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Then
learn the circumstances leading to installation of such sacrosanct images that
have been luring lakhs and lakhs of devotees in all days and in all seasons.
One chronicle recounts on the basis of the existing wooden images of the
presiding deities, that one celebrated king by name Indradyumna of Malva
constructed the temple in the dim past. Desiring to offer worship to the image
of Lord Vishnu personally, he did penance and performed one thousand Aswamedha
yagnas. Pleased with his devotional ardor. Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of
log floating on the sea. Forthwith, he commanded the expert sculptor cum
carpenters to fashioning the log into an image of Mahavishnu. Alas! the chisels
lost their edges. when applied to that divine log. And blood started oozing at
every stroke of the hammer. Mahavishnu then came in the form of an old carpenter
and consoled the desperate kin-, that he would make the image within 21 days. if
a room exclusively meant for this with provisions for absolute privacy were
provided. The king agreed. As days passed, the king's curiosity mounted and went
beyond the stage of endurance. With uncontrollable inquisitiveness, he opened
the doors before the scheduled time and found there, three incomplete images of
Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. When searched for the
carpenter, he failed to locate him anywhere. All the three images were found in
shapes only frown the waist upwards. The hands of Balabhadra and Jagannath were
not fully fashioned nor polished. They were incomplete, while for Subhadra, no
attempt making hands was taken up. Fearing further disaster, Indradyumna
installed and worshipped them with all due rituals. This credibly incredible
account - a fusion of fact and fiction is to be only believed than, questioned.
Belief takes one nearer to the 'Lord whereas doubt drives him out of the
compound. Reserving the controversies to the research scholars, let us worship
the Lord soulfully for Jagatkalyan. This is the belief and it is honored by all.
Location
: The temple lies in Puri, accessible by four wheelers from Bhuvaneswar,
Orissa.
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