From Preservation to Destruction?
When I was younger, we used to get an invitation from ISKCON through the post about the annual Rath Yatra.
A Rath Yatra is a chariot procession that carries the deities of Lord Jaganath, Baldev and Subadhra.
Lord Jaganath is a form of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu (the Lord of the Universe).
Baldev and Subadhra are Lord Jaganath’s siblings.
It is said this journey is to symbolise the trip that the three siblings made to their aunt’s home - a scene that originates from the Lord Jaganath Mandir in Puri, Odisha, and the Rath is taken to the Gundicha Mandir around 3km away.
We never actually went to the annual event in London and so never got the chance to lend a hand to pull the chariot.
This participation was a key part of the whole process - an honour and a blessing too because you got to be with other devotees who would pull the chariot, dance and sing along the procession route.
It felt like devotees would be helping God reach His destination, whilst understanding that He was with us daily helping us reach ours.
I often wondered what this image of this colourful chariot, with a Hare Krishna movement and numerous devotees along the streets of London would look like.
It gave a tangible example of how open-minded London was at the idea that Lord Jaganath would bless Londoners and the City too.
I later found out that the first Rath Yatra procession in London took place back in 1969, starting from Marble Arch and travelled all the way to Leicester Square.
Rath Yatra has an interesting meaning.
‘Rath’ means ‘chariot’ and ‘yatra’ means ‘pilgrimage’.
The word ‘yatra’ is such a beautiful word, and an homage, I feel, to the journey of life.
But it also plays a significant part in signalling the idea of movement as well.
Each week, I reiterate the notion that each word has seen its own movement, or even ‘yatra’, to make its way to our vocabulary now.
Such is the case of the link between Lord Jaganath and the English word ‘juggernaut’.
Jaganath comes from Sanskrit; made up of the word ‘jagat’ meaning ‘universe’ and ‘nāth’ meaning ‘lord’ or ‘master’.
As we know, the word ‘juggernaut’ means a ‘force or object that is unstoppable, destructive and merciless’.
Campaigns, movements and advertising efforts are often called ‘juggernauts’.
Visually, it evokes a sense of a force that crushes whatever is in its path.
But how can the incarnation of Lord Vishnu be linked to this idea at all?
Vishnu evokes the idea of preservation; not destruction.
To me, the force that could be linked to this phenomenon would be Lord Shiva, who is known as the ‘destroyer’ in the cosmic cycle of creation, preservation and destruction.
I learnt that it actually goes back to the Rath Yatra in Puri in the early 14th Century, and accounts retold by Western missionaries, like Friar Odoric, who perhaps exaggerated their stories that devotees were crushed under the Rath Yatra chariots as an act of devotion.
The idea of crushing came from this, and so, in around the 19th Century, Lord Jaganath’s name led the English language to adopt the term ‘Juggernaut’ to mean a crushing force.
It’s unfortunate to learn this really.
Knowing, as I do, the power of Vishnu brings about the idea of preserving the universe rather than destroying it, it’s a shame the evolution of His good name has led to this idea of crushing something in a negative manner.
I suppose there is some respite in the adoption of the term ‘juggernaut’ in corporate spheres, where the idea of a campaign can crush its competitors’ abilities.
However, I would rather you know Lord Jaganath to be the preserver of the Universe, and not the negative crushing force His name was taken and evolved to be.