Lord Brahma performed a yagna to please Shakti and Shiva. Goddess Shakti emerged, separating from Shiva and helped Brahma in the creation of the universe. Brahma decided to give Shakti back to Shiva. As such, Brahma’s son Daksha performed several yagnas to obtain Shakti as his daughter in the form of Sati. It was then decided that Sati was brought into this world with the motive of getting married to Shiva. Sati or Dakshayini grows up and gets married to Shiva much against her father Daksha’s wishes. King Daksha then hates both Dakshayini and Lord Shiva for going against his wishes. In fact, like all fathers in present day generation, Daksha too did not like Dakshayini getting married to Lord Shiva. For he thinks that Shiva is a beggar who begs at every house to feed himself. Yet both get married and this enrages king Daksha and boycotts both his daughter and son-in-law. Once, Daksha decided to perform a yagna with a desire to take revenge on Lord Shiva. He then invites everyone but not Shiva and Dakshayini. Yet Dakshayini out of love for her father decided to go to the yagna. Lord Shiva pleads with her not to go. But much against the wishes of Shiva, Sati attends the Yagna. Now Daksha tries to extract revenge on Shiva and go on heaping abuses on HIM in front of his daughter. Sati unable to bear the insults of her consort Shiva, she out of frustration immolates herself by jumping into the fire. Shiva unable to bear the loss of His consort dakshayini goes to the yagnashala, where she immolated herself. Shiva then picks up of Sati’s mortal body; and performs the Tandava in rage, the celestial dance of destruction. The other Gods requested Vishnu to intervene to stop this destruction. Vishnu then decides to break Sati’s body into pieces with HIS Sudarshana Chakra. The various parts of the body fell at several spots all through the Indian subcontinent and formed sites which are known as Shakti Peethas. This is how Shakti Peetas have come into form. Shakti is an aspect of the Supreme being Adi Parashakti, the mother of the Trimurthi, the holy trinity in Hindu religion & scriptures. Shakti Peethas are shrines or divine places of Mother Goddess. Here is the list of 18 Shakti Peetas. Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya has given us a wonderful shloka about Ashtadasha Peetas with Phala Shruthi. People who cannot afford to visit these 18 Shakti Peetas can read this wonderful Shloka every evening. The Phala Shruti says by reading this Shloka every evening one can get rid of all the maladies, illnesses, problems, sorrows, enemies and live a happy blissful life. Lankayam Shankari Devi, Kamakshi Kanchika pure | Pradyumne Shrinkhala Devi, Chamundee Krouncha Pattane || Alampure Jogulamba, Sri Shaile Bhramarambika | Kolhapure Mahalakshmi, Madhurye Ekaveerika || Ujjainyam Mahankali, Peetikayam Puruhootika | Odhyaayam Girijadevi, Manikyaa Dakshavatike || Hari kshetre Kamarupaa, Prayage Madhaveshwari | Jwalayaam Vaishnavi Devi, Gaya Mangalya Gourika || Varanasyaam Vishalakshi, Kashmireshu Saraswati | Ashtadasha Supeetaani, Yoginaamapi Durlabham || Saayamkale Patennithyam, Sarva Shatru vinashanam | Sarva Roga Haram Divyam, Sarva Sampatkaram Shubham || Attached table showing which mortal parts of Goddess Sati fell at what places forming into Shakti Peetas. Following is the List of 18 Shakti Peetas: Shankaridevi at Trincomalee in Sri Lanka Kamakshi Devi at Kanchi in Tamil Nadu Sri Srunkhaladevi at Praddyumnam in West Bengal Chamundeshwaridevi at Mysore in Karnataka Jogulambadevi at Alampur in Andhra Pradesh Bhramarambadevi at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh Mahalakshmidevi at Kolhapur in Maharashtra Eka Veerikadevi at Nanded in Maharashtra Mahakalidevi at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh Puruhutikadevi at Pithapuram in Andhra Pradesh Birajadevi at Jajpur in Odisha Manikyambadevi at Draksharamam in Andhra Pradesh Kamarupadevi at Guwahati in Assam Madhaveswaridevi at Prayaga in Uttar Pradesh Vaishnavidevi at Jwala in Himachal Pradesh Sarvamangaladevi at Gaya in Bihar Vishalakshidevi at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh Saraswathidevi at Kashmir Among these, the Shakti Peethas at Kamakhya, Gaya and Ujjain are regarded as most sacred as they symbolise three most important aspects of mother Goddess viz. Creation (Kamarupa Devi), Nourishment (Sarvamangala Devi/Mangalagauri) and Annihilation (Mahakali Devi).
