The Tantric Jagannatha
Jagannatha is described as the famous Deity of Odra or Utkal in tantric texts like Kalika purana,
Rudrayamala, Brahmayamala, Tantrayamala. In the Tantric tradition, Jagannatha is worshiped with the
bija mantra klim and sits on the Kali yantra as Daksina kalika. He is also considered the Bhairava of
Vimala, who is the Bhairavi: vimala sa mahadevi jagannatha tu bhairava.
The Kalika Purana says:
udrakhyam prathama pitham dvitiyam jalasailajam tritiyam purnapithantu kamarupam chaturthakam
“Among the Tantric Pithas, the first and foremost is Udra or Uddiyana (Orissa), the second is Jalasaila,
the third is Purnapitha and the fourth is Kamarupa.”
Devi Bhagavata says:
srishtibhuta mahashakti manipura nivasini vimala sa parashakti uddiyana pureshvari
anjuna dehi me devi bahiryoge mamambike madhavah bhairava sakshat pranatosmi jagatpate
“In Orissa, Vimala is Parashakti and Pureshvari, the source of the creation of the universe, residing in
the City of Jewels. I offer my homage to You, o Goddess, together with Your Bhairava, Madhava. Please
bless me.”
The Kubjika Tantra describes the center of Orissa, the Sri Mandira in Puri, the abode of Mahalakshmi:
mahalakshmimaya pitha uddiyanamtah param. The Tantric Jagannatha is not so distant from the Vaishnava
Jagannatha as we may think. After all, the Tantric texts or Agamas also include a number of Vaishnava
Tantras that give specific ritual instructions for the worship of Vishnu. Particularly the Gautamiya Tantra is
often quoted by the six Gosvamis of Vrindavana in their writings. The Pancharatra method of worship is
also tantric; Vaishnavism is divided into Vaikhanasa (the Vedic method of the followers of Nigama
shastras) and Pancharatra (the Tantric method of the followers of the Agama shastras). At one point of
time, Tantra and Veda merge, as Tantra is considered an expansion of the Atharva Veda.
True, the tantric system of worship to Jagannatha was not to the liking of Ramanuja, and in fact when
he visited Puri he attempted to change it, but without much success.
This fact is related in the traditional texts of the Ramanuja Sampradaya, such as Prapannamrita by
Ananta Acharya and the Ramanuja Divya Charita, where it is said that Ramanuja came to Puri from north
India and attempted to reform the worship system in Jagannatha temple and appoint a new group of priests.
Jagannatha manifested His displeasure and Ramanuja was mystically carried away from Puri (it is said, by
Garuda) all the way to Sri Kurma kshetra. However, the Gaudiya Vaishnava method of worship is
definitely open to contemplating the passionate kama form of Krishna, that follows closely the tradition
celebrated by Jayadeva Gosvami in his Gita Govinda. The Kama Gayatri in the daily sandhya practice of
Gaudiya Vaishnavas is coupled with the Gopala Gayatri mantra that is the same basic mantra used in
Jagannatha temple for daily worship:
klim krsnaya govindaya gopi jana vallabhaya namah
klim kamadevaya vidmahe puspa-banaya dhimahi tan no ‘nanga pracodayat
“I offer my worship to Krishna, Govinda, the Beloved of the gopis. May Ananga, Kamadeva, inspire
us. I meditate on Kama Deva, who carries the arrow made of flowers.”
The bija mantras used in tha daily puja are Srim for Balabhadra (Ugratara), Hrim for Subhadra
(Bhubanesvari), and Klim for Jagannatha (Dakshina Kali). It is also very important to know that all the bija
mantras used in all ritualistic ceremonies (including those of the Vaishnava tradition) are taken from the
Sarada tilaka Tantra.
There are four main schools of Hindu Tantra, namely Odiyana, Jalashaila (Jalandhara), Shrahata
(Sirihata), and Purnagiri (Kamarupa or Kamaksha). The Odiyana, the most important, has it seat in Orissa,
and is also the Adi-bhumi of the Bauddha Tantra (the Buddhist Tantra). Here, Sarahapada started the
tradition based on the Buddha kapala Tantra, Kambalapada and Padmavajra started the tradition based on
the He Vajra Tantra, Luipada started the tradition based on the Samputa Tilaka Tantra, Lalitavajra started
the tradition based on the Krishnajamari Tantra, Gambhiravajra started the tradition based on the
Vajramrita Tantra, Kukkuripada started the tradition based on the Mahamaya Tantra.
