Stories of Jagannatha

Once in Odisha, in the city of Jajpur, lived Bandhu Mohanty. He had two daughters and a son. His wife was very obedient. They lived in extreme poverty, gathering alms. He had no savings—whatever he collected that day, he would spend the next day, and nothing remained. Bandhu Mohanty was a great devotee of Lord Hari. He usually spent his days chanting the Lord’s holy name. He was merciful to all living beings, very honest, and joyfully served the brahmanas. He was indifferent to family life because he knew that everything is temporary except the holy names of the Lord. Chanting them, he happily spent his days.

Once a drought came to those areas and people began to die of hunger. Bandhu Mohanty went to other villages asking for food, but the people themselves had nothing to eat, so how could they give anything to Bandhu Mohanty? He returned home empty-handed, meditating on the Lord all the way. His wife told him that the children were very hungry and could no longer bear the pain of hunger. She asked, “Don’t you have any relatives who could help us in this difficult time? Let’s leave this place and travel somewhere where you have relatives.” Bandhu Mohanty replied, “I have no relatives who could help us, but I have a friend. Only He lives very far from here. He is the best of men. He has no equal. He lives in Sri Kshetra Puri Dham. If we could somehow reach Him, our problems would be solved.” The wife was very happy to hear this. She said, “Then let’s travel there immediately. I can carry one child. You carry the other. Let’s leave right now without waiting. Otherwise we will all die.” Bandhu Mohanty was very happy to hear this from his wife. He thought it would be wonderful to go to Sri Kshetra and get the darshan of Lords Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra.

So they began traveling to Sri Kshetra, which they reached after four days. They approached the Lion Gate of the Jagannatha Temple. Thousands of people were visiting the temple and security was very tight. Many guards held sticks. Since they could not enter inside, the family got the darshan of Patita-pavana, the deity of the Lord at the eastern temple gate. Those who are not allowed into the temple can get the darshan of this deity there. Then Bandhu Mohanty went towards the south gate near Peya Nala, where all the starch from the rice cooked in Jagannatha’s kitchen accumulates. Cows drink this liquid as peya. Bandhu Mohanty was very tired. He sat down near the south gate. His wife said, “Why are you sitting here? It is getting late. It is almost evening. Let’s go to your friend’s house to refresh ourselves and have something to eat. We are very tired and hungry. Where is your friend’s house?”. The children started crying, saying, “We are very hungry. We can’t bear this hunger anymore. If you don’t feed us, we will die soon.”

Bandhu Mohanty replied to them, “Today there are many guests at my friend’s house. The gatekeepers only let selected guests inside. If anyone tries to enter by force, they will be beaten. Let’s sleep here tonight. We can drink some starch from Jagannatha’s kitchen and spend the night here. Early in the morning we will go to meet my friend and ask him to give us shelter and food. My friend is very merciful.” The wife agreed to the proposal. They found a broken clay pot, drank some rice starch water, and the hunger subsided a little. Everyone was very tired, so they fell asleep quickly. Bandhu Mohanty began to pray to Lord Jagannatha: “O Lord of the universe. You maintain Your entire creation. Am I also Your creation? We are dying of hunger here. Please, bless us. Otherwise, we will lose our lives. Please, consider our case.” Praying to the Lord, he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, the priest of Lord Jagannatha completed the evening offering to the Lord. Having finished the puja, he locked the temple doors and, holding the keys in his hand, walked home. During the night, Lord Jagannatha became very anxious that His devotee was sleeping without eating anything. He could not sleep. “My friend came from so far away. How can I sleep peacefully without feeding him? He came thinking that I am his only friend, seeking My help.” Then the Lord of the universe went to the storeroom and took a golden plate. On it, He piled plenty of various foods, such as cakes, sweet rice, rice with vegetables, and various kinds of dried sweet prasadam. Then He went to the southern gate of the temple. The Lord called out: “O, my dear Bandhu, please come here!”. Bandhu heard someone calling his name. He thought: “Maybe they are calling someone else. There must be many people with this name. Nobody knows I am here, so why should they call me?” Thinking this, he did not respond. Then the Lord called out again: “O Bandhu Mohanty of Jajpur, please listen. You and your family are staying near Peya Nala. Please, come here. I have brought you food”. Hearing this, Bandhu went and saw an old brahmana preparing to hand him a plate full of various foods. The Lord, having assumed the form of an old brahmana, said to Bandhu: “Please, accept this food and feed your family members. Tomorrow morning I will arrange everything for you”. Having said this, the Lord disappeared. Bandhu took the prasadam feeling very happy. He woke up his whole family and they all honored the prasadam together full of happiness, and then fell asleep again with full bellies. Having washed the plate, Bandhu went to the south gate to return it. He pushed the door, hoping the brahmana would be there and he could return the plate. But to his surprise, the brahmana was not there. Bandhu returned to where his family was sleeping, wrapped the plate in clothes, and decided to return it in the morning.

