The Divine Alchemy of Puri’s Offering

The Mahaprasad is the sacred food-offering made to Lord Jagannatha, a revered deity in Hinduism, particularly in the Odia culture. The Mahaprasad is an integral part of the daily rituals and traditions at the Puri Jagannath Temple in Odisha, India. Mahaprasad is revered as a manifestation of the Lord’s divine grace. It is considered sacred and pure, with the power to absolve us of all sins. The food is cooked in earthen pots and offered to the deity as naivedya or holy offering to the god. The food is then distributed among devotees as Mahaprasad, which is an integral part of Odia culture and is often served at special occasions and festivals. It not only absolves us of all sins, but also brings spiritual enlightenment. It is distributed to all devotees, regardless of their caste, creed, or social status.

The Mahaprasad is of two types: anna mahaprasad (food offerings) and shukhila mahaprasad (dry offerings). The anna mahaprasad includes a variety of dishes, such as rice, pulses, vegetables, and sweet dishes. The shukhila mahaprasad includes offerings such as fruits, nuts, and dry fruits. In addition to these food offerings, other items such as flowers, sandalwood, and the clothes are also considered as Mahaprasad.

The Mahaprasad is an integral part of the worship and rituals of Lord Jagannath. Various food items like Anna, Ghruta Anna, Khichudi, Kanika, Payasa, Dali, Dalma, Sakara, Besara, Mahura, Khata, Saga and Khira are considered as Sankhudi Mahaprasad (wet offerings) and Pitha, Puli, Mathapuli, Khaja, Gaja, Jhili, Chadheineada, Kakara, Arisha, Nanamana, Manda, Chakuli, Chitou, Podapitha, etc. are considered as Sukhila mahaprasad (dry offerings). Both these types of Mahaprasad are prepared by the cooks (known as Suarabadu) and offered to Lord Jagannath through traditional rituals. According to legend, Lord Badrinath, the presiding deity of one of the four Dhams, takes rest at Rameshwar after offering prayers at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.

It is believed that Goddess Mahalakshmi herself cooks the Mahaprasad in the divine fire of the temple kitchen. The cooks are mere instruments, and it is Goddess Mahalakshmi who actually gets the Mahaprasad prepared through them. The verse ‘Tatraanna pachika Lakshmi swayan bhokta janardana’ means that Goddess Mahalakshmi herself cooks the food and serves it to Lord Jagannath.

The kitchen where Mahaprasad is prepared is called the Rosha Ghara (kitchen) of the Shri Mandir (Jagannath Temple). This world-famous kitchen has 32 rooms, and about 700 to 800 earthen ovens (chulhas) are used to prepare the Mahaprasad. The water used for cooking the Mahaprasad is brought from two sacred wells, named Ganga and Yamuna, which are located near the kitchen.

The cooks, known as Suarabadu, do not speak to each other while cooking, fearing that their conversation might pollute the sacred food. This ritual signifies the food safety and importance of cleanliness followed in the Odia tradition. They prepare the Mahaprasad with devotion, with Goddess Mahalakshmi and Lord Jagannath in their mind. They even cover their mouths with a cloth while carrying the cooked food from the kitchen to the temple.

The cooks, who are responsible for preparing the Mahaprasad, are revered for their devotion and dedication to their work. After the Mahaprasad is offered to Lord Jagannath, it is sold to the public in the Ananda Bazaar located within the temple compound. The Mahaprasad is sold to everyone, regardless of his or her caste or social status. In the Tantric tradition, the Mahaprasad is considered to be a sacred offering to the divine.

The cooking of the Mahaprasad is a complex process that involves the use of sacred fires and the recitation of mantras. The food is cooked in nine earthen pots, which are placed on a sacred fire pit. The fire pit is designed to resemble a Tantric diagram, with six corners and a central point. As per the Odia tradition, the water of Mahaprasad is offered to a person on death bed for liberation of the soul from this life and from sufferings.

Mahaprasad is prepared and offered following the scriptural method, undergoing six consecrations (purificatory processes).

