DEVI KAMAKSHI

Navaratri is a period of nine days of the waxing moon celebrated during the month of Aswiyuja as per the lunar calendar. Shakti is worshipped in her various forms like Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati in those days. She is also meditated upon as Sri Rajarajeswari, the concentration of all energies, creation, protection and destruction! She is also Kamakshi, one of the forms of Parvati enshrined in the world famous temple dedicated to her in the temple town Kanchipuram.” Nagareshu Kanchi”. Other important centers of worship of the deity in Tamilnadu are Madurai  where she is established as Meenakshi and Tiruchi where she is Akhilandeswari, the presiding goddess of all the worlds! Sri Kamakshi temple, most probably was built by the Pallava kings with Kanchipuram as their capital.

Sri Kamakshi is seated in a yogic posture in padmasana with all her majesty and grandeur. Her posture signifies peace and prosperity. She has not assumed the traditional standing stance. She has sugarcane bow and arrows in her lower arms and pasa and ankusa( goad) in her upper arms! A parrot is perched near the flower bunch! Unusual for Kanchipuram with hundreds of temples, this is the only Parvati temple we find in the famous town. According to ‘Kamakshi Vilasa’ she had to draw within herself all other Shakthi forms to give boon to Kama the God of desire. Another legend says that her Rajarajeswari form signifies absolute control over the land. She is believed to have offered worship to Siva lingam made out of sand under a mango tree and gained Siva’s hand in marriage! Adi Sankara reestablished Sri Chakra in this Kamakshi temple. The shrine in front of  Kamakshi garbhagriha is of sage Durvasa known as ‘ krodha bhattaraka’. Chief upasakas of Kamakshi Devi are thirty three among whom are Manu, Chandra,Kubera and others. The most important among them are Lopamudra, and Sage Durvasa. It is said that it is Durvasa who established Kamakoti Peeta by consecrating “Bhu prasthara Sri Chakra” in front of Devi! He composed ‘Lalith Sthava ratna’ in sringara rasa. It is said that he was cursed by Saraswati and was born deaf and dumb! Devi Kamakshi’s grace saved him.

Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari is the moola devata of Kamakoti Peetam! There is Gayatri mandapa in the center of the sanctum. The four walls stand for the four Vedas! Twenty-four pillars represent the twenty four syllables of the Gayatri mantra! Sri Vidya Parameswari is the inner core of Gayatri mantra. In the center of Gayatri mandapa Devi Kamakshi is seated on  “Panchabrahmasana” with ‘pasa, ankusa, ikshu kodanda, and puspa bana--flower arrows! In her yogasana, she faces south east. Devas performed tapas in the form of parrots to escape from the torment of Bhandasura. Sri Lalithambika emerged out of Chidagnikunda-- sacrificial fire and destroyed Bhandasura, Chanda, Munda, Mahishasura and his train!

Tapa Kamakshi is to the right off moola devata. Uma,separated from Mahadeva came as Annapurna in Varanasi. On the advice of sage Katyayana she came to Kanchi, worshipped Ekamranatha under the mango tree and married him! Anjana Kamakshi or Arupa Kamakshi is to the left of the moola devata facing north in front of Sowbhagya Ganapati. Swarna Kamakshi  or Bangaru Kamakshi is in the second prakara. She is said to have been created by Sri Vidya Parameswari from her third eye as the Shakthi of Ekamranatha-- Ekambika! This was taken to Thanjavur for safety from Muslim invaders by an ancestor of the famous music Trinity Syama Sastry! The next, Utsava Kamakshi, for processions, is in the second prakara with Saraswati and Lakshmi on either side.There is no  separate shrine for Lord Siva as  Sri Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari is an embodiment of Siva himself! Sri Lalitha Devi was presented to the world by the creator Brahma with the special name Sri Kamakshi! She is the primordial Parasakthi Sri Lalitha as she brings joy to Kameswara, her spouse!

Sri Lalitha Devi is described as ‘Sri Mata’, and ‘Sri Maharajni’ and ‘Sri math Simhanaseswari’  in her Sahasranama stotram! After annihilating the asuras Bhandasura, Mahishasura and others with the aid of her second in command Varahi and Bala, Lalita Devi sits in her court and takes stock of the situation! That happens to be the tenth day or Dasarathri abbreviated as Dasara! That day is the celebration of the victory of Good over Evil. It is the culmination of the

Supreme Grace of the Goddess for peace, plenty and prosperity of the entire human race and other creatures! Let us think about Lalithambika on these days at least and celebrate her Glory and get her blessings!!