Vishalakshi Temple - Shakti Peetham
The earrings or eyes of the goddess Sati are said to have fallen on this holy spot of Varanasi. Vishalakshi Temple is known for its temple festival on Kajali Tij, held on the third day during the waning fortnight in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (August).
The daughter of Prajapati Daksha, Sati was married to the god Shiva against his wishes. Daksha organized a great yajna but did not invite Sati and Shiva. Uninvited, Sati reached the yajna-site, where Daksha ignored Sati and vilified Shiva. Unable to withstand this insult, Sati jumped into the sacrificial fire and committed suicide. Sati died, but her corpse did not burn. Shiva (as Virabhadra) slew Daksha for being responsible for Sati's death and forgave him, resurrecting him. The wild, grief-stricken Shiva wandered the universe with Sati's corpse. Finally, the god Vishnu dismembered the body of Sati into 52 parts, each of which became a Shakti Pitha, a temple to a form of the Goddess. Shiva is also worshipped at each Shakti Pitha in the form of Bhairava, the male counterpart or guardian of the presiding goddess of the Pitha. Sati's eye or earring is believed to have fallen at Varanasi, establishing Vishalakshi as a Shakti Pitha.
In the sacred geography of Varanasi, six points are said to symbolize Shastanga (six-fold) yoga, which is performing by visiting the six sites. They are the Vishwanath Temple (the most important temple of Varanasi - dedicated to Shiva), the Vishalakshi Temple, the Ganges, the Kala Bhairava temple (dedicated to Varanasi's guardian deity and Vishalakshi's Bhiarava), the Dhudiraj Temple (dedicated to the god Ganesha - son of Shiva and Parvati) and the Dandapani temple (dedicated to an aspect of Shiva).
According to the scholar Jones, the Shakti Pithas were originally part of cult worship by the tribals as local deities, which over the centuries were syncretized to Shakthi Peethas under the influence of the Brahmins, and have now a permanent influence on the psyche of the people.
In the syncretism of various religious beliefs in the country, as many as 108 goddesses were assimilated in the Shakti Pitha list.
Annapurna, the goddess of food and form of Shiva's consort Parvati, is given the epithet Vishalakshi, the "wide-eyed". Her most famous temple stands at Varanasi, where patron goddess she is considered. The Skanda Purana narrates the tale of the sage Vyasa cursing Varanasi, as no one in the city offered him food. Finally, Vishalakshi appears in the form of a housewife and grants food to Vyasa. This role of Vishalakshi is similar to that of Annapurna, who offers food to her husband Shiva, whose hunger can be satiated by her food. Shiva gratified by Annapurna's food, establishes Varanasi and appoints her as its presiding goddess. The goddess Vishalakshi of the Varanasi temple may have been identified with Annapurna in early times, however over time became a distinct goddess, resulting in the goddess temples.
Vishalakshi, the "wide-eyed" goddess has often associated two other goddesses: Kamakshi, the "love-eyed" goddess of Kanchipuram, and Minakshi, the "fish-eyed" of Madurai, prominently due to their similar names. Together the three are regarded the most important Goddess temples by South Indians. While Vishalakshi dwells in North India, the other goddess temples are in Tamil Nadu, South India. South Indians venerated Vishalakshi for ages and have strong ties with the temple. South Indian Tamil people also helped renovate the temple in 1971.
The daughter of Prajapati Daksha, Sati was married to the god Shiva against his wishes. Daksha organized a great yajna but did not invite Sati and Shiva. Uninvited, Sati reached the yajna-site, where Daksha ignored Sati and vilified Shiva. Unable to withstand this insult, Sati jumped into the sacrificial fire and committed suicide. Sati died, but her corpse did not burn. Shiva (as Virabhadra) slew Daksha for being responsible for Sati's death and forgave him, resurrecting him. The wild, grief-stricken Shiva wandered the universe with Sati's corpse. Finally, the god Vishnu dismembered the body of Sati into 52 parts, each of which became a Shakti Pitha, a temple to a form of the Goddess. Shiva is also worshipped at each Shakti Pitha in the form of Bhairava, the male counterpart or guardian of the presiding goddess of the Pitha. Sati's eye or earring is believed to have fallen at Varanasi, establishing Vishalakshi as a Shakti Pitha.
In the sacred geography of Varanasi, six points are said to symbolize Shastanga (six-fold) yoga, which is performing by visiting the six sites. They are the Vishwanath Temple (the most important temple of Varanasi - dedicated to Shiva), the Vishalakshi Temple, the Ganges, the Kala Bhairava temple (dedicated to Varanasi's guardian deity and Vishalakshi's Bhiarava), the Dhudiraj Temple (dedicated to the god Ganesha - son of Shiva and Parvati) and the Dandapani temple (dedicated to an aspect of Shiva).
According to the scholar Jones, the Shakti Pithas were originally part of cult worship by the tribals as local deities, which over the centuries were syncretized to Shakthi Peethas under the influence of the Brahmins, and have now a permanent influence on the psyche of the people.
In the syncretism of various religious beliefs in the country, as many as 108 goddesses were assimilated in the Shakti Pitha list.
Annapurna, the goddess of food and form of Shiva's consort Parvati, is given the epithet Vishalakshi, the "wide-eyed". Her most famous temple stands at Varanasi, where patron goddess she is considered. The Skanda Purana narrates the tale of the sage Vyasa cursing Varanasi, as no one in the city offered him food. Finally, Vishalakshi appears in the form of a housewife and grants food to Vyasa. This role of Vishalakshi is similar to that of Annapurna, who offers food to her husband Shiva, whose hunger can be satiated by her food. Shiva gratified by Annapurna's food, establishes Varanasi and appoints her as its presiding goddess. The goddess Vishalakshi of the Varanasi temple may have been identified with Annapurna in early times, however over time became a distinct goddess, resulting in the goddess temples.
Vishalakshi, the "wide-eyed" goddess has often associated two other goddesses: Kamakshi, the "love-eyed" goddess of Kanchipuram, and Minakshi, the "fish-eyed" of Madurai, prominently due to their similar names. Together the three are regarded the most important Goddess temples by South Indians. While Vishalakshi dwells in North India, the other goddess temples are in Tamil Nadu, South India. South Indians venerated Vishalakshi for ages and have strong ties with the temple. South Indian Tamil people also helped renovate the temple in 1971.
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