Stepping on this stair in the Jagannath temple will take away all your ‘Punya

When it comes to Lord Jagannath and Puri, the devotees are filled with love, respect, and devotion. The temple is an important part of so many spiritual activities, unexplainable phenomenons, and so much more. The atmosphere is always energetic, filled with chanting of mantras and the sound of bells. And as devotees climb the 22 stairs of Jagannath temple, they are greeted with the beautiful, big eyes of Lord Jagannath, Balram, and Subhadra.

One of the unique things that happens in Jagannath mandir is that it is believed that every year Lord Jagannath falls ill. After Snana Purnima, when Lord Jagannath is bathed with over 100 kalash of water, he falls ill. During this time, they are kept away from public view and are treated with herbal medicines. Devotees believe that the Lord takes rest during this time and then gears up for the Rath yatra.

When approaching Lord Jagannath in the temple, the devotees have to climb up 22 flights of stairs. And out of the 22, there are many mysteries and legends associated with the 3rd step from the start. Why? Read on to know.

The story goes back to the times when Yamaraj, the god of death, came up to Lord Krishna with a humble request. He explained how the people who are visiting Jagannath temple are getting rid of all their sins and thus there is no one in Yamlok anymore. While Yamaraj initially wanted Lord Jagannath to not erase people’s sins and bad karma, the two later came into an agreement. And it is this agreement that has become a famous tale.

When Lord Jagannath heard Lord Yamaraj’s stand, he advised him to reside on the third step of the stairs that lead up to the Jagannath mandir in the form of Yamashila. Yamashila is a black stone and looks different than the rest.
It is said that if people step on the Yamashila while going towards the mandir, their single step can strip them of all the ‘Punya’ that they have and then they will have to go to the Yamalok.

But, this isn’t the only legend. Another legend about the Yamashila says that while going towards Lord Jagannath, when devotees step on the third stair, the Yamashila, they will get rid of all the ‘paaps’ or misdeeds that they have done and they will approach Lord Jagannath with a clean heart and mind. But, if they step on the Yamashila when exiting the temple, they will be stripped off of all the ‘Punya’ they have accumulated during their journey and visit to Lord Jagannath.

Another rather simple story about the Yamashila and the logic of not stepping on Yamashila while exiting the temple is that people do not exit from the same set of stairs!
The entry to the temple is via the ‘Singhdwar’ while the exit happens from one of the 3 other gates that are present in the temple.

But, no matter how many stories, lores, and legends surround the third stair of the temple, all over the year the temple is filled with devotees except for the time when Lord Jagannath and his brother and sister are ill. Especially during the Jagannath Yatra, devotees flock in lakhs to be able to touch the Rath (chariot) just once in their life and earn the Punya of taking Lord Jagannath and his siblings to the Gundicha temple.