When Lord Jagannath Bound Hanuman

In the holy city of Puri, where the mighty temple of Lord Jagannath stands near the roaring ocean, many wonderful legends are told by devotees. One such fascinating story tells how the great devotee Hanuman was once lovingly bound in shackles by Lord Jagannath Himself.

Long ago, the temple of Lord Jagannath in Puri had been completed, and thousands of devotees visited every day to offer their prayers. Lord Jagannath, who is none other than the divine form of Lord Krishna, lived in the temple with his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra.

But there was one problem.

The sea near Puri was powerful and restless. The waves often roared loudly and crashed against the shore with great force. The sound sometimes disturbed the peaceful atmosphere of the temple and the prayers of the devotees.

Seeing this, Lord Jagannath thought of someone who could control the ocean's powerful waves. Immediately, He remembered the mighty Hanuman, the devoted servant of Lord Ram. Hanuman was known for his strength, wisdom, and unwavering devotion.

Lord Jagannath called Hanuman and requested him to guard the temple and keep the ocean calm so that devotees could pray peacefully. Hanuman happily accepted the responsibility. For a devotee like him, serving the Lord was the greatest joy.

Hanuman stood near the seashore and began watching the ocean carefully. Whenever the waves grew too strong, he used his power to calm them. Because of his presence, the temple surroundings became peaceful and quiet.

Days passed, and Hanuman performed his duty faithfully.

But Hanuman had one special habit. Every day he loved to visit the nearby forest to listen to stories of Lord Ram and chant his name. Even though Lord Jagannath is another form of the same Supreme Lord, Hanuman’s heart was deeply devoted to Ram.

One day, while Hanuman went away to listen to the glories of Lord Ram, the waves of the ocean suddenly grew wild again. They roared loudly and disturbed the temple once more.

Lord Jagannath noticed that Hanuman had left his post.

Although Hanuman’s devotion was pure and sincere, the temple needed protection at all times. So, Lord Jagannath decided to ensure that Hanuman would remain near the temple permanently.

With divine wisdom, Lord Jagannath ordered that Hanuman be placed inside a small shrine near the temple and that symbolic shackles be placed around him so he would not wander away from his duty.

These were not shackles of punishment but shackles of love and responsibility.

Hanuman understood the Lord's intention immediately. Instead of feeling insulted or angry, he smiled. He knew that serving the Lord in any form was the greatest blessing.

From that day onward, Hanuman remained at Puri, guarding the temple and keeping the sea calm. Devotees say that even today, Hanuman protects the temple from powerful ocean waves.

In the temple complex of Puri, there is a shrine known as Bedi Hanuman (Hanuman in chains). Devotees believe that this is the very place where Lord Jagannath lovingly bound Hanuman so he could continue serving the Lord and protecting the sacred temple.

And thus, the mighty Hanuman - who could easily break mountains and leap across oceans - happily accepted the Lord's shackles, proving that true devotion means surrendering completely to the will of God.

Moral

True devotion means accepting the Lord’s will with humility and joy. Even the greatest devotee finds happiness in serving the divine purpose.