Jagannath Rath Yatra has started in Puri from Friday. On June 27, on the auspicious date of Ashada’s Dwitiya, the idols of the Lord sitting in the Shrimandir were brought to Sinhwar with elder siblings and then seated on their own chariots from here. The process of removing the idols from the temple to the chariot is called Pahndi, in which God is taken with love and devotion to the shoulders. Millions of devotees from all over the country and abroad gather in Puri to join the Rath Yatra procession and see this journey. In the process of Rath Yatra, the idols of God are seated on the chariot and their chariots are pulled with hands and taken to Sri Gundicha temple. This temple is about 2.6 km from Puri Jagannath Temple. The Gundicha temple is believed to be the house of Mahaprabhu Jagannath, his brother Bhagwan Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra. How did Goddess Gundicha become God’s aunt? Goddess Gundicha is called the aunt of Mahaprabhu Tridev, but how did she become aunt of Tridev and what is her relationship with Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Jagannath? This is a great question.
In fact, when Utkal (today’s Odisha) King Indradyumna and his wife Rani Gundicha built the temple for Lord Neelmadhav, then the question came that how would the temple and idols have the life’s life? Worship could be done in the temple only after the ritual of Pran Pratishtha. The question arose as to who would be a Brahmin suitable for this task.
Devarshi Narada gave hard suggestions
Here, when Devarshi Narada reached Utkal, the king requested him to become a priest of life, but Devarshi Narada said- Brahmaji should perform the life of this divine idol. So you go with me and invite them, they will come. The king happily accepted this and asked Brahmaji to go with him to invite Devarshi. Then Narada Muni said that Rajan, have you consider it properly that you want to walk? The king said – what is the matter of thought in this? Right now it is the last phase of the establishment of Shrimandir, Pran Pratishtha is to be there, then I will retire.
King Indradyumna went to Brahmaloka to make Brahma priest
Then Devarshi Narada said that before going to Brahmalok, you should think first and meet your family for the last time. Last time … Rani Gundicha became uncomfortable after hearing these words. The king also did not understand anything. The royal family got upset. Then Devarshi Narada said, you are human. Going to Brahmalok and returning from there must have changed a lot of time on Earth. It will take many centuries. When you return, neither your royal family nor this kingdom. Even relatives will not survive. There will be a rule of someone else in Puri Nilanchal region. If you return with Brahmadev, you will hardly recognize this region.
Now there was a new problem for the king. He was not afraid of death, but he was worried that the temple was not established and until he would return with Brahma Ji, he does not know what will happen. Sensing their anxiety, Devarshi Narada said that before going to Brahmalok, you should build 100 wells, reservoirs and inn for travelers in the state. Also, do 100 yajna and tie this area of Puri with holy mantras. This will increase the pride of the state and the entire area will be safe. The king got all these tasks done and then agreed to walk. Then Rani Gundicha said that until you come back, I will live in samadhi through Pranayama and do penance. Vidyapati and Lalita said that we will continue to serve the queen. The king also asked Vidyapati to handle the kingdom, but he refused to sit on the throne and said that I will continue to protect the state while serving Rajmata.
Shri temple has been pressing in sand for centuries
After making all these arrangements, King Devarshi reached Brahmaloka with Narada and requested Brahmaji for the sanctity of Srimandir. Brahma agreed to the king and went with him to Srikshetra in Utkal. By the time they returned to Earth, many centuries had passed. Now Puri was ruled by someone else. All the relatives of the king were dead, but there was no one left in all generations of their relatives. During this time, the temple was also buried under the sand with the layers of time and remained in the sand for centuries.
By the time the king went to Brahmaloka and returned, a lot of time had passed on Earth. The kingdom of King Indradyumna had changed a lot and the storms had done their work. When King Indradyumna returned, another king Galu Madhav was ruling in Puri. On the return of King Indradyumna, Shrimandir came to the sea shore by a miracle (due to the storm). King Galu Madhav excavated and started preparing for its establishment.