In the viharas (Buddhist monasteries) of Ratnagiri, Pitopada started the tradition based on the
Kalachakra Tantra, and Jayadratha started the tradition based on the Chakrasambhara Tantra.
In the 8 th century, the famous Buddhist scholar Indrabhuti, who was the king of Sambalpur, started the
tradition called Vajrayana.
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This tradition unites the knowledge of the Tantras with the philosophical concepts of the Buddhism; it
spread throughout the world, and has been very prominent in Tibet and the Himalayan area. Jagannatha is
the main Deity (Vajresvara) of the Vajrayana tradition, while Balabhadra is considered as Vajrodaka (the
manifestation of Maha Vajresvara), Subhadra is Vajresvari and Sudarshana is Vajra. His sister and disciple
Lakshminkara Devi, who was the queen of Lanka (present day Sonepur), started the Sahajayana tradition
by simplifying the Vajrayana method.
From the Puranic episode of the Daksha yajna, we learn that Sati (the consort of Shiva) attended a yajna
performed by her father Daksha. When Daksha insulted Shiva, Sati became disgusted with him and with
her own relationship with her father, so she decided to destroy her own body by jumping into the sacrificial
fire.
Immediately Shiva rushed to the spot and picking up the half-burned body of Sati from the fire,
manifested a great anger and started to dance as he does at the time of the destruction of the universe.
Terrified, the devas prayed Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, begging Him to save them from imminent
destruction, and Vishnu used His Sudarshana chakra to cut the body of Sati into pieces. Sati’s navel fell at
Jajinagar or Jajpur (in Orissa), the abode of Goddess Viraja, and other parts of Sati’s body fell in different
places all over the Indian subcontinent. Finally only Sati’s feet were left, and Shiva was still walking
around Purushottama kshetra in a trance-like state. Vishnu finally asked him to keep the feet of the Mother
Goddess here: thus this area came to be known as Pada pitha, the abode of Goddess Vimala.
lokanatha shivoyatra tirtharajah mahodadhih
vimala bhairavi yatra jagannathastu bhairavah
“In that place where Lokanatha Shiva resides, Mahodadhi is the Tirtha-raja, the abode of Vimala, and
Jagannatha is Her Bhairava.”
Several temple images of the Bhauma period depict Ekapada Bhairava, carved in the form of a wooden
pillar (the base of the pillar constituting the “single foot” that translates “ekapada”), with the big round
eyes that characterise the Ugra form, a tiger skin on his hips, and the urdhvalingam. It is said that Adi
Shankara installed a Bhairava Deity on the Ratna simhasana together with Jagannatha, a Deity that was
removed when Vaishnavism became prominent in Orissa.
According to the Tantra shastras, every Tantra pitha is protected by the Ashta-shaktis along with their
Ashta-sambhus, seated each on one petal of an 8 petalled lotus. In this case for Sri Kshetra, the Ashtashaktis
are: Mangala in the Agni-kona, Vimala in the Paschima-kona, Sarvamangala in the Vayu-kona,
Ardhasoshani in the Uttara-kona, Alamba Devi (Alama Chandi) in the Ishana-kona, Marichika in the
Purva-kona, and Chandarupa in the Nairruta-kona. Similarly, the Ashta-sambhus are: Kapalamochana,
Yameshvara, Ishaneshvara, Bilveshvara, Nilakantha, Vatesha, and Lokanatha.
In Sri Kshetra the following Devis are prominent: Kutama Chandi, Mashani Chandi (Smashana
Chandi), Khamba Kali, Bedha Kali, Mahakali, Bata Mangala, Khamba Mangala, Vimala, Kamala,
Jhadeshvari, Sitala, Khamba Vimala, Uttarayani, Alama Chandi, Varahi, Chamunda, Ramachandi,
Harachandi, Shyama Kali, Dakshina Kali, Bata Kali, Grantha Kali, Marichai, Narayani, Hata Jodi
Thakurani, Shola Pua Ma, etc.
