LORD JAGANNATH


Every morning, Shaswati begins her day by gazing at the image of Lord Jagannath. Her eyes radiate serenity, and her words are filled with quiet spirituality. A kind-hearted Odia girl, she embodies grace and good manners, her femininity reflected not just in her gentle demeanor but in the devotion she pours into every aspect of her life. With talented hands, Shaswati tends to make beautiful drawings of Lord Jagannath tender lines of devotion pressed into paper, sometimes offered to others, every pattern flowering like a prayer in colour and shape. In the evenings, her voice, as soft as the wind among temple bells, carries bhajans into the twilight. She writes songs of love and adoration of her beloved Lord, and in every sound, her spirit stretches out in gratitude and yearning.
 
One day, as she was preparing chapatis for dinner, she noticed two blackened spots formed by the flame. To an ordinary eye, they were mere marks of heat—but to Shaswati’s devoted heart, they appeared like the divine, soulful eyes of Lord Jagannath gazing back at her. Her breath caught. Tears welled in her eyes, flowing not from sorrow but from overwhelming emotion. It made her recall the sacred story of Bhakta Dasia Bauri, who had once beheld the Lord in his simple vessel of rice and saga curry— a moment when untainted devotion culminated in simplicity giving way to divinely special revelation. Shaswati called to her mother, her voice shaking in awe. "Ma, I won't eat this," she breathed. Her mother, understand without a word, smiled gently. She saw her daughter's heart—brimming with belief, overflowing with love. They put the chapati before Lord Jagannath in silence and devotion.


              In that still, holy moment, Shaswati sensed the unseen thread between herself and her Lord strengthen. It was a reminder that divinity is not always found in temples or ceremonies but often manifests in the plain, gentle spaces where love and honesty reside. Then she set the offering reverently aside her study table and clasped her hands. A palpable warmth filled the air. She prayed softly—not for achievement, but for wisdom and guidance. When she opened her books, her heart was light, her mind at peace. She knew the Lord oversaw her—not from a distance, but within.
Each prayer, each drawing, each moment of quiet was her sacrifice. And Lord Jagannath rewarded her with peace, purpose, and grace in her life.