Sri Alarnath Temple at Brahmagiri

SRI ALARNATH TEMPLE

at Brahmagiri, Orissa (Odisha)

Sri Alarnath Temple

Sri Alarnath Temple is a very important temple of Visnu near Jagannatha Puri (23 km) at Brahmagiri, Orissa. Lord Alarnath is the representative of Lord Jagannatha at Puri. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at this temple during anavasara, the two-week period afterSnana-yatra when Lord Jagannatha rests in seclusion before the annual Rathayatra (chariot festival) in Jagannatha Puri. Lord Caitanya couldn't bear staying in Puri without seeing His beloved Lord, and at Alarnath He would reveal the highest spiritual emotions, pining in ecstatic separation. While doing the Temple’s Parikrama, one can take darshanof the incredible prema-sila (stone slab) of Lord Caitanya, on the right side of the temple when entering the main gate from the road. This stone slab bears impressions from Lord Caitanya's body. When Lord Caitanya first lay in full obeisance before Lord Alarnath, the stone beneath Lord Caitanya melted from His ecstatic touch.

Lord Alarnath (or Alarnatha) is an ancient four-handed Visnu Deity believed to be installed by one of the Alvars. He is presently worshiped by the Jagannatha Mandira pujaris. At His feet kneels Garuḍa, His eagle-carrier with his hands folded in prayer. Lord Alarnath’s consortsSri and Bhu Devi also accompany Him. The temple also features small Deities of Sri Krishna’s queens Rukmini and Satyabhama. Bas reliefs of Lord Brahma and Lord Siva grace the ceiling of one of the halls leading up to the main chamber. The positioning of the four Visnu symbols on this ancient Deity seems to indicate that he is Janardana Visnu or AdiVisnu - the original form of Lord Visnu. But unlike Lord Janardana, Alarnath holds his right hand in the abhaya mudra; granting fearlessness and security to whomever takes His shelter. This mudra is only shown by Lord Krishna Deities and not murtis of Visnu or Narayana. This temple was built by King Madan Mahadev in 1128 AD.

The temple also holds a deity of Lord Caitanya known as Sad-bhuja, or "Six-armed," signifying Lord Caitanya's identity with both Lord Krishna and Lord Ramacandra. To reach Alarnath, Lord Caitanya would walk along the beach.

Temple becomes crowded during the Krishna paksha of Ashadha month, after the Snana Yatra when Lord Jagannatha cannot be seen in Puri. During this period, popularly known as Anasara or Anavasara (literally meaning no opportunity to see the lord of Puri), instead of havingdarshan in Jagannatha Temple, local devotees believe that Lord Jagannatha during this time manifests as Alarnath Deva, at the Alarnath temple in Brahmagiri. The Temple opens daily at 6 AM and closes at 9:30 PM. In the morning Baal Bhoga is offered and in mid-day different kinds of rice, daal and vegetable curries with Payasam is offered. At night different kinds of Pitha and Khichudi with Plantain fry is offered. During Anavasara time the Payasa or Kheer bhoga offered to Lord Alarnath Deva is much hyped and in demand. Sri Alarnath temple is a one hour taxi ride from Jagannatha Puri. On the ride to Alarnath temple from Jagannatha Puri one comes across flat, winding road with beautiful views of agricultural fields and large coconut-palm forests.

The brahmanas from about fifty families take turns serving the Alarnath deities. Each family specializes in one aspect of the deity service, the tradition passing from generation to generation. Some families cook for the deities, while others offer the deities their meals, worship them, decorate them, and so on. The temple owns about sixty acres of land, some used for the deities and some for their servants.

Brahma Gaudiya Math

Near the Alarnath temple is the Brahma Gaudiya Math, established by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in 1926. The temple houses deities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Sri Radha-Krishna (Gopi-Gopinatha), and a small Lord Alarnath. A priest of the Alarnath temple had found the small deity during excavation and had installed Him in the temple. One night the deity appeared to the head priest in a dream and told him that He wanted to be worshiped by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. The next day the priest presented the deity to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, who happened to be staying at the Gaudiya Math temple.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, who was born in Puri, loved Alarnath. He said that the place is the same as Vrindavana Dhama and that the small lake there on whose banks Lord Caitanya would rest is the same as Radha-kunda, the most sacred of lakes. In 1929 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura arranged renovation of the Alarnath temple and construction of a boundary wall. He also placed sculptures of Vamana,Nrsimha, and Varaha (three incarnations of Lord Krishna) in alcoves in the temple's outer walls.

Alarnath is the abode of spiritual longing and Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the followers of Lord Caitanya, revere Sri Alarnath temple as an important site of Lord Caitanya's pastimes.

