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Rediscovery of sacred inscription at Santha Arakhita's spiritual seat

Sunil Mohan Patnaik: A long-lost stone inscription, engraved in 1301 Sana (circa 1894 CE), has resurfaced at the sanctified seat of Avadhuta Dharma luminary Santha Arakhita Dasa, nestled at Palei of Badachana block in Jajpur. The rediscovery of this relic unveils a fresh chapter in Odisha's deep-rooted spiritual and epigraphic traditions. This precious find owes its revelation to the unyielding dedication of local heritage enthusiast Shiva Jyoti Parida, who promptly sought the scholarly expertise of noted epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari of Paralakhemundi. Upon deciphering the four-line inscription, Adhikari traced its origins to the reign of Gajapati Mukunda Deva III of Puri from the Bhoi dynasty — a royal scion linked by blood to the revered Ganga dynasty. The inscription commemorates the construction of a road and stone steps leading to the famed Olashuni Gumpha, sanctified by the 'tapasya' of Arakhita Dasa. It was commissioned by Mahanta Bairagi Das, illustrious disciple of Ramachandra Das, who in turn was the spiritual heir to Arakhita Dasa. This sacred teacher-disciple lineage finds mention in the magnum opus 'Santha Arakhita Das' penned by eminent historian Dr Ananta Rama Kar Koundinya of Bhismagiri in Ganjam. Upon receiving Adhikari's epigraphical interpretation, Dr Kar lauded the find as a profound bridge connecting Odisha's spiritual epicentres — Olashuni and Khemundi. He elaborated that Arakhita Dasa, author of Mahimandala Gita and son of Balabhadra Deva of the Khemundi branch of the Ganga dynasty, renounced princely life in 1780 CE. He emerged as a guiding light of Avadhuta Dharma, which espouses formless, attribute-less worship and the cosmic doctrine of pinda–brahmanda tattva — the microcosm and macrocosm unity. Following the saint's samadhi, the legacy flourished through Ramachandra Das (1837–1889) and later Bairagi Das (1889–1915), who not only preserved the tradition but extended it with tangible acts of devotion — as evidenced by this very inscription. Adhikari further notes that Gajapati Mukunda Deva III, though from the Bhoi dynasty, descended from the Badakhemundi royal house, the same spiritual bloodline of Arakhita Dasa. This connection possibly inspired the king's patronage of Avadhuta Dharma institutions in Jajpur and beyond. In a larger epigraphical context, this marks the third inscription from the Jajpur region linked to the Bhoi lineage, following the Tulasi Mancha inscription of Gajapati Ramachandra Deva. This latest recovery brings Adhikari's tally of newly discovered inscriptions in Odisha to a remarkable 124, enriching the cultural and historical repository of the State. Dr Kar concludes:'This inscription is not merely a stone record — it is a living testimony to Odisha's timeless guru–shishya tradition and its spiritual sovereignty. Its rediscovery delivers a message of unity, heritage and unbroken devotion to the people of Jajpur and the entire sacred land of Odisha.' Thus unfolds yet another verse in the eternal saga of Odisha's tradition of devotional worship, etched in stone, yet breathing through the faithful.