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A fter the festivities ofRukminiharanaekadashi

and Champakadwadashi, theholy bath of Lord Jagannatha,Lod Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra,andSudarshana is celebrated withéclat in Puri Temple on thefullmoon of jyestha. Soon thedeities, it is believed, on accountof excessive ablution suffer fromFever; and to lessen theindisposition, a dimly lit noiselessambience is provided in theanabasaragruha (tatighara, a

bamboo reed enclosure) in front of the sanctum

sanctorum. The deities, during this period ofconvalescence, are worshipped without anyextravagance; and access of public to Them isforbidden. As per practice, white clothes andflowers (white & odourless) adorn the deities; andThey are offered sick diet mainly comprising of amixture (pana) of milk, sugar, and camphor alongwith seasonal native fruits. These rituals ofanabasara linked to the attire, diet, and aboveall the environment emit distinct impressionregarding the involvement of the vaidya. Afterconsuming the medicinal concoction ofdashamula, the cured deities, at the end of

anabasara, appear for navajauvanadarshana

before the car festival. It needs to be mentioned,on the occasion of mahajyesthasnana (last heldin 1840 CE) which is observed once in a periodof two centuries, seawater is incidentally used inthe holy ablution of the deities but all other ritualsremain the same.

During the first decade of the thirteenthcentury, we notice the existence of kshetravaidya

and shastravaidya in the restructured nijog ofservitors of Jagannatha temple effected by RajaAnangabhima (Aniyankabhima) Dev-II(d.1212CE). In addition to their service to the

Vaidyaseva

in Jagannatha Temple of Puri

Dr. Durga Nandan Mishra

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gods, vaidyas also treated the local residents andpilgrims. Depending on circumstances and onlyafter the permission of the temple parichha,expenses were met from the temple fund for foodand shelter of poor and abandoned convalescents.For their service, each vaidya was paid fifteenmadhas (each gold coin of 5.8gms) per annum.Gradually, vaidyaseva was focused on the deitiesto the exclusion of others. At this juncture of time,it is well-nigh impossible to mention precisely theorigin of vaidyaseva but its antiquity may betraced to Ramanujacharya(1017-1137 CE), thepropounder of non-dualism(vishistadvaita),whoduring his sojourn might have impressed upon thethen Raja to incorporate Sri Ranganathaswamytemple (Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu) likeservice in Puri temple.

To the humble folk, the priests of Srirangamtemple often recount a story wherein the presidingdeity was once indisposed. So intimate wasRamanuja’s communion with the Lord, he couldsense His illness. Upon inquiry, he found that theprevious day, jamun* ( Syzigiumcumini, Indianblackberry) was served to the deity with curdand rice. Soon he ordered disciples to prepare aherbal concoction (kasaya) which was taken tothe Dhanvantari temple, now in the fourth prakara

of the Srirangam temple premises, for Hissanctification before its offering to Sri Ranganatha.It is curious to note, although several offeringsare made to the deity, offer of kasaya every nightcontinues unabated before the closure of thetemple for nearly nine hundred years. Sircar(1971) has stated, Ramanuja was instrumental inthe introduction of this seva at Srirangam andwas the inspiration behind opening of anarogyashala for the priests and disciples. Yearsafter the demise of Ramanuja, existence of

practices linked to kasaya are evidenced in theSrirangam inscriptions, one to the time ofHoysalaVira Ramanatha (1255-95 CE) and theother of 1493 CE(Sircar, p.162). During thatperiod, medicines e.g., dashamulaharitaki,

gomutraharitaki, purunaghruta, balakeran-

dataila, and panchakataila etc. were stored indispensaries and prepared according to treatiseslike the Charaka Samhita. Raman (1975) opines,there are enough reasons to believe, Ramanujawho was most active in Srirangam must haveinspired the construction of the shrine ofDhanvantari at Sri Varadarajaswami Temple,Kanchi.(p.167) The readers may recall thatEmara math (in front of the JagannathaTemple),the Ramanandi tilak on the forehead of the temple,and the ubiquitous “nilachalanibasaya-

nityayaparamatmane….” bear ample testimonyto Ramanuja’s affable influence at Puri just likeAdi Shankaracharya’s.

Consequent to the passage of the “ShriJagannatha Temple (Administration) Act, 1952”by the Orissa Government, special officers wereappointed in 1954 who later prepared the ‘recordof rights and duties’ of each category of servitors(in all 119) intended to ensure smoothperformance of the rituals and festivities. AboutVaidyas, it is mentioned therein, “dashamula isto be deposited in the temple office (garada) eachyear in the evening of anabasara dasami sothat it would be offered to the deities next day onekadashi along with other offerings.” The veryname dashamula (ten roots)is misleading as theconcoction does not comprise of ten plant rootextracts. In fact, only the bark of five trees (bruhat

panchamula) and the whole parts (sarbanga)of five other plants (laghupancha-mula) viz.,their root, stem, bark, fruit, and flower are used.