Entrance to Sri Alarnath Temple

Sri Alarnath Temple

Prema-sila (stone slab) of Lord Caitanya at Sri Alarnath Temple

This stone slab bears impressions from Lord Caitanya's body. When Lord Caitanya first lay in full obeisance before Lord Alarnath, the stone beneath Lord Caitanya melted from His ecstatic touch.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at this temple duringanavasara, the two-week period after Snana-yatra when Lord Jagannatha rests in seclusion before the annual Rathayatra (chariot festival) in Jagannatha Puri. Lord Caitanya couldn't bear staying in Puri without seeing His beloved Lord, and at Alarnath He would reveal the highest spiritual emotions, pining in ecstatic separation. While doing the temple’s Parikrama, one can take darshan of the incredible prema-sila (stone slab) of Lord Caitanya, on the right side of the temple when entering the main gate from the road.

Prema-sila (stone slab) of Lord Caitanya at Sri Alarnath Temple

Sri Sri Sadabhuja Gauranga Mahaprabhu

Sri Alarnath Temple

ISKCON’s renovation work at Sri Alarnath temple dedicated to the services of Lord Sri Sri Alarnath Deva in 1996 on the occasion of the Centennial Celebration of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON (International society for Krishna Consciousness).

Previously in 1929 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura arranged renovation of the Alarnath temple and construction of a boundary wall. He also placed sculptures of Vamana, Nrsimha, and Varaha (three incarnations of Lord Krishna) in alcoves in the temple's outer walls.

Sri Alarnath Temple

His Holiness Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj at Sri Alarnath Temple in 1996

Ratha (chariot) used in service of Lord Alarnath

Lord Visnu

Sri Brahma Gaudiya Math established by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura at Alarnath

Sri Brahma Gaudiya Math at Alarnath

Their Lordships Sri Sri Guru Gaudiyanath Gopinatha Jiu and small Lord Alarnath established by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on 12 July 1931.

Their Lordships Sri Sri Guru Gaudiyanath Gopinatha Jiu and small Lord Alarnath

Small Lord Alarnath at Sri Brahma Gaudiya Math

Small Lord Alarnath

Goshala at Sri Brahma Gaudiya Math

Gardens at Sri Brahma Gaudiya Math

Alarnath

PASTIMES OF LORD ALARNATH DEVA

History of Sri Alarnath Deva Deities - Lord Brahma Carves the Deity

According to a local tradition, the history of Alarnath goes back millions of years to Satya-yuga. Lord Narayana spoke to Lord Brahma from the sky, describing in detail the form of a deity Brahma should carve and worship. Afterwards, Lord Narayana addressed Brahma, “Because you have worshiped Me here, this place will be known as Brahmagiri[Brahma’s hill].” With the passage of time, Brahmagiri became known as Alarnath. The present temple was built about eleven hundred years ago, and the puja was previously performed by South Indian brahmins. Because the pujaris were in the disciplic line of the great spiritual teachers known as the Alvars, the deity became known as Alvarnatha(“Lord of the Alvars”), which in time became Alarnath. Today, the place is also commonly known as Brahmagiri.

Alarnath Scalded by Sweet Rice

Once a brahmin named Sri Ketana, whose service was to offer bhogaoffering to Lord Alarnath, had to go out to beg provisions for the Lord. He gave his young son Madhu the responsibility for making offerings in his absence after telling him to place Alarnath’s meals before Him and pray to the Lord to accept them. When the time came to make the first offering, Madhu brought the food to the Lord and prayed, “O my dear Lord, please accept this offering. I am just a boy and do not know how to offer properly.”

Madhu then played with his friends. When he returned, he saw that all the food was still on the plate.

“O my Lord,” he said, “why haven’t You eaten? If my father hears of this, he will be angry with me. Please eat.”

Madhu left, only to return and find the food still on the plate. With tears in his eyes, he again begged the Lord to eat. When Madhu returned the third time, the Alarnath’s plate was empty. Madhu happily carried the empty plate to his mother.

“Where is the prasadam?” she asked.

“Lord Alarnath ate everything!” Madhu replied.

For three days Madhu and his family fasted because whenever Madhuoffered the Lord His meal, He ate everything.

When Sri Ketana returned and heard of the situation, he scolded his son, “What have you done with Lord Alarnath’s prasadam?”

“He ate it, father. I offered it just like you taught me.”

“He cannot eat,”

Sri Ketana replied. “He is just a stone deity.”

