Oriya Literature - Age of The Panchasakhas

Age of The Panchasakhas

Five Oriya poets emerged during the late 15th and 16th centuries: Balaram Das, Jagannath Das, Achyutananda Das, Ananta Das and Jasobanta Das. Although they wrote over a span of one hundred years they are collectively known as the "Panchasakhas", since they adhered to the same school of thought, Utkaliya Vaishnavism. The word "pancha" means five and the word "sakha", friend. Balaram Das’s Jagamohan Ramayan provided one pillar, along with Sarala-Das's Mahabharata, upon which subsequent Oriya literature was built. His Laksmi Purana is considered the first manifesto of women’s liberation or feminism in Indian literature.

Shri Achyutananda Das was the most prolific writer of the Panchasakhas and wrote numerous books or pothis. One of his significant beliefs was in reincarnation. He is known as the Mahapurusha, meaning great man. He was learned in Ayurvedic medicine, other sciences and social regulations.

The most influential work of the period was Jagannath Das’s Bhagabata, which had a great influence on the Oriya people as a day-to-day philosophical guide, as well as a lasting one on Oriya culture.

The Panchasakhas are very much Vaishnavas by thought. In 1509 Chaitanya came to Odisha with his Vaishnava message of love. Before him, Jaydev had prepared the ground by heralding the cult of Vaishnavism through his Geetagovinda. Chaitanya’s path of devotion was known as Raganuga Bhakti Marga. He was the first to introduce the simple method of chanting to make a spiritual connection, and first to teach the importance of the hare krishna mantra. Unlike Chaitanya, the Panchasakhas believed in Gyana Mishra Bhakti Marga, which was similar to the Buddhist philosophy of Charya literature stated above.

The Panchasakhas were significant not only because of their poetry but because of their spiritual legacy. In the holy land of Kalinga (Odisha) many saints, mystics, and devotional souls have been born throughout history, fortifying the culture and its spiritualism. This area witnessed most important Hindu traditions and spiritual movements. The area uniquely includes temples of Shakti (the supreme female power), Shiva (the supreme male power), and Jagannâth Vishnu (Lord of the Universe). Most of the important spiritual rituals have been extensively practised here by several seers - including the Buddhist ceremonies Devi "Tantra" (tanric rituals involving worship of Shakti), Shaiva Marg (the path followed by devotees of Shiva), and Vaishnava Marg (the path followed by devotees of Vishnu). There is hardly "Sadhak" who did not pay a visit to the Shri Jagannâth temple at least once.

Among the various great souls, the Panchasakha were most prominent, deeply influencing both Oriya spiritualism and the literature. They were spiritually significant in that they allowed the common man to access spirituality. One great spiritual leader, Chaitanya Mahaaprabhu, called them equals to some of the avatars of Vishnu. The Panchasakha converted ancient Hindu texts into simple prose that the people of Udra Desha (Odisha) could easily understand.

There is an interesting belief about the origin of the Panchasakha that relates them to the Mahabharat era. Mahapurusha Achyutananda describes this belief in Shunya Samhita. As he tells it, towards the end of Mahabharat era when Lord Krishna was leaving his mortal body, Nilakantheswara Mahadeva (another name for Lord Shiva when he resided in Puri) appeared and had a conversation with Lord Krishna. He revealed that the Lord's companions Dama, Sudama, Srivatsa, Subala, and Subahu would reincarnate in the Kali-yuga and would be known as Ananta, Acyutananda, Jagannatha, Balarama and Yasovanta, respectively. Thus, believers in the Panchasakha consider that these five saints were the most intimate friends of Lord Krishna in Dwapara-yuga, and that they came again in Kali-yuga to serve him. They are also instrumental in performing the crucial and much-awaited Yuga-Karma where they destroy the sinners and save the saints, according to Sanatana-Hindu beliefs.

The Panchasakha's individual characteristics are described as follows (in Oriya and English):

Agamya bhâba jânee Yasovanta
Gâra katâ Yantra jânee Ananta
Âgata Nâgata Achyuta bhane
Balarâma Dâsa tatwa bakhâne
Bhaktira bhâba jâne Jagannâtha
Panchasakhaa e
mora pancha mahanta. Yasovanta knows the things beyond reach
Yantras uses lines and figures known to Ananta
Achyuta speaks the past, present and future

Balarâma Dasa is fluent in tatwa (the ultimate meaning of anything)

Ultimate feelings of devotion are known to Jagannâtha
These five friends are my five mahantas.

Mahapurusha Achyutananda is believed to have been born with special mercy or divine intervention from Lord Jagannath, a form of Vishnu. The name Achyuta literally means "created from Lord Vishnu". He is also occasionally referred to as "Achyuti", meaning "who has no fall" in Oriya. Sri Achyuta Das was born to Dinabandhu Khuntia and Padma Devi in a village called Tilakona in Odisha in about 1510 AD. His parents had long been childless and prayed to Lord Jagannath for a child. One night his father had a vision of Garuda (the bird of Vishnu, an eagle) giving him a child. The next morning he rushed to the temple and prayed at the "Garuda Khamba" (a pillar in front of the Jagannath temple), thanking the Lord for his mercy. The story ends two different ways here: some believe that Dinabandhu Khuntia the newborn divine child Achyuta at the temple, while others believe that soon after Padma Devi gave birth to the divine child.

Mahapurusha Achyutananda established spiritual energetic centers called "gadis" throughout east India (in the former states of Anga, Banga, Kalinga, Magadha) and Nepal. Gadis such as Nemal, Kakatpur, Garoi, and Jobra Ghat were a place for spiritual actions, discourses, penance, the provision of services to devotees. During the Panchasakha era another seer Arakhsita Das, who was not part of the Panchasakhas but was a revered saint and presiding seer of Olasuni near Paradweep, was said to have found a divine child and given him to Mahapurusha Achyutananada. This child was known as Ram Das and became a disciple of Mahapurusha Achyutananda, Panchasakhaa, and Arakhsita Das. The Panchasakha and Arakhsita Das together are known as the Sada-Goswami (six Lords), and it is said that when Ram Das is born for the 13th and last time, their souls will remain within Ram Das and he will perform Yuga Karma on their behalf as he transitions from Kaliyuga to Satyayuga. Devotees of the saint Baba Shri Buddhanath Das believe that he was the last incarnation of Ram Das, enlightened by the Sada-Goswami within him.

At Olasuni Hill, near the border of the Cuttack and Jajpur districts (now adjacent to the Daitari- Paradip Express Highway near the Ratnagiri and Laitgiri hills), Arakhsita Das performed austerities in a cave (Olasuni Gumpha) before attaining salvation. The annual nine-day Gumphaa festival of Olasuni famous to this day. Near Arakhsita Das's tomb is the temple of Goddess Olasuni, who is said to be the mother of Arakhsita Das. He is known for extreme mercy and accepting any offer sincerely made.