Vishalakshi

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The Vishalakshi Temple of Divine Mother Sati, wife of Lord Shiva stands at Meer Ghat just behind Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, India. Devout Hindus consider this as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas mentioned in the Puranas.

[edit] Manikarni

When Sati's body was cut to pieces by the sudarshana chakra of Lord Vishnu, it is said that karna kundala (earring) of Sati fell here. Hence Devi here is also known as Manikarni. Some pundits feel that karna kundala is merely an ornament and not part of the body. Therefore this place can at best be considered as a upapeetha, a minor or sub-centre. Another version says that this is a shakti peetha only because one of the three eyes akshi fell here. As the divine eye can perceive the entire universe, Mother here is called Vishalakshi, the vast-eyed.

Lord Shiva is known as Kalbhairav.

[edit] References

  • Varanasi - the city of light by Diana L. Ek.
  • Bartaman , a Bengali magazine Sharad Sankhya 1410 (Bengali year) - details mentioned in the article Kashir Vishwanath Vishwanather Kashi by Suman Gupta at page 60.


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