Sri Ketana decided to see what was going on, so he hid behind a pillar while his son made an offering to the Lord. After Madhu had left, SriKetana saw the Lord reach down and pick up a bowl of sweet rice. SriKetana jumped from behind the pillar and caught hold of the Lord’s arm, spilling hot sweet rice on the Lord Alarnath’s body.

“Stop!” Sri Ketana yelled. “What are You doing? Who ever heard of a Deity eating? If You eat everything, how will we live?”

Lord Alarnath replied, “O materialist in the guise of a brahmana, I never accept offerings from a faithless person like you, devoid of devotion. I accepted the offerings of Madhu because he offered them with simplicity and love.”

Today, the temple pandas point out several scars on the Lord Alarnath’sbody where He was scalded by the sweet rice.

Alarnath and the Vraja-gopis

When Lord Caitanya would come before Lord Alarnath, He would see Him not as Visnu, or Narayana, but as Krishna, playing a flute. Therefore devotees in the line of Lord Caitanya consider Lord Alarnath to be two-armed Krishna. Sri Caitanya's ecstasy of seeing Lord Alarnath in this way has its parallel in a pastime of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-lila chapter 17 verses 281 to 295 describe:

“Once Lord Sri Krishna playfully manifested Himself as Narayana, with four victorious hands and a very beautiful form. When the gopis saw this exalted form, however, their ecstatic feelings were crippled. Even a learned scholar, therefore, cannot understand the gopis ecstatic feelings, which are firmly fixed upon the original form of Lord Krishna as the son of Nanda Maharaja. The wonderful feelings of the gopis in ecstatic parama-rasa with Krishna constitute the greatest mystery in spiritual life.”

Purport: This is a quotation from the Lalita-madhava (6.54), bySrila Rupa Gosvami.

During the season of springtime, when the rasa dance was going on, suddenly Krishna disappeared from the scene, indicating that He wanted to be alone with Srimati Radharani.

Krishna was sitting in a solitary bush, waiting for Srimati Radharani to pass by. But while He was searching, the gopis arrived there, like a phalanx of soldiers.

“Just see!” the gopis said, seeing Krishna from a distant place. “Here within a bush is Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja.”

As soon as Krishna saw all the gopis, He was struck with emotion. Thus He could not hide Himself, and out of fear He became motionless.

Krishna assumed His four-armed Narayana form and sat there. When all the gopis came, they looked at Him and spoke as follows.

“He is not Krishna! He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana.” After saying this, they offered obeisances and the following respectful prayers.

“O Lord Narayana, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You. Kindly be merciful to us. Give us the association of Krishna and thus vanquish our lamentation.”

Purport: The gopis were not made happy even by seeing the four-armed form of Narayana. Yet they offered their respects to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and begged from Him the benediction of achieving the association of Krishna. Such is the ecstatic feeling of the gopis.

After saying this and offering obeisances, all the gopis dispersed. ThenSrimati Radharani came and appeared before Lord Krishna.

When Lord Krishna saw Radharani, He wanted to maintain the four-armed form to joke with Her.

In front of Srimati Radharani, Sri Krishna had to hide the two extra arms. He tried His best to keep four arms before Her, but He was completely unable to do so.

The influence of Radharani’s pure ecstasy is so inconceivably great that it forced Krishna to come to His original two-armed form.

“Prior to the rasa dance, Lord Krishna hid Himself in a grove just to have fun. When the gopis came, their eyes resembling those of deer, by His sharp intelligence He exhibited His beautiful four-armed form to hide Himself. But when Srimati Radharani came there, Krishna could not maintain His four arms in Her presence. This is the wonderful glory of Her love.”

Father Nanda, the King of Vrajabhumi, is now Jagannatha Misra, the father of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And mother Yasoda, the Queen ofVrajabhumi, is now Sacidevi, Lord Caitanya’s mother.

The former son of Nanda Maharaja is now Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the former Baladeva, Krishna’s brother, is now Nityananda Prabhu, the brother of Lord Caitanya.

Lord Caitanya’s Prema Nama Sankirtana at Sri Alarnath Temple

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya-lila chapter 7 verses 76 to 95 describes as follows about Lord Caitanya’s visit to Sri Alarnath temple.

All the devotees followed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to a place known asAlalanatha. There they all offered respects and various prayers.

In great ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced and chanted for some time. Indeed, all the neighbors came to see Him.

All around Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is also known as Gaurahari, people began to shout the holy name of Hari. Lord Caitanya, immersed in His usual ecstasy of love, danced in the midst of them.

The body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was naturally very beautiful. It was like molten gold dressed in saffron cloth. Indeed, He was most beautiful for being ornamented with the ecstatic symptoms, which caused His bodily hair to stand on end, tears to well up in His eyes, and His body to tremble and perspire all over.