*Interestingly in Sambalpur, this berry is customarily offered to the Jagannatha triad after the holy bath onsnanapurnami. Possibility of existence of such a ritual can’t be ruled out in other temples of Western Odisha.

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After sun-drying, each ingredient of equal weightis ground together and sieved. Only on the tenthday (dashami) of asadha, on a new wood firedearthen chulha and after observing all austeritiesof guptaseva, the medicine (modak) is preparedadding clarified butter, sugar, and milk solids todilute the inherent bitterness of herbs. Overlappingof the day of dashami and the preparation ofdashamula seems enigmatic. It may be reiterated,no other stuff cooked outside the temple premisesexcept dashamula can cross the inner barrier(bhitarkatha) to the sanctum sanctorum

because the latter is considered at par insignificance with mahaprasad.

To cater to the inquisitiveness of readers,two components of dashamula are stated hereviz., gokhara (Tribulusterrestris) and bela

(Aeglemarmelos). The former has several namesin sanskrit viz., bahukantaka, bhakshataka,

gokantaka, gokshura, gokshuri, ikshugandha,

kshudra or laghugokshura, shadanga,

trikan-taka, sthala or vanashrun-gataka. Thissmall thorny plant generally grows in opengrassland. According to Kirtikar & Basu (1984),“its root is a good appetizer, cures lumbago,alleviates inflammation, pain, piles, and overallremoves tridosha (disproportion of bata, pita

& kapha). The leaves are aphrodisiac, diuretic,enrich the blood, and cure gonorrhea. The fruit issour, diuretic, used in urinary disorders, andimpotency. It is also used for coughs, scabies,anemia, postpartum hemorrhage, and dysenteries.As a gargle, it is prescribed for ulcers andinflammation of the mouth. In certain cases, theplant is reduced to a paste and mixed with wateris drunk for a cooling effect on the body.” (p.420)All parts of this plant are used fordashamulamodak. Bela on the other hand is amedium sized deciduous tree with straight sharpaxillary thorns. Its root is sweet; cures Fevers due

to tridosha, pain in the abdomen, palpitations ofthe heart, and urinary troubles. The leaves aredigestive, laxative, and useful in inflammation andasthmatic complaints. A hot poultice to the headis used in delirium during fever. Its unripe fruit isbitter but cures dysentery and chronic diarrhoea.The ripe fruit is restorative, laxative, and goodfor heart and brain. (p.499) In Sanskrit, it is calledby many names viz., adhararuha,

asholam,atimangaliya, bilva, daruruha,

gandhapatra, goharitaki, hridayagandha,

kantakadhya, karkatavha, lakshmiphala,

mahakapithakshya, malura, mangalya,

nilamallika, patrashrestha, putivata,

sada(maha, pita) phala, sangrahi, sailapatra,

siveshtha, somaharitaki, and tripatra. Theother eight components possess properties thatcure some of the ailments cited above but theyhave their own charm to make a person hale andhearty curing debility linked to Fever.

For nearly three hundred years, from theconsecration of the temple till the reign period ofRaja Prataprudra Dev, there had been nodislocation in the observance of rituals andfestivities in the temple. For the first time in 1509CE, the deities were shifted to keep Them awayfrom the onslaught of Ismail Khan of Bengal. Sixtyyears hence, a holocaust like curse visited thetemple upon the invasion of Kalapahar (1568CE); and the misfortune continued for decadesdepleting its untold wealth and jeopardizing at thesame time the hallowed services as the templeremained closed most of the time owing to theshifting of the deities and Their worship elsewhere.When every nook and corner of Odisha incurredthe wrath of most of the Afghan and Moghuladministrators, the iconoclasts’ plunder anddesecration of Puri temple was inescapable. Afterthe treaty between Raghuji Bhonsla of Nagpurand nawab Alibardi Khan of Bengal (1751 CE),

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Odisha came under Maratha rule ushering in acongenial environment for worship. Before therecorded vaidyaseva of Maguni Mishra(20.9.1857 - 9.12.1933), it was earlier beingperformed by his father (Mrutyunjaya Mishra, -Nov.1879), grandfather (Fakira Mishra), andgreat grandfather Damodar Mishra(contemporary of Jayee Rajguru) as a patrilinealecclesiastical tradition (Mishra,1967). RajaBirakishore Dev-II conferred Brahma onMrutyunjaya as a family title. For eminentattainments as an Ayurvedic physician, theViceroy and Governor General Lord Chelmsfordbestowed the title of Vaidyaratna upon MaguniBrahma as a personal distinction and thesananda was presented to him by the provincialgovernor at a darbar held on 6.9.1921 atGovernment House, Ranchi.

