Jagannath Baladeva Subhadra devi

 

jagannātha-svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me
“O Lord of the universe, please be visible unto me.”

Overwhelmed with love, Nityananda then quickly moved on to Sankhavanik-nagara, where He spoke to Jiva, “Saraḍāngā is a wonderful sight. Even the name is most enchanting. Jagannatha resides here with the sabaras. When the demon Raktabāhu created disturbances, the Lord came here with His dayitā (beloved). Know for certain that this place is nondifferent from Jagannātha Puri, for Lord Jagannātha is eternally situated here.”
(Sri Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, Chapter 6)

It has been described in *Navadvipa-dhama Mahatmya* that many ages ago, Lord Jagannath was brought to Bengal by His Savara devotees because they were afraid of a ferocious demon named Raktabahu. In Simantadvipa, one of the nine islands of Navadvipa, they then installed the Lord at this very spot. Since that time, this place has been considered non-different from Jagannath Puri itself. The Savara devotees, having served Lord Jagannath for a very long time, disappeared from this earth and attained the transcendental abode of the Lord by dint of their pure devotion. Thus, without those devotees to perform the worship, the services to the deity stopped. By the influence of time, the deity, along with the temple, vanished from sight. However, desiring to remain in this place, Lord Jagannath continued to stay here in a concealed form.
Later, when the Lord was performing pastimes on this planet as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He gave mercy to one devotee named Sri Jagadish Ganguly by revealing His form as Lord Jagannath again. In more recent times, a devoted Brahmin named Sri Phatik Chandra Chatterjee had the opportunity to render service to the Lord by worshipping Him for many years. When he became too old to carry out his duties, he was inspired by Lord Jagannath Himself to hand over the Lord’s service and worship to the devotees of ISKCON in the year 1979. In 1985, Lord Jagannath, along with His brother Lord Balaram and sister Subhadra, entered this new temple built by the disciples and grand-disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
(Inscription on Temple Walls)

For further reading, please refer to:
Srila Prabhupada Lecture Festival after Ratha-yatra – London – 16 July 1972

Srila Prabhupada Lecture Festival Ratha-yatra – San Francisco – 5 July 1970

Adi Shankaracharya has written a song “Kadacit Kalindi Tata Vipina” and the Official Name for this song is ”Sri Sri Jagannathastakam”. This astakam glorifies Jagannath who resides with his brother Baladeva and Subhadra in Nilacala Hill. Jagannatha means “Lord of the universe”. He is the ocean of mercy and even the demigods worship His lotus feet. He is the most merciful form of Shri Krishna and who ever approaches Him with faith and devotion will fulfill their desires and their sins will get destroyed.

(1)
kadācit kālindī-taṭa-vipina-saṅgītaka-ravo
mudābhīrī-nārī-vadana-kamalāsvāda-madhupaḥ
ramā-śambhu-brahmāmara-pati-gaṇeśārcita-pado
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(2)
bhuje savye veṇuṁ śirasi śikhi-piccham kaṭi-taṭe
dukūlaṁ netrānte sahacara-kaṭākṣaṁ vidadhate
sadā śrīmad-vṛndāvana-vasati-līlā-paricayo
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(3)
mahāmbhodhes tīre kanaka-rucire nīla-śikhare
vasan prāsādāntaḥ sahaja-balabhadreṇa balinā
subhadrā-madhya-sthaḥ sakala-sura-sevāvasara-do
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(4)
kṛpā-pārāvāraḥ sajala-jalada-śreṇi-ruciro
ramā-vāṇī-rāmaḥ sphurad-amala-paṅkeruha-mukhaḥ
surendrair ārādhyaḥ śruti-gaṇa-śikhā-gīta-carito
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(5)
rathārūḍho gacchan pathi milita-bhūdeva-paṭalaiḥ
stuti-prādurbhāvam prati-padam upākarṇya sadayaḥ
dayā-sindhur bandhuḥ sakala jagatāṁ sindhu-sutayā
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(6)
para-brahmāpīḍaḥ kuvalaya-dalotphulla-nayano
nivāsī nīlādrau nihita-caraṇo ’nanta-śirasi
rasānando rādhā-sarasa-vapur-āliṅgana-sukho
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(7)
na vai yāce rājyaṁ na ca kanaka-māṇikya-vibhavaṁ
na yāce ’haṁ ramyāṁ sakala jana-kāmyāṁ vara-vadhūm
sadā kāle kāle pramatha-patinā gīta-carito
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(8)
hara tvaṁ saṁsāraṁ druta-taram asāraṁ sura-pate
hara tvaṁ pāpānāṁ vitatiṁ aparāṁ yādava-pate
aho dīne ’nāthe nihita-caraṇo niścitam idaṁ
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

(9)
jagannāthāṣṭakaṁ punyaṁ yaḥ paṭhet prayataḥ śuciḥ
sarva-pāpa-viśuddhātmā viṣṇu-lokaṁ sa gacchati

 
(1) Sometimes in great happiness Lord Jagannatha makes a loud concert with His flute in the groves on the banks of the Yamuna. He is like a bumblebee tasting the beautiful lotus like faces of the cowherd damsels of Vraja, and great personalities such as Laksmi, Siva, Brahma, Indra, and Ganesa worship His lotus feet. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.
(2) In His left hand Lord Jagannatha holds a flute, on His head He wears peacock feathers, and on His hips He wears fine yellow silken cloth. From the corners of His eyes He bestows sidelong glances upon His loving devotees, and He always reveals Himself through His pastimes in His divine abode of Vrndavana. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.
(3) On the shore of the great ocean, within a large palace atop the brilliant, golden Nilacala Hill, Lord Jagannatha resides with His powerful brother Balabhadra and His sister Subhadra, who sits between Them. May that Jagannatha Svami, who bestows the opportunity for devotional service upon all godly souls, be the object of my vision.
(4) Lord Jagannatha is an ocean of mercy and as beautiful as a row of blackish rain clouds. He is the storehouse of bliss for Laksmi and Sarasvati, and His face resembles a spotless full-blown lotus. The best of demigods and sages worship Him, and the Upanisads sing His glories. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.
(5) When Lord Jagannatha moves along the road on His Rathayatra car, at every step large assemblies of brahmanas loudly chant prayers and sing songs for His pleasure. Hearing their hymns, Lord Jagannatha becomes very favorably disposed toward them. He is the ocean of mercy and the true friend of all the worlds. May that Jagannatha Svami, along with His consort Laksmi, who was born from the ocean of nectar, be the object of my vision.
(6) Lord Jagannatha, whose eyes resemble full-blown lotus petals, is the ornament on Lord Brahma’s head. He resides on Nilacala Hill with His lotus feet placed on the heads of Anantadeva. Overwhelmed by the mellows of love, He joyfully embraces Srimati Radharani’s body, which is like a cool pond. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.
(7) I do not pray for a kingdom nor do I pray for gold, rubies, or wealth. I do not ask for a beautiful wife as desired by all men. I simply pray that Jagannatha Svami, whose glories Lord Siva always sings, may be the constant object of my vision.
(8) O Lord of the demigods, please quickly remove this useless material existence I am undergoing. O Lord of the Yadus, please destroy this vast, shoreless ocean of sins. Alas, this is certain Lord Jagannatha bestows His lotus feet upon those who feel themselves fallen and have no shelter in this world but Him. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.
(9) The self-retrained, virtuous soul who recites these eight verses glorifying Lord Jagannatha becomes cleansed of all sins and duly proceeds to Lord Visnu’s abode.