PRECEPTORS OF ADVAITHAM PART 13 10 24 KR IRS KAMAKOTI AND NAYANMARS
*ikṣukodaṇḍapuṣpeṣu pāśāṅkuśakarojvalām udyatsūryanibhām vande mahātripurasundarīm.* The śaktis of Ambikā or the consort of Śiva, present in each and every one of the Śiva temples have emanated from Śrī Kāñchī Kāmakoṣṭha. There are about fifty Śiva temples at Kāñchī and none of them contains a sanctum sanctorum for the goddess. But the Śiva temples outside the limits of Kāñchī have a separate sanctum sanctorum for the goddess. The reason for this is to be found in *Lalitā-sahasranāma,* *Lalitā-triśati,* and *Lalitā-aṣṭottara,* texts on *śilpa* and *Āgama,* Purāṇas, inscriptions, and some of the devotional hymns traditionally known as *Śaiva-tirumurai* comprising *Tevāram* and *Tiruttāṇḍakam.* We shall now deal with is detail. The *Lalitā-sahasranāma* refers to the goddess as *kāmakoṭikāyai namaḥ,* the *Lalitā-triśati* as *kāmakoṭinilayāyai namaḥ,* and the *Lalitā-aṣṭottara* as *kāmakoṭi-mahāpīṭhapadmasthāyai namo namaḥ.* Thus in the three nāmāvalis, the name *kāmakoṭi* as the seat of the goddess occurs. *Purāṇas* The *Bhāgavata-purāṇa* printed in the Grantha and the Telugu script referring to the *tīrtha-yātrā* of Balarāma in the tenth skandha describes Kāñchī as the *Kāmakoṭi-purī* : *kāmakoṭipurīm kāñchīm.* This reading is found in the *Subodhinī,* a commentary on the *Bhāgavata* by Vallabhāchārya. And this reading slightly differs from the one found in the *Bhāgavata* texts pr *i* nted in North India which reads as follows: *kāmakoṣṇipurīm kāñchīm.* *Kāmākṣīvilāsa* The reason for the absence of any separate sanctum sanctorum for the goddess in the Śiva temples in Kāñchī and the presence of it in the temples outside the skirts of Kāñchī is stated in this work. The god of love, who was reduced to ashes by Lord Śiva, out of desire to have a body performed penance at Kāñchī to propitiate Śrī Kāmākṣī. Pleased by his penance, Śrī Kāmākṣī by a mere glance from her eyes blessed him with a handsome body. He further requested her to bless him with the power to vanquish Lord Śiva. She acceded to his request; and, she wi *t* hdrew into the *bilākāśa* in the Śrī Kāmākṣī temple at Kāñchī the śaktis that are present in all the Śiva temples. Sometime later Brahmā went to Kailāsa to have darśan of Śiva. After worshipping Śiva, he went to worship Devī, but could not see her there. He went to all the Śiva temples on earth and in none of the temples could he find the presence of Devi. He reflected on the circums *t* ances that led to the absence of Devī in all the Śiva temples and intuitively felt that it was due to the will of Śrī Kāmākṣī herself. Desirous of having the presence of the goddess in all the temples as before, Brahm *ā* went to Kāñchī and performed penance for twelve years. Pleased by his penance Kāmākṣī said: ‘Let there be the manifestation of my śaktis in all the Śiva temples outside Kāñchī; but in Kāñchī, which is known as Śivajit-kṣetra there need be no separate sanctum sanctorum for me. *purā pañchaśaro’naṅgaḥ pratyakṣāṅgābhilāṣayā kāmakoṣṭam samāsādya kāmākṣīm saṃprapūjya cha hṛdi dhyātvā tu tām kāmastapastepe’tiduṣkaram tatastat kāmadevasya tapasā tuṣṭamānasā kadāchit tatra kāmākṣī, mahātripurasundarī prasannātha mahāśaktiḥ svakaṭākṣanirīkṣaṇāt dadau kāmāya divyāṅgam, nṛṇāmānandadāyakam. *(9-12) *tadā sarveṣu śaiveṣu kailāsādyālayeṣu cha yatra yatra sthitāḥ sarvā gaurīḥ svāṃśatayā sthitāḥ samākṛṣyaikyato devī tūṣnīmāsīcchubhānanā. *(31-32) *kadāchidatha lokeśaḥ kailāsādyālayeshu cha sevārtham parameśasya samāgatyālayam tadā devahīnālayam dṛṣṭvā śivasthāneṣu sarvaśaḥ kimarthamaṃbikā