In the Yantra puja, the Deities are seated on a Yantra to be worshiped. In Sri Kshetra, Balabhadra is
seated on Tara Yantra, Subhadra on Bhubanesvari Yantra, and Jagannatha on Dakshina Kali Yantra. The
cremation grounds are used for sadhana; in Sri Kshetra on the north of the temple the Koili Vaikuntha is
the Deva Smashana, where Smashana Chandi resides.
The animal sacrifices (also called bali) are also an important aspect of the worship. In the Jagannatha
temple, in front of Goddess Vimala, fish is cooked in a temporary makeshift kitchen and animals
(especially goats) are sacrificed during Maha-saptami, Maha-astami and Maha-navami in Durga puja.
The Durga saptasati chandi, a very important text for the Tantrics, is divided in three Charitras:
Prathama, Madhyama and Uttara Charitras, each presided by a particular Devi and in chronological order
Maha-Sarasvati (white in color), Maha-Lakshmi (golden in color) and Maha-Kali (black in color).
The Mahanirvana Tantra states:
ugratara sulapani subhadra bhuvanesvari niladrau tu sakshat jagannatha dakshina kalika
“In Niladri Balabhadra is Ugratara, Subhadra is Bhuvaneswari, and Jagannatha is Dakshina Kalika.”. These three Devis are the most important Goddesses in the Tantric rituals; so Balabhadra is connected
with Maha Sarasvati, Subhadra with Maha Lakshmi and Jagannatha with Maha Kali. To highlight this
identification, the Deities of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra always wear saris (the garment
generally used by women) and a nose ornament made of flowers.
The Aranyaka Taittirya Upanishad confirms:
tvam strim tvam puman asi tvam kumara uta va kumari
tam jirna dandava chesi tvam jata bhavati visvato mukhah
“You are simultaneously woman and man, You are youthful girl and boy and at the same time You are
the eldest. You are self-manifested, and Your divine face is everywhere.”
According to the Saudarshini Vamadeva Samhita, credited to Padmapada Acharya (one of the first and
foremost disciples of Adi Shankara Acharya, who was installed as the Parama Acharya of Govardhana
pitha):
tara yantra pralambagno subhadra bhuvanesvari syama yantra madhava che dakshina kalika svayam
“Balabhadra, the enemy of Pralamba, is sitting on the Tara yantra, Subhadra on the Bhubanesvari yantra,
and Madhava Jagannatha, who is Dakshina Kalika Himself, sits on the Shyama yantra (Kali yantra).”
The Purushottama Trailokya Mohana Gayatri mantra used in Jagannatha worship in Puri is as follows:
lim trailokamohanaya vidmahe puspa-banaya dhimahi tan no visnuh prachodayat
A further mantra says:
devam sri purusottamam kamalaya svankasthaya pankajam
bibhratya parirabdhan ambujaruca tasyam nibaddheksanam
Jagannatha is meditated upon in a jewel mandapa, decorated with 4 toranas (archways) under a Kalpa
vriksha in the heavenly garden filled with flower beds, peacocks and cuckoos. Jagannatha is sitting with
Lakshmi (who sits on His left thigh) on a red lotus flower. Both have reddish intoxicated eyes, and
Lakshmi wears two yellow pieces of cloth (as upper and lower garment).
The worshiper invites Him to manifest in his heart with this meditation:
om trailokya mohana hrsikesa apratirupa manmatha sarva stri hrdaya karsana agaccha agaccha namah
In the center of the lotus mandala sits the Bija mantra klim (the Kama Gayatri bija mantra), and the first
8 petals around the lotus center are the 8 Shaktis Vimala, Utkarsini, Jnana, Kriya, Yoga, Prahvi, Satya and
Isana. The 8 weapons that are part of the mandala are ankusa (the goad), mushala (club), khadga (sword),
chakra (disc), pasa (noose), sankha (conch), dhanuh sara (bow and arrow), and gada (mace with a
spherical top).
