Jag·an·nath Jag·an·na·tha, Jag·a·nat·ha, prop. n. Also Jug·ger·naut.  Hinduism A particular form of Vishnu, or of Krishna, whose chief idol and worship are at Puri, in Orissa. The idol is considered to contain the bones of Krishna and to possess a soul. The principal festivals are the Snanayatra, when the idol is bathed, and the Rathayatra, when the image is drawn upon a car adorned with obscene paintings. Formerly it was erroneously supposed that devotees allowed themselves to be crushed beneath the wheels of this car. It is now known that any death within the temple of Jagannath is considered to render the place unclean, and any spilling of blood in the presence of the idol is a pollution.

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 Jug·ger·naut n.
 1. One of the names under which Vishnu, in his incarnation as Krishna, is worshiped by the Hindus.  See also Jagannath. [Written also Juggernnath, Jaganath, Jagannath, Jaganatha, Jagannatha, etc.]
 Note: ☞ The principal seat of the worship of Juggernaut (Jagannath) is at Pûri in Orissa. At certain times the idol is drawn from the temple by the multitude, on a high car with sixteen wheels. The idol is considered to contain the bones of Krishna and to possess a soul. The principal festivals are the Snanayatra, when the idol is bathed, and the Rathayatra, when the image is drawn upon a car adorned with obscene paintings. Formerly it was erroneously supposed that fanatical devotees threw themselves under the wheels of this car, to be crushed as a sacrifice to the god. It is now known that any death within the temple of Jagannath is considered to render the place unclean, and any spilling of blood in the presence of the idol is a pollution.  As a result of this erroneous belief, however, the word juggernaut is now used principally in the figurative sense 2.

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 Jagannatha
      n : an avatar of Vishnu [syn: Jagannath, Jagganath, Juggernaut]