The merciful deity in Puri known as Patita Pavana sits just inside the eastern entrance to the temple of Jagannath, the “Lion-gate”, standing on a platform

to the right as a devotee enters the temple. Patita Pavana is different from the main deity of Jagannath in the temple in several ways. First of all, he is by himself, without his Sudar-shan Chakra, his brother Balaram, or his sister Subhadra. Secondly, the deity has manifested only a face, with no arms or torso. In Orissa, when Jagannath is worshiped without his brother and sister he is known as Patita Pavana, the purifier or deliverer of the fallen, or Dadhi Vaman, the dwarf or child who likes yoghurt.

There are several versions as to the origin and date of in-stallation of this deity of Patita Pavana inside the Lion-gate. Sri Sundarananda Vidyavinode, a scholarly disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, has cited three local tradi-tions in his authoritative book, Çré Kñetra: Some claim that Jagannath manifested himself to give darçana to his devotee Salabeg, who was born in a Muslim family.1 Others say that this deity was installed during the reign of King Ramachan-dradev in 1738 AD. Still others say that this deity manifested for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Another local tradition, not mentioned by Sundarananda, is that Patita Pavana appeared at the time of Mahaprabhu to benedict Haridas Thakur, who could not go inside of the temple.

However, whatever his origin, Patita Pavana Jagannath is one of the most prominent deities in Puri. Via his darçana, and in the poetry, song, dance, drama, and paintings of Orissa as well as in the heartfelt prayers offered to him, Patita Pavana has played a major role in the lives of countless devotees for at least the last 250 years. We present below an examination of the two most prominent stories about his appearance.2

SalabegMuslim-born Salabeg heard from his mother about the glories

of Lord Jagannath, the deliverer of all fallen souls. Thus a tremen-dous desire to see Jagannath awakened in Salabeg’s heart. With a great desire to see the Lord, he arrived in Jagannath Puri, but was not allowed to enter the temple. Out of grief, he lay down in front of the main entrance of the temple and began to cry.

His tears of separation from the Lord attracted Jagannath, who came from the main altar and appeared at the main gate of the temple to please his devotee. Salabeg composed many wonderful prayers to Jagannath. He is generally considered to be the author of the Patita-pävanäñöakam, eight verses glorifying Patita Pavana Jagannath. Some say that he composed Patita-pävanäñöakam after the deity of Patita Pavana manifested before him.

Ramachandra DevThe Gajapati king Ramachandra Dev II assumed control

of Khurda and Puri during a turbulent time in Orissa. The son of Maharaja Gopinath Dev,3 Ramachandra II ruled from 1727 to 1736 A. D. 4 Districts like Cuttack, Khurda and Puri were constantly under attack by the Muslim military officer Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan and his son Mirza Muham-mad Taqi Khan. Although Ramachandra Dev fought his best to keep the temple of Lord Jagannath free from the invaders, he ultimately lost out in one of the battles and on the 3rd of January 1732 5 he was captured and held at the Barabati fort

The Body of The PaTiTa Pavana deiTy

Patita Pavana is a unique deity in that he is not carved from wood as the deities in the temple are. He is made of a combina-tion of frankincense, sandalwood paste, natural camphor, resin, scented oils from the aguru and chua plants, and fragrant musk coming from a gland on the Himalayan musk deer.

The Origin of the Deity of Patita Pavana

T

Sri Krishna-kathamrita 7

in Cuttack.6 According to tradition, Ramachandra Dev II remained as a prisoner under Taqi Khan for thirteen months and fifteen days.7

During Mughul rule, it was common for imprisoned warriors to be offered their kingdom back on the con-dition that they convert to Islam. Gajapati Maharaja Ramachandra Dev was approached by Taqi Khan with a similar condition. He was offered the kingdom of Puri and Khurda on the condition that he convert to Islam by marrying the daughter of Shuja Khan.

