Odia Books

Dibakara Das is recognised as the first biographer in odia literature. He was the fifth in the
preceptorial descent from Jagannath Dasa. He composed Jagannatha Charitamrita, concerning the life of Jagannath Dasa, the author of odia Bhagavata. His other works include Ekadasi Mahatmya and some Chaupadi poems. Dibakara was a Vaishnava Brahmin.Name of his proceptor was Navinkishor Das. He composed his Jagannatha Charitamrita both in Sanskrit and odia.

It consists of twenty four chapters. The first, second, eleventh and the fourteenth chapters deal with certain historical events like the meeting of Chaitanya and Jagannatha Dasa, his initiation and return of the Gaudiya Bhaktas to Brindavana, his being accused before the King Prataparudradeva and his being put to test and finally his death. The book also gives details of Jagannath Dasa’s education and his desire to compose the Bhagavata. It also tells the reader of the significance of Jagannath Dasa’s compositions, his devotion and his disciples, further, it tells of the greatness of Srikshetra, the town of the Lord Jagannatha temple.

The book also gives names of certain devotees, who had participated in the discussions during the stay of Chaitanya at Puri. It refers to Chaitanya’s worry about the excesses of Kali Yuga, the constant decline of the human character and his being absorbed in the body of Jagannath. It tells of the establishment of the Bada Odia Matha at Baselisahi in Puri town by Jagannath Dasa for the ‘Atibadi’ sect. Dibakara’s other book Ekadasi Mahatmaya consists of ten chapters dealing with the performance of the Ekadasi Vrata and its significance.

Ekadasi Mahatmy
Jagannatha Charitamrita
Chaupadi