Jagannatha — — The Jain Connection
Jagannatha or the supreme lord is a typical Lord. The more I researched about him, I got an opportunity to know about all kind of philosophies. He is just an ocean, a vast ocean in which all kind of philosophies get submerged.
In this blog, I want to have a look on the connection between Jagannatha and the Jain philosophy.
In Odisha or rather say Kalinga, the Jain philosophy found its way during the mighty king Karakandu(1), who is a celebrated hero of many Jain and Buddhist religious scriptures. Ancient Buddhist text of Kumbhakara Jataka mentions him to be the Pratyekabuddha or the enlightened living being. During his period, Parshvanath came to Kalinga and Karakandu was deeply inspired from his philosphy. After the arrival of Parshvanath in Odisha, it was a probability that a word Jagannatha was coined, as out of 24 tirthankars in Jainism, the name of 18 ends with Natha, so, the word Jagannatha means supreme Natha or the lord of all tirthankars. But while reading some scriptures I came to know about a new word Jinanatha, although this word is new for me but a very old word in Jain philosophy. Also during 750BC to 500BC, Jainism spread across the length and breadth of Kalinga. Also during 500BC to 300BC, the Kalinga Jina was worshipped across Kalinga, in which the Tri-Ratna ( sapphire on wooden image or Buddha’s head) was worshipped which implies the complete knowledge, complete philosophy and complete character and buddhist symbols of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. (2) Also it is known as right faith,right knowledge and right conduct.
Historically, it is known that the Nandas from Magadh defeated Kalinga in a war and took the Kalinga Jina which was again restored by King Kharavela who eventually defeated Bahasatimita ( a shunga king).
O.M. Starza discussed Annirudh Das’s theory that the original Jagannatha deity as influenced by Jainism and is none other than the Jina of Kalinga taken to Magadh by Mahapadma Nanda. This theory identifies the Jina of Kalinga recorded to have been restored to Odisha by Kharvela in his Hathigumpha inscription with Jagannatha.
Now, also in Udayagiri caves we got some faded pictures regarding this connection.
In the above pictures it can be assumed that the devotees are standing in front of Kalinga Jina or Jinanatha, whose picture is also not clear.
The picture, also from Udayagiri, shows the symbol of Tri-Ratna.
It is also evident that the twety two steps of Puri temple represent Twenty Two Tirthankars out of twenty four. The other Two Tirthankars are represented through the Ratnavedi of the temple and the Grand Road or Badadanda of Puri. When a Jain devotee enters the temple and starts climbing these holy steps, he touches each step with deep respect .
Pandit Nilakantha Das suggested that Jagannath was a deity of Jain origin because of the appending of Natha to many Jain Tirthankars. He felt Jagannatha meant the ‘World personified’ in the Jain context and was derived from Jinanath .Evidence of the Jain philosophy like the concept of Kaibalya which means salvation or “Who makes one free” are present in the Jagannatha cult. (3)
There are various slokas in Jain philosophy regarding Jinanath.
उदक चन्दन तन्दुल पुष्पकैः चरू सुदीप सुधूप फलार्घकैः।
धवलं मंगल गान र वा कुलेंः जिन गृहे जिननाथ महं-यजे।।
अष्टांग जिननाथस्य, पंचांग गुरू पादयोः।
सांधर्मीना शिरो नत्वा, नमनं त्रिविधं स्मृतं।। (4)
There is a small village known as Subai in Koraput (which is popularly known as Sabara Kshetra). A series of tweets were posted by Mr. Prabir Kumar Sahoo on the Jain heritage of that village. https://twitter.com/Odiapuo/status/905888667939590148
All the figures of the Trithankara, one has been depicted in sitting position on the pedestals. The Tirthankaras flanked by chauri bearers are provided with Kevala tree, trilinear umbrella, Prabhamandala and flying Apsaras. The hairs on the head of the figures are arranged in matted locks. One prominent figure of Rsabhanatha affixed to the outer wall, near the entrance to the premises, is carved in seated Yogasana pose along with other twenty-three Tirthankaras on the sides.
An Astagrahacharita Tirthankara in Kayotsarga Mudra on a lotus pedestal is now being worshipped in the Nilakanthesvara temple of Nilakanthesvara Kakatapur. Some believe it to be Mahavir. Others identify it to be Rsbhanatha. An image of Rsbhanath made of hard granite stone is found in the Nrasimhanath temple of Cadheibar near Balakati. Two Rsbhanatha images of sandstone are now being worshipped in the Lokesvara temple of Phulanakhara. (5)
Moreover, just for interlinking the facts, can we conclude that the word Jinanatha changed to Jagannatha in lateral phase, it’s all depends on your own thinking and perception. But Jagannatha is Jagannatha as no one will replace him in the entire history.
Jai Jagannatha
Jai Jinanatha
Ref:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakandu
- Lord Jagannath by Mr. Suryanarayan Das
- https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/jain-origins-of-jagarnath
- http://jainpuja.com/jain-puja/gandhodak-mantra.aspx
- The Cultural Synthesis of Prachi Valley by Debendranath Bhoi and Priyadarshini Baksi ( magazines.odisha.gov.in/…/engpdf/the_cultural_synthesis_of_prach_valley.pdf )