After several centuries, when the king returned, the controversy arose, during which Indradyumna, who was the king of the east, came with Brahma Dev. Now praise the new king, a dispute arose between Lumadhav and ancient king Indradyumna. Then Hanuman ji disguised as a monk and told the new king Galu Madhav to all the incidents. King Galu Madhav was also a Krishna devotee. In the disguise of the monk, Hanuman ji told him that if this king is telling the truth, then ask it to find the door of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. At the behest of Galumadhav, King Indradyumna, who built this temple, easily found the path of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple buried in the sand, which the soldiers and artisans of Galumadhav had not yet found. As soon as the sanctum sanctorum of the temple appeared, Neel Madhav’s blue light spread all around and the temple came out in its entirety.
Here, Rani Gundicha also stood up from her grave when she realized that her husband had returned. When he opened his eyes, a young couple stood in front of him with his hand in his hand. The queen asked her introduction and said that you are the son -in -law of Vidyapati and Lalita. Then the couple standing in front said that no, they were very old ancestors, we have been worshiping you as our mother for many generations, this is a very old tradition of our family. You are a goddess for us and we believe that you have never had any disaster in the entire region.
Rani Gundicha’s broken tomb
Then Rani Gundicha said, “No children, I am not a goddess, but I am definitely your ancestor.” You take me to the Shrimandir located on the beach. The young man then told Rani Gundicha about the temple in the sand and took him there. King Indradyumna and Rani met once again. After listening to the queen’s words, King Galu Madhav also believed in her everything. Apart from this, he also found the remains of 100 wells, reservoirs and inn built by the king, from which he came to know about the fame of the king. Galu Madhav surrendered to the king and prayed to him for Krishna devotion. Now after all the things came to light, the life of the temple was presented. Brahma performed the yajna and killed Lord Jagannath at the hands of Rani Gundicha and King Indradyumna. Lord Jagannath appeared with his sister Subhadra and brother Balabhadra as soon as the prestige.
He blessed the king and asked him to ask for the bride of his choice. The king sought that all the soldiers andramics who have done labor in the construction of the temple and removing it from the sand should remain their grace. The king asked for many boon Lord Jagannath said and ask. Then the king said, whenever the story of Jagannath ji is heard, the names of your supreme devotee Vishwavasu, my brother Vidyapati and his wife Lalita must be taken. God said- and ask, then the king said- Rani Gundicha gave up his maternal happiness while supporting me, he will also be given a special place at your feet.
Then God said and demand- Raja said- bless all the devotees coming to this temple to follow the path of religion. God said- and ask Rajan. Then Rajan said and what should I ask? Then Balabhadra said, what you have sought, you have sought for others, do you want anything for yourself. Then King Indradyumna said, I have no desire left after visiting the three of you. Then God smiled and said. Rajan, according to your wish, my grace will be on all servants and workers. His generations will serve in various tasks of the temple. Vishwavasu, Lalita and Vidyapati’s descendants will be the main priests. Many legislations related to the temple will be fulfilled by him. Even today, in addition to the chariot in the Jagannath temple, new idols are also being made by the descendants of the servants who have been running since then. God called Rani Gundicha Mausi
After this, Lord Rani turned towards Gundicha and said, you have praised me like a mother, you are like my mother, you are like the goddess of Gundicha, so from today you became the goddess of Gundicha. I will definitely come to meet you once a year. Where you did penance, that place will now be the temple of my aunt Gundicha. It will be recognized as Devi Peeth. All three of us siblings will come to you and the world will know it as Rath Yatra. With this, every king of Puri will get the privilege of raining the gold tree on the Rath Yatra route. The practice of guarding the route of Rath Yatra is called ‘Chhera Pahar’. In this way, God blessed all the devotees who came along with Rajan, Rani Gundicha, Vidyapati and Lalita, Vishwavasu and the then king Galu Madhav of Puri. After this, Jagannath Puri became the house of God on the earth and Narayan’s Vaikuntha.
This is how the pilgrimage of Gundi became a pilgrimage
Vidyapati and Lalita and Vishwavasu descendants have been offering prayers in the temple of Puri. They are also called demonpati. Apart from this, descendants of artisans are also involved in other service works. On the day of Jyeshtha Purnima, God appeared, it is seen as his birth and then after 15 days of rest, they are shown out of the sanctum sanctorum and the Rath Yatra is taken out. This tradition continues even today. That is why God rode on a chariot every year and goes to his aunt Gundicha Devi. Rani Gundicha, wife of King Indradyumna, is the aunt of God. The recognition of his Dham is equal to Shaktipeeth, also known as Gundicha Peeth, Gundicha Devi and Gundicha Tirtha.