Everyone present was astonished to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’sdancing and His bodily transformations. Whoever came did not want to return home.

Everyone - including children, old men and women - began to dance and to chant the holy names of Sri Krishna and Gopala. In this way they all floated in the ocean of love of Godhead.

Upon seeing the chanting and dancing of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda predicted that later there would be dancing and chanting in every village.

Purport: This prediction of Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s is applicable not only in India but also all over the world. That is now happening by His grace. The members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are now traveling from one village to another in the Western countries and are even carrying the Deity with them. These devotees distribute various literatures all over the world. We hope that these devotees who are preaching the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will very seriously follow strictly in His footsteps. If they follow the rules and regulations and chant sixteen rounds daily, their endeavor to preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will certainly be successful.

Seeing that it was already getting late, Lord Nityananda Prabhu, the spiritual master, invented a means to disperse the crowd.

When Lord Nityananda Prabhu took Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for lunch at noon, everyone came running around Them.

After finishing Their baths, They returned at noon to the temple. Admitting His own men, Sri Nityananda Prabhu closed the outside door.

Gopinatha Acarya then brought prasadam for the two Lords to eat, and after They had eaten, the remnants of the food were distributed to all the devotees.

Hearing about this, everyone there came to the outside door and began chanting the holy name, “Hari! Hari!” Thus there was a tumultuous sound.

After lunch, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made them open the door. In this way everyone received His audience with great pleasure.

The people came and went until evening, and all of them became Vaisnava devotees and began to chant and dance.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then passed the night there and discussed the pastimes of Lord Krishna with His devotees with great pleasure.

The next morning, after taking His bath, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu started on His South Indian tour. He bade farewell to the devotees by embracing them.

Although they all fell to the ground unconscious, the Lord did not turn to see them but proceeded onward.

In separation, the Lord became very much perturbed and walked on unhappily. His servant, Krishnadasa, who was carrying His waterpot, followed behind.

All the devotees remained there and fasted, and the next day they all unhappily returned to Jagannatha Puri.

Almost like a mad lion, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went on His tour filled with ecstatic love and performing sankirtana, chanting Krishna’s names as follows.

The Lord chanted:

Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!he
Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!he
Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! raksa mam
Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! pahi mam

That is, “O Lord Krishna, please protect Me and maintain Me.” He also chanted:

Rama! Raghava! Rama! Raghava! Rama! Raghava! raksa mam
Krishna! Kesava! Krishna! Kesava! Krishna! Kesava! pahi mam

That is, “O Lord Rama, descendant of King Raghu, please protect Me. O Krishna, O Kesava, killer of the Kesi demon, please maintain Me.”

Sacred Places Nearby Alarnath Temple:

1. Brahmagiri Gaudiya Math: This temple, on the right side of the Alarnath temple, was established by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in 1926. The temple houses deities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Sri Radha-Krishna (Gopi-Gopinatha), and a small Lord Alarnath. A priest of the Alarnath temple had found the small deity during excavation and had installed Him in the temple. One night the deity appeared to the head priest in a dream and told him that He wanted to be worshiped by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. The next day the priest presented the deity to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, who happened to be staying at the Gaudiya Math temple.

2. Raya Ramananda’s House: A few kilometres away from Sri Alarnath temple, in Bentpur village near a rice mill is the birthplace of Ramananda Raya, one of Lord Caitanya’s chief associates. The friendly members of the Paṭṭanayaka family, descendants of GopinathaPaṭṭanayaka, a brother of Ramananda Raya, who reside there, will happily show the ceremonial sword that belonged to Ramananda Raya (a governor) and some old documents written on palm leaves.

Across the dirt lane from the Paṭṭanayaka’s home is a temple of Ramananda Raya and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, depicting their meeting on the bank of the Godavari River.

Directions to reach Sri Alarnath temple:

Sri Alarnath temple is a one hour taxi ride from Jagannatha Puri. One can also come here from Jagannatha Puri on a local mini-bus that leaves every hour or so from Narendra Sarovara. One can also visit Lord Alarnath temple by attending annual Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama Parikrama organized by ISKCON Mayapur about a week after the Kartik masa (month) during the month of November/December.

Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=11947

Jagannatha Puri - City of Lord Caitanya:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OnwvRufHQg

Sri Saksi Gopala Temple: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20624

Sri Khira Chora Gopinatha Temple at Remuna:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16963

Mayapur TV: http://Mayapur.tv / Vrindavana TV: http://Vrindavan.tv/

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Sri Alarnath Temple at Brahmagiri

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