Pūrṇagiri Mahāpīṭha

 Pūrṇagiri Mahāpīṭha 

4 Ādi Śaktipīṭhas 

Introduction:— 

After Oḍiyāna and Jālandhara, the third Ādi Śaktipīṭha is Pūrṇagiri. This Pīṭha is mentioned in various Āgamas like, Rudrayāmala Mahātantra, Ambāmata Saṃhitā, Manthan Bhairava Tantra, Kubjikāmata Tantra etcetera. Even Many Purāṇas like Brahmāṇḍa Mahāpurāṇa, Kālikāpurāṇa described this Pīṭha. 

ओडियानं पीठं आख्यातम् पीठं जालन्धरं स्मृतम् । पीठं पूर्णगिरिश्चैव कामरूपं तथैव च ॥ 

[[ Reference:— Mahāmudrātikaka Tantra : 10th Paṭala]] 

Pūrṇagiri Ādipīṭha:— 

The third Ādi Śaktipīṭha is Pūrṇagiri. It is also known as Pūrṇaśaila, Pūrṇādri, Saptaśṛṅgī etc. The Manthānabhairavatantra states, 

पूर्णगिर्ये महाग्रीवा मुण्डखट्वाङ्गधारिणीम् । पूर्णेश्वरसमायुक्तां वन्देऽहं सर्वमङ्गलाम् ।। 

Almost the same Śloka is available in Ambāmata Saṃhitā Tantra (अम्बामतसंहिता तन्त्र). —

पूर्णगिर्ये महाग्रीवा मुण्डखट्वाङ्गधारिणीम् । पूर्णेश्वरसमायुक्तां वन्दे त्वां सर्वमङ्गलाम् ।। ५८ 

In the Pūrṇa mountain, the Mahāgrīvā(great necked Goddess) resides by holding Muṇḍa (head) and Khatvāṅga. Salutations to the fortune-bestower who lives with her consort Pūrṇeśvara. 

The Āmnāyamañjarī Tantra(आम्नायमञ्जरी तन्त्र) tells that the presiding goddess of Pūrṇagiri Mahāpīṭha is Mahāpūrṇā(महापूर्णा) and her consort is Agnimukha (अग्निमुख) . 

Location:— 

Kubjikāmata Tantra, Manthan Bhairava Tantra and many ancient texts mentioned the location of Pūrṇagiri Mahāpīṭha in Sahyādrī Mountain range. Historically "Pune" of Maharashtra was originated from Pūrṇagiri. Although Pūrṇagiri or Pune was addressed for a Janapada (large region) in ancient times. Some people confuse Lakṣmīvana with Pūrṇagiri. Lakṣmīvana (लक्ष्मीवन) Śaktipīṭha is situated in Uttarakhand. It has no connection with Pūrṇagiri. MBT also mentioned it —महालक्ष्मीवने घोरे महालक्ष्मीं जगत्सुखाम् ।। नौमि तुम्बुरुसंयुक्तां वरदाभयगोचराम्" । 

Also, Honourable Historian D.C.Sirkar identified the location of the Pūrṇagiri in Maharashtra. In the earlier Āgamic texts, Pūrṇagiri is described to be seven peaked. 

Cause of Naming Pūrṇagiri:— 

The 2nd Paṭala of Kubjikāmata Tantra states, —

कराली तव सन्ताने भविष्यन्ति ममाज्ञया ।

एवमुक्त्वा महेशानी गता सह्यं महावनम् ॥ ६३ ॥

After establishing Karālī Pīṭha (Jalandhara), Goddess Kubjikā went to the forest of Sahya mountain. Reaching there, she fulfilled the three worlds with her rays. She manifested her Caṇdākṣī (चण्डाक्षी) form. She made Caṇdākṣī as the residing goddess of that Pīṭha. By reaching here, she showed her full glorifications. Hence she named this region as Pūrṇagiri. 

उवाचेदं महादेवी साधु पूर्णमनोरथे ।

येनेदं पूरितं स्थानं तेन त्वं पूर्णरूपिणी ॥ ७० ॥ 

The Manthānabhairavatantra also states, 

अथ तृतीयकं वक्ष्ये यथा भवति तच्छृणु ।। ७१ ।। क्वचिद् देश तथा रम्यं देशानामुत्तमो निधिः । दिशां दक्षिणदिग्भागे दक्षिणापथमण्डले ।। ७२ ।।

तत्रैव चोत्तमा लोका भक्तिवन्तो दृढव्रताः । एतद्देशे महादेशे अस्ति वै भैरवाश्रमम् ।। ७३ ।।

भैरवामृतसं पूर्णगिरौ मध्ये विराजते ।

[[ Reference:— MTB : 1st Ānanda : 6th Chapter]] 

Meaning:— 

{{Bhairava said, 

Now I will explain the third Ādipīṭha. Listen to how it is. There is a country somewhere that is so beautiful that it is the most excellent treasure of (all) countries. The direction (in which it lies) is in the southern quarter, in the region of the Deccan (Dakṣiṇāpathamaṇḍala).64 (71cd-72)