The first purification ritual is performed by Annapurna, where the food is offered to the divine fire and then it becomes pure and sacred. In the second purification ritual, it (the food) is placed on a sacred platform in the shape of a Yantra (linear design), and after being offered as Naivedya (food offering), it becomes the food of Lord Jagannath and transforms into Prasad (sacred offering). In the third purification ritual, after the offering is made with the Dwabishakshari Nrusimha Tapiniya Pathala Nrusimha Mantra, which destroys all impurities and makes the food sacred; it attains Brahmatva (divine nature) through the power of the mantra. In the fourth purification ritual, after the offering is made with the Ashtadasakshari Gopalamantra, it becomes immersed in the sentiment of devotion and transforms from the formless Brahman to the manifest form of Narayana. In the fifth purification ritual, after being sanctified in the Bhairavi Chakra, it transcends all distinctions of caste, creed, and community, and becomes acceptable as an offering to everyone. Finally, in the sixth purification ritual, after offering, the worldly vices are eradicated from it, and everyone attains supreme satisfaction by serving and partaking of it in the Ananda Bazaar (market of bliss) with a joyful mind.

Through the six-fold purification rituals, the Mahaprasad is transformed, destroying the six vices—lust, anger, greed, pride, madness, and jealousy. It attains the state of Nityamukta Brahmapada, becoming eternally sacred and sin-destroying.

Consuming the Mahaprasad purified through the six rituals is equivalent to attaining the benefits of performing crores of Kapila daan (a ritual donation of cows), and absolves one of all sins, as mentioned in the Brahmavaivarta Purana:

“Jagannathasya Naibedyam

Mahapatak Nashanam

Bhakhyanat Phalamapnoti Kapila

Koti Danakam.”

The Mahaprasad is considered sacred in both Tantric and Smarta traditions. While the Vaishnavites consider it a direct manifestation of Lord Narayana, the Vedantists see it as a symbol of the ultimate reality, Brahman. Both traditions agree that consuming the Mahaprasad is a means of attaining spiritual liberation.

According to the Vayu Purana, the Mahaprasad is considered a divine offering that transcends time and space. For those who have experienced divine bliss, consuming the Mahaprasad is not bound by rules of time and space. The Mahaprasad is considered a direct offering to Lord Jagannath, and as such, it is always pure and eternal. It is not bound by the rules of food consumption, and its significance goes beyond mere mortal comprehension.

Even though food is lifeless, when it is offered to Lord Narayana, it becomes transformed and attains spiritual significance through the process of consecration. The Mahaprasad is a shining example of this transformative power, where food becomes imbued with divine energy. Lord Jagannath, the supreme Purusha, is eternally present in the Nilachala Dham, engaged in divine play. With outstretched arms, He embraces all, inviting them to surrender to Him. Those who offer themselves to Him with complete devotion and surrender attain Brahmatva, or union with the ultimate reality.

As Adi Shankaracharya has emphasized, the Mahaprasad is a manifestation of this ultimate reality, where even the most ordinary objects, like rice and dal, become imbued with divine energy. The Nilachala Dham, the abode of Lord Jagannath, is the supreme kshetra, or sacred site, where even lifeless objects attain Brahmatva.

The universe is filled with the sweet fragrance of Brahman. Like tiny atoms, Brahman is present everywhere in the universe. Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya had said that the individual self (Jiva) is a manifestation of Brahman, but here in this Nilachala Kshetra (Puri Jagannath Temple), Brahman is visible even in inanimate objects. In this vision, food (Anna) is indeed Brahman. Other scriptures also describe food as Brahman. From sacrifice (Yajna) comes rain, from rain comes food, and from food comes the creation of living beings. The Bhagavad Gita states: “Annaad bhavanti bhootaani parjanyad anna sambhavah.”

Meaning: Living beings are created from food, and food is produced from rain, and rain is produced by sacrifice.

Adi Shankaracharya, based on this profound realization, concluded that the supreme place for surrender and service is Purushottam Dham (Puri Jagannath Temple), where even inanimate objects like rice grains attain Brahmatva (divine nature).

In the first offering, the pure rice grains, having reached the storehouse with the intention of being used in the service of Lord Jagannath, are no longer referred to as ‘tandula’ (rice grains) but as ‘amuniya’ (dedicated or consecrated).

The amuniya rice, after being sanctified and transformed through the Vaishnavagni (sacred fire) in the second offering for the service of the Lord, becomes transformed into ‘anna’ (food fit for the deity). In the third offering, when the food is being taken to the grand temple of Jagannath for His service, the cooks carry it on their shoulders with their faces covered, and at that time, it is referred to as ‘chhekka’ (a term used to describe the sacred food), rather than ‘anna’ (food). In the fourth offering, when the ‘chhekka’ (sacred food) reaches the grand temple of Niladri Vihari (Lord Jagannath) for His service, it is no longer referred to as ‘chhekka’ but as ‘bhoga’ (offering or food offered to the deity).

