the Lord Jagannatha, “My Lord, kindly
grant one favor to me. Let the doors to Your temple be closed for only