Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra – The Lord Comes Out to Bless Everyone

Today, 16 July 2026 (Thursday), is a very auspicious day because it is the sacred festival of Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra.

This is the special day when the Lord of the Universe, Sri Jagannath, comes out of His temple to bless His devotees with His divine darshan. This is truly an extraordinary event. Throughout my life, I have never heard of or seen any other temple where the Deities are brought out into the public and taken around the entire city so that everyone may receive Their darshan.

There are two profound truths to understand about this festival.

The first is that Lord Jagannath comes out of His temple for those who are unable to come to Him. Some people stay away from the temple because of misunderstanding or indifference, while others are unable to visit due to physical limitations, illness, old age, or financial difficulties. Out of His boundless compassion, the Lord Himself comes out to give them His darshan.

The second truth is even more beautiful: the Lord also comes to see them.

Why does the Lord both give His darshan and take darshan of His devotees?

The answer lies in His infinite mercy. Lord Jagannath knows that without His grace, no living being can become free from material bondage. By giving His darshan, He bestows sukriti (spiritual merit), which plants the seed of bhakti (devotion) within the heart of the soul. This is the beginning of one's journey towards liberation from material existence.

Sometimes this precious seed of devotion is received through the mercy of a Vaishnava, a devotee of the Lord. Thus, the Lord bestows the seed of devotion either directly through His own causeless mercy or through the mercy of His devotees. In both cases, the purpose is the same—to plant the seed of bhakti in the heart of the living being and guide the soul towards liberation.

As the great poet Goswami Tulsidas beautifully wrote:

"Binu Hari Kripa Milahi Nahi Santa,
Binu Satsanga Viveka Na Hoi."

Without the mercy of Lord Hari, one cannot attain the association of saintly persons, and without the association of saints, true spiritual wisdom does not arise.

These two blessings complement one another, and together they lead the soul towards devotion and ultimate liberation.

During the Rath Yatra, we see that Lord Jagannath is accompanied by His beloved sister, Subhadra Maharani, and His elder brother, Lord Baladeva. Three magnificent chariots are prepared, one for each of Them.

One by one, the devotees respectfully bring the Deities out of the temple and lovingly seat Them upon Their chariots. The procession begins at the sacred Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, and travels approximately three kilometres to the Gundicha Temple.

Millions of devotees gather to pull the chariots of the Lord. Their participation is an expression of deep faith because, somewhere within every heart, there is an understanding that over countless lifetimes, knowingly or unknowingly, we have accumulated innumerable sinful reactions. Lord Jagannath mercifully engages everyone in His service through the Rath Yatra and grants them the seed of devotion without considering their qualifications.

Another remarkable aspect of Lord Jagannath is His unique and extraordinary form. Unlike the familiar form of Lord Krishna, Lord Jagannath's hands are not fully manifested, He has no visible feet, and His eyes have no pupils.

Through this transcendental form, the Lord confirms a profound Vedic statement that declares:

"Although He has no material legs, He walks everywhere; although He has no material hands, He accepts everything offered to Him."

This teaches us that the Supreme Lord is never limited by material senses. His body is completely transcendental and spiritual, beyond the limitations of the material world.

This eternal truth is beautifully described in the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.19):

अपाणिपादो जवनो ग्रहीता पश्यत्यचक्षुः स शृणोत्यकर्णः ।
स वेत्ति वेद्यम् न च तस्यास्ति वेत्ता तमाहुरग्र्यं पुरुषं महान्तम् ॥

Transliteration

Apāṇi-pādo javano grahītā paśyaty acakṣuḥ sa śṛṇoty akarṇaḥ ।
Sa vetti vedyam na ca tasyāsti vettā tam āhur agryaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāntam ॥

Translation

The Supreme Lord has no material hands or feet, yet He accepts every offering and moves everywhere. He has no material eyes, yet He sees everything; He has no material ears, yet He hears everything. He knows everything that is to be known, but no one can fully know Him. Therefore, the wise describe Him as the Supreme and the Greatest Person.

May Lord Jagannath shower His causeless mercy upon all living beings, awaken the seed of bhakti in every heart, and guide us all on the path back to His eternal abode.

Jai Jagannath!

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