In the sixth offering, after being sanctified by the Pujapanda (priest) with the recitation of the Patala Narasingha mantra and offered with the Gopala mantra, the ‘Naivedya’ (offering) transforms into Prasada (sacred food blessed by the deity).

In the seventh offering, after this Prasada is offered to the Bhairavi Chakra of Parama Vaishnavi Mahabhairavi Vimala, it is sanctified and transformed into ‘Mahaprasada’, fit for public consumption and worship.

In the eighth offering, the Mahaprasada reaches the Ananda Bazaar. There, countless devotees have darshan (viewing) of it and attain the path to liberation. At this stage, it is referred to as Kaibalya.

In the ninth offering, this Kaibalya is served by devotees in the form of Narayana, without distinction of caste or creed, and they attain supreme satisfaction. At that time, it is referred to as ‘Abhada’. In the tenth offering, the Abhada that remains as a residue after being served to Narayana (the Supreme Being) is referred to as ‘Nirmalya’ .

After the completion of the tenth offering, an eleventh offering spontaneously manifests, and that Nirmalya is absorbed back into its original form, Parambrahma Jagannath.

Finally, after this transformative process, the Nirmalya, now imbued with the divine essence, is absorbed back into its original form, Parambrahma Jagannath, and is referred to as the ultimate liberator of the universe.

This is the grandeur of the selfless offering service.

Or, in a more poetic tone:

This is the majesty of the selfless offering ritual.

People from all over the world are eager to get even a small particle of Mahaprasada. It is said that according to the Bhakti Shastras, Lord Shiva, the greatest of gods, was satisfied by the Mahaprasada that had stuck to the beard of Narada, the divine sage and devotee. Jagatjanani (the Mother of the Universe), Parvati, prayed to Parambrahma Jagannath because she couldn’t get Mahaprasada. Pleased with her prayer, Purushottama Jagannath instructed her to appear in the form of Bimala in Shrikshetra (Puri). Since then, after being offered to Jagannath as Naivedya, the Prasad is offered to Bimala and is known as Mahaprasad or Mata Prasad (Mother’s Prasad).

There is a popular belief that gods and goddesses, eager to have Maha Prasad, descend from heaven and, disguising themselves as humans, flock to Ananda Bazaar to get a glimpse of Lord Jagannath’s Maha Prasad. After being offered to Mangala at Kakatpur, the Maha Prasad is brought back, and the Navakalevara ritual (the ritual of changing the body of Lord Jagannath) is initiated.

Mahaprasada is an integral part of various rituals and ceremonies in Odisha. In the temples of all the deities and mangalik (auspicious) functions, the Mahaprasada is offered first. In numerous auspicious occasions like weddings, upanayana (sacred thread ceremony), grihapravesha (housewarming), etc., Mahaprasada is served to the invitees. Even in shuddhikarya (purification rituals), after ekadashi (eleventh day of the lunar fortnight), Mahaprasada is served to relatives, friends, and Brahmins.

At the final moments of life, Mahaprasada is also administered. It is believed that if Nirmalya (residue of Mahaprasada) is given at the end of life, all sins are destroyed, and the person attains Vishnuloka (the abode of Lord Vishnu).

To sum up, Mahaprasada is deeply connected with the life of the people. From this perspective, people visiting Puri always bring back Mahaprasada for their loved ones.

In every tradition, including Veda, Tantra, Panchratra, Shaiva, Shakta, Vaishnava, and Shabara, Mahaprasada has been considered the most sacred and supreme offering. In the divine vision of all sects and philosophies, the glory of Mahaprasada is unparalleled.

In Indian philosophy, culture, and spirituality, Nirmalya is considered the liberator, destroyer of all sins, and the healer of all diseases. By serving Mahaprasada with a calm and peaceful mind, devotees satisfy both their body and soul, express gratitude to Lord Jagannath, and offer their prayers.

“Krtarthoham krtarthoham krtarthoham na sansyah,

Devadeva Jagannatha taba nirmalya bhakhyanat.”

“I am content, I am content, I am content, without a doubt, Oh Lord Jagannath, by consuming your Nirmalya.”

This article embodies the divine spirit of Lord Jagannath, inspired by the profound wisdom of Pandit Antaryami Mishra’s enlightening work, “Mahaprasad Mahatmya”.

Dhirendra Kumar Kar lives in Morrisville, North Carolina, USA.
Views expressed are personal