nāsti sarvaśaivālayeṣu cha iti chintya tato brahmā kāmākṣyāśchitramityapi vijñāya jñānadṛṣṭyā tu kāmakoṣṭha mahītale kāmākṣyāssannidhim prāpya dhyātvārādhya cheśvarīm sarvālayeṣu śaiveṣu sarvalokasthiteṣu cha yathā śaṃbhustathā gaurī sadā sānnidhyakāṅkṣayā hṛdi dhyātvā tu kāmākṣīm dvādaśābdam tapo’karot tataḥ prasannā sā devī kāmākṣī, bhaktikāmadā tatra brahmāṇamālokya vachanam chedam abravīt. *(68-73) *śivajitkṣetramityuktam idam kṣetram vinā bhuvi sarvālayeṣu śaiveṣu sannidhattam sadā’ṃbikā. *(75) As the goddess has withdrawn all her powers into the *bilākāśa* which pervades the whole of Kāñchī-kṣetra, there is no need for a separate sanctum sanctorum for the goddess in any of the Śiva temples at Kāñchī.[1] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32962> *Kāñchīmāhātmya* Each of the five primary elements has a ś *iva-kṣetra;* and, Chidambaram is considered to be the *ākāśa-śivakṣetra.* In the same way, each of the five primary elements has a *śakti-pīṭha;* and, Kāñchī is the *ākāśa-śakti-pīṭha.* Chidambaram and Kāñchī are thus the ākāśa-sthānas. In Chidambaram, the *ākāśa* is present only in the *kanaka-sabhā.* But as regards Kāñchī, the whole of Kāñchī is considered to be the *ākāśa-sthāna.* The goddess, Kāmākṣī, is in the form of *bilākāśa* in the cave under the Gāyatrī-maṇḍapa at the Kāmākṣī temple. And this *ākāśa* pervades the entire *kṣetra.* This is the reason why there is no separate sanctum sanctorum for the goddess in the Śiva temples at Kāñchī-kṣetra. As in Kāśi, there is no *sparśa-doṣa* in the Kāñchī-kṣetra. *yatra pūrvaṃ tvayā kāñchyām smaratarthamimaṃ hṛdi pūjanīyo mahāliṅge nāmnā mardalamādhave tatraiva cha mahānṛttam sarvarakṣākarābhidham karomi satatam hṛṣṭaḥ parākāśe bilāntare atra dabhrasabhāmātram parākāśa iti smṛtam tarta sarvāpibhūḥ kāñchyām parākāśaḥ smṛto budhaḥ satyam jñānamanantamādyam yo vedāsya guhāntare pamvyomni cha vai kāñchyām so’śnuteyamathepsitān sarvajñenāṇunāṇo’rvā mahato mahatāntaram* *ye tu paśyantyātmakṛtaguṇadhikkṛtaśugjanāḥ tatra ye paramākāśe praviśanti janāḥ hare te sarve manmayāḥ syurvai muktātmānastu te smṛtāḥ agnimadhyagatam vastu tanmayam syādyathā kṣaṇāt evam kāñchī praviṣṭā ye manmayāḥ syur na saṃśayaḥ tasmādatra nṛṇāṃ saṅghe śvapachānānna sūtakam chaṇḍālānāmapi hare spṛṣṭvā kāñchyām na sūtakam.* (44,4 to 11) *Tāntric Texts* Oṭṭiyāṇam, as we know from its usage in the Tamil country, is an ornament worn around the waist. It is called kāñchī in Sanskrit. This will be over the navel position. The work, *Meru-tantra,* states that Kāñchīkṣetra is the navel position of the earth. *vide Merutantra,* 10, 848. *Saubhāgya-Chintāmaṇi* This work which was composed by the great sage Durvāsa and is still followed in the Kāmākṣī temple at Kāñchī refers to the seven mokṣa-puris in the words— *ayodhyādiṣu pīṭheṣu pṛthivyādiṣvanukramat.* Of the seven mokṣa-puris, *ayodhyā mathurā māyā kāśī kāñchī avantikā purī dvāravatī chaiva saptaite mokṣadāyikāḥ,* the first five, beginning with Ayodhyā and ending with Kāñchī, are five śakti-pīṭhas beginning with *pṛthvī.* And, Kāñchī, thus becomes the *ākāśapīṭha.* This is in conformity with the view expressed in the *Kāñchī-māhātmya.* *Texts on Sculpture and Āgamas* The *śilpa* texts also speak of the goddess in temples only as *Kāmakoṣṭham.* For instance, the *śilpa* text, *Mānasāra,* states: *kamakoṣṭhavidhim vakṣye.* (65, 1) The Śaiva-āgamas, the *Sūkṣmāgama* and the *Karuṇāgama*, refer to the seat of the goddess as *Kāmakoṣṭha.