Jagannath is a god, the most famous Hindu figure worshipped as Lord Jagannath.
His huge round eyes and wooden idol are symbols of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna and he is usually revered in the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha. People and scholars have long loved those large eyes.
Lord Jagannath's eyes have no eyelids, unlike human eyes, so Lord Jagannath's eyes are always up and watching over the world. The eternal gaze is divine vigilance and a holy reminder to the people that God never sleeps, that God does not rest and keeps the world safe, always coming to them and bringing them to good order and blessing them.
Lord Jagannath’s open eyes, Hindu scriptures state, show compassion and love for all. He will accept everyone, irrespective of caste, religion, gender, and social class.
This universal acceptance is why millions of devotees feel an instant emotional connection when they stand before the deity.
In another way, the big eyes are linked to infinite awareness. Because Lord Jagannath is the supreme consciousness of the universe, his eyes represent omniscience he sees beyond the physical world to the hearts and minds of all beings. People say no prayer goes unheard and no suffering goes unnoticed under his watchful eyes.
Lord Jagannath is also unique in that his divine transformation is known to be the basis. Some say that the unfinished wooden form of Jagannath expresses Krishna's feelings as he recalls Radha and the people of Vrindavan. His enlarged eyes are like manifestations of love and spiritual ecstasy.
It’s a comfort for devotees to stand before Lord Jagannath, a familiar feeling for the devotee to be in front of him. They say they feel peace and hope and emotional healing to stand before Lord Jagannath. Spiritual teachers say that if we look at the Lord’s eyes, fear, anxiety, and negative thoughts are gone and faith and inner strength are replaced by faith and inner strength, they say.
This belief takes on new meaning in the Jagannath Rath Yatra when the god comes out of the temple to bless everyone. As per religious traditions, many cannot enter Jagannath Temple and the Rath Yatra is a reflection of the Lord coming out to meet all the devotees equally and to look with compassion to the whole world.
The big circular eyes also carry a philosophical message. They make you think big, to think out there for a better future in life; to be kind and to love all people with the same heart. To love people sincerely and not through superficial appearances, devotees are taught to love them with inner purity and unconditional love.
Lord Jagannath still inspires millions of people today. His eyes, always on the horizon, are always open and he is always with you.
For many of those who seek him for help and the Lord in particular seeing him is an experience of reassurance, hope, and unshakeable spiritual comfort.
