We Will Not Go

C hapter 11 t he G lories of B hu B aneswar

Bindu-sarovara in Bhubaneswar

Çivajé then ordered his bull carrier Nandé, to install the sarovara. All the térthas came to that place, and all the holy rivers, such as Käveré, Gomaté, Kåñëä, Yamunä, Sarasvaté, Gaëòaké, and Åñikulyä Mahänadé also came. Also, the Mandäkiné and Kñérodaka came from the heavenly planets. When Lord Çiva saw that all the holy rivers had come, he asked all those holy rivers and térthas to please pour water there, drop by drop. Bindu means ‘drop’. This they did and Lord Brahmä installed that sarovara (lake) which is known as Bindu Sarovara. Bhagavän Janärdana and all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmä, bathed in that lake. This is how Bindu-sarovara was installed. If one bathes in Bindu-sarovara, it will be as though he has bathed in all térthas, because all the térthas are there. If

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one goes to the Ananta Väsudeva Temple, and has darçana of Ananta Väsudeva, it is considered the same as seeing the Supreme Lord.

Ananta Vāsudeva

After the appearance of Bindu-sarovara, Lord Çiva paid his obeisances to Lord Janärdana and the Lord placed Anantadeva on the eastern side of Bindu-sarovara. Çiva became the kñetrapäla, the guardian of the dhäma, and Anantadeva became the controller of the kñetra. Here Anantadeva stays with His sister, Subhadrä-devé. He is known as Lord Väsudeva. He fulfilled Lord Çiva’s desires, and to do so, He stayed on the eastern side of Bindu Sarovara. He is still there. In the front wall of His temple you will find Lakñmé Devé and also the Sudarçana Cakra. Here in Bhubaneswar, Ananta Väsudeva and Madana Mohana who have a four-handed form, are the Lords of Liìgaräja Çiva. During the time of Candana-yäträ, Çivajé, Ananta Väsudeva and Madana Mohana ride a swing and go to the festival. The Candana-yäträ festival at Bindu-sarovara is observed simultaneously with the Candana-yäträ at the Puré Temple, where there are three famous Çiva liìgas that accompany Madana Mohana to Candana-yäträ. In the Ananta Väsudeva Mandira, Vaiñëavé Bhagavaté herself cooks bhoga for Ananta Väsudeva. First Ananta Väsudeva is worshipped with this offering, and then His prasäda goes to the Çiva Temple. Çiva, who is always very desirous of Ananta Väsudeva’s prasäda, becomes very pleased. This is the Vaiñëava process. The Vaiñëavas first worship Lord Viñëu by offering Him bhoga, and then they offer His prasäda to Çiva. This is how a Vaiñëava worships Çiva. This is the system that is used in the Jagannätha Temple. You will

C hapter 11 t he G lories of B hu B aneswar

find the goddess Durgä there, and also Çiva and Lakñméjé. The Jagannätha prasäda is offered to Çiva, and there is no [direct] Çiva prasäda. That is the Vaiñëava process, and we accept it. But one who is not a Vaiñëava will directly offer bhoga in one’s worship of Çiva; therefore, a Vaiñëava can never accept such prasäda.

Śrīmān Mahāprabhu in Bhubaneswar

Çré Våndävana Däsa Öhäkura has mentioned in the Çré Caitanya-bhägavata that on His way to Jagannätha Purédhäma, Çrémän Mahäprabhu passed through Bhubaneswar. He visited the Liìgaräja Temple, because Lord Çiva is a very dear servant of Anantadeva, and He chanted and danced before the Bhubaneswar Liìgaräja.

We should not disrespect the demigods. Although the demigods are not the Supreme Lord, they are the servants of Kåñëa. Mahäprabhu has taught this principle. He visited Liìgaräja Çiva and paid him respect.

The Liìgaräja Temple in Bhubaneswar

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Lord Çiva is also bhakti-pradätä; because he is a great Vaiñëava, he can give you bhakti if he is pleased. He can also give you the adhikära, the right, or qualification, to serve the dhäma of the Lord. He can give you dhäma-sevä-adhikära and bhakti. For these reasons, the Vaiñëavas go to the temple of Çivajé; they pay their respects to Çiva and pray for the mercy of Lord Çiva so they may obtain kåñëa-bhakti. Also, since Mahäprabhu went there. Following in His footsteps, the gaurapriya-janas, the dear devotees of Gauräìga Mahäprabhu, also visit Lord Çiva temples.

The Glories of Śrī Bhubaneswar Dhāma

Excerpts from the Skanda Puräëa found in the Çré Caitanya-bhägavata by Çréla Våndävana däsa Öhäkura

How Did Lord Śiva Come to Bhubaneswar?

The Skanda Puräëa describes that Lord Çiva and his consort Parvaté were living contently in Käçé for a very long time. Then they went to Kailäça and left Käçé to be ruled by kings. Soon a king named Käçéräja ascended the throne. He was an ardent worshipper of Lord Çiva. By the will of destiny, he suddenly lost everything in a war. He was determined to destroy his conqueror in battle. This was none other than Çré Kåñëa, who was present on earth at that time. With vengeance in his heart Käçéräja sat down to perform the most severe austerities, meditating on Lord Çiva. By the potency of his austerity, Lord Çiva was attracted to appear before him and offered him a boon. Käçéräja eagerly asked, “I pray only for one boon from you, my Lord: that I may avenge my defeat and destroy Kåñëa in battle.” Lord Çiva is a magnanimous personality. No one can say how he will grace