| Devi Kanya Kumari | |
|---|---|
 Poster of the deity | |
| Tamil | கன்னியாகுமாரி transl. The maiden goddess |
| Affiliation | Shaktism,Shaivism,Vaishnavism |
| Abode | Kanyakumari |
| Mantra | kātyayanāya vidmahe kanyakumāri dhīmahi tanno durgiḥ pracodayāt |
| Weapon | Rosary |
| Mount | Tiger orLion |
Devi Kanya Kumari (Tamil: கன்னியாகுமரி) (Sanskrit:देवी कन्या कुमारि,romanized: Dēvi Kanyā Kumāri) is a manifestation of theHindu goddessMahadevi in the form of an adolescent girl. She is variously described by various traditions of Hinduism to either be a form ofParvati orLakshmi. She is also worshipped as an incarnation of the goddessBhadrakali byShaktas, and is known by several names such as ShrīBāla Bhadra,Shrī Bāla,Kanya Devi, andDevi Kumari.
The goddess is inextricably tied to the eponymous town ofKanyakumari, situated at the southernmost tip ofTamil Nadu. The worship of Devi Kanya Kumari is also associated with theKumari Kandam, a mythical lost continent. Kanya Kumari is regarded to be the goddess who killed the demon Banasura, who performed a continuous penance with utmost austerities. TheVaishnava SaintVadiraja Tirtha, in hisTirtha Prabhanda, describes Kanya Kumari asLakshmi, who descended upon the earth to slay Banasura.[1]
Devi Kanya Kumari has been mentioned inRamayana,Mahabharata, and the Sangam worksManimekalai,Purananuru and the Nārāyaṇa (Mahānārāyaṇa) Upanishad, a Vaishnava Upanishad in the Taittiriya Samhita of KrishnaYajur Veda.[2]
The author ofPeriplus of the Erythraean Sea (60-80 CE) has written about the prevalence of the propitiation of the deity Kanyakumari in the extreme southern part of India; "There is another place called Comori and a harbour, hither come those men who wish to consecrate themselves for the rest of their lives, and bath and dwell in celibacy and women also do the same; for it is told that a goddess once dwelt here and bathed."[3][4] Kanyakumari was under the rule of the Chera Dynasty followed by the rulers and kings ofTravancore under the overall suzerainty of the British until 1947, when India became independent. Travancore joined the independent India in 1947. Later in the state partition, Kanyakumari became part ofTamil Nadu.[5]
The feminine aspects of Adi Parashakti (in its manifested and un-manifested forms) are called as Prakriti, and the male aspects are called as Purusha. The Prakriti is addressed in different names by different Hindu communities as Adi-parashakti, Bhadra, Shakti, Devi, Bhagavati, Amman, Rajarajeshwari, Shodashi; in different locations.[4][6] All the material manifested aspects the Nature is classified as feminine and is the Prakriti or Mother Goddess and also the un-manifested forms Knowledge, Prosperity and Power are considered as feminine Prakriti, and it is source of energy for Creation, Sustain and Control, which is the male aspect (Purusha) of Prabrahma.[4][7]
InTantra, the worship of Prakriti is done in different methods: Dakshinachara (Right-Hand Path) (Sātvika rites), Vamachara (Left-Hand Path) (Rajas rites) and Madhyama (Mixed) (Tamasa rites) in different temples. The name of Devi in temples during Sātvika or Dakshina rites is 'Shrī Bhagavati' and Vaama (left method) rites is called 'Maha Devi' similar toMaha Vidya.[8]
Banasura, a demon by birth, was the ruler of the land of Kanyakumari. He was a very powerful king. He practicedtapasya and obtained a boon from Brahma that his death could only be caused by an adolescent girl.[4][9]
With this powerful boon, he became fearless and wreaked havoc on the entire world. He went on to conquer and oustIndra from his throne. He banished all thedevas from their abode. The devas, who were the personification of the basic natural elements,Agni (fire),Varuna (water),Vayu (air) became uncoordinated, and havoc spread in the universe, becauseIndra (ether) was not able to administer and coordinate thePancha Bhoota.[4]
