Sri Khetra – Sri Devi, Sri Tirtha, Sri Bidya, Sri Yantra
The name Srikshetra vibrates the message that it was the kshetra of Sri’. We have to analyze the antiquity of Sri’ and Srikshetra’ with reference to ancient studies, historical facts and geographical structure of good-olden-day’s Kalinga, Utkal and Kangoda territories.
The evidential proof of ancient Sri Tirtha’ is identified from the epic Mahabharat. It was famous as ‘Brahmabana’ at that time and later on known as Sri Tirtha. ‘Sri Bidya’ was otherwise known as ‘Para Bidya’ and its Adya Guru was Dattatreya. (His father was the famous sage Atri and mother was Anasuya. He was the combined Avatar of Trimurti and popularly worshipped as Trinath all over Odisha even now-a-days.) Dattatreya was the great Guru of Maharshi Parasuram. Parasuram was the famous Sadhaka and Siddha Mahapurush of Sri Bidya. He established the Sri Yantra, and initiated the worship of Sri Devi through jag, yagnya and chanting of Sri Sukta at Sri Tirtha where the famous river Renuka (described as river Mahasur in subsequent Purans and Mahanadi at later period) had fallen into the Bay of Bengal.
Mahendra Hill or Mahendragiri
His jurisdiction was the entire Mahendra hill which covered from river Baitarani to river Godavari, all the ancient rivers flowing from Mahendragiri were known as Mahendra Tanaya and Renuka was the other name of river Mahanadi flowing in between present Banki Charchika and Puri. River Mahanadi has changed its destination at a later period from Banki and fallen into the Bay of Bengal near Paradeep. The most reliable disciple of Sri Parasuram was Haritayana, He was otherwise known as Medhaas or Sumedha. Maharshi Haritayana was the originator of Tripura Rahasya’, consisting of three parts in 144 chapters, which was the first literature on Sri Bidya.
“Sri is otherwise recognized as ‘Maha Tripurasundari’. Kameshi lalita bala Mahatripursundari, Tripura bhairabi hyeta urdhamaya samasritah’ (Badabanala Tantra). She is the Tripuarasundari, who regulates the entire world with three elements, such as
Three Gods– Brahma, Bishnu and Maheswar
Three Tejas– Agni, Surya and Chandra
Three Saktis– Mahalaxmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati
Three Swaras– Udatta, Anudatta and Swarita
Three Lokas– Swarga, Martya and Patala
Three Padas (conditions) – Yagrata, Swapna and Sushupti
Three Puskras– Subarna, Rajata and Adimaya
Three Brahmas (Vedas)- Rig, Shama and Yajuh
Three Barnas– A, U and M
Three Bargas– Dharma, Artha and Kama
The combination of all above threes is Tripura. In this connection the ‘Laghu Staba’ presents
‘Devanam tritayam trayihuta bhujaam shakti trayam Tripura Trayailokya tripadi tripushkar matho tribrahma barnashrayah Yatkinchit jagati tridha niyamitam bastu tribargadikam Tat sarbam Tripureti nama bhagahatyanweti tat tatwatah.’
Sri Markandeya & Durga Sapta Sati
The great sage Markandeya happens to be the first exhibitor of Shakti Philosphy in India. Sri Markandeya Puran, his best contribution, was originated in Srikshetra and Sri Durga Saptasati forms a part of it. Researchers have clarified that Markandeya Puran is later to Mahabharat and older to Srimad Bhagabat.
The first chapter of Sri Durga Saptasati deals with the description of majesty of Bhagabati. as explained by the sage Medhas to king Surath and Samadhi baisya. The hermitage of the sage Medha or Medhas was the present Srikshetra, a deep forest at that time, and Sridevi was his goddess. Surath was the king of Chedi dynasty “Chedibansha samudvabah”, he was attacked and defeated by the enemies “akrantah prabalarivih”, then he went away alone to a deep forest riding a horse “ekaki hayamaruhya jagam gahanm banam”, and took shelter of Maharshi Medhas “dwijabarysya Medhsah”.
