Lord Jagannath who is none other than Krishna has appeared in this world to shower his mercy upon us and take us back to his spiritual abode.
With every rising and setting of the sun, our life span reduces by a day. The invisible death constantly follows us like a shadow. We are slowly but surely marching towards the graveyard. But like an ostrich we refuse to accept this reality.
So, Krishna comes to this world again and again to jog our memory that we are not eternally condemned to again and again die in this world in different bodily suits. He says, rather emphatically, that we should return back to his kingdom where we do not have to die and can live forever free from all physical and mental sufferings.
“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.” Bhagavad Gita 8.16
Lord Jagannath is merciful to even the stubborn souls
But we the stubborn souls of this world like crooked Duryodhana laugh at his sagely advice. Nevertheless, Krishna does not give up. Although we resist his advances, he keeps trying.
Although we forcibly refuse to reciprocate with his benevolence, he is unwilling to leave us. So that we do not remain deprived of his grace, he appears in this world as deity in the temple. And he gives us an opportunity to associate with him because the deity of Krishna is non-different from Krishna.
But still there are obstinate souls who refuse to reciprocate with this mercy of Krishna. They won’t visit temple either because they do not believe in God or are indifferent to him. But the merciful Lord, does not leave them to languish in this world.
Definition of Rath Yatra?
For such reluctant souls, he comes out of his temple once in every year to shower his blessings upon them. Krishna coming out of his own abode as Lord Jagannath to bless the unfortunate souls and shower mercy is celebrated as Rath Yatra festival throughout the world.
In Jagannath Puri Dham, the famous Rath Yatra festival is celebrated and by the great grace of Jagannath’s dear devotee, Srila Prabhupada, today the Rath Yatra festival is celebrated throughout the world.
So, now not only the fortunate residents of Puri get the mercy of Lord Jagannath but people all over the world has become blessed because Jagannath’s mercy is showering upon them.
Having forgotten our relationship with Lord Jagannath we suffer
Having been living away from the Lord for uncountable number of years, we have got disconnected from the Lord who always desire to be with us.
Lord Jagannath comes under the blue sky once a year looking for the wandering souls on the path of self-destruction. The only hope for a person struggling for existence in the marshy land is to tightly hold a rope thrown to him and without offering any resistance, allowing himself to be pulled out from there.
We are also stuck in this world and are being dragged into an ocean of misery. Although, we try hard to rescue ourselves from insurmountable sufferings but fail again and again. In fact, the more we try to solve our problems through material means the more we get caught up in this material world.
This material energy not just punishes us but also puts us in ignorance. And so, although we suffer here, many times we fail to understand that we are suffering.
Indra as a hog refuses to become the king of heaven
Once Indra, the king of heaven, was cursed by his spiritual master, Brihaspati, to become a hog in this material world. So, he became a hog here. But soon he got attached to the hog body and began thinking that he is a happy hog.
So, when Brahma came to take him back to heaven, he refused to go. He said, “Why should I go somewhere else? I am enjoying my life here. I have a beautiful wife, lovely children and yellow food is always available for all of us.” Brahma was flabbergasted. He forcibly took him back.
Our condition is not much different. Although we wear the suit made of blood, mucus, urine and stool, we do not feel disgusted. Instead, we explore all avenue to be happy here.
In a prison, even the best prisoner is a prisoner and is governed by prison laws. Similarly, in this world the best materialist is also a prisoner in this material world and is bound by the laws of material nature. And we all the prisoners are condemned to suffer and die here again and again.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, “The conditioned soul, however, is always covered by ignorance and embarrassed by the threefold miseries of life. Thus he is a treasure-house of all kinds of tribulations”: Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 18.114
Lord Jagannath’s mystical rope is there to rescue us
Lord Jagannath, the Universal father, knows our pathetic condition. He feels pain when he sees us in pain. So, he comes riding his majestic chariot and with his broad eyes desperately looks for us. Lord Jagannath is so keen to shower his mercy upon each one of us.
Seeing us stuck in the material ocean, he throws his mystical gigantic ropes amongst us inviting us to hold it tightly. He invites everyone. There is no discrimination.
As a son does not need any material qualification to get the love of his father. Similarly, to get the mercy of Lord Jagannath there is no material qualification or designation required. Men, women, children, rich, poor, black, white, Hindus, non-Hindus, Indians, non-Indians all are welcomed.
One can easily notice the big smile which Jagannath has on his face as soon as one holds the rope which is tied to the gigantic chariot. The Lord assures us that holding the rope and chanting his names we can cross over the ocean of material existence.
As we pull the mystical rope, the distance between Lord Jagannath and us gradually starts decreasing. And if we continue holding the rope with faith, with love and keep on calling his name again and again then the distance disappears, and the beautiful Lord appears in our heart.
As soon as we get shelter of Jagannath who is the saviour of the suffering souls, we get freedom from all miseries including the misery of repeated cycle of birth and death.
Lord Jagannath’s earnest invitation
Lord Jagannath loves us. He cares for us. So, he tries his best to save us from the painful material life.
In this world, no matter how best we try but we cannot be happy because the laws of material nature are not just stringent but also cruel. She will never allow us to be peaceful here. In this world, there is danger at every step.
Miseries enter into our life without any invitation. So, we should unhesitatingly accept Lord Jagannath’s invitation. Lord Jagannath comes out of his sanctum sanctorum to shower his mercy upon us and earnestly invite us to join him in his spiritual abode.
