There is a widespread belief that the murti of Jagannath
worshipped in the Puri
Jagannath Temple
One legend has it that the wood that was floating in the sea
that King Indradyumna found and which became the murti at the Jagannath Temple
Another legend has it that the body of Sri Krishna after he
left earth was cremated by the Pandavas. But his heart remained intact. The
heart was then given to the sea god. Jara Sabar, the hunter who mistakenly hit
Sri Krishna with arrow thinking it was a deer, was watching the cremation.
He was in deep pain as he had not intended to hurt Sri
Krishna. He jumped into the sea and tried to recover the heart. When he found
the heart, it had turned into a bluestone. This was worshipped by him in a
cave.
Centuries, later when King Indradyumna forcibly tried to
take away the bluestone to worship in Puri, it disappeared. That very day the
king had a dream that the Lord will appear again on the coast of the Puri to
satisfy his devotees.
Another legend has it that the Pandavas constructed
sandalwood pyre placed Sri Krishna’s body on it. But only the limbs were
consumed by flames. The Pandavas were perplexed, at this time there was a voice
in sky which asked the Pandavas to offer the body to the sea. This body later
became the murti at Jagannath
Temple
Note – There are numerous other versions of the above story.