JUGGERNAUT, or JAGGERNAUT PURI, or PURI, is the name of a t. in Orissa (85° 54' long., and 19° 45' lat.), celebrated as one of the chief places of pilgrimage in India. It owes its reputation to a temple erected there in honor of Vishnu, and con taining an idol of this Hindu god, called Juggernaut (commonly Juggernaut), a corruption of the Sanscrit word Jaganndtha, i.e., lord of the world. According to a legend related in the Ayeen Akbery, a king desirous of founding a city sent a learned Brahman to pitch . upon a proper spot. The Brahman, after a long search, arrived upon the banks of the sea, and there saw a crow diving into the water, and, having washed its body, making' obeisance to the sea. Understanding the language of the birds, he learned from the crow that, if he remained there a short time, he would comprehend the wonders of this land. The king, apprised of this occurrence, built on the spot where the crow had appeared a large city and a place of worship. The rajah one slight beard in a dream a voice saying: " On a certain day, cast thine eyes on the sea-shore, when there will arise out of the water a piece of wood 52 in. long and cubits broad; this is the true form of the deity; take it up, and keep it hidden in thine house seven days; and in whatever shape it shall then appear, place it in the temple, and worship it." It happened as the
rajah had dreamed, and the image called by him JagannLha became the object of wor ship of all ranks of people, and perforated many miracles. According to another legend, the image arising from the water was an avatilra or incarnation of Vishlu; it was fashioned by Vis'wakarman, the architect of the gods, into a fourfold idol, which repre sented the supreme deity, and the temple itself was erected over it, and inaugurated by the god Bralyna and his divine court. The present temple was finished in 1198 A.D., under the government of the celebrated rajah of Orissa, Anang Bhim Deo. Whether the worship of Jaggernaut was originally one in honor of Vishnu or not may be doubtful. The notoriety it has gained is due especially to the fanaticism which induced, and still induces, thousands of Hindu believers to sacrifice their lives, iu the hope of attaining eternal bliss, by throwing themselves under the wheels of the chariot which carries in procession the idol of the god. It is just, however, to state that this practice, which in former times prevailed to a fearful extent, is greatly abating in our days.