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Where life is a pilgrimage there lays Bhagabata. Where there is no Bhagabata, there life is worthless. Very enigmatic and gem of Purans, Bhagabata is the Kalpabriksha of Vedic form, speech of The Almighty, linguistic image of Shreehari. Bhagabata is created from Bhaba-emotion, its pervasion is from emotion. ‘Jagannath das in Brmhanda Bhoogola has said, “bhabaru jahati sambhuta, enuti nama bhagabata” (which is originated from bhaba that is why its named as bhagabata). To be of the Almighty is the essence bhagabata. Who knows that God is only mine and I am His- he is Bhagabata. This is the best life-saving, path showing Scripture consisting of eighteen puranas. An exquisite expression relished by sweetness of all feelings is Bhagabata.

This is a precious sacred therapy for incomprehensible age of vice draped human beings. This is the intellectual Ganges that has caused a revolutionary blooming of Odia religious and devotional contemplation. Its descriptions, minutes, metaphors, tales and anecdote are immensely helpful for spiritual life of human beings. Bhagabata is the guide of our language, sentiment, and scriptures; this is easy, ingenuous, lucid yet mysterious and full of metaphysics. Reading, rumination, practice and deliberation / following of this increase the faith of emancipation from all sins; one’s demeanor and behaviour gets polished. This is a powerful weapon to get rid of the delusion of evil association/ bad company. This is a treasure of present and future eon for Odia community. The root everything is Bhagabata and the root of Bhagabata lies in everything. A devotee / aficionado in sorrow, happiness, in affluence, in poverty says, “Shree Krishna Govinda Hare Muraare, He Naatha Naaraayana Baashudeva”, “Om Namah Bhagabate Baashudevaaya,”, “Om Namah bhaagabata Gosaain”. It is believed that all the deities manifest themselves in the Bhagabata Gaadi. Bhaagabat – an explosion of knowledge and prudence; is an Amrit Katha.

Shreemad Bhagabata is the linguistic image of The Almighty / God. The first and second division of this is pair of feet of the Almighty, third and fourth division are thighs, fifth division is naval, sixth diviion arm end or chest, seventh and eighth are both hands, ninth division is neck, tenth division is blissful face, eleventh division is forehead, twelfth division is his head. The Bhagabata of Jagannath das is the Odia creation of Sanskrit Bhagabat of Shree Shree Byasadeva. This is a unique creation in Odia literature of medieval period. Ingenuity and intellect of Jagannath Das is very much evident in Bhagabat. Bhagabat comprise of twelve divisions, 335 chapters, written in nine lettered gujjari style (Britta), one metrical feet/ unit with two verses. To compose lyrical / graceful stanzas Jagannath Das has written syllabic rhythms on third, sixth, and ninth letter and has used odia letters like “Na, Pa, Ba, Ma, Ra, LLa, La, Sha, Sa, as last letters of each metrical feet. This is written in secular universally comprehensible Prakrit mixed language which is quite pure, controlled and polished. Its sound is as charming as the reverberation of Flute and Veena. Its every metrical feet is filled with Hari Rasaamrita. Be it the time of birth in the family or during defilement due to death in the family Bhagabata has its necessity. The stanzas of Bhagabata are like an authoritative statement, where man can give instances of one or other stanza in family botherations, in distress and adversities, in happiness and sorrow and find solution of their problems. Jagannath Das had written the Bhagabat at the age of eighteen years sitting on the space near the “BataGanesh shrine” present within the Jagannath Temple complex. That was such a sacred place, as if Odia Bhagabata united with Lord Jagannath at one point! Along with composition of Bhagabata reading of the same was going on there. While translating Jagannath Das had followed the “Bhabarth Deepika” – purport of Sanskrit Bhagabata written by Shreedhar Swami of Mayur village (Marei Gaon) of Remuna PS of Baleswar District which he himself had mentioned in twelfth division of Bhagabata. Shree Chaiyanya had also accepted Shreedhar Swami as his Guru or teacher. Since Jagannath Das had translated the Bhagabata in an auspicious moment of Bhadra Poornamii or Indu Poornamii so this day is populrised as birthday of Bhagabata. Although Bhagabata reading starts from Guru Poornima or Byasa Poornima yet Bhadra Poornima is celebrated as birthday of Bhagabata.

The summery of Bhagabata is – “Paropakaaraaya Swargeeya, Paapaaya parapeedane”. That is benevolence is a divine act and giving pain to others is the biggest sin. Bhagabata is able to take mankind darkness to luminosity and path of death to path of nectar or life giving path. Bhagabata says if you can’t help anybody neither don’t harm them nor think of harming anyone. Along with self wellbeing do something for the welfare of the society, state and mankind. Bhagabata is worshipped and respected in most of the Odia families. The love for Bhagabata is vibrated in every Odia soul. This is a source of love, cordiality, power, amity and inspiration.

