In this session, Swamiji shares His infinite wisdom on the Shakti Peethas, which may also be spelled as shakti pithas, śakti pīṭhas, and sakti peethas.

Enjoy!

Question:

How are the Shakti Peethas different from other sacred sites? What special attributes, or qualifications, exist for a location to be referred to as a Shakti Peetha?

Swamiji Says:

The Shakti Peethas relate to a specific story about the death of Lord Shiva’s wife, Sati Devi, and the destruction of Her father Daksha’s yajna (fire ceremony).

After Sati Devi left Her body, Lord Shiva was in great distress. He picked up the corpse and began to dance the “Dance of Destruction.” The Gods feared for the destruction of the world so they called upon Lord Vishnu to stop Mahadeva’s dance.

In His effort to stop Lord Shiva’s dance, Lord Vishnu used his Chakra (some versions of the story indicate that He used His bow and arrows) to cut Sati Devi’s body into pieces. As Lord Shiva continued to dance with violent fervor, all of the pieces of Sati Devi’s body fell from His shoulders to various locations. Lord Shiva stopped His dance when all of the body pieces fell to the ground.

So, wherever parts of Sati Devi’s body fell, that particular location became a Shakti Peetha. Originally there were 51 Shakti Peethas. Then, there were four different lists of 51 locations. In the Devi Bhagavatam there are 108 locations sited.

Question:

Are the Shakti Peethas especially suitable for specific ritual practices?
If so, which ones? Please explain why?

Swamiji Says:

Because the Shakti Peethas relate to the Goddess, to Devi, all of the forms of Divine Mother worship are recommended.

Some specific forms of worship that are recommended are the recitation of the Chandi Path, also called the Durga Saptashati, and the performance of the Cosmic Puja, also known as the Samashthi Upashana. Both of these practices are comprehensive offerings to the Goddess.

Many of the sadhus and priests of the Shakti Peethas encourage the Kumari Puja and the Chandi Homa as well. These are all practices which are special for the Goddess.

Question:

Who is Bhairava?

Swamiji Says:

Bhairava is the form of Lord Shiva who is free from all fear.

After the destruction of Sati’s body, Lord Shiva discontinued His dance and quietly sat in meditation. While meditating, He traveled to the places where the pieces of Sati’s body fell. He then practiced what we call “Avayava Dhyanam,” which is seeing the part and envisioning the whole.

Specifically, Lord Shiva saw each part of the Goddess and envisioned how it was connected to the rest of the parts. He then meditated upon the presence of the Goddess. In this meditative practice, He became free from all fear. He became Bhairava.

In honor of Lord Shiva, adjacent to every Shakti Peetha, is a Temple for Him in His form as Bhairava.

Question:

Common opinion holds that there are 51 Shakti Peethas. Why has the
number of Shakti Peethas been fixed at 51? What is the symbolic meaning of 51?

Swamiji Says:

There are probably as many explanations as there are sadhus!

Some say it relates to the major nadis in the body (veins and arteries). Others say it represents the joints in the body where we establish the Goddess in Nyasa. Still others say it represents the alphabet of Sanskrit. There is no one definitive answer!

Question:

In some tantric texts (such as the Tantrasāra by Āgamavagīśa), the
Shakti Peeṭhas seem to be located inside the body of the sādhaka rather than outside the body as sites of pilgrimage. Can you explain?

Swamiji Says:

To enhance your understanding, there are a lot of resources available in the form of books and video classes, which can be accessed on our website.

Specifically, there is our translation of the Devyah Kavacham in the Chandi Path. Also, a number of stories are included in the Swami Purana book. In addition, there are video class commentaries on all of the books. It is recommended that you follow the video classes along with the books. Another interesting study is on the Matrika and Bahya Matrika Nyasas, which are found in the Cosmic Puja.

Question:

What roles do the Shakti Peethas play in your own (and Shree Maa’s) life?
When and why do you visit Shakti Peethas?

Swamiji Says:

We visit the inner Shakti Peethas every day as part of our nitya karma pujas.

We have visited all of the geographical locations, many of them more than once. Some of them we visit again and again, and even have escorted groups of devotees to share with us. These places have a special environment, a special energy, and a wonderful presence.

When we perform our sadhana, or inspire a group sadhana in such places, we feel that we are performing just as the rishis performed in ancient times. We are sitting in the same asana, in the same place, reciting the same mantras, with the same intensity of devotion.

Surely the Goddess will bless us like She blessed them. She will make us into modern-day rishis with the same loving realization as the ancient rishis.

Question:

Does Avayava Yoga refer to a specific technique by which the whole is perceived through its parts? Is it a practice specifically related to Sati’s body parts and hence to the Shakti Peethas? Who has conceived this dhyanam (meditation)?

Swamiji Says:

Actually, the whole is conceived through the perception of one or more parts. The mediation can be practiced in any sampradaya (tradition of practice, views or attitudes) and through any discipline.

Specifically, by looking externally through the senses at any part of a murti, we conceive the entire form of the murti. This form of meditation is as old as the Vedas. The Vedas contain numerous hymns praising one particular aspect of nature. Then, that praise is extended to the entirety of Prakriti (nature). We use this process in all of our Kavach and Nyasa recitals.

Question:

Why is it that some Shakti Peethas are located in the vicinity of major Hindu sacred sites, such as Varanasi, Puri and Prayag? Can the Shakti Peethas with their Goddesses be considered as “protectors” of the sacred sites?

Swamiji Says:

Actually, the Shakti Peethas are equal in importance to the Shiva or Vishnu temples in the same vicinity. It is only a question of one’s “Istha,” or chosen deity. If one is a Shakta, she would possibly visit the Devi Temple first. If one is Shaiva or Vaishnava, she might visit the Shiva or Vishnu Temples first.

Question:

Why do many of the Shakti Peethas have both a Bhairava and a Shiva temple?

Swamiji Says:

As these areas became renown for their spiritual intensities, more temples became established there. Even in our one Devi Mandir Ashram, we perform daily Shiva Puja to at least three Shiva shrines. All three have different names: Satyeshwar, Yajneswar, and Napeshwar.

Question:

At some Shakti Peethas, the temple of Siva/Bhairava is the “main attraction” (e.g. at Baidyanath, Pasupatinath, Amarnath, Kedarnath) and the Goddess has just a small temple or shrine. In other sites, the Goddess’s Peetha is the main temple, (e.g. at Kamakhya, Jvalamukhi, and Kalighat), and the Bhairava just has a small temple? Why the difference?

Swamiji Says:

It depends on the focus of the particular association of priests and worshipers of that locality. Over the centuries, the priests placed an emphasis on one particular form of worship, and the devotees concentrated their expansion in that area.

Question:

After arriving at a Shakti Peetha, who should be worshiped first: Devi or Bhairava?

Swamiji Says:

It is up to you. But actually, Ganesh will be the first to be worshiped in every puja.