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.
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
|
Bimla
|
|
|
Behraampur
|
||
|
Kamakshya
|
||
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.
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