Devotion of Bhagabata- is a prodigious wealth and the condition that excites the mind and soul. God grace is achieved only with unadulterated, pure and clean reverence and dedication. There is no action aversive thinking process in Bhagabata. The fruit of good deeds is to obtain heavenly pleasure. It is mentioned in Bhagabata that, one should follow the saintly mores like surrendered industriousness, restraint form Epicureanism (bhogabaada), abstinence from hedonism / pleasure oriented inclination, the attitude of performing own duty without expectation of any result, servitude towards old persons, hospitality for guests, earning money for dharma, shedding of eating habits of wine and nonvegetarian foods, prohibition of violence towards animals, not to fall in the ensnare of women. (“Samarpanaatmaka Karmaprabanataa, bhogabaadara niyantranna, bhogasarbaswa abhimukhyaru nibritti, phalara aashaa na rakhi kartabya karijibaara chintadhaara brudhhabrudhhaanka sebaayatna, atithi satkaara, dharama pain dhana arjana, mada o mansa aahaara tyaaga, pashu hinsaa barjana, naarira roopa mohare na padibaao rrishi kalpita sanskriti ku anusarana kariba.”) It is also written that tolerance towards different religions is the primary soul of Bhagabata culture. “Parama Shaastra bhagabata, abhyaasa karuthibaa nitya. Je anya shaastra gunna dosha, mukhe nakariba prakaasha.” (Bhagabata 11/4/6)

An indicative word of widespread emotional course is Bhagabata. Bhagabata Dhrama means mainly the philosophy of relationship between human being and The Almighty and its associated course of conduct. This is the elementary incantation of Jagannath ism and the ideal of universal brotherhood and the only spiritual path is chanting. Bhagabata was providing solutions to necessities of specific discipline, philosophy, living style, mores, practices, specific practice, and tradition of the then social life. This is written in Bhagabata. In a spiritual sacrificial institution by King of Bideha Nishi nine saints voluntarily composed advises to solve various problems of living world which are known as ‘Soota and Shounaka’, ‘Bramha and Narada’, ‘Shuka and Pariskhita’, ‘Uddhaba and Krishna’ etc dialogues. These contain descriptive formulas to face various challenges of life. It is mentioned in the Swargarohan episode of Bhagabata trhat the result that one gets after reading eighteen Purans can be achieved only by listening to the bhagabat. Since Sanskrit Bhagabata is quite difficult to understand hence Odia hagabata is the life veda of Odias. This not only has brought spiritual, moral and social consciousness among Residents of Odisha rather it has grossly affected the public life of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam. The socialistic thinking of the saints and the dream of a communistic society is reflected in the Bhagabata.

Bhagabata was the catalyser of literacy mission. In the chaatshaalis – small village based institutes meant for mass education along with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division importance was given on Bhagabata reading. It was “Bidya Bhagabatawadhi”. Individuals used feel gratified of being able to read Bhagabata after learning alphabets. In the census of 1901 the literacy rate of Odisha was far more than other states due to manifest or latent inspiration of Bhagabata. Shreemad Bhagabata was considered as the manifestation of Bhagbat form. Bhagabata scripture was worshipped being kept on a pedestal. Even till now pedestal worship (Gaadipooja) is prevalent in some villages. No one ever had the courage of lying vowing in the name of Bhagabata. Who will dare to lie touching ‘Pothi Gosain’. The village elders could easily solve the quarrels between two groups demanding to be truthful by vowing in the name of Bhagabata. Based on the preaching from Bhagabata the heads of the villages could resolve the fight between groups. People were so devoted to Bhagabata that they used to say pothi is sitting / Geeta is sitting or Bhagabata is sitting and while completion of the programme no one used to say that reading is complete or finished rather would say Pothee will get up or Bhagabata will move. At the dawn of the evening people would gather in the Bhagabata sacrarium (Tungi) / shrine lighting a lamp. At that time this used to be the reading room of Puranas, teaching place, evening school, village court. Current day village courts are the then Bhagabata sacrariums (tungi). The Bhagabata life of Odias was very different of that time. After the day’s work villagers together in the evening, would listen Bhagabata at the sacrarium, bow down before Gaadi Gosain (the prudent who used to read and explain Bhagabata to the villagers), and return home plunged in Bhagabat consciousness. Eulogy of The Almighty was simple at that time. Bhagabata Scrarium used to overflow with chanting of HariHari and Haribol. Villages would drape and contented in melodious devine pleasure. Odias used to create consciousness on day to day life by writing quotes and excerption from Bhagabata in walls, classrooms, Kirtan podiums, shrines and temples. They used to bow down spontaneously before Jagannath Das, Bhagabata Sacrarium and Gaadi Gosain. Bhagabat Sacrariums were spiritual pulsation of every village. For a village it was focal point of promoting social belief, moral norm; a centre of assurance. Over the ages disciplining, harmonizing, compacting, elevating individuals and society is the scripture Bhagabata.