Once there was a king of Odisha in the name of Kapilendra Dev. At that time Puri was the capital of Odisha. Puri is internationally famous for the Sri Jagannatha temple(Shri Mandir) and the Chariot festival (रथयात्रा). Puri is also known as Nilachal. Shri Narottam Dash was one of the priests(Purana Panda). He was residing in the village of Kapileshwarpur near Puri. As per tradition, his grandson Shri Bhagwan Dash was also appointed as a priest of Shri Jagannath temple. Padmavati was the wife of Bhagwan Dash. Even after years of marriage, the couple was childless. They wanted their lineage to continue.

At last, they surrendered before Lord Jagannath and continuously prayed to bless them with a son. Being pleased with their prayers Lord Jagannath blessed them with a son in the year 1487. As the child was the blessing of the lord, they named him Jagannath. They gave him proper education as per the Vedic traditions. During that time child marriage was prominent. When Jagannath Dash reached the age of twelve, his parents wanted him to get married. But Jagannath Dash refused to marry. He was a spiritual person and remained detached from the world. He was determined to practice celibacy (ब्रह्मचर्य) throughout his life. He had exceptional memory power and understanding. He remembered complete Ramayana, Mahabharat, Vedas, Grammar etc. by heart.

His father Bhagwan Dash died when he was only 16 years old. After his father's death, he took the job of reading Shrimad Bhagwad in Sanskrit in the Shri Mandir. He was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath. Since ancient times Shrimad Bhagwad is a widely followed scripture among the Hindus. At that time the commentary was being given only by Sanskrit Pandits in Puri. Legend has it that the mother of Jagannatha Dash used to go to the temple to listen to the commentaries of Shrimad Bhagwad from the Sanskrit pandits. 

Once she could not understand the commentary of a verse of the Bhagwad and asked the Sanskrit pandit to make her understand. At this, the Sanskrit pandit got furious with her and addressed her as a poor, illiterate woman and insulted her. Being hurt by the words of the pandit, she returned back to her home crying. The next day she requested her son Jagannatha to translate Shrimad Bhagwad into the Odia language. Listening to her request Jagannatha Dash felt as if the whole population of Odisha requested him to translate the same. But internally he was hopeless and inefficient to translate such a vast scripture into the Odia language. But somehow he felt that it could be possible if Lord Jagannatha would bless him. 

He continuously prayed to the lord to inspire and enlighten him and make him eligible for this divine job. One night Lord Jagannath appeared in his dream and directed him to translate the divine scripture into Odia without any fear or doubt. Lord Jagannath assured him that he himself would be the guiding light while translating the scripture. So now with the blessing of his mother and Lord Jagannath, started writing the verses of Shrimad Bhagwad in Odia language. As he continued writing he the verses spontaneously came to his mind with the grace of Lord Jagannatha. 

The beauty of Odia Bhagwat is that every verse contains ‘Nine Odia letters’. It took him five years to complete the translation. It was written by him in the form of songs. After the completion of translation, Jagannath Dash orated the Odia scripture before the idol of  Lord Jagannath and his mother in his home. He had a very clear and sweet voice. The local people gradually came to the temple to listen to his recitation of the Bhagwat in Odia. Day by day his popularity increased among Odia people, especially among the women. It was so enchanting that people felt spontaneous peace and devotion internally. 

But unfortunately, the Sanskrit pandits got jealous seeing the growing popularity of Jagannath Dash and named his translated Bhagwat as 'TELI Bhagwad' to make fun of him. Teli (तेली) is a caste (जाति). Their primary livelihood is to draw oil from different types of seeds. The pundits of Puri complained before the then King of Puri, Shri Pratap Rudra Dev. They accused Jagannath Dash of cheating in the disguise of a Brahmin Pandit and was trying to impress the women. The king hearing this sent for Jagannath Dash. The king ordered Jagannath Dash to appear before him and explain his defence to the accusations against him. In his defence, Jagannatha Dash presented his side of the story. He told the king that he is a devotee of Lord Jagannath and a celibate. The accusations made by the pundits were baseless.

But the king could not realise his pure devotion and innocence as he had been influenced by the pundits. He punished Jagannath Dash with imprisonment. Jagannath Dash felt helpless and prayed to Lord Jagannatha to save him from the disgrace. In his earnest prayers, Lord Jagannath transformed him into a beautiful woman then and there in the prison. The next day when the guards saw this, they informed the king about it. The king then went to the prison and saw for himself. He found Jagannath Dash in the form of a woman and realised his mistake. Then Jagannath Dash was released from the prison and allowed to carry on with his recitation of Odia Bhagavad in the temple.


Once the king Pratap Rudra Dev while listening to Bhagwad from Jagannath Dash at a place named ‘Bata Ganesh’ (वट गणेश). The king saw him in the form of ‘Asthabhuj’ ( अष्टभुज, having eight hands) with Shankha(Conch), Chakra(Disk), Gada(Mace), Padma(Lotus), Dhanu(Bow), Ban(Arrow). Jagannatha Dash used to give commentary on Bhagavad at Bata Ganesh. While giving discourse he would get overwhelmed with devotion and forget about himself. Once Sri Chaitanya heard his discourse and was so pleased that he gave him the title of ‘Atibadi’ (अतिवडी). 


Although a male, Jagannath Dash worshipped the Lord with a feeling of a Dasi (a female servant). Lord Jagannath is said to be the reincarnation of Lord Krishna. So Jagannath Dash was having the devotion of a ‘Gopi’ of ‘Dwapar Yuga'. Legend has it that two Devkanya (divine girls) Medha and Sumedha used to come from heaven to serve Jagannath Dash. 


Once a merchant in the name of Kashiram gifted the king a big piece of sandalwood for Lord Jagannath. The king gave a small piece of that wood to apply on Lord Jagannatha. But Jagannath Dash unknowingly applied the paste on a wall of the temple. On being reported the king sent a man to examine the idols of the Lord with his siblings and found the sandal paste on the three idols. 

    

JagannathDash used to reside in an ashram called ‘Sata Lahadi Mathas’ (seven waves hermitage). He has penned other devotional books in odia such as ‘Gupta Bhagwata’(गुप्त भागवत,ଗୁପ୍ତ ଭାଗବତ), ‘Tula Bhina’ (तुला मीणा,ତୁଳା ଭୀଣା), ‘Darubrahma Gita’(ଦାରୁବ୍ରହ୍ମ ଗୀତା,दारुब्रह्म गीता) ‘Shaivagama Bhagwad’(शैवागम भागवत,ଶୈବାଗମ ଭାଗବତ), ‘Upasana Satakam’(ଉପାସନା ଶତକମ୍, उपासना शतकम) ‘Niladri Satakam’(निलाद्री शतकम, ନିଳାଦ୍ରୀ ଶତକମ୍) etc. Legend has it that Lord Jagannath had made the waves of the sea go back by seven waves to save the ashram of Jagannath Dash. He is popularly known as ‘Atibadi Poet Jagannath Das’ (କବି ଅତିବଡୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ଦାଶ). He left for his heavenly abode at the age of 60 while chanting the divine name of  Lord Jagannath.


Source - Odia Bhagabata (ओड़िआ भागवत)


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