Chamundeswari Devi

(4th Shaktipeeth)

Krounchapura sthitha
Chamundaa dustanasani
Sarvasiddhi pradaadevi
Bhaktapalana deekshita

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 Daksha got angry and withdrawn marriage of Sati with Siva.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.

Sri Chamundeswari Devi Sakthi Peeth

It is believed that the hair of Sathi fallen here. Chamundeswari is the 4th among the Astadasa Sakthi Peetas. The Temple is on the Chamundi Hills at a distance of 13 km from Mysore City. Chamundesari is the Goddess of Kings of Mysore. The temple is on the hill at a height of 900 feet above sea level and the town earlier prominent as Krownchipuram. As per legend Mahishasura, a monster was killed by goddess Chamundi called after a severe battle. The goddess is also called Mahishasura Mardini. In detail, there is a mighty Demon who can alter his feature from a human to buffalo, born to demon Rambha and Mahishi, cursed with body of half women and half buffalo. Agni, the god of fire given boon to Rambha to have a powerful son rules all the three worlds. Mahisasura was borne and in due course he obtained boon of immortality from Brahma and captured heaven and earth, terrorising the Gods.

The Gods took refuge at the mercy of the supreme trinity of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. They saw the troubles of the Gods requested Goddess Durga to kill the demon. In the incarnation of Chamundi with multiple limbs and armed with numerous weapons and powers of all the Gods. She fought with Mahishasura and his army for nine continuous days killing the powerful Mahishasura at the top of the Chamundi hill. To safeguard the people she resided at the top the hill to watch out ‘Mahishasurana Ooru’. She is worshiped at the top of this hill on whose foothills rests the city of ‘Mahishasurana Ooruu’ or ‘Mahishuru’ in short. The temple was built by King Vishnuvardana and improved by the Vijaynagara and Wodeyar dynasties. The prominent temple tower in a pyramidal shape was constructed in 1825-26. One thousand granite steps from the bottom of the hill to the temple at the summit were also fixed for the pilgrims to reach the top easily. There is a stone statue of the bull Nandi in the way. The Nandi Statue is 15 feet height and 24 feet long is beautiful with bells around the neck.