Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025: Understanding the Symbolism of Lord Jagannath’s Missing Limbs

Today, lakhs of devotees gathered to witness Lord Jagannath's ceremonial bathing rituals, held in an open pandal on the premises of the 12th-century temple. This festival, known as the ritual Deva Snana Purnima, takes place on the full moon day in the month of Jyestha. It is also the first occasion in a year when the idols of the deities—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra—are brought out of the sanctum sanctorum in a procession and placed on the 'Snana Mandap' for the bathing rituals.

But did you know there are interesting facts and rituals associated with the idols of these deities? For instance, they are made with neem wood because the Bhavishya Purana considers it to be the most auspicious wood from which to make Vishnu murtis. It is said that since Lord Jagannath is depicted as dark, the neem tree from which the wood is taken should be of similar color. Meanwhile, the trees used for making the idols of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are made from neem wood of lighter color, as it is said that his siblings have a lighter complexion. According to rituals, the tree for Lord Jagannath's idol must have four branches representing his arms; no branches are broken or cut. Moreover, it cannot be made from any ordinary neem tree. In fact the trunk of the tree must also have natural impressions of a conch shell and chakra.

This naturally leads to a fascinating question about why the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra don’t have arms or legs. This unique feature is surrounded by rich mythological stories and deep symbolism.

Author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik wrote in an article titled Jagannath's Incompleteness Shows We Must Not Lose Sight of Those Who Are Different from Us that the story goes: “When the image was being carved, the sculptor had asked the patron king not to open the door until the work was completed. But the king did open it, when he did not hear sounds of the wood being carved and polished. Thus, the idol remained incomplete.”

The story involves King Indradyumna, a devoted follower of Lord Vishnu, who desperately craved to see the god in physical form. “Through divine intervention, he learned that Lord Vishnu had taken the form of the Nila Madhava idol. Ecstatic, the king rushed to see the deity, but alas, upon arrival, the idol had vanished! Disheartened but not defeated, Indradyumna received a message—to build a temple on top of Nila Hill,” writes Gaurav Balakrishnan in an article titled Why Jagannath Has No Hands? Explore the Enchanting Story! published on the blog Svastika.

He adds, “Here's the interesting part: the king was instructed to find a skilled craftsman to carve a new idol, but with one crucial caveat—the work had to be completed in a single night! The king, determined to please the Lord, sought out the legendary Vishwakarma, the divine architect.”

The artisan was known for his skills and agreed to the requirements. While he started working on the idols, most of the work was done except for the limbs. As he was trying to finish the idols before the sun rose, he feared he might have failed in the assignment. Fearing the king’s wrath, he left the idol unfinished, which devastated the king.

“But then, a booming voice filled the air! It was a divine voice, folks, and it declared that the idol, in its unique, incomplete form, was perfect. Why? Because,” the voice explained, “Lord Jagannath, with his missing hands, symbolized the universality of the divine. He was a god who didn’t need hands to offer blessings or embrace his devotees. His love encompassed all, regardless of form,” writes Balakrishnan.

There are various interpretations for this form, as Pattanaik writes: “In devotional songs, the incompleteness of Jagannath’s idol is often highlighted. Is there a deeper meaning to Jagannath’s incompleteness? Does Jagannath embody a disabled person to remind ‘abled’ beings that we must not lose sight of those who are different from us? Does it express the essential incompleteness and imperfection of all things around us?”

The incomplete idols are also a reminder for us that no one is perfect.