“ast ananto avyayo vishnuh, purana-purushottamah muktim dadati yo devah saptadha bhakta vatsalah, smaranad bhaktanad yanat tatha namanukirtanat, ksetre vasad asu-tyagad, darshanac ca yatha tatha”
– SHIVA PURANA
The unlimited, imperishable & primeval Sri Purushottama Deva resides in Puri. warmly affectionate to His devotees, Sri Jagannath Deva bestows libeation in following 7 ways –
Puri or Jagannath Puri is the holy place of pilgrimage, where the Supreme Lord resides as Daru-Brahman (Transcendental Lord in a wooden deity form). Lord Krishna as Jagannath is very merciful and His form is very blissful. When a person is very blissful, it is said that, eyes become big…and there are many such transformations in the body….especially in the bliss of bhakti. That’s why, we can see that Jagannath has big eyes and a very blissful disposition.
The Puri dham is non-different from the Puri dham in Vaikuntha world. The Sri Mandir (where Lord Jagannath resides along with Baladev, Subhadra, Sudarshan & Others) is the main attraction & destination. Even the sea/beach, also called as “Mahodadhi” is considered sacred because, Lord Jagannath came floating in the sea.
The Mahaprasadam, is another form of mercy of Lord. Devotees who come to Jagannath Puri, never go hungry and always carry many kgs of Mahaprasad for distribution.
Once in a year, Lord Jagannath along with Baladev & Subhadra come out to give darshan to all. This festival is famous as Jagannath Ratha Yatra Festival. This is one of the biggest religious gathering on earth.
PURI CHARI KSHETRA PILGRIMAGE
TENTATIVE ITINERARY –
