By
Adhi Shankara Bhagwad Pada
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
There was a great king called Daksha Prajapati who was the son of Lord Brahma, He had 27 daughters. Sati devi was one of them. Daksha gave his daughter Sati in marriage to Lord Shiva, During the conduct of a fire sacrifice, when Daksha entered the arena, every one except Lord Shiva stood up to respect him. Daksha felt very insulted by Lord Shiva’s behaviour. So when he conducted a yaga again, he did not invite his daughter Sati and his son in law Lord Shiva. Sati felt sad because of this and went to the Yaga against the wishes of Lord Shiva. She was badly insulted by her father Daksha and jumped in to the sacrificial fire. Shiva hearing this rushed to the place but could not save Parvathi. He cut off the head of Daksha and took the body of Sati in his hand and started dancing furiously. To bring down his anger, Lord Vishnu cut the body of Sati in to 18 pieces and these pieces fell down in different places of India. These places are called Shakthi Peethas. Some people are of the opinion that there are 51 Shakthi Peethas and yet others of the opinion that there are 108 Shakthi Peethas.Peethas:-
Part of the body fallen Place Name of Shakthi
1.Groin Trimkomali(Srilanka) Sankari devi
2.Back Part Kanchi(Tamilnadu) Kamakshi devi
3.Stomach part Praddyumnam(Gujarat) Sri srunkala devi
4.Head hairs Mysore(Karnataka) Chamundeswari devi
5.Upper teeth rows Alampur(Andhra Pradesh) Jogulamba devi
6.Neck part Srisailam(Andhra Pradesh) Bhramramba devi
7.Eyes sholapur(Maharastra) Mahalakmi devi
8.Right hand Nanded(Maharastra) Ekavenika devi
9.Upper lip Ujjain(Madya pradesh) Mahakalai devi
10.Left hand Pithapuram(Andhra Pradesh) Puruhutika devi
11.Navel Cuutack(Orissa) Girija devi
12.Left cheek Draksharamam(A.P) Manikyamba devi
13.Vulva Gauhathi(Assam) Kamarupa devi
14.Fingers(hand) Prayaga(Uttar Pradesh) Madhaveswari devi
15.Head part Jwala(Himaclapradesh) Vaishnavi devi
16.Breast part Gaya(Bihar) Sarvamangala devi
17.Wrist Varanasi(Uttar Pradesh) Visalaksi devi
18.Right Hand Kashmir Saraswathi devi
Lankayam Shankari devi, Kamakshi Kanchika pure
Pradyumne Shrinkhala devi, Chamunda Krouncha pattane
Goddess Shankari in Sri lanka, Kamakshi in Kanchipuram,
Goddess Shrinkhala in Pradyumna and Chamunda in Mysore
Alampure Jogulamba, Sri shaile Bhramarambika
Kolha pure Maha lakshmi, Mahurye Ekaveerika
Goddess Jogulamba in Alampur, Goddess Brhamarabika in Sri Shailam,
Goddess Maha Lakshmi in Kolhapur and Goddess Eka veera in Mahur
Ujjainyam Maha kali, Peethikayam Puruhutika
Odhyane Girija devi, Manikya Daksha vatike
Goddess Maha Kali in Ujjain Purhuthika in Peethika,
Goddess Girija in Odhyana and goddess Manikya in the house of Daksha,
Hari kshetre Kama rupi, Prayage Madhaveshwari
Jwalayam Vishnavi devi, Gaya Mangalya gourika
Goddess Kama rupi in the temple of Vishnu, Goddess Madhevaswari in Allahabad,
The flame gving Goddess in Jwala muki and Mangala Gouri in Gaya.
Varanasyam Vishalakshi, Kashmire tu Saraswati
Ashtadasha Shakti peethani, Yoginamapi durlabham
Goddess Visalakshi in Varanasi, Goddess Saraswathi in Kashmir,
Are the 18 houses of Shakthi, which are rare even to devas.
Sayamkale pathennityam, Sarva shatri vinashanam
Sarva roga haram divyam, Sarva sampatkaram shubham
If read in the evening daily, it leads to killing of all enemies,
And also curing of all diseases and getting of all types of wealth.