Yaa devi sarva boodeshu buddhi roopena samsthitha |
Namasthasyei Namasthasyei Namasthasyei namo namaha ||
Namasthasyei Namasthasyei Namasthasyei namo namaha ||
Kamakshi devi temple in Kanchi
popularly known as Kanchipuram is one of the 51 'Devi sthals'.
Ekambara-easwar is the devi's consort in this temple.
This place became an abode of Devi Kamakshi
because the rib-bone from the burnt dismembered body of Dakshayani fell here.
(refer to 'Yoga-agni' in 'Abodes of devi' for background story)
This temple is called Sri Chakkara Peetham and Ekambara peetam..
Kanchi is one among the seven sacred cities of liberation
leading the soul to the heaven. The other six holy cities are
Ayodha, Mathura,Haridwar, Kasi, Ujjain and Dwaraka. Kanchi is a city
of temples with over 100 shrines. For centuries this has been a city
of learned people with close associations with Adi sankara
bagavat-pada.
When the acharya swamy visited kanchi all the learned people accorded a grand reception to him. He visited the cave-temple of Sri Kamakshi and found her in a ferocious state. The Devi, it was said used to go around the town at night everyday and eat whatever or who-ever crossed her path. The acharya wanted to put an end to this and bring forth the merciful and benevolent side of the Goddess. Once when he was sleeping out side the cave-temple Sri Kamakshi came out as usual and was about to kill and eat him. The Acharya however tricked the devi to go back to her 'peetam' (seat) and consecrated her on it permanently.
Kamakshi Devi is considered as the center of the whole universe. Her whole body and eyes were dazzling in brilliance like one million suns and oridinary devotees could not look at her image to pray. So to make her benign the acharya drew the 'Sri-Chakra' by him self and consecrated the same outside the cave . Kanchi, apart from being the foremost of the Shakti Peethas, is also the abode of the holy Prithvi Linga. The great Lord Shiva has manifested here in the form of 'earth Linga'- one of the five elemental forms with Sri Kamakshi as his consort.In the old Kanchipuram there is a temple dedicated to 'sahasra-lingam' (1000 Lingams in monolithic form).
Kanchipuram also became the foremost seat of Hinduism with the establishment of Kamakoti peetam by the Adi-sankara Baghavat-pada. for the propagation of Sanatana Vedic dharma and also Advaita Vedanta. The sucessive Acharyas of this great Peetham have continued to guide the people in spiritual and social matters up to the present day.
Kanchi is divided into two parts one known as the shiva Kanchi with the 'earth Linga' as Ekambareswarar with his consort Kamakshi devi.
The other is known as Vishnu Kanchi with Varadharaja perumal as the presiding diety.
Both the parts of Kanchi have over a period of time deteriorted and it was left to the Adi-Sankaracharya to commence renovation of the temples and establish regular daily rituals in accordance with the scriptures.
The hymn 'Soundarya lahiri' composed in the praise of Devi Kamakshi by the Adi Sankara baghavat pada is an enduring and a most beautiful composition. The hymn consists of 100 'slokas'. This is in praise of the Devi describing her indescribable heavenly qualities and serene beauty.
When the acharya swamy visited kanchi all the learned people accorded a grand reception to him. He visited the cave-temple of Sri Kamakshi and found her in a ferocious state. The Devi, it was said used to go around the town at night everyday and eat whatever or who-ever crossed her path. The acharya wanted to put an end to this and bring forth the merciful and benevolent side of the Goddess. Once when he was sleeping out side the cave-temple Sri Kamakshi came out as usual and was about to kill and eat him. The Acharya however tricked the devi to go back to her 'peetam' (seat) and consecrated her on it permanently.
Kamakshi Devi is considered as the center of the whole universe. Her whole body and eyes were dazzling in brilliance like one million suns and oridinary devotees could not look at her image to pray. So to make her benign the acharya drew the 'Sri-Chakra' by him self and consecrated the same outside the cave . Kanchi, apart from being the foremost of the Shakti Peethas, is also the abode of the holy Prithvi Linga. The great Lord Shiva has manifested here in the form of 'earth Linga'- one of the five elemental forms with Sri Kamakshi as his consort.In the old Kanchipuram there is a temple dedicated to 'sahasra-lingam' (1000 Lingams in monolithic form).
Kanchipuram also became the foremost seat of Hinduism with the establishment of Kamakoti peetam by the Adi-sankara Baghavat-pada. for the propagation of Sanatana Vedic dharma and also Advaita Vedanta. The sucessive Acharyas of this great Peetham have continued to guide the people in spiritual and social matters up to the present day.
Kanchi is divided into two parts one known as the shiva Kanchi with the 'earth Linga' as Ekambareswarar with his consort Kamakshi devi.
The other is known as Vishnu Kanchi with Varadharaja perumal as the presiding diety.
Both the parts of Kanchi have over a period of time deteriorted and it was left to the Adi-Sankaracharya to commence renovation of the temples and establish regular daily rituals in accordance with the scriptures.
The hymn 'Soundarya lahiri' composed in the praise of Devi Kamakshi by the Adi Sankara baghavat pada is an enduring and a most beautiful composition. The hymn consists of 100 'slokas'. This is in praise of the Devi describing her indescribable heavenly qualities and serene beauty.
Om Sakthi
Location:
Kanchipuram is about 70 km from Chennai.
Train, bus and taxi services are available.
Kanchipuram is about 70 km from Chennai.
Train, bus and taxi services are available.
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