The Gangas and Suryavamsis ruled over Orissa for more than four centuries. Variably, their empire extended from Gaudadesha' in north to far south beyond the Godavari. With economic prosperity, military prowess and stable administration these rulers dominated over the rest of eastern India. The continued prosperity and peaceful rule resulted in a massive, socio-cultural upsurge and the State excelled in the field of art, architecture, religion, philosophy, music and dance.
Anantavarman Codaganga Deva (1078-1147 A.D.), the founder of Gahga Rule in Orissa was not only a powerful ruler but also an erudite scholar and massive builder of innumerable temples, (including Sri Jagannath temple at Puri) forts and irrigation sources. In the inscriptions he has been described as 'Kapata Kalidasa' and as a protagonist of 'Abhinavarajaniti' i.e. new mode of policies of statecraft. He restored order out of the chaos which developed in the State during the later part of the Somavamsi rule. As evident from the Korni Copper plate issued on 1112 A.D. he was styled by Ramanuja, as the advocate of 'Visistadvaita'. Afresh wave of 'Vaisnavite' philosophy also swept across the State during the visit of Madhvacarya (1197-1276). His disciples Narasingha Tirtha and Jagannath Tirtha extended the preaching of their Guru far and wide. This was followed by the visit of Visnusvami to Puri who identified Lord Jagannath with Sri Rama. As a believer of pure dualism he described Lord Jagannath as Mahavisnu. The age also saw great philosophers like Sridharasvami, the commentator of Srimad Bhagavata, devotees like Jayadeva who wrote his immortal Gita Gown-da in the premises of the Puri temple itself. Nimbarka spread his religious preachings and styled sVikrisna as Paramatma and Radhika as the Jivatma. Saints like Paramananda, Raidas, Kabir, Guru Nanak and Tulsidas visited Puri and the entire religious thought process of the age was oriented towards 'Bhakti Tattva.
In the context of the waves of different philosophies current, the 'Pancasakhas' or the five associates of Orissa spread their religious preachings. They are comparable to the Alvars' of South India. How¬ever, their thought process had a distinct character and flavour. They conceived 'Yoga' and 'Jnana' to be essential for god-realisation. They blended the Upanisadic, Tantric and Buddhist mysticism with 'Bhakti' and styled it as 'Jnanamisra Bhakti'. This philosophy along with descrip¬tion of Ratha Jatra has been displayed generously in the Mahabharat, magnum opus of Sarala Das, considered to be one of the greatest writers of medieval India. The Pancasakhas conceived Sri Jagannath as the 'Param-Bramha' or sole repository of divine forces and as the Avatari. In the words of Dibakar Das (Jagannath Charitamrita).
Parama-Bramha Jagannatha
Avatara ti ethu jata
koti koti je avatara
Etahun huanti bahara
(Jagannath is the Param Bramha and crores of incarnations originate from him)
In yet another verse he states-
Jagannatha Je sola kala
Tahun kalae Nandabala
Kalaku Sola Kala kari
Gope vihare Narahari
(Jagannath is the repository of sixteen kalas or sixteen at-tributes and Krisna had only one. Multiplying the only kala he had, to sixteen, the son of Nanda flourished in Gopa). Every associate of the Pancasakha School advocated this theory in unmistakable terms. Balarama Das was the eldest of the five. Jagannath Das wrote Srimad Bhagavata with his splendid poetical ability. Acyutananda was by far the most prolific writer and a mystic poet. Besides, Jasovanta and Ananta also wrote large number of Samhitas, prayers and devotional songs centering round the mystical origin of the cosmic forces of creation and the glory of Lord Jagannath. |
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