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Why do we in ISKCON pray so much to Lord Jagannatha?

Posted by David on April 24, 2012 at 6:01am in Krishna

Please Accept My Humble Obeisances.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All Glories to Sri Gurudev and Sripad Gaurangachandra.

 

Hare Krishna

 

Why do we in ISKCON pray so much to Lord Jagannatha? I know Lord Sri Jagannath is the Supreme Lord Krishna, but He is not beside Srimati Radharani. This is not Vrindavan-Lila. I also know that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhuji was residing in Puri. So why did the Supreme Lord choose this deity to be His home deity? Why not Sri Radha-Ramana, or another form?

 

Please forgive me if I have made any offense in asking this question. I do not mean to disturb anyone in their spiritual path. I just want to practice the Highest form of Krishna Consciousness.

 

Your Servant,

Bhakta David

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Replies

  • Volunteer
    Madhavi-lata devi dasi April 19, 2013 at 10:46pm

    Dear Devotees,

    Please accept my humble obeisances.

    All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

    Just as a humble addition to the wonderful answers already given by the devotees here...

    The pastime of Lord Jagannatha's Ratha Yatra represents gopis meeting Lord Krishna at Kurukshetra during solar eclipse and desiring to bring Him back to Vrindavan. They meet Lord Krishna after many years of separation and their emotions are heart-breaking.

    This worship demonstrated by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and by the gopis is the highest form of worship of Lord Krishna. They are seeing their Krishna Whom they know from their childhood in Vrindavan, He is there, dressed like a king, all His kingly relatives are there, the whole atmosphere is different, so although they wish to reciprocate with Krishna as they did in Vrindavana, they cannot... And this pain brings them to the highest ecstasies of Krishna consciousness.

    Lord Caitanya, in the mood of Srimati Radharani, saw Lord Jagannath as Her Shyamasundara of Vrindavana. A devotee in the mood of Vrindavana will see Vrindavan Krishna in any form of the Supreme Lord, because Vrindavana, devotion to Radha-Krishna, is a mood. If one has not yet developed that spontaneous mood, then, Srila Prabhupada said, even Radha Krishna Deity worship will be Laxmi-Narayana worship.

    Similarly, one can see Lord Jagannath as the Lord of Dvaraka and go to Dvaraka, or one can see Him as Krishna of Vrindavan and go to Vrindavan. It is all perfection, but there is perfect, more perfect and most perfect. Surely one can achieve the highest perfection in Krishna consciousness by worshipping Lord Jagannath.

    Your humble servant

  • Volunteer
    Gopal das April 17, 2013 at 5:25pm

    LORD JAGANNATHA RATHA-YATRA FESTIVAL.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    THE TEMPLE OF LORD JAGANNATHA.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

  • Achinta Roy May 1, 2012 at 9:37am

    Hare Krsna Prabhuji,

    You know what is the mood of Lord Chaitanya when he came in Kali-Yuga, "The mood of separation". As Bhaktin Mataji said Lord Krishna and Balaram took such like Form just hearing the pastimes They did in Vrindavan Dham. Therefore Lord Jagannath is also "in the mood of separation". 

     The only difference is that Lord Chaitanya was in the mood of Srimati Radharani in separation from Krsna. And Lord Jagannath is Krsna in separation from Radharani. Therefore Lord Chaitanya choose to stay in Puri with Lord Jagannath.

  • Volunteer
    Sudheendra S April 25, 2012 at 7:10pm

    Jagannath is the MOST merciful form of Lord. If you want to receive mercy from Lord Krishna then worship Jagannath. Also, Jagannath does not take any offense seriously. He is very very merciful. And now what to speak of Balaramji. He is all the more merciful. Balaram is said to be intoxicated with love of god always. So one devotee was explaining that say if the father is drunk and the child goes and asks for 100 rupees, the father out of intoxication gives out 1000 rupees. Balaramji is like that intoxicated father. Go and ask him anything and he will provide more than you have asked. Now when you are asking something from such a personality, we need to ask that thing which is the more precious. and the MOST precious jewel in the whole creation is to get love of Godhead.

    Jaya Jagannath, Jaya Baladeva, JAya Subhadra....2539058824?profile=original

    • Mohit Kapoor > Sudheendra S April 26, 2012 at 1:59am

      Hare Krishna  sudheendra praphu  thanks for the  beautiful answer .Do you know how should we pray or chant to 

       lord jagannath,Baladeva,Subhadra everyday thanks Hare Krishna

      • Volunteer
        Sudheendra S > Mohit Kapoor April 30, 2012 at 12:13pm

        Lord does not demand for what you serve him but how you do it. So, basic ingredient required in deity worship is the love and devotion. There are many prayers our previous aacharyas have composed to glorify Jagannath. You can sing these prayers. You need to know one thing is that Krishna is Bhavagrahayi Janardana. He sees your intention and love and not what words you are using in praying to him. When I was new to KC, I was taught that prayer is something that comes from heart and not mind. It can be either in the form of verses/texts from scriptures where great devotees like Prahalad maharaj or ambriesh maharaj are using to pray or something in our own local language that you want to communicate to Lord with. In an case it has to come from heart that the key in any prayers.

        We at home try to serve the lord in our best possible ways by serving him bhogha, offering mangalarthi daily, chanting in front of the deities, etc.

        • Mohit Kapoor > Sudheendra S May 1, 2012 at 12:39am

          Hare Krishna Sudheendra prabhu

          thanks for the beautiful answer it is really helping me.Forgive  me if i made any offence.

          Hari Bol

    • yugadharmadas > Sudheendra S April 26, 2012 at 12:07am

      Beautiful deities. I have a small murti of Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra, but I have been hesitant to worship them as I am not initiated. I have heard Gaura- Nitai are the most merciful and don't take offense so it's safe to worship Them. Would you say JBS are on the same level?

       

      Thanks

      • Volunteer
        Sudheendra S > yugadharmadas April 26, 2012 at 12:49pm

        Hare Krishna Prabhuji.

        PAMHO. AGTSP. AGTSG&SG.

        If we look at the deity as a image made of some metal/stone/wood Krishna will revel himself as nothing more than a doll. If we see the deity as Lord himself and worship him in the way we would do if Lord himself would appear in front of us. Weather we are initiated or not a devotee never considers himself qualified to serve the deity of the Lord because deity is non different from Lord himself. So what aacharyas suggest us is to worship the deity through our Guru parampara and Sri sri Gaur-Nitai. When I brought the deities out of my ignorance without knowing how to serve them, I approached one of the very senior devotee here in our temple. He said 2 things for me to start with initially. First of all set some minimum standard of worship and offering and NEVER go below that standard. Second is to have a picture of Sri Sri Gaur Nitai and they would take care of 50% of our service to the deities.

        Srila Prabhupada suggested that grahasta devotees should worship Gaur-Nitai, Laddu Gopal and Sri Jagannath Baladev and Subadhra devi if one is not initiated. We should not worship Radha Krishna deities unless we are brahaman initiated.

  • Volunteer
    Mohini Madhavi April 24, 2012 at 11:09am

    Lord Chaitania instructed us through His followers like Rupa, Sanatana Goswamis. And they used to worship to Radha Govinda, Radha Gopinath...in this way we follow the instructions of our Guru Parampara.

    Lord Jaganath is also connected with Vrindavan. Lord Krishna and Balaram took such like Form just hearing the pastimes They did in Vrindavan Dham. In this way They are in Vrindavan mood.

    He resided in Puri because Sachi Mata requested Him to stay near to Her.

    Your servant, 

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