Rathe tu Vaamanam drustva

We have heard a very popular sloka that is as follows –

Rathe tu Vaamanam drustva Punarjanmam na vidyate ||

It means if we see Vaamana or Lord Jagannath on the Chariot during the Rath Yatra or the Car festival, we will never have to take rebirth again. In other words, we will get salvation or moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

But a question comes to our mind that why Lord Jagannath is described here as ‘Vaamana’?

To know the answer we have to refer to the following sloka –

मधुसूदनो वैशाखे ज्येष्ठे त्रविक्रमः पतिः।
आषाढे वामानाधीशः श्रावणे श्रीधरः स्मृतः॥
भाद्रवे हृषिकेशश्च पद्मनाभोऽश्विनाधिपः।
दामोदरश्च कार्त्तिके मार्गशीर्षे च केशवः॥
पौषे नारायणस्वामी माघाधिपश्च माधवः।
फाल्गुने गोविन्दो ज्ञेयो विष्णुश्चैत्रेश्वरोऽपिच॥

It means the combination of Hindu months and their presiding deities are as follows -

वेशाख-मधुसूदन, ज्येष्ठ - त्रिविक्रम , आषाढ़ - वामन , श्रावण-श्रीधर , भाद्रव- हृषीकेश , आश्विन - पद्मनाभ , कार्तिक - दामोदर , मार्गशीर्ष - केशव , पौष - नारायण , माघ- माधव , फाल्गुन - गोविन्द , चैत्र - विष्णु॥

In English -

Vaishaakha-Madhusudana, Jyeshtha-Trivikrama, Ashaadha-Vaamana, Shraavana-Sridhara, Bhaadrava-Hrushikesha, Aashwina-Padmanaava, Kaartika-Daamodara, Maargashirsha-Keshava, Pousha-Naaraayana, Maagha-Maadhava, Phaalguna-Govinda and Chaitra-Vishnu ||

These deities are the twelve different forms of Lord Vishnu. Now let us get back to the sloka – ‘Rathe tu’. Actually it is a part of the following sloka –

Dole tu Dolagovindam Chaape tu Madhusudanam |

Rathe tu Vaamanam drustva Punarjanmam na vidyate ||

It means, in Purusottama Kshetra or Puri, if you see Dolagovinda in Dola Yatra, Madhusudana in Chaapa (Boating journey of the Lords) and Vaamana in the Rath or Chariot during Rath Yatra or the Car Festival, then you will get moksha or salvation or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

It is seen that Dola Yatra falls during Phalguna and the presiding deity of this month is Govinda, Chaapa or Chandan Yatra falls during Vaishaakha and the presiding deity of this month is Madhusudana, and Rath Yatra falls during Aashaadha and the presiding deity of this month is Vaamana.

So it gets clear that we get to see Vaamana form of Lord Vishnu (Jagannath) during Rath Yatra as it falls during the month of Aashadha.

But again a question comes, why we get liberation by just seeing Him during that time?

And the answer is - liberation or moksha can be granted by Vishnu and Shiva. Also if you happen to take your last breathe in either Varanasi (eternal abode of Shiva) or Puri (eternal abode of Vishnu), you will be granted moksha or liberation by the grace of these two great Gods. That’s why it is said that –

Gangaayam cha jale muktih vaaraanaasyam jale sthale |

Jale sthale chantariksye muktih sri purusottame ||

It means you will get liberation if you take your last breathe in the river Ganga or in the landmass/water bodies of Varanasi or in the landmass/water bodies/aerial spaces of Puri (Purusottama Kshetra).

Such is the glory and sanctity of Purusottama Kshetra or Puri where Lord Jagannath (Vishnu) resides eternally and grants moksha also to everybody who sees Him in Vaamana form during Rath Yatra.

Jai Jagannath!