Ramachandra Dev was in a great dilemma. On the one hand, if he remained a helpless prisoner he feared for the temple of his beloved Lord Jagannath under the rule of the invaders. On the other hand, if he ac-cepted Islam to gain his freedom and kingdom back, then he would have to give up his religious practices. Ramachandra Dev finally agreed to Taqi Khan’s proposal. He accepted the daughter of Shuja Khan in marriage, and, at least externally, adopted the religion of Islam, thereby protecting Lord Jagannath’s temple from the attacks of the Muslims. Ramachandra Dev was freed and became the mallika (superintendent) of the temple under his new name Hafir Qadir.8

Desolate and AloneHowever, when Ramachandra returned to his palace as

a Muslim, his wives became disgusted and left with their children, returning to the homes of their respective fathers. Similarly, the management board of the Jagannath temple, known as the mukté-manòapa, banned Ramachandra from entering the temple and barred him from performing the traditional functions of the King of Puri, such as sweeping Jagannath’s cart. In Puri there is a long tradition called mahädépa. On the night of every Ekädaçé, a large lamp is lit on top of the Jagannath temple. After climbing up and putting fire to the wick, the priest calls out a verse written in old Oriya seeking blessings for the king of Puri:

cakra re! uhäòi çaëkha re puräi khordhä räjä räma-candra devaìku rakñä karo he mahäbäho

O Mahaprabhu [Jagannath is often called Mahaprabhu], with your conch shell and disc, please give protection to the king of Khurda, Ramachandra Dev [or whoever happened to be the king at the time].

After his external conversion to Islam, the paëòäs stopped calling out Ramachandra’s name during the mahädépa cer-emony. He was considered to be patita, fallen from his caste, due to his contact with non-Hindus. Ramachandra Dev had made the biggest sacrifice of his life in order to protect the temple of Lord Jagannath, yet no one sympathized with him.

Patita-pävanäñöakam

Prayers To The savior of The fallen

Accredited to Bhakta Kavi Salabeg

TexT One

sa-cinta iva lakñyase sapadi me caritraà smaran paraà kalita-sähasaù patita-pävanatva-vratät

na mäm agaëayaù purä na hi vicära-kälo ’dhunä vrataà visåja väthavä varada pävayainaà janam

O Lord! Bestower of boons!I see you are concernedUpon contemplating the record of my past activities;Even so, I have dared come before youBecause of your promise to purify the most fallen.Previously you cared nothing for me,But now is no longer the time to make judgments:Either renege on your promiseOr purify this most fallen soul.

TexT TwO

na räghava! na väyaso na khalu kåñëa caidyo ’smy aham na khalv aham ajämilo naraka-näça näräyaëa

pradhänam aparädhinäà parivåòhaï ca mäà päpinaà kñamä-jalanidhe! vidan sapadi sävadhäno bhava

O Raghava! I am not Jatayu, the vulture king!O Krishna! I am not Sishupal, the king of Chedi!Nor, Narayana, destroyer of hell, am I the sinner Ajamil!O ocean of forgiveness! You should knowThat I am the most sinful chief of all offenders,So be on your guard against me.

TexT Three

yad udyad-agha-lekhanä-kalana-jägrad-agräìguli- milat-prakhara-lekhané-mukha-vighäta-vétodyamäù

alaà kila lalajjire sapadi citraguptädayaù sa eña patitägraëé sadaya rakña dakño ’si cet

Chitragupta and the other scribes of Yamaraj,When trying to make a tally of my sins,Write and write until the nibs of their pens break,Causing them much embarrassment.O most merciful one, if you are expert enough,Then save me, the foremost of the fallen.

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For Rama chandra Dev, this was the darkest period of his life. Although he had the good fortune of being born in a royal fam-ily, and previously was having daily darçana of Lord Jagannath, those days now seemed to be a far cry away. Lonely and desolate, his only shelter now was the causeless mercy of Lord Jagannath.

According to the local tradition, after being denied entry, Gajapati Maharaja began going to Jagannath’s temple in the dead of the night. He would fall flat on the ground in front of the siàha-dvära, the Lion-gate of the temple, where he would cry and cry and pray to Lord Jagannath to mercifully bestow his darçana again.

