Jun 3, 2023 — TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (SUN) — Snana-yatra is observed this year on June 3rd.
[The following piece of writing, having been forwarded some time ago by one Nanda Gopala dasa, who I believe to be a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, was found in a file stored in a Temple computer. Its author is presently unknown. I (Harakumara dasa) have taken the liberty of cleaning up the diction and punctuation, as well as editing slightly for better English idiom. With due respects to the devotional author, I am now submitting this informatively interesting and spiritually pleasing piece of writing for the edification and pleasure of the devotees of Their Lordships. I don't think the author, who should be credited, would object.]
SNANA-YATRA: a special bath of Lord Jagannatha taking place on the Purnima of Jyestha month (Devasnana Purnima) to commemorate His Appearance day
According to Skanda Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed the wooden Deities, he arranged this bathing ceremony. This day considered to be the birthday of Lord Jagannatha. Held on the full-moon day of the month of Jyestha, this festival is simultaneously held in all important towns of Orissa. In Puri, it attracts thousands of visitors and pilgrims from all over the country.
Niladri Mohadaya, a religious text written in Orissan (Oriya), records the rituals of the festival. Sriharsa in his Naisadhiya Caritra (XV.89), also refers to this festival of Purushottama. This bathing ceremony has a specialty. As this festival does not find mention in the early religious texts, it is believed to be a tribal ceremony. Lord Jagannatha in His early form was being worshipped as Nila Madhava by a Savara chief called Visvavasu. The story is nicely told in the drama Jagannatha Priya Natakam. Till now, it is the Daitas and Savaras (tribals) who have the exclusive right to conduct the festival. The tribals called Saoras (of southern Orissa) still perform a rite to bath their Deities ceremonially on the last day of the month of Jyestha. For this they collect water from remote jungles where it remains untouched even by the shadows of animals.
On the day previous to Snana Yatra, the murtis of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra along with the form of Sudarsana are ceremonially brought out from the Sanctum in a procession to the Snana Vedi (bathing pandal). This special pandal in the temple precinct of Puri is called Snana Mandapa. It is at such a height that visitors standing outside the temple also get a glimpse of the Deities.
On the fourteenth day (Chaturdashi, the day before the bathing on Purnima) when the Deities are taken out in procession, the whole process is called Pahandi or Pahandi-vijaya. Scholars have given different interpretations of the term 'pahandi'. Some opine that it has been derived from the term 'praspanda', meaning movement. Some others are inclined to interpret it as a derivation from 'pandyavijaya'. For the festival, the Snana Vedi (bathing platform) is well decorated with traditional paintings of trees and gardens. Flags and toranas (arches strung with mango leaves) are also put up. The Deities are profusely decorated with flowers. All kinds of perfumed items such as Dhupa (incense), Aguru (oils), etc. are then offered, as the 'Pahandi' of the Deities takes place to the accompaniment of music and beating of various indigenous drums. Thousands of devotees jostle, craving for a look at the Deities in procession.
In Puri, the bathing procedure is as follows. After Mangala Arati, the Suaras and Mahasuaras go in a ceremonial procession to fetch water from Suna Kunda (Golden Well) in one hundred and thirty vessels of copper and gold. All of them cover their mouths with a piece of cloth so as not to contaminate it, even with their breath. Then all the vessels filled with water are preserved in the Bhoga Mandapa. The Palla-pandas (of a certain class of brahmana priests) then purify the water with Haridra (turmeric), Java (whole rice), Benachera, Candana, Aguru, flowers, perfumes and medicinal herbs. The bathing festival takes place during the morning hours of the purnima-tithi. The filled vessels are carried from the Bhoga Mandapa to the Snana Vedi by the Suaras in a long single-line procession. This water is called 'Jaladhivasa' water, and the ritual is called Jalabhiseka (jala-water; abhiseka-bath).
Prior to the bathing ceremony, Their Lordships Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, covered in silken cloth and then smeared with red powder, are taken in procession to a platform which is specially decorated and purified with water and incense. One hundred and eight golden vessels are filled with water taken from a special well containing waters from all the holy tirthas. Abhiseka is performed with this water, accompanied by chanting of Vedic mantras, kirtana, and blowing of conchshells. Due to the amount of bathing liquids that are offered to cool the Lord's transcendental body at this time [bear in mind that this is the hottest time in India just prior to the refreshing monsoon rains], His painted form takes a bit of a wash-out.
