JUGGERNAUT

Jug″ger‐naut′ (?), n. [[Skr. jagannātha lord of the world.]] One of the names under which Vishnu, in his incarnation as Krishna, is worshiped by the Hindoos. [Written also Juggernnath, Jaganath, Jaganatha, etc.] ☞ The principal seat of the worship of Juggernaut 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. Formerly, fanatics sometimes threw themselves under the wheels to be crushed as a sacrifice to the god.