Namasthasyei Namasthasyei Namasthasyei namo namaha ||
Gnanambike Devi temple at Kalahasthi in Andra-pradesh
is a holy abode of Devi. By one account the right shoulder from the dismembered burnt body of Devi
Sri Dakshayani fell in this place and so this is considered one of the 51 sacred abodes of Devi
Parvathi.
(refer to 'Yoga-agni' in 'Abodes of devi' for background story)
The devi here is 'Gnana-prasan-ambike'. She is the giver of
wisdom ( 'gnanam ' means wisdom ) . There is a diety for "thri-sakthi"
which is the union of the trinity of devis- Lakshmi, Saraswathi and
Parvathi. One has to worship "Thri-sakthi" before going to the
shrine of 'Gnana-prasan-ambike'. The girdle of the Devi is the
planet 'Kethu'. The shiva linga itself is planet 'Rahu'.
People who suffer from malignent positions of Rahu and
Kethu in their horoscopes will counter the evil effects with the worship of
the devi and the Lingam in this holy place.
This kshetram is one of the ' Panch bootha sthalam ' i.e temples for the 5 elements of nature - 1.vayu (Air) 2.appu (Water) 3.Boomi (earth) 4.Theju (space) 5.Agni (fire). This is ' vayu ' sthlam. The consort of the devi is 'Kalahasthi Nadhar'. The most striking point in this legend is that The Lord is incarnated as 'Vayu deva' here. In the sanctum there is no physical idol of a linga. The air ( ' Vayu ' ) there is said to be the icon. There is a hanging light (Deepam) in the sanctum that always keeps swinging with no visible inlet for the wind. Where the wind comes from is a mystery.
There are 9 horizontal thick stripes accross the face of the Lingam representing the nine zodiac signs (Rasi). Around the Lingam 27 birth stars are represented. A five-hooded serpant is on the top of the Lingam.
The name Sri-kalahasti is a compound of three words - 'Sri' meaning spider, 'Kala' meaning serpent and 'Hasti' meaning an elephant. All these worshipped Lord Shiva for years together and attained 'Moksha' (liberation). The symbol of all these three is the swayambhu lingam (self incarnation) along with Nandi
The temple is huge and is well laid out, with magnificent entrance towers. Over a period, Cholas, Pallavas, Pandyas the local Yadavaraya Kings and finally the great Vijayanagara kings constructed different parts of the temple and its prakarams. The temple is over 7 centuries old.
The huge Kali tower and the Hundred-pillar Mandap were constructed by Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th century. The Devakottai Chettiars renovated the temple in the early years of the last century. The temple and the towers of the temple are remarkable for their architectural conception and execution.
Teerthas around Kalahasthi:
This kshetram is one of the ' Panch bootha sthalam ' i.e temples for the 5 elements of nature - 1.vayu (Air) 2.appu (Water) 3.Boomi (earth) 4.Theju (space) 5.Agni (fire). This is ' vayu ' sthlam. The consort of the devi is 'Kalahasthi Nadhar'. The most striking point in this legend is that The Lord is incarnated as 'Vayu deva' here. In the sanctum there is no physical idol of a linga. The air ( ' Vayu ' ) there is said to be the icon. There is a hanging light (Deepam) in the sanctum that always keeps swinging with no visible inlet for the wind. Where the wind comes from is a mystery.
There are 9 horizontal thick stripes accross the face of the Lingam representing the nine zodiac signs (Rasi). Around the Lingam 27 birth stars are represented. A five-hooded serpant is on the top of the Lingam.
The name Sri-kalahasti is a compound of three words - 'Sri' meaning spider, 'Kala' meaning serpent and 'Hasti' meaning an elephant. All these worshipped Lord Shiva for years together and attained 'Moksha' (liberation). The symbol of all these three is the swayambhu lingam (self incarnation) along with Nandi
The temple is huge and is well laid out, with magnificent entrance towers. Over a period, Cholas, Pallavas, Pandyas the local Yadavaraya Kings and finally the great Vijayanagara kings constructed different parts of the temple and its prakarams. The temple is over 7 centuries old.
The huge Kali tower and the Hundred-pillar Mandap were constructed by Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th century. The Devakottai Chettiars renovated the temple in the early years of the last century. The temple and the towers of the temple are remarkable for their architectural conception and execution.
Teerthas around Kalahasthi:
- Harahar Teertham, which is three miles from Kalahasthi.
- Kalinga Teertham, which is five miles from Kalahasthi towards the east
- Sahasra Linga Teertham, which is five miles southwest of Kalahasti.
- Markandeya Teertham, six and a half miles from Sahasra Linga Teertham.
- Mayura Teertham, named after Mayura Maharshi.
- Bharadwaja Teertham, which is three and a half miles from the main temple.
- Narada Teertham in the entree of the town.
- Saraswati Teertham, which is said to have this holy water dumb able to speak if they take the water of this as Prasada for forty days.
- Suka Teertham after Suka Maharshi.
- Brahma Teertham
- Manikarnika Teertharn
- Tatwa Prakasa Teertham.
Om Sakthi
location
aprox 50 kilometers From chennai
aprox 50 kilometers From chennai
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