Indradyumna Tank — Attraction in Puri

"Lord Caitanya performed playful pastimes with His associates in the water of the lake known as Indradyumna. The Lord personally splashed all the devotees with water, and the devotees, surrounding Him on all sides, also splashed the Lord. While in the water they sometimes formed a circle and sometimes many circles. From time to time two would pair off to mock-fight in the water. One would emerge victorious and the other defeated, and the Lord would watch all this fun.

When Lord Caitanya saw the exuberance of the two learned scholars, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Ramananda Raya, He smiled and spoke to Gopinatha Acarya, “Tell Bhattacarya and Ramananda Raya to stop their childish play because they are both very grave and great personalities.” Gopinatha Acarya replied, “I believe that one drop of the ocean of Your great mercy has swelled up upon them. A drop from the ocean of Your mercy can drown great mountains like Sumeru and Mandara. Since these two gentlemen are little hills by comparison, it is no wonder that they are being drowned in the ocean of Your mercy. Logic is like a dry oil cake from which all the oil has been extracted. The Bhattacarya passed his life in eating such dry cakes, but now You have made him drink the nectar of transcendental pastimes. It is certainly Your great mercy upon him.”

After Gopinatha Acarya finished talking, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu smiled and, calling for Advaita Acarya, made Him act like the Sesa Naga bed. Lying down on Advaita Prabhu, who was floating on the water, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu demonstrated the pastime of Sesasayi Visnu. Manifesting His personal potency, Advaita Acarya floated about on the water, carrying Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

After sporting in the water for some time, Lord Caitanya returned to His place, accompanied by His devotees."

Excerpt from Caitanya Caritamrta,...

The Holy Sarovar Indradyumna is one of the tirth sthal in Jagannath Puri. Indradyumna Sarovar Tirtha pith is surrounded by five-six temples and is situated half kilometers away from the Gundicha Temple. During the Ashwamedha Yagna, King Indradyumna donated thousands of cows to Brahmins. Thousands of these sacred cows built a very deep crater in the earth with their hooves at the standing place, which took the form of a large pond. The pond was filled with cow urine and water, which the king used during the Ashwamedha Yagna, thus the pond became a shrine. According to Skanda Purana, it is considered the best of all the pilgrimages.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used the water of Indradyumna Sarovar to cleanse and clean the Gundicha temple a day before the Jagannath Rath Yatra. In the Sarovars right side three temples situated Gundicha Temple, a large Sakhi Gopal Temple and a small Swami Narayan Temple and on the left side, you will also find Indradyumna Temple. Descending down the stairs of the lake, the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple and the Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple...

It is located behind the Narasimha temple. Lord Chaitanya and His associates performed water sports in this lake.



This water tank is half km from Gundicha temple. Mahaprabhu took water from here to cleanse Gundicha temple. There are 3 main temples here: Indradyumna Maharaja's temple on left side near tank, a large Saksi Gopala temple on right side and Nilakantesvara Mahadeva Siva temple mid-way down the stairs leading to the sarovara.

Mother Cow creates a huge lake: Millions of years ago during Satya-yuga, King Indradyumna performed ashvamedha-yajna (horse sacrifice) here. At that time he honoured the assembled Brahmins by donating 1000's of cows. While all those heavy cows were standing here, their hooves made a deep depression in the earth; creating a large lake. Lake became filled with water and cow urine. Since then it became a tirtha, a purifying place of pilgrimage. Skanda Purana says that this is the best of all tirthas. Chandana Yatra and Sitala-sthali festival are pompously...