* (i) *kāmakoṣṭhavidhim vakṣye sṛṇu tvam tat pramañjama *[Sūkṣmāgama: Śaktipratiṣṭhā-kāmakoṭi-vidhipaṭala] (i) *bhogaṅgamarchanam kuryāt sarvasaṃpat samṛddhidham rātrau pūjāvasāne tu ardhayāmena kārayet mandirasyottare bhāge kāmakoṣṭhasya madhyame *[*karuṇāgama: yogāṅgārchana-bhāga*] *Inscriptions* That the seat of the goddess in the Śiva temples is referred to as Kāmakoṣṭha could be seen from the inscriptions found in the many Śiva temples. The book entitled *South Indian Temple Inscriptions,* published by the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras, contains several such inscriptions which are as follows: *Chidambaram*: *koilukkum tirukkāmakoṭṭamuḍaya peria nāchchiyārukkum śāttiyaruḷa*[2] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32963> *vināśi:* *koilil tirukkāmakkoṭṭattu nāchchiyār peruṅkaruṇai*[3] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32964> *Vijayamaṅgalam:* *tirunāgīśvaramuḍaiyār tirukkāmakkoṭṭattālu (kai) tada (ya) na nāchchiyārukkamudupaḍi*[4] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32965> *Turvoṟṟiyūr:* *tiruvoṟṟiyūruḍaiya nāyanār koirtirukkāmakkoṭṭamudaiya vāchchiyārukku veṇḍum nibandaṅgaḷukku*[5] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32966> *Tirupālaivanam:* *tiruppālavanamuḍaya nāyanār tirukkāmakkoṭṭam iyādilum pāpādi nāchchiyārukku*[6] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32967> *Tirukkāṭṭuppaḷḷi:* *tirukkāmakkoṭṭamuḍaiya nāchchiyār aḷagamar maṅgaiyārkku*[7] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32968> *tirukkāmakkoṭṭamuḍaiya periyanāchchiār aḷagamar maṅgaiyārukku kaṟṟaḷi*[8] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32969> *Vallam:* *ikkoil śi kāmakoṭṭamuḍaiya nāchchiyārukkuṃ veṇḍum nimittattirku*[9] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32970> *Tiruppalaṇam:* *ikkoil pūjai nilaihaḷum tirukkāmakoṭṭamuḍaiya nāchchiarkoil bhaṭṭāchārya nilaiyuṃ*[10] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32971> *nān eḻundaruḷuvitta tirukkāmakoṭṭamuḍaiyār tiruppaḻaṇattuḍaiyārkku*[11] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32972> *innāyanār tirukkāmakoṭṭamuḍaiya periya nāchchiyār*[12] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32973> *Koilaḍi:* *ikkoilil nān eḻundaruḷuvitta tirukkāmakoṭṭamuḍai akhilanāyakiyārkku pūjaikkum*[13] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32974> *Hastigiri:* *śrī puravarādiśubara kāmakoṭṭi (ṭi) ṃbikālaprāptāvaraprasāda*[14] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32975> *Chidambaram:* *devyāstasyāḥ śikhariduhituḥ kāmakoṣṭhasthitāyāḥ prākārajyāmapidaṣayitamosaukḷiptavān maṇṭapañcha kiñchestyāḥ svapati naṭanasyānayogyaprakāram satyām bhaktyā sukaramakarot bhūṣaṇam mauktipūrvam* [15] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32976> *pītāṃbaraṃ kāñchanameṣa devyāḥ tat kāmakoṣṭhasthitamāsthitāyāḥ chakāra yadvairivilāsinīnām vanāgnidhūmāṃbaratām karoti*[16] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-e-32977> *Śaiva Tirumuṟai* Devotional hymns traditionally known as Śaiva Tirumuṟai in Tamil literature refer to the seat of the goddess as *Kāmakoṭṭam* or *Kāmakoṭṭi.* Appar of the seventh century in his *Tiruvadikai Tiruttāṇḍakam* uses the word *Kāmakoṭṭi;* and this conforms to the version in the inscriptions referred to above. *eḻundirai natittuvalai nanainda tiṅgal iḷanilāttihaḻhinṟa vaḷarśadaiyane koḻuṃpavaḷaccheṅganivāi kāmokoṭṭi koṅgaiyinai yamarporudu kolaṅgaṇḍa taḻumpuḷave varai mārbil veṇṇūluṇḍe śāntamoḍu, śantanttinaḷaru taṅgi aḻundiya śentiruvuruvil veṇṇīṟṟāne avanākhila tihai vīraṭṭattāne* Sundaramūrti Nāyanār in the *Tevāram* relating to Oṇakāntantaḷi situated on the northern bank of Sarvatīrtha in Kāñchī speaks of Kāmakoṭṭa thus: *vārirum kuḻanmai vaṇeḍungaṇ malaimahaṇ madhuvimmu konṟait- tāriruntaṭanvārbu nīṅgāttaiyalāḷulahuyya vaitta kāriruṃpoḻir kacchimudūr kñmakoṭṭamuṇḍāha nīr poy ūriḍum picchaikoḷvadenne oṇakāntanṟaḷiyuḷīre* [7th *Tirumurai* : Oṇakāntantaḷi 6] It is to be specially noted that the *Tevāram* of Tirujñānasaṃbandar relating lo Ālaṅguḍi—the Dakṣiṇāmūrtikṣetra in the Tanjore district in the south—refers to the sanctum sanctorum of the goddess as *kacchi kāmakoṭi* *nacchittoḻuvīr kaṇamakkadu śolvīr kacchippoli kāmakkoḍiyuḍan kūḍi icchittirum pūḷaiyiḍam koṇḍa vīśan ucchittalaiyil balikoṇḍuḻalūṇe* It may be added here that prior to the introduction of the printing press the same symbol was used to denote both the long and short sound of ‘O’. Hence koḍi in *kāmakkoḍi* in the above *Tevāram* must be read as *kōḍi.* Here *kacchi* means Kāñchīpuram and Tirujñānasaṃbandar explicitly states that the sanctum sanctorum of the goddess is *Kāñchī Kāmakoṭi.* *Epilogue* The *sthala-purāṇa, Kāmākṣī-vilāsa,* already referred to, states the reason why there is no separate sanctum sanctorum for the goddess in any one of the Śiva temples in Kāñchī and the presence of a separate sanctum sanctorum for the goddess in all the Śiva temples outside the skirts of Kāñchī. Goddess Kāmākṣī after blessing the god of love with a body retracted all her powers in the *bilākāśa* at the Kāmākṣī temple in order to help the god of love in his victory over Śiva. Later, on Brahmā’s request she spread all her powers in the Śiva temples outside Kāñchī. The goddess in the form of *bilākāśa* pervades the entire kāñchīkṣetra. Hence there is no need for any special sanctum sanctorum for the goddess in the Śiva temples at Kāñchī. It is only from here that she again spread all her powers to be manifested in the temples outside Kāñchī-kṣetra. Herein lies a matter of profound importance, namely that the term *Kāmakoṭi* which is applied to the sanctum sanctorum of the goddess in the Śiva temples is derived from the *Kāmakoṣṭha* of Kāñchī. This point is further substantiated in the *Ālaṅguḍi Tevāram* of Tirujñānasaṃbandar wherein he refers to the sanctum sanctorum of the goddess at Ālaṅguḍi as *Kacchi Kāmakoḍi.* This Tevāram in unmistakable terms refers to the identity of Kāñchī Kāmakoṭi with the *aṃbikā* of the local shrine. And within the city boundary of Kāñchī there is no *garbha-gṛha* with. Ambikā installed in it. No key to this curious phenomenon in the millenium-old temple construction scheme within the Kāñchī city limits and to the countrywide practice of referring to Ambikā shrines in the Śiva temples as *Kāmakoṭi* would have been available but for the two texts—the *Kāmākṣī-vilāsa* and the *Ālaṅguḍi Tevāram* of Saint Saṃbandar. A few lines in the simple *sthala-purāṇa* of Kāmākṣī has regulated the miHemum-old temple worship of Aṃbikā all over the country. May Kāmākṣī whose divine rays are manifested in the sanctum sanctorum of the goddess in all the Śiva temples and who is the *parā-śakti* of the Kāmakoṭi-pīṭha, which has been doubly sanctified by being presided over by Ādi Śaṅkara hinself and now by our Jagadguru Śrī Chandraśekharendra Sarasvatī, protect us all! *kāmaparipanthikāminī hāmeśvarī kāmapīṭhamadhyagate kāmadughā bhava kamale kāmakale hāmakoṭi kāmākṣi.* [2] <https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/preceptors-of-advaita/d/doc62922.html#note-t-32963> :*South Indian* Temple Inscriptions. (Madras: Government Oriental Manuscrip t s Library), Part I *,* No. 14, p. 22. K Rajaram IRS 131024 to be contd -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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