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| Lord Jagannath,Balabhadra and Subhadra |
What is the Significance or Importance of Puri Jagannath Ratha Yatra :
The Rath Yatra festival is also known as Gundicha Yatra,Ghosa Yatra,Navadina yatra,Dasavatra Yatra and by a variety of other names. Yatra literally means Travel or journey.Normally, yatra is the representative deities of temples more popularly known as Utsava Murthy in south and Chalanti Pratima or Bije Pratima in Orissa partake in these journeys. The yatra for the Ritual Journey take two forms - one involving the short circumbulation around the temple and other involving a longer journey from the temple to some other destination. In puri the Jagannath Rath Yatra takes second form of longer journey for seven days from main temple-Sri mandira to the Gundicha Temple.
The Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra is being unique among all yatras and is the grandest festival of the supreme divinity who has manifested himself in the Kali Yuga to emancipate and to relieve then from their sufferings. Lord Jagannath is identified fully with Lord Vishu and Lord Krishna. The sanctity of the festival is such that even a touch of the chariot or even the ropes with which these are pulled is considered to confer the results of several pious deeds or penance of ages.The significance or importance of Ratha Yatra has been explained in Hindu Puranas like in Skanda Puranam and Kathopanishada.
1) The Skanda Puranam glorifies the sanctity of the Ratha Yatra in the following words
" Gundicha mandapam namam yatrahamajanam pura
Ashwamedha sahasrasya mahabedi tadadvabat "
2) The concept of Chariot (Ratha) has been explained in the Kathopanishada (A scripture that unveils the Mystery of Death and Meaning of Life) in the following words
" Atmanam rathinam viddhi sareeram rathamevatu
Buddhim tu saarathim viddhi marah pragrahameva cha "
Meaning: || The body is the Chariot and the Soul is the deity installed in the Chariot. The Wisdom acts as the Charioteer to control the mind and thoughts ||