The coloration of the Deities' faces are painted on with natural earthly mineral paints, not modern oil-based paints, so when water is applied to cool Their forms it also has the effect of washing away the features of the former face-painting. As usual the Lord has a plan to make everything go smoothly. To bridge the episode of His bathing and the period when He comes out to bless everyone by Rathyatra, He organizes some special pastimes by which His devotees can serve Him and remember His wonderful forms.
So to keep a wonderful mood of seeing the Lord in an uplifting manner, the Lord arranged for the Hati Vesha festival where Lord Jagannatha and Lord Balarama then put on the elephant dress, Hati Vesha, and Lady Subhadra wears a lotus flower vesa. The original story is told in several different ways. Some call it Hati Snana (elephant bath); some call it Ganesa Abhisheka, as they identify the following story as revealing the original cause of the Lord to wear this elephant vesa for His devotees.
It is said that a staunch devotee of Lord Ganesa, being himself a profound scholar, visited Puri during Snana Yatra. He was amply rewarded by the king of Orissa for his scholarship. The king asked the scholar to accompany him to see Lord Jagannatha, which he refused to do under the pretext that he wouldn't worship any "God" other than his istadevata, Ganesa. Somehow he was persuaded and was brought before the Snana Vedi. To the utter surprise of all, Lord Jagannatha appeared with an elephantine form that resembled Ganesa. Since then, during Snana Yatra when the sacred bath is performed, the Deities are dressed like elephants (resembling Ganesa). Various other versions are also told and other reasons assigned explaining the Ganesa Vesa.
During the sacred bath the colours painted on the murtis generally fade. Seeing the wooden Deities in discolour, some devotees may not have the appropriate devotional attitude and may in fact feel sinful repugnance. For this reason, the murtis are immediately dressed in the Hati Vesa in which they remain mostly covered. After the Snana Yatra, the Deities are kept away from public view for fifteen days and during all these days the daily rites of the temple remain suspended. As Jagannatha Himself instructed, after this ceremony, he is not seen for a fortnight. The Deities are kept in a special "sick room" called the Ratana Vedi inside the Temple. This period is called 'anavasara-kala', meaning improper time for worship.
It was stated earlier that the Deities are discolored as a result of the sacred bath (some say They look a bit off-colour). During these fifteen days, the Daitas (descendants of Visvavasu, the Savara) repaint and restore the Deities and Jagannatha's fine decorations. The period of coloring and decorating the Deities is divided into seven short periods, each of two days duration, and a short period of one day set apart to give finishing touches. Thus the period covers the whole fortnight. On the 16th day the Deities in their newly appearing forms after renovation become ready for the public darsana (view).
The festival of the first appearance of the Lord Jagannath to his devotees is called Netrotsava (festival for the eyes) or Nava Yauvanotsava (festival of the ever-new youth). According to priests of the Jagannatha Temple, the devotee washes away all his sins if he gets a vision of the Lord on this day. On this occasion, therefore, a great rush of people occurs in the temple.
The Silpa Sastras and the Agamas testify that the Deities become suitable for worship only after the performance of the rite of 'Caksu Unmilana' (Opening of the Eyes). During 'Anavasara', the Daitas offer to the Deity only fruits and water mixed with cheese, and dasa-mula medicines to cure His fever. In a devotional mood, the devotees accept that due to all the bathing the Lord becomes transcendentally tired, and therefore needs to take rest. Somewhat like human beings, They are considered to have 'fallen ill' and are treated by the Raja Vaidya or the King's Physician with specific medicines (dasa-mulas).
The Temple festivals, which are held in a bigger and more elaborate scale in the important shrines of Puri and Bhubaneswar, are also held simultaneously in all other small shrines of the respective Deities on more modest scales. Likewise the Snana Yatra is held in many other temples of Orissa, and now all over the world. Other Deities may also receive abhiseka on this day. One should perform puja and bathe the Deities with water or pancagavya and pancamrta while chanting Vedic mantras like the Purusa Sukta.