Early in the morning, the priests of Lord Jagannatha opened the temple gates. Everyone was busy with their individual services. When they opened the storeroom, they discovered that the golden plate of Lord Jagannatha was missing. The plate had been stolen! The priests reported this to the temple administration, and the police arrested all the priests and beat them, thinking that only a priest could have stolen the plate which was in the storeroom. It so happened that some people noticed a man sleeping with his family near the south gate. They noticed a golden plate wrapped in clothes, shining in the sun. Immediately, several people seized Bandhu Mohanty. They tied him with a rope, beat him severely, and took the golden plate. Bandhu Mohanty and his wife tried to explain how an old brahmana had given them this plate full of prasadam in the middle of the night. After eating, they wanted to return the plate, but could not find the brahmana, so they wrapped it in clothes. Bandhu Mohanty and his wife appealed to the police: “We are innocent. Why are you beating us without guilt?” But nobody paid attention to what they said. He was arrested and put in prison. Bandhu Mohanty turned his thoughts to Lord Jagannatha and began to pray: “Dear Lord Jagannatha, I am the most sinful man in this universe. You are an ocean of mercy. There is no one more sinful than I, and there is no one more merciful to the fallen souls than You. Whatever You decide to do with me, please do it. I have no shelter other than You.” Thinking this, he meditated on the lotus feet of the Lord.

Later that same evening, all the devotees of the temple completed their services to the Lord and returned to their homes. The Lord, who is all-pervading and constantly anxious about His devotees, could not tolerate the suffering of His devotee. He immediately mounted Garuda and flew to the King’s palace. At that time, the king was sleeping. The Lord appeared in the King’s dream and said to him: “O king, please listen: when guests come to your house, do you allow them to stay without feeding and caring for them? Is there even one who went hungry in your palace? My friend traveled a long way from Jajpur with his family, having immense faith in Me. I brought them food. Have I squandered your father’s property? I brought prasadam to my friend on My golden plate. Where do you see a problem? Your people seized him and his family and beat them severely. They tied their hands and feet and threw them in prison. Now my friend’s family is suffering greatly. I command you to go to Puri immediately and release them from prison, wash their lotus feet with the greatest humility. Give them the best clothes and ornaments. Place a turban on my friend’s head to show him the greatest respect. You must serve my friend just as you serve Me. You will provide him and his family with the best food and shelter until the end of their lives. If you do not follow My instruction, your family will be destroyed.” Having said this, Lord Jagannatha woke the king and left the palace.

The king immediately summoned all his ministers and explained everything to them. He personally went to the prison to release Bandhu Mohanty and sincerely glorified him. The king said: “My life has become successful simply by getting your darshan. Now I am blessed. Please forgive me for all the wrongs done to you by my people.” Having said this, the king performed abhisheka for Bandhu Mohanty with sacred water, gave him many clothes, and placed a turban with the greatest respect. He arranged for the maintenance of Bandhu Mohanty’s entire family until the end of their lives. The king respected them as his own relatives. He found them a house near the southern gate of the temple. Bandhu Mohanty was very happy to be able to stay near his friend Lord Jagannatha. He happily served Lord Jagannatha along with his family until the end of his days.

This is an example of Lord Jagannatha’s bhakta-vatsalya (love for His devotees) mood. He responds to all who serve Him with the greatest faith. He is very dear to His faithful devotees. For those who lack faith, Lord Jagannatha is very far away. Those who listen to these pastimes with Bandhu Mohanty will be freed from the consequences of sinful activities. Success will accompany them and they will never see Yama-loka. This is the verdict of the Vedic scriptures.