Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi initiated Gadādhara Paṇḍita for the second time, and on the day of Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi saw the festival. When Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi saw that Lord Jagannātha was given a starched garment, he became a little hateful. In this way his mind was polluted. That night the brothers Lord Jagannātha and Balarāma came to Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi and, smiling, began to slap him. Although his cheeks were swollen from the slapping, Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi was very happy within. This incident has been elaborately described by Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa.
(CC Madhya 16.78 – 16.81)

At the beginning of winter, there is a ceremony known as the Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī. This ceremony indicates that from that day forward, a winter covering should be given to Lord Jagannātha. That covering is directly purchased from a weaver. According to the arcana-mārga, a cloth should first be washed to remove all the starch, and then it can be used to cover the Lord. Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi saw that the priest neglected to wash the cloth before covering Lord Jagannātha. Since he wanted to find some fault in the devotees, he became indignant.
(CC Madhya 16.78 purport)

Because Lord Jagannātha in Śrīdhāma Purī wears a new winter dress on the sixth day of the waxing moon in the month of Agrahāyaṇa (November-December), this festival is called Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī (oḍana means “to wear” and ṣaṣṭhī means “sixth day”), or the festival of dressing Lord Jagannātha. The festival has taken this name because Lord Jagannātha wears a winter dress. This festival continues up to the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Māgha (January-February).
(Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 10.088 purport)

While residing in Nīlācala, he regularly went to see Lord Jagannātha. Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi was very dear to Svarūpa Dāmodara. They would go together to see Lord Jagannātha and then enjoy discussing topics of Kṛṣṇa. Soon the time came for the festival called Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī. On this occasion, Lord Jagannātha wears a new dress. By the desire of Lord Jagannātha, His servants dress Him in a starched dress on this day. Lord Gaurasundara took all of His devotees and went to see this festival of Oḍana-ṣaṣṭhī. Mṛdaṅgas, muharīs, conchshells, kettledrums, kāhālas, ḍhākas, dagaḍas, and kāḍās were loudly played. On that day Lord Jagannātha wears various dresses. This festival continues from the sixth day of the waxing moon in the month of Agrahāyaṇa (November-December) to the end of the month of Māgha (January-February). The offering of dresses goes on till the end of night. As Lord Caitanya watched this festival with His devotees, He floated in waves of ecstatic love. Lord Caitanya was Himself the worshiper and the object of worship. But without His mercy, who could understand His mind? In the form of the Deity, the Lord sat on the throne, and in the form of a sannyāsī, He practiced devotional service. Fine white, yellow, and blue silk clothes decorated with pearls and gold were offered to the Deity form of the Lord. After Lord Jagannātha was dressed, He was decorated with flower ornaments, flower bangles, a flower crown, and flower garlands. Jagannātha was then worshiped with sixteen items like sandalwood pulp, flowers, incense, and ghee lamps. He was then offered various types of foodstuffs. After the Lord saw this festival in the company of all His associates, He returned to His residence absorbed in ecstatic love. After sending all the Vaiṣṇavas home, the Lord remained alone in His own ecstatic mood. All the devotees left for their respective residences except Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, who remained with Svarūpa Dāmodara. They would both disclose their minds to each other without hesitation. After seeing Lord Jagannātha wearing starched cloth, Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi developed some doubt. He asked Svarūpa Dāmodara, “Why do they offer starched dress to Lord Jagannātha? “The śrutis and smṛtis are widely accepted in this place, so why is starched cloth offered before it is washed?” Svarūpa Dāmodara replied, “Please listen. There is no fault in this, because that is the custom of this place. “Persons who know the śrutis and smṛtis may not observe this festival, but here it has always been observed in this way. “If this was not the desire of Lord Jagannātha, then why hasn’t the King stopped it?” Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi said, “The Lord may do as He likes, but why do the servants imitate the activities of the Lord? “Why do the priests, the pūjārīs, the temple superintendents, and the servants touch the unwashed clothes? “Lord Jagannātha is the supreme controller. For Him, everything is possible. But how can others imitate His activities? “If one touches starched cloth, he should wash his hands to purify himself. Why don’t such learned persons follow this injunction? “The government officers are ignorant because they do not consider this. The King even wraps this starched cloth on his head.”

Dāmodara Svarūpa replied, “Please listen, my dear brother. I think there is no fault in this Oḍana festival. “The Supreme Brahman has incarnated as the Deity of Lord Jagannātha. Therefore rules and regulations do not apply to Him.” Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi said, “Please listen, brother. The Deity of Lord Jagannātha is the Supreme Brahman in all respects. “He is not at fault even if He violates the rules and regulations. But have all these others become Brahman by staying in Nīlācala? “They have given up proper etiquette and have become like incarnations of the Supreme Brahman.” While speaking in this way, they laughed again and again as they walked down the road. The two friends held each other’s hands and laughed as they discussed whether Lord Jagannātha’s servants were at fault. No one can understand the glories of the Lord’s servants. Only Kṛṣṇa knows their attachment for Him. Kṛṣṇa sometimes bewilders His devotee, and then, feeling compassion for him, He destroys his illusion.