The pancha makara ritual is symbolically practiced in the Jagannatha temple:
1. matsya: symbolized by atta (whole wheat flour) mixed with sugar to make kanti (a particular type of
pancake)
2. mamsa: symbolized by biri pitha (a pancake made with urad dal batter) with hingu (assafetida) and
ginger
3. mudra: yoni mudra (ritual hand gesture used during the worship), offering of aparajita flowers and
tamarind juice mixed with crushed ginger; also mudra is often substituted by an offering of grains.
4. maithuna: symbolized by the dance of the Bhitara gaunis during the Bada Sringara arati; on this
occasion the Maharis remove the cloth covering their breast.
5. madya: symbolized by green coconut water offered in a bell-metal (kamsa) container, and ghasa jala
(a particular type of water offered in an earthen pot)
Regarding animal sacrifices, the tradition in Jagannatha temple is that on Sandhi puja (at the junction of
Maha astami and Maha navami in Durga puja), one sacrificial animal is purified by a Ratha brahmana and
taken near to the Bakula pindi adjacent to the Vimala temple, in front of the lion (Durga’s vahana). A
sword is kept in front of Goddess Kali’s image painted on the wall on the right of GoddessVimala; the
sword is worshiped there before being used to behead the goat. Then the goat’s head is kept in an earthen
pot and the Goddess Vimala is offered plantains mixed to the sacrificial blood; uncooked rice also mixed
with the sacrificial blood. During Sola puja, the 16 days of the Durga puja festival in the month of
Ashvina, the chalanti pratima (festival Deity) of Goddess Vimala (Kanaka Durga) is worshiped along with
Nila Madhava in the Vimala temple. At this time a secret Ratha yatra (called Sarad Gundicha) is held in
which Kanaka Durga travels to the Narayani temple (in Temple Road) along with Nila Madhava. For the
entire Sola puja period, no women are allowed inside the Vimala temple.
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Contrarily to what many think, this is not because women are considered “inferior” or “unqualified” to
access the temple: rather the opposite, all women are considered direct incarnations of the Mother Goddess
and therefore if a lady entered the temple during the puja, the priests would have to interrupt the worship to
pay homage to her.
The famous Gopalarchana vidhi written by Purushottama Deva says that the bija mantra of Jagannatha
is the Kama (Pradyumna) mantra, and describes Jagannatha as Krishna, decorated with the peacock feather
and various ornaments, surrounded by cows and gopas, and worshiped by offerings of blue lotus flowers in
the form of the dark eyes of the gopis.
Krishnananda Bhattacharya also mentions, in his Tantra sara, that Jagannatha is worshiped as the
Sanmohana Krishna (the “all attractive Krishna”) with the klim kama bija.
The Jnana siddhi by Indrabhuti also quotes,
namaskrtya jagannatham sarva jnanarcitam, sarvabuddhamayam siddhi vyapinam gaganopamam
The other strong emotion (bhava) manifested by the Tantric Jagannatha is krodha, in the terrifying (ugra)
aspect in which Jagannatha is worshiped as Narasimha.
Narasimha is considered the Vaishnava equivalent of the Shaiva terrifying form of Bhairava and in Puri
the two concepts are closely tied together. Narasimha is extremely important in the worship of Jagannatha,
and especially in the long and complex rituals of Navakalevara, the renovation of the Deities.
The Rudra yamala Tantra recites, odresu vimala saktir, jagannathas tu bhairavah.
Several temple images of the Bhauma period depict Ekapada Bhairava, carved in the form of a wooden
pillar (the base of the pillar constituting the “single foot” that translates “ekapada”), with the big round
eyes that characterise the Ugra form, a tiger skin on his hips, and the urdhvalingam like the lions at the
gates at the temples. It is said that until the British period, a Bhairava Deity was sitting on the Ratna
simhasana together with Jagannatha. Another insteresting fact is that Bhairava Shiva is also identified with
the sun, with the name of Martanda Bhairava. The worship to Surya Narayana is also an extremely
important part of the rituals in Jaganatha temple in Puri: the Surya puja is performed every morning before
any other activity takes place in the temple. The strict connection between Jagannatha, Narasimha, Surya
and Bhairava is also confirmed by the prominent presence, inside the Lingaraja temple in Bhubaneswara (a
svayambhuva lingam of Hari Hara), of a large Laskhmi Narasimha Deity in black chlorite, the Deity of
Surya Narayana, and Jagannatha.
