The Hidden Secrets About Navagunjara and Neela Chakra
Navagunjara is a mythical creature in Hinduism composed of nine different animals. The awe-inspiring retelling of the Mahabharata by the Odia writer Sarala Das depicts the story of Navagunjara; no other version of the Mahabharata contains the story of Navagunjara. Once, while Arjuna was in deep meditation, Vishnu appeared before him in the form of Navagunjara. Navagunjara has the head of a rooster and stands on three legs, which belong to an elephant, a tiger, and a deer or horse; the fourth limb is a raised human arm holding a lotus or a chakra. The mythical creature has the neck of a peacock, the back or hump of a bull, and the waist of a lion; its tail is a serpent. At first, Arjuna was frightened and also fascinated by the strange creature and raised his bow to kill it. Arjuna stops only when he notices the human hand holding a lotus or a chakra (a symbol associated with Krishna), at which point he realizes its divine nature and bows in reverence. Finally, Arjuna understands that Navagunjara is a manifestation of Bhagawan Vishnu and, bowing before Navagunjara, lays down his weapons.This particular incident of Mahabharat teaches humility and the acceptance of different dimensions of reality. Another teaching of this Navagunjara aspect may be that divinity exists in every being and form, even those beyond human imagination.
Navagunjara is a distinctive theme in the Pattachitra style of painting from Odisha. This mythological creature is also having a prominent presence at the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, where a carving of Arjuna bowing before the Navagunjara is located on the northern wall. It is seen as a representation of Vishnu’s Virat-rupa (all-encompassing or cosmic form), which he reveals to Arjuna, as referenced in the Bhagavad Gita, a part of the great epic Mahabharata. Eight Navagunjara figures are engraved on the outer circle of the Neela Chakra ( Blue Wheel) plate atop the Jagannath Temple, all facing upwards towards the flagpole.I have also attached here a AI generated picture of the same. During “Anasar” period when Mahaprabhu Jagannath falls in fever because of excessive shower on the day of “Snana purnima “, devotees are not allowed to get entry in to the inner sanctum called sanctum sanctoram for darshan ( or offer worship). During those days devotees consider it equally auspicious to look at the Sudarshan chakra ( Neela Chakra or blue wheel) atop the Shree Jagannath temple.
You can study in detail about Bhagawan Vishnu’s most powerful weapon(which is none other than the Sudarshan Chakra or Neela Chakra) through the following link.
:https://lunarsecstacy.com/2022/04/08/most-impressive-weapon-of-shree-vishnu/
Image: Dr Manoj Mishra
Image: Dr Manoj Mishra
I.S: Wikipedia
AI generated image of Neela Chakra atop the Shree Jagannath temple
Dr Manoj Mishra, lunarsecstasy@gmail.com