Many times Krishna puts his devotees into such situations to increase their love and surrender. The difficulties in the life of Ramachandra Dev made him cry out for the mercy of the Lord in such a way that the Lord was not able to stay within the temple. It is said that Jagannath would leave his bejeweled seat and rushed to see his dear devotee by the gate. Seeing his prayers answered, Ramachandra Dev was stunned, and unable to check his ecstasy. Lord Jagannath was the only one who truly understood the heart of Ram-achandra Dev. Falling repeatedly at the lotus feet of the Lord, the king narrated his precarious condition and then returned back to his palace at Khurda.

As morning dawned, the priests of the temple were sur-prised to see many of the dayaëä 9 flowers and ornaments of the Lord scattered all the way between the ratna-siàhäsana, the Lord’s jeweled throne, and the siàha-dvära. This inci-dent kept recurring until one night Lord Jagannath came in the dream of one of the priests of the temple. Jagannath told him that he was displeased with the decision of the temple management. Since his dear devotee was not being allowed inside the temple, Jagannath said, he was going every night to the siàha-dvära to bestow his darçana on Ramachandra Dev.

This news spread like wildfire. Everyone in Puri spoke of the glories of the unwavering devotion of Ramachandra Dev towards Lord Jagannath. It is said that the Rajguru Parama lakshmi then installed the deity of Patita Pavana Jagannath just behind the siàha-dvära of the temple so that Maharaja Ramachandra Dev could have his darçana.10 The paëòäs also allowed the king to resume most of his duties. Although they still did not allow him to enter the temple,

Patita-pävanäñöakam

TexT FOur

vidann api håd-antare pratipadaà yad aàhaù-kåte yate yadu-pate na te viphalatä vrate syäd iti

yato ’si jagato guruù småti-niñedhatas te tato na näma ca bhajämi yady atha våthä krudhaà mä kåthäù

Within my sinful heart I know full well at every momentThat your vow to save the fallen will never fail to bear fruit.O Lord of the Yadus! You are the spiritual master of the universe;The scriptures say I am unworthy to worship youBecause of my sinfulness;So if I do not chant your name, please do not be angry with me.

TexT Five

ananta! yad aghävalé-manana-sävadhänätmakair nije durita-maëòale nikhila-säkñibhir nekñite

janä jagati nirbhayä jaya jayeti jalpanty amuà prabho! khala-dhurandharaà patita-pävanaç ced ava

O unlimited one! All those who have witnessed my sinsAre so terrorized that they stop seeing their own flaws,And fearlessly praise each other’s virtue.So if you are truly a purifier of the fallen,Then, dear master, save this worst of all miscreants!

TexT Six

aneka-patitädhipän avati cakravarté yathä nåpän ayam asajjanaù patita-pävanatvena nu

iti pratidiçaà khaläù patita-pävanaà mäà vidur na pävayasi cet phalaà nanu bhaved idaà kevalam

The king of the circle can give protectionTo his tributary kings, and I too have myself acted in this wayPretending to be a protector of the needy.So these rascals in every directionNow think of me as a deliverer of the fallen,But if you do not deliver me, O Lord,This reputation will be the only reward I get.

one who comes before him. In Jagannath Puri it is considered that even if one cannot go inside of the temple, one can get the same benefit of darçana simply by presenting oneself before the all-compassionate Patita Pavana Jagannath. The stories of Jagannath’s causeless mercy on Bhakta Kavi Salabeg and Ramachandra Dev are famous in Orissa and are an intrinsic part of Jagannath culture. Their examples have

they permitted the king to sweep Jagannath’s cart at Ratha-yäträ time and began again the practice of calling out to Jagannath to protect him while lighting the mahädépa on top of the temple.