First the Lord bewildered Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, now you will hear how the Lord destroyed his illusion. In this way the two intimate friends went to their residences to perform their Kṛṣṇa consciousness duties. After taking their meals, they went to Gaurāṅga’s residence for some time, then they returned to their residences and took rest. In His form as Lord Jagannātha, the omniscient Lord Caitanya appeared before Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi in a dream. Vidyānidhi Mahāśaya saw Lord Jagannātha and Balarāma appear before him in his dream. Vidyānidhi saw Lord Jagannātha catch hold of him and slap his face in an angry mood. The two brothers, Jagannātha and Balarāma, slapped him on his cheeks so hard that his swollen face bore impressions of Their fingers. Feeling distress, Vidyānidhi fell at Their feet and prayed, “Kṛṣṇa save me! Forgive my offenses! “O Lord, for what offense are You beating me?” The Lord replied, “There is no end to your offenses. “I do not belong to any caste, and My servants also do not belong to any caste. You should have learned this while staying here. “Why then are you staying in a place where you will lose your caste? If you want to protect your caste, you better go home. “I have inaugurated the traditional observance of this festival. How then can you think that there is any improper behavior in it? “You accept Me as the Supreme Brahman, but you offend My servants by finding fault in their dressing Me with starched cloth.” Vidyānidhi felt great fear.

He therefore placed his head at the lotus feet of the Lord and cried.“Please forgive the offenses of this most sinful person! I am defeated! I apologize!  “O Lord, with this mouth I have laughed at Your servants, so You have now properly punished that mouth. “This is the auspicious beginning of a new day, for my face and forehead were touched by Your lotus hand.” The Lord replied, “I have punished you to bestow mercy on you, for I consider you My servant.” In this way the two brothers, Jagannātha and Balarāma, mercifully glanced on Premanidhi in his dream and then returned to Their temple. After seeing this dream, Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi woke up. Then he saw the slap marks on his cheeks and began to laugh. His cheeks were swollen from the slapping of the lotus hands of the Supreme Lord. Seeing this, Premanidhi said, “This is very good! “I have received punishment for my offense, yet the Lord has mercifully awarded me only a token punishment.” Just see the glories of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi! This is the limit of the Lord’s mercy on His devotees. The Lord did not slap even His own son Pradyumna to teach him in this way. The Lord’s associates and consorts like Jānakī, Rukmiṇī, and Satyabhāmā, as well as the various gods and goddesses are directly punished if they commit an offense, but to receive the Lord’s mercy by being punished in a dream is rarely seen. Someone who receives punishment or wealth in a dream has nothing to show for it when he wakes up. But if the Lord punishes or bestows mercy on someone in a dream, the results are seen by everyone. There is no one so fortunate in this world, for the Lord does not speak to nondevotees even in their dreams.

By analyzing this incident one can directly understand that because the yavanas engage in blasphemy and violence, they can never see the Lord in their dreams, even if they want to. What to speak of yavanas, even respectable brāhmaṇas who constantly commit offenses attain miseries in this life and in the next as a result of their offenses. Yet the Lord does not teach such sinful nondevotees in their dreams. A person who receives instructions from the Lord in a dream considers himself most fortunate. Evidence of the mercy Śrī Premanidhi received when he was beaten by the Lord in a dream could be seen by everyone. When Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi got up in the morning, he could feel with his hands that his cheeks were swollen.

Svarūpa Dāmodara would come every day, and the two would go together to see Lord Jagannātha. When Svarūpa Dāmodara came as he did regularly, he began to speak to Vidyānidhi. “Every morning you come with me to see Jagannātha. Why haven’t you gotten up yet today?” Vidyānidhi replied, “ O brother, please come and sit down and I will explain everything.” When Svarūpa Dāmodara came near, he saw that Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi’s cheeks were swollen with slap marks. Svarūpa Dāmodara asked him, “What is this? Why are your cheeks swollen? Did you get hurt?” Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi smiled and said, “Please listen, brother. All my doubts were vanquished last night. “Look at my cheeks and see the evidence of the punishment I received because of criticizing the offering of starched clothes to Lord Jagannātha.

“Last night Lord Jagannātha and Balarāma appeared before me in a dream and continually slapped me for two daṇḍas (about forty-eight minutes). “They both slapped my cheeks while saying, ‘You have criticized the clothes We wear.’ “See the marks of Their fingers on my cheeks. I was unable to pacify Them. “I am too embarrassed to speak to anyone. I will go out only after my cheeks become normal. “It is not proper to tell others about this incident. O brother, in my heart I consider myself most fortunate. “I have received a proper punishment for my offense, otherwise I would have fallen into a blind well.” Seeing the Lord’s affection towards Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi, Svarūpa Dāmodara floated in ecstasy. As one becomes happy upon seeing the good fortune of a friend, the two both laughed in great happiness. Dāmodara Svarūpa said, “Listen, my brother, I have never heard about or seen such a wonderful punishment. “The Lord appeared in a dream and personally punished you. I have never before heard of such a thing, but I can directly see that you have been punished.” In this way the two friends floated in happiness and forgot whether it was day or night as they continually enjoyed topics of Kṛṣṇa.

Such was the influence of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi. Lord Gauracandra would address him as father. Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi would not take bath in the Ganges in fear of touching her with his feet. He would simply take darśana of the Ganges and drink the water. Lord Gaurāṅga would cry profusely and call out the name of this devotee, “O father, Puṇḍarīka!” Whoever hears the characteristics of Puṇḍarīka Vidyānidhi will certainly achieve the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Accepting Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu as my life and soul, I, Vṛndāvana dāsa, sing the glories of Their lotus feet.

(Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 0.086 – 10.182)

Information – Today, the sacred Rajapur Jagannatha Mandir in Sri Mayapur Dhama, celebrated as non-different from the divine Sri Kshetra Puri Dham, hosts a festival in honor of Lord Jagannatha. On this auspicious day, Lord Jagannatha is adorned in starched garments, radiating His divine charm and grace. The altar shines with vibrant, fragrant flowers, creating a heavenly atmosphere that glorifies the Lord’s magnificent presence. This celebration provides a divine opportunity to experience the transcendental mercy of Lord Jagannatha and connect deeply with the sacred essence of Sri Mayapur Dhama.