The traveler described how, on the remote mountaintop of Niladri, he had seen the demigods worshipping the Lord. The King immediately requested his chief Brahmin priest, Vidyapati, to find this Deity, so that all ofAvantipura could be presented at the lotus feet of the Lord as an offering of love.
After a month’s journey without rest, Vidyapati found Mountain Niladri, where he discovered Sabaras, lowborn pig herders, camped near the holy ground. Looking beyond class distinctions married the daughter (Lalita) of the tribal chief, Vishvavasu, who had been worshipping the Lord in great secrecy. Due to his daughter’s request, Vishvavasu finally agreed to show Lord Nila Madhava to Vidyapati with a precondition that he had to reach the site blindfolded. But the Brahmin tricked his father-in-law by following the idea of his wife Lalita. He sprinkled mustard seeds along the path, which would eventually sprout and lead the emperor back to claim the Lord’s attention.
For many years Vishvavasu had served Lord Nila Madhava with simple fruits like Kanda Mula (Sweet Potatoes) and flowers. Knowing the prayers of Indradyumna, Nila Madhava spoke to Vishvavasu and revealed his intention of accepting more opulent worship according the desires of Indradyumna. Vishvavasu was devastated.
No one can predict the plan of the Lord. Sometimes he bestows special mercy on his devotees by being present before them, and sometimes that mercy is also shown through separation, which increases the longing and attachment of the devotee towards the Lord.Vishvavasu blamed Vidyapati for persuading Nila Madhava to accept Indradyumna’s worship. Accusing the Brahmin of cheating him, Vishvavasu bound Vidyapati with ropes. Vishvavasu’s daughter heard her husband’s cries for help and freed him to return to Avantipura.
Upon Vidyapati’s return, Indradyumna climbed upon his chariot and led an army to the mountain, where they located the trail of tiny mustard plants. The two struggled with the temple door and discovered that Nila Madhava had vanished.
Only Vishvavasu could be suspected of removing the Deity. In his desperation to keep the Lord he might have done anything. However, when they found the chief of the Sabaras, he was still mourning Nila Madhava’s departure. Not believing his lament they arrested Vishvavasu. Suddenly Narada Muni, a great sage, appeared and revealed what had really happened to Nila Madhava.
The Lord had withdrawn due to His own choosing, but he would reappear again in the form of Lord Jagannath to bestow benedictions upon the entire world. Whereas Nila Madhava had enjoyed the simple and intimate service of Vishvavasu, his appearance as Jagannatha would be for the benefit of everyone. First, however, Narada Muni announced that a great temple mustbe constructed. Then Lord Brahma, chief of the demigods, would receive Indradyumna on his own planet and plan for the sacred installation of Jagannatha Swami, the Lord of the Universe.
When the temple was finally completed, Narada Muni escorted Indradyumna to his father’s abode on Satya-loka. The home of Lord Brahma is inaccessible to ordinary human beings, but so great was Indradyumna’s devotion to God that even Lord Brahma was eager to meet him. LordBrahma further described how Lord Jagannatha would appear in a wooden form from a great kalpa-briksa tree, transported from the spiritual planet of Svetadvipa.
As Indradyumna returned to the earth in a space ship from Brahma’s planet, he noticed that things had changed. Though he was away for what seemed a short time, the earth had aged many years. No one recognized him in his own kingdom, and his trusted priest Vidyapati had been replaced by another.
The King remained bewildered until a mystical crow revealed how all Indradyumna’s associates had died in his absence. For the sake of worshipping the Supreme he had lost everything; family, friends, and kingdom. King Indardyumna put up the tallest monument of the world for Jagannath. It was 1,000 cubits high. Seeing the temple Brahma was immensely pleased with him. He asked him as to in what way can he (Brahma) fulfill his (Indradyumna’s) desire, since he was very much pleased with him for his spirited effort to construct the most beautiful temple for Lord Vishnu. With folded hands, Indradyumna said, “My Lord if you are really pleased with me, kindly bless me with one thing, and it is that I should be issueless and that I should be the last member of my family”. As Indradyumna was thinking that in case anybody left alive after him, he would only take pride as the owner of the temple and would not work for the society… Narayan Narayan. This teaches the world that how much high state of mind a devotee can achieve by his/her unselfish bhakti bhaba towards the Supreme Lord.
Indradyumna was searching the Lord’s form, which had to be installed in the temple, but he had not got even a single hint how to find Lord’s form. Despite this hardship, Indradyumna remained steadfast in his courage. He knew that God sometimes tests the love of his devotees by removing all other objects of affection. King Indradyumna was determined to hasten the Lord’s arrival by fasting, if necessary until death. Then Jagannath did appear, but only in a dream and the emperor was guided to a great log floating in the ocean. No ordinary tree, this giant had come uprooted from the spiritual sky, part of the same transcendental energy as the Lord’s own body. Even the might of the army could not budge it.A lowly Sabara stepped from the crowd and handled the huge trunk with ease. This amazing fellow turned out to be a descendant of Vishvavasu, and he carried the sacred log to Gundicha Temple for preparation.
The greatest craftsmen in the entire world assembled to carve the Lord’s Deity form, according to scriptural injunctions. But all their tools simply shattered to pieces. Then a mysterious old Brahmin appeared, Ananta Maharana, and he agreed to carve the Deity of the Lord. But it had to be done on his own terms: complete isolation for three weeks. Gates were locked and the beat of the chisel resounded for days. After only two weeks however, it stopped and Indradyumna worried. He thought that as the Brahmin was old so he might be struggling for the life inside.
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