Thursday, November 26, 2015

Shaktipeeth - Part 1

Historical background of Shakti-peethas

In Bramhanda Purana we come across the Shakti-peethas, their importance and epics about their origin. According to Bramhanda Purana, there are 64 Shaktipeethas of Godess Parvati. Sage Markandeya composed the Devi Saptashati which relates the virtues of divine goddess of Shakti (Parvati). According to Shiva Purana, Devi Bhagwata and Kalika Purana there are 4 major Shaktipeethas namely Puri (inside Jagannath temple, Orissa), Behrampur (Orissa), Guwahati (Assam), Kolkata (Kali temple, West Bengal).

According to the epics, the following story is related to the formation of Shaktipeethas. King Daksha’s daughter, Sati was wife of Lord Shiva. The King did not like his son-in-law because of his attire and dwelling. Once he arranged a great Yagnya and did not invite his son-in-law i.e. Lord Shiva. Sati went to the Yagnya in spite of advice from Lord Shiva for not doing so. She questioned her father for not inviting Lord Shiva. She was insulted and her husband was belittled at Yagnya by her father. So she jumped into the Yagnya fire. When Lord Shiva came to know about his wife jumping into fire, he became furious and destroyed the Yagnya through Shivaganas. He performed Ugra-tandava holding his wife’s lifeless body. Lord Vishnu pacified Lord Shiva. During Ugra-tandav, Parvati’s body got cut into pieces and fell at 52 places on the earth and each of those places became Shaktipeethas. It is presumed that the place where heart of Parvati fell is where Ambaji temple at Mt. Abu was constructed. 

According to another epic when Shiva was performing Ugra-tandav with Sati’s body, Vishnu, Brahma, other Gods and sages gathered at Yagynashala and started praying Aadi-shakti with bowed head. At the same time, the head was severed from Daksha’s body. Due to the prayers of Gods and others, the body of Sati started disintegrating into drops of Shakti-swaroop. They started scattering all over the world and became Shaktipeethas. In Bharata they fell from Himalayas to Kanyakumari. Thus we have many forms of Shakti as Vaishnavi, Varahi, Vishalakshi, Kali, Mukambika, Kanyakumari and so on. 

When Shiva calmed down from his Ugra-tandava, Shakti entered the body of Shiva (i.e. she married after taking re-birth as Uma) and became part of Shiva. Due to Shiva’s divine grace, all those were killed at Yagnya became alive. Bowing to the request of Uma, Shiva brought King Daksha back to life and made him one of the Ganas. It is believed that Daksha’s head resembled that of a goat after he came back to life.

Shakti-peethas with shakti temple

Some of the Shaktipeethas that are mentioned in epics (where we find the Shakti temple) are listed below –

Name of Shaktipeetha
Name of presiding Deity
Place
Sharadapeetha
Shri Sharada
Shringeri, Karnataka
Kamarajpeetha
Shri Kamakshi
Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu
Dharmapeetha
Shri Dharmavardhini
Thiruvaiaru, Tamil Nadu
Manikarnika peetha
Shri Vishalakshi
Kashi, Uttar Pradesh
Chitrambala peetha
Shri Shivakashi
Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu
Mantrini peetha
Shri Minakshi
Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Kumari peetha
Shri Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu
Shivashakti peetha
Shri Akilandeshwari
Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Vishnushakti peetha
Shri Mangalambika
Kumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu
Aruna peetha
Shri Abidambal
Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Kamali peetha
Shri Kamalambal
Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu
Setu peetha
Shri Parvat Vardhini
Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu

Besides these there are 4 shakti peethas in Maharashtra.

Karveer peeth, Mahalakshmi, Kolhapur; Tuljapur peeth, Tulja bhavani (Mahishasur mardini), Tuljapur; Mahurgadh peetha, Shri Renuka devi, Mahur; Saptashrungi peetha, Shri Jaydurga, Vani

Shaktipeethas in Ashta-dashashakti-peetha stotra

There is disagreement in understanding if some modern cities correspond to the 64 locations mentioned in Puranas. However there seems to be agreement about 18 locations as mentioned by Adi Shankaracharya in his Ashta-dashashakti-peetha stotra.

Below is the list mentioned by Shri Shankaracharya. It indicates the location where the part of the body (of Sati) fell.

Peetha
Location
Part of body which fell
Name of Deity (Shakti)
Lanka peetha
Tricomalee, Sri Lanka
Groin
Shankari devi
Kanchikaamkoti peetha
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Back part
Kamakshi devi
Pradyumna peetha
Pandua, West Bengal
Stomach
Shrigala devi
Crounja peetha
Maisur, Karnataka
Hair
Chamundeshwari devi
Yogini peetha
Alampur, Telangana
Upper teeth
Yogamba devi
Shrishaila peetha
Shri Shailam, Andhra Pradesh
Neck part
Bharamaramba devi
Shri peetha
Kolhapur, Maharashatra
Eyes
Mahalakshmi
Renuka peetha
Mahur, Maharashtra
Left hand
Renuka devi
Ujjaini peetha
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Tonge
Mahakali devi
Pushkarini peetha
Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh
Back portion
Puruhutika devi
Oddyana peetha
Jaipur, Orissa
Hip bone
Biraja devi
Draksharama peetha
Draksharamam, Andra Pradesh
Naval
Manikyamba devi
Kaamroopa peetha
Guwahati, Aasam
Vulva
Kamaroopa devi
Prayaga peetha
Prayag, Uttar Pradesh
Fingers
Madhaveshwari devi
Jwalamukhi peetha
Kangra / Jwalamukhi, Himachal Pradesh
Head
Vaishnavi devi
Gaya peetha
Gaya, Uttar Pradesh
Breast part
Sarva-mangala devi
Varanasi peetha
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Toes
Vishalakshi devi
Sharada peetha
Sharada peeth, Aazaad Kashmir
Right hand
Saraswati devi

Sharada peetha temple has become non-existent. It lies in the line of control between India & Pakistan. Shringeri Sharda peetha at Shringeri, Karnataka is not a Shakti peetha but is the aspect of Goddess Sharada.

Details about four major shaktipeethas

Here are more details - the name of deity, location and the body part / ornament fell at that location - about 4 major shaktipeethas mentioned above. 


Location 
Body part/ ornament 
Name of Goddess 
Puri 
Paad  
Bimla 
Behraampur 
Stana (breast)  
Taarataarini  
Guwahati  
Yoni khanda  
Kamakshya 
Kolkata  
Mukha Khanda  
Dakshinkalika 


Consolidated list of all shaktipeethas 

As mentioned above there are supposed to be total of 64 shakti peethas, however we are able to gather list of only 51 shakti peethas. We will cover consolidated list of all shakti-peethas in our next article post. The list will include name of temple that was built on each part of the body of goddess or on the ornaments that fell during ugra-tandava and the name of manifestation of Lord Shiva at that place.

Contd... 

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