Chedi Dynasty
King Surath was the predecessor of Kharavela of Chedi dynasty, who was a powerful king of Kaling during 2nd century B.C. King Surath as per the direction of the sage Medhas, in association with Samadhi, a businessman who lost his business, adored Mahamaya (Sridevi), after construction Her image in sands “krutwa murtim mahamayeem”, at the outlet of the river and by the side of sea-shore, “nadipulinsansthitah”, continuously for three years. (Chaper 13 of Sri Durga Saptasati)
Researchers have identified that place as present Banki Muhan within Puri town. Being satisfied, Devi offered boons to both of them; King Surath got back his kingdom and Samadhi his business. Thereafter the kings of Kalinga developed their faith and confidence on Sridevi and constructed beautiful temple for her, the temple was termed as Srimandir and the kshetra as Srikshetra. The adoration of Sridevi became very famous from that time; this fact is conformed from the 2nd century BC.
Above facts taken from Book “Purushottam Shree Jagannath” Written by Padmanabha Mohapatra
Shrikhetra and Saktism
Shakti – The Divine mother is the source of power. She is the ultimate reality who is responsible for the creation, preservation and destruction of the universe. She is the source of cosmic evolution and the controller of all forces and potentialities of nature.
The term Saktism means divinity in general and stands for the energising power of some divinity in particular. Being feminine in gender she has associated with various male deities as their energy, but in saktism the energy of each god is personified by their consort, and thus if any god is separated he becomes powerless and inert.
And to justify these statements, Sankracharya, the profounder of monistic theory, has eulogised the greatness of Sakti in Saundarya Lahari in the following manner-
शिवः शक्त्या युक्तो यदि भवति शक्तः प्रभवितुं ।
न चेदेवं देवो न खलु कुशलः स्पन्दितुमपि ॥
अतस्त्वामाराध्यां हरिहरविरंच्यादिभिरपि ।
प्रणन्तुं स्तोतुं वा कथमकृतपुण्यः प्रभवति ॥१॥
Saundarya Lahari verse 1
sivah saktya yukto yadi bhavati saktah prabhavitum
na ced evam devo nakhalu kusalah spanditum api
atastvam aradhyam hari hara virincadhibhir api
pranantum stotum va katham akrtapunyah prabhavati |
The Sakti-cult plays an important role in the social and spiritual life of the people in Eastern part of Odisha. The literary as well as the archaeological sources has proved the prevalence of sakti-cult in Odisha from a very old period of time.On several Odishan rock art in paintings and engravings several instances of bisected triangles resembling female genital was encountered. Repeated occurrence of such symbols in different rock shelters suggested the popularity of the primordial mother cult.
Discovery of perforated stones in rock shelters and some other items related to Saktism from Neolithic and Chalcolithic sites and the Yoni stone found from Kalahandi district and Nuapada region has often proved the beginning of Sakti cult in odisha to a hoary past.
Many great religious texts like the Shiva Purana, the Kalika Putana, the Devi Bhagavata, the Ata Shakti and PithanirnayaTantra has recognised four major Shakti Peethas also known as Adi Shakti Peethas with two of them being in Odisha-
MAA VIMALA:
Vimala Temple located in the south-west corner of the inner enclosure of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Though it is a small shrine in the temple complex, it is important to the Goddess-oriented Shakta and Tantric worshippers, who believe in it even more than the main Jagannath Temple. Vimala is considered as the Tantric consort of Jagannath and a guardian of Temple complex.
MAA TARA TARINI:
Tara Tarini Temple near Berhampuris one of the sites where the limbs of goddess are fallen. The breasts fell off in this temple and the shrine is known as Breast shrine. The goddesses Tara and Tarini are worshipped here and the Shakti peetha is also called as Kalyani Dham.
