Kamakshi Devi

(2th Shaktipeeth)

Kanchipurasrite Devi
Kamakshi Sarvamangala
Chintaakanmatra Santhustaa
Chititaardha phalajapradaa

Story behind the Ashtadasha Shakti Peethas

Brahma performed Yaga to please Sakthi and Siva to request Sakthi in creation of Universe. Sakthi separated from Shiva emerge in the form of Sati and helped Brahma in creation of universe. Brahma sought to give back Sati to Siva. Daksha, son of Brahma performed Yagna with an intention to get Sati as his daughter. Sati born to Daksha and in due course she wanted to marry Shiva. At that time Brahma saw Prudhvi with bad intention and Shiva cut the fifth head of Brahma with his trident. Daksha got angry and withdrawn marriage of Sati with Siva. But Sati attracted with Shiva and married him. Daksha got hatred on Shiva.

Daksha intended to perform Nireeswara Yaga and invited all the Gods except Siva and Sathi in Kailas. Shiva warned Sati not to participate in the Yaga in the absence of invitation. Sati has gone to Yaga with Nandi and other followers. Sati started yoga which is not possible to the Yogis moving her five elements from their origin. Fire erupted from her grave status of body and she self immolated in the fire.

Enraged to the death and insult of Sati, Shiva in meditation got angry and performed Tandava Nruthya. Shiva has cut some hair from his head in Tandava and thrown on earth. The piece of hair burned and Veerabhadra born with thousand hands, and black body. Veerabhadra is so horrible with three angry eyes, Trident and other weapons in the hands along with skulls in the neck. Siva ordered to destroy the Yaga. Veerabhadra with skulls in his neck destroyed the Yaga and Lord Vishnu opposes him using Sudarsana Chakra. But Veerabhadra swallowed the Chakra and Vishnu given way to take revenge on Daksha. Veerabhadra killed Daksha and returned to Kailash. Daksha was given re-birth after affixing the head of a male goat to the body of Daksha.

Shiva could not bear the separation grief with Sati and left the duty to safe guard the universe. The Gods praised Lord Vishnu and at the request of the Gods, Lord Vishnu used Sudarshana chakra and cut the corpse in to pieces to release Shiva from the worry of the death of Sati. The body parts of Sati fell at several places of the Indian subcontinent and Groin in Trincomalee of Srilanka. The holy places formed are known as Shakti Peet. There is discrepancy in the number of Sakthi Peet as 108, 51and 52 but the 18 Sakthi Peet are familiar as Astadasa SakthiPeeth. The Goddess Dakshayani accompanies with her consort, Lord Bhairava (Shiva) a manifestation of Lord Shiva in all the Shakti Peeth.

Kamakshi Devi Sakthi Peeth

The back body part of Sathi fallen here and named as Kamakshi Sakthi Peeth, the 2nd among the 18 Sakthi Peeths. There are seven holy places of Moksha in Garudha Purana. They are Ayodya, Madhura, Haridwar, Varanasi, Avantika (Ujjain), Dwaraka and Kanchipuram. Kamakshi which is incarnation of Parvathi Devi and Lalitha Parameswari Devi being worshiped by Hindus is at Kanchipuram near Chennai of Tamilnadu State. There is an argument that the old Kamakshi Temple in which Adi Sankaracharya installed Sri Chakra in the 8th century is the Sakthi Peeth. Madhura Meenakshi of Madhura, Akhilandeswari in Tiruvanikavai Temple near Tiruchurapalli and Kanchi Kamakshi Temple are considered as famous Devi temples.

The temple constructed by the Pallava Kings ruled Kanchipuram as capital. The Goddess appears with Parrot on shoulder sit as lotus wear Pasam, Ungula, Flower and Sugar Cane in hands gives boon of wealth to her devotees worshipped. As per legend Chamundeswari asked Siva after killing of Mashishasura about compensation to be performed to release from the sin. Siva informed to incarnate as Annapurna at Kanchi and eliminate the sin by offering food. Devotees worship the Goddess with the name of Adipeetha Parameswar in the place where the Goddess entered into Kanchipuram. The Goddess became as Kamakshi and married Shiva by preparing and worshipping Sivalinga with sand. Devotees treat Adipeetha Parameswari Temple as Adiparasakthi Yogi Peeth and Kamakshi Temple as Bhoga Peeth. Kamakshi presents peace and wealth in the sitting position as Lotus. In the downward to hands wear Sugarcane and Flower Bokay and in upper hands she wears Ungula and Pasam. There is no other temple to Devi in Kanchipuram. Kamakshi has no separate temple in Kanchipuram like Meenakshi in Madhurai and Visalakshi in Varanasi. Kamakshi has angry looks. Sankaracharya established Swasthik Yantra in the Oracle of the Temple to reduce the angry power of the Goddess. Kamakshi Devi sits in the Oracle of Kamakoti Peeth as Para Battarika. The four walls of the Oracle are four Vedas and the Twenty four pillars are twenty four mistic syllables.

Kamakshi appears in five monograms. The first one is on the right side near hole-way to the central Goddess. Umadevi after separation from Mahadeva she appeared Annapurna in Kasi and appeared in Kanchi on the advice of Kalyana Maharshi and worshipped Ekambareswara under a mango tree in Rudrakosta and married him. Opposite to the Saubhagya Ganapathi idol left to the Main Statue there is Kamakshi monogram. Rama performed atonement here to recollect his beauty. Devotees present Saffron and Turmeric here. Golden Kamakshi monogram is in the second bailey. Sri Vidya Parameswari was granted with this Swarna Kamakshi form to worship Ekambareswar. It is said to be the original idol was shifted to Tanjavur to protect from the invasions of the Muslims. There is Festival Kamakshi form in the second bailey. There are Sarada Devi and Rama idols on either side of Festival Kamakshi.

The respective male and females gods will be with either of their couple idols. There will be no Shiva idol. Sri Lalithambika embodiment of Sakthi originating from pyre of Sakthi killed Badabasura in the name of Kamakshi. Kamakshi Devi has 32 devotees’ viz., Manu, Chandra, and Kubera. Kama raja, Lopamudra and Sage Durvasa are important among them. There is Sage Durvasa Statue opposite to the sanctuary. Ekambaranaadha Temple, Varadaraja Perumal Temple is important Temples in Kanchipuram.

Kamakshidevi Temple Timings

Accommodation is provided to devotees visiting Srimatam at the Yatri Nivas Sri Kamakshi Amman Sannadhi Street. Phone Tamil- 044-27231115, other languages- 7708525128.

This temple is open from 5.30 am to 12 pm and 3.30 pm to 8.30 pm on all days. There is no particular limit on the time you spend here. Visitors generally spend 1 to 2 hours here.

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Kamakshi Devi

Story behind the Ashtadasha Shakti Peethas

Kamakshi Devi Sakthi Peeth

Kamakshidevi Temple Timings

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