According to local folklore, It was believed that onlyBhagavati would be able to restore order. Bhagavati manifested herself in the southern tip of the subcontinent as Kumari, to kill Banasura and restore the balance of nature.[6][7] As an adolescent girl, she had immense devotion towards the deityShiva. Shiva decided to marry her. All arrangements were made for the wedding. Shiva started the journey from Shuchindram. The weddingmuhurtam, or auspicious time, was during the Brahma muhurtam, which was pre-morning. The sageNarada, observing that only a virgin goddess would be able to slay Banasura, caused a rooster to crow, indicating that the auspicious time for the wedding had passed. Thus, he was able to interruptShiva's marriage to Kanya Kumari.[2][4][5] Kumari waited for Shiva, and finally, she assumed that she had been snubbed. With unbearable insult, pain, grief, and anger, she destroyed everything she saw. She threw away all the food and broke her bangles. The food particles she scattered around are said to be the source of the colourful sands of Kanyakumari. When she finally gained her composure, she undertook continuous penance. Ages later, Banasura tried to lure and approach Kumari, without realising who she was. The infuriated Kumari slaughtered Banasura at once. Moments before his death, Banasura realised that the one before him was Adi Parashakti, the Goddess herself. He prayed her to absolve him of his sins. After killing Banasura, Kumari assumed her original form ofParvati, and reunited with her husband,Shiva. Kumari maintained her divine presence in the place, in the Bhagavati Kumari Amman Temple.[6][7]
According toVaishnavism, the saintVadiraja Tirtha states in hisTirtha Prabandha that Devi Kanya Kumari is a form of the goddessLakshmi herself, who descended upon the earth to kill the demon Banasura, who was a devotee of Shiva.[10]
The Bhagavati Kumari Amman Temple is one of the 52Shakta pithas. It is believed that the back spine area of Sati's corpse fell here creating the presence of Kundalini Shakti in the region.[2]
The shrine is accessed through the Western door. The eastern door is opened only on certain days of a year, as on the new moon days in the months of Thai, Aadi (Karkidaka) July, duringNavaratri and in the month of Kaartikai. For the purpose of rites and rituals in the temple of Kumari is imagined as (Sankalpam) as Bālambika, the child goddess. The goddess is considered asKatyayani, one of theNavadurgas here. She is also considered asBhadrakali by the devotees while worshipping her.[4]
Devi Kanya Kumari is the goddess of virginity and penance. It is a practice that people choose to receive theDiksha ofSanyasa from here in olden times.[6] The rites and rituals of the temple are organized and classified according toSankaracharya's treatise.
The other attractions inside the temple are the Pathala Ganga Tirtha, Kalabhairava Shrine.Kalabhairava is a ferocious form of Shiva who annihilates kala, or time itself. Each of the 51Shakta pitha has aKalabhairava shrine within the temple meant for the protection of the temple. The name of theKalabhairava in Kanyakumari temple is 'Nimish' and the Shakti is 'Sarvani' and in theShakta pitha ofShuchindram the Kalabhairava is 'Samhāra' and the Shakti is 'Narayani'. These are twoShakta pithas out of the 51 Shakta pithas all over South Asia.[2] There are also shrines to Vijayasundari and Balasundari, friends and playmates of the Goddess in her youthful form.
Navarathri Mandapam is a hall where devotees can display their artistic ability in music as a dedication to the goddess, Shri Pāda Pāra is a rock in the shape of Kumari's feet. This is now famous as Vivekananda Paara, whereSwami Vivekananda got enlightenment to dedicate his life as an active Sanyasi rather than the usual practice of being passive.[2]
The presiding image is sported in standing posture with anAkshamala in her hands. There is an image of a lion in her pedestal indicating that she is the form ofAdi Parashakti. There is a four-pillar hall in the temple, each of which gives out sounds ofVeena (a string instrument),Mridangam (a percussion instrument),flute andJalatarang (porcelain instrument).[9]
TheGayatri mantra of Devi Kanyakumari is:"kātyayanāya vidmahe kanyakumāri dhīmahi tanno durgiḥ prachodayāt"[5]
RedSarees and Ghee wick lamps are offered to the goddess by devotees. RecitingLalita Sahasranama while approaching and circumambulating the temple is considered auspicious.[4]
The Bhagavati Kumari Amman Temple inKanyakumari,Tamil Nadu is dedicated to her. It is located at the southern tip of main land India, on the confluence of theBay of Bengal, theArabian Sea, and theIndian Ocean. Legend attributes SageParashurama for performing the consecration of the temple. The goddess is said to remove rigidity of the mind; devotees usually feel the tears in their eyes or even inside their mind when they pray to the goddess in devotion and contemplation.[6]
The temple is opened for darshan from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.[5] The temple is maintained and administered by theHindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of theGovernment of Tamil Nadu.[12]