In a voluminous gazette (extraordinary,1924) of the Government of India, the views ofreputed Ayurveda and Yunani physicians selectedfrom all over the country were published withregard to steps that need to be taken in theirrespective fields to develop expertise. As the onlyrepresentative of Bihar and Orissa, MaguniMishra ( then working as Professor of Ayurvedain Govt. Sanskrit College at Puri now RashtriyaSanskrit Sansthan, a deemed university) alongwith other issues, submitted a proposal fordevelopment of a medicinal garden at Puri. Forthe purpose, expenditure towards cost of tenacres of land (Rs.2500/-); fencing and laying outetc. ( Rs.1,000/-); medicinal plants including theones to be obtained from Sibpur botanical gardenof Bengal (Rs.150/-); recurring charges (annually)for engagement of four gardeners @ Rs.7/- pm(Rs.336/-); and contingencies for garden (Rs.100)were envisioned therein. If the proposed gardenhad materialized, the difficulties now beingencountered to collect some ingredients of

dashamula could have been avoided to say theleast.

In the past whenever the temple passedthrough financial straits, services were exacted bydistributing the already offered prasadto theservitors in lieu of money. This adhoc

arrangement known as kheyi interestinglycontinues even today; and those eligible for it areno doubt the bonafide servitors of the temple. Itmay be stated, except the daitas, the suaras, andthe vaidyas, no other servitor is generally able toperform any service without sadhibandhana

(Misra, 2007, p.64).Genesis of this exclusion ishazy, often misconstrued, and prompts certaincontrol freaks to claim familial bond with the Lordwhich is patently absurd and not in sync withground realities. According to ‘record of rights’the vaidya is to get daily an assortment of prasad

comprising one each of manohara, mariachi

ladu, tataarisha, and badasimhara bhoga

pitha. In 1975, the temple administrationestimated the cost of this daily kheyi @Rs.240/-per month. Besides the daily kheyi, on other festiveoccasions like nabanna, pahilibhoga,

pusyabhiseka, makarasamkranti,

dolapurnami, panasamkanti,

baharachandana yatra, snanapurnami,

netrotchhaba, gundichagharabhoga,

chitalagiamabasya, gamhapurnami,

saptapuriamabasya, other sweetmeat are givenas his due according to instruction. It is needlessto say, these are only part of an array of delicaciesoffered to Jagannatha triad and their holiness havethus been eulogized, "yatrannapachika

Laksmihswayam bhokta Janardanah,

tasmadnnam biprarsedaivatairapi durlavam

(Padmapurana)."

For rendering this annual service, thepresent author being a vaidya gets a pittance(only twenty rupees) from the temple authorities

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but looks forward to be blessed to perform itthrough eons, to feel honored by being a part of acustom that incredibly continues since the lastseveral centuries though with many a painfulinterruption. Of late, some unscrupulous personsare bringing dashamula of dubious origin to thetemple with impunity. The so-called concoctionmay increase the volume but ultimatelycompromises its sanctity by making it a tradablecommodity to accrue unjust gain. In future, thisprofane practice may possibly generalize to othertemple services causing immense dislocation forwhich pre-emptive measures need to be taken.

A question may creep in one’s mind, whenHe is the master of the universe, the infinite sourceof all forms of life, why this service for Him ? Inthis context, it is worthwhile to realize our relentlessstruggle to comprehend a celestial existencethrough the chores of a common human being thatHe is earnestly believed to be. Our materialisticleaning ironically eclipses our spiritual and religiousproclivities; and distances us from a tranquilexistence. Jagannatha is mystery personified;following Him with unwavering devotion, we attain

moksha. He alone is the savior, the only refugeto our agitated soul; being able to render anypossible service to Him is the outcome of austerepropitiation of previous births.

References:

Kirtikar, K.R. and Basu, B.D. Indian Medicinal Plants,

Ed. by E.Blatter, J.F. Caius, & K.S. Mhaskar, Vol.1(2nd

ed.), Lalit Mohan Basu, 49, Leader Road, Allahabad,1984.

Mishra,U.Vaidyaratna Maguni Brahma. Heragohiri Sahi,Puri, 1967.

Misra, N. Annals and Antiquities of the Temple ofJagannatha (Ed.D N Mishra).Sarup & Sons, NewDelhi.ISBN 8176257478 / 9788176257473, 2007.

Raman, K.V. Sri Varadarajaswami Temple, Kanchi: AStudy of Its History, Art and Architecture. AvinavPublications, New Delhi,1975.

Sircar, D.C. Studies in the Religious Life of Ancient and

Medieval India.Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi,1971. %

Dr. Durga Nandan Mishra, Plot No.359(HIG), Sector-8,Park Street, Kalinga Nagar, Behind SUM Hospital,Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar-751029, E.mail :durganandanmishra@gmail.com

Rath Yatra at Ahmedabad