Balabhadra

Balabhadra is the elder brother of Jagannātha. He is one of the four dāru mūrtis (forms made of sacred wood) at Purushottama Kshetra. He appeared in a brilliant white form from the same divine dāru-vṛksha (wooden trunk) that gave the four main mūrtis. He is known as the form of Ādi Śesha, the first serpent, and is linked with the Ṛgveda. He stands at the right hand of Jagannātha in the prāsāda (temple). He is worshipped as an equal member of the four, together with Jagannātha, Subhadrā and Sudarśana.

The dāru mūrti appears

King Indradyumna drew the divine dāru-vṛksha from the ocean. Viśvakarmā, the divine builder, came disguised as an old carpenter. He entered the closed enclosure and worked in complete secrecy for fifteen days. When the enclosure was opened, four fully formed mūrtis had appeared from the one trunk. Balabhadra was the white one among the four.

Brahmā later said: “Though four, they are in the end one, as gold in different ornaments stays the same gold.”

Form and identity

These are Balabhadra’s marks among the four dāru mūrtis:

Link with the Veda

After the pratishṭhā (installation), Brahmā explains that the dāru mūrti is not only a wooden form. It is Parabrahman himself, who came down from his own cosmic body. Each of the four forms matches one of the four Vedas. Balabhadra matches the Ṛgveda. His white colour is the pure, shining quality of the oldest Veda, the ṛk mantras that call on the devas in their first forms.

The Ratha Yātrā

At the yearly Guṇḍicā Yātrā (Ratha Yātrā), Balabhadra rides his own chariot, as Nārada laid down. It has fourteen wheels, and the tāla-dhvaja (palmyra-palm flag) flies at its top. By Nārada’s rules, his chariot was the first in the procession.

Brahmā’s stotra

Brahmā did the pratishṭhā on Vaiśākha śukla ashṭamī (the eighth day of the bright half of Vaiśākha). He offered a separate stotra (hymn of praise) to each of the four mūrtis. He praised Balabhadra as Ādi Śesha shown in form, the endless serpent who carries all the worlds on his hoods. He now appears in the form of sacred wood to give moksha (liberation) to all who see him.

Worship at Purushottama

Balabhadra is worshipped with Jagannātha and Subhadrā as one divine triad that cannot be divided. The text lays down that darśana of all three, together with Sudarśana, at Purushottama gives moksha. No worship of Jagannātha is held complete without Balabhadra and Subhadrā also present.

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Purushottama Kshetra Māhātmya, Chapters 19, 25, 27, 28
• The same Māhātmya, Chapters 29 and 33 (on worshipping Balabhadra with Jagannātha and Subhadrā)