ConclusionRegardless of his origin, to this day Patita Pavana Jagannath

stands by the siàha-dvära gate eagerly waiting to bless every-

Sri Krishna-kathamrita 9

Patita-pävanäñöakam

TexT Seven

kadäpi hi padämåtaà tava mayäpi näsväditaà våthä bhava-kathä-bharair api ca nätha! nétaà vayaù

tvayä yad api helayä mayi na ced vidheyä dayä tavaiva mahaté kñatiù patita-pävanatvaà yataù

Never once have I tasted the nectar of your feet,For my life has been wasted in mundane talk.If you should capriciously discard me nowAnd refuse me your mercy,Then your reputation as the savior of the fallenWill be greatly damaged.

TexT eighT

bhavän parama-dhärmikaù prakaöitätikäruëyakaù svatantra-carito yadi svayam ayaï ca kià nedåçaù

alaà kim api cet svakaà patita-pävanatvädikaà pradarçayatu nänyathä bhavatu te yaçaù sarvathä

You are the most dutiful Lord;You have given ample evidence of your compassion;You yourself are completely independent,But if you are so, then am I not also?So now, if you are the deliverer of the most fallen, Show it, or your good name will everywhere turn to disrepute.

TexT nine

vadanti yadi pävitäù patita-pävanatva-vrataà bhavantam adhikaà na tat parama-durvinéto ’py aham

punätu na punätu vä bhuvi yathä tathaiva bruve gåhäëa guëam eva me kuru kåpäà sadoñä na ke

If those who have been purified Speak of your promise to purify the fallen,I do not do so to any great extent,Even though I am the most ill-mannered of all.Whether you purify me or not, Whether I speak with propriety or not,Please take note only of my virtues,For who in this world is without fault?— Translated by Jan Brzezinski, from the version in Çré Kñetra by Sun-darananda Vidyavinode. Gaudiya Mission. Kolkata. 1978.

provided immense joy and hope to those devotees of Lord Jagannath who consider themselves completely helpless and fallen.

Notes

1 See the article “Bhakta Kavi Salabeg” in this issue.2 To our knowledge there is no substantial evidence for any of the theories that Patita Pavana manifested during the time of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Hence, in this article we have not touched on those beliefs.3 The Kaöaka-räja-vaàçävali, sections 98-99 describes Ramachandra Dev as the son of Gopinath Dev. However, the historian Dr. G. N. Mohapatra in his Jagannätha in History & Religious Traditions of Orissa, says that Ramachandra was the younger brother of Gopinath Dev.4 Unless noted otherwise, most of the information from this section comes from the historian Asutosh Nayak’s article on Ramachandra Dev in his Oriya book Bhaktera Jagannätha.5 This date is given by Mohapatra. p. 174.6 The Kaöaka-räja-vaàçävali (section 100), mentions that Taqi Khan employed an unnamed trick to take Ramachandra Dev prisoner. Dr. Mohapatra says that by using the guise of friendship, Taqi Khan was able to capture Ramachandra Dev.7 Mohapatra p. 174.8 Patnaik p.95.9 For more about dayaëä, see the article The Dayana Festival of Lord Jagannath in this issue.10 Jagabandhu Padhi gives this information on p. 146. He says that it is from the Mädaÿä Päïji p. 78. This story is also mentioned by Stietencron. p. 470.

darshan of JagannaTh

From the life of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

One day, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur went along with some devotees to the temple of Jagannath for darçana. After darçana he asked the devotees, “Have you seen Jagannath?” to which they replied, “Yes.”

“No, no,” he said. “You cannot see Jagannath. No one can see Jagannath, but he will see you: How you are a devotee, how pure you are, whether your life is good or bad. If you want to see Jagannath, that is for your enjoyment.” He used to say that Jagannath is dåñöa, the seer, whereas we are dåçya, the seen.

He always took darçana of Jagannath in Puri from behind the garuòa-stambha, not close to Jagannath, just like Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to do. He would say, “Let Jagannath see us. Let him cast his merciful glance upon us. He will look at Garuda, because Garuda is his devotee. So at that time he will see us. We will stand behind our guru, Garuda.” Many people would go close to Jagannath, but Srila Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada did not like that, saying, “It is better to present ourselves before Patita Pavana Jagannath, the deity just at the outside of the temple.”— Remembrance from Sri Jati Sekhara Das. From an interview conducted by Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

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