The best of people, devout and of firm vows, (live) there. Located in that country, in that great country, is Bhairava's hermitage. (73)

Completely full (sampūrṇa) of Bhairava's nectar, it radiates (beautifully) in the midst of the mountain (giri). 65}} 

In the modern era, Pūrṇagiri Mahāpīṭha is known as Saptaśṛṅgī Pīṭha (सप्तशृङ्गी पीठ). Padma Mahāpurāṇa has a part named Saptaśṛṅgī Māhātmya Khaṇḍa (सप्तशृङ्गी माहात्म्य खण्ड) which is dedicated to Pūrṇagiri Mahāpīṭha. The Goddess Caṇdākṣī is none other than Saptaśṛṅgī. 

Now a days, Marathi folk people address this Pīṭha as Ādhi Śaktipīṭha (आधि शक्तिपीठ) which was derived from Ādipīṭha or primordial seat. They wrongly mean it as half Pīṭha. We can say that Kollāgiri or Kolhāpura, Turajāpura and Mātṛpura are the sub-Pīṭhas of this Ādi Śaktipīṭha. 

Iconography:— 

Goddess Pūrṇeśvarī has several iconographies. The Parātantra and the Vārāhī Tantra described her ten handed iconography. But, as Tumbeśvarī (तुम्बेश्वरी), she becomes 18 handed. 

The iconographical Ślokas of Tumbeśvarī are available in Pūrvāmnāyanityadevārcanavidhi (पूर्वाम्नायनित्यदेवार्चनविधि). Here is the meaning of her Dhyāna. 

Goddess Tumbeśvarī has eighteen hand and her beautiful breasts are covered with ornaments. She holds Kapāla (scull), Kheṭaka(shield), Ghaṇṭā (bell), Paryayaṇa (Horse saddle), Tarjanī (A mudrā of showing index finger), Dhanuṣa (Bow), Dhvaja (flag), Ḍamaruka, Pāśa (rope) in her nine left hands. She keeps Khaḍaga (sword), Śakti (spare), Śara(arrow), Aṅkuśa(elephant goad), Vajra (thunder), Triśūla (trident), Gadā (Mace), Śalākayā (Axe), cakra (discuss) in her right hands. She is as brilliant as the crores of suns. She is adorned with various golden jewelries. Her Vāhana (vehicle) is lion and she fulfills all wishes. 

In her Pūjā description, she is addressed as Mahiṣāsanā "महिषासना" which means she stands upon Buffalo. 

Pūrṇagiri and the Āmnāya System:— 

Saptaśṛṅgī Pīṭha is associated with Pūrva Āmnāya or Miśrācāra. Historically, this Āmnāya is eldest after Ūrdhvāmnāya. Here Pūrva doesn't mean Eastern. It signifies "Primary" or "earliest" system. And we know the directions of Āmnāyas have no relationship with geographical directions. Those were originated from Sadāśiva's faces. Goddess Saptaśṛṅgī is also known as Pūrṇeśvarī(पूर्णेश्वरी), Caṇdākṣī(चण्डाक्षी), Tumbeśvarī(तुम्बेश्वरी), Mahāgrīva(महाग्रीवा) etc. She is Pūrvāmnāya-nāyikā (पूर्वाम्नायनायिका). She is identified with twenty-one goddesses amongst who is Kulālikā, that is, Kubjikā. Pūrṇeśvarī is also called Nāṭeśvarī (नाटेश्वरी) and her consort is Nṛtyabhairava (नृत्यभैरव). She lives in Pūrṇagiripīṭha and the cremation ground called Lakṣmīnara. Here Goddess Satī's neck part was fallen. Pūrva Āmnāya (पूर्व आम्नाय) or Eastern Transmission includes a number of elements (Pīṭhas, lineages, coded language, rituals, etc.). The rituals of sexual rites are also the part of this holy transmission. The manuscripts of the texts like Karasadbhāva (क्रमसद्भाव), Manthānabhairavatantra Tantra (मन्थानभैरव तन्त्र) etc were found in Maharashtra region. The Koṅkaṇa (कोङ्कण) region has a very old history of Śaktism. Except Saptaśṛṅgī, there are many Pīṭhas I Maharashtra. Kauagiri or कौलगिरि (which is now known as Kolhāpura), Tuljāpura, Koṅkaṇā Devī, Ekavīra, Sōpāra etc Pīṭhas are some examples of the ancient places of Kaula practices. Chandrabimba (चन्द्रबिम्ब) , Mārkeṇndeya (मार्कण्डेय) etc were the Sādhakas of this region. Sumatinātha (सुमतिनाथ), the spiritual teacher (guru) of Śambhunātha (शम्भुनाथ) lived near Pūrṇagiri Pīṭha. For this reason, Kulasamrāt Ācārya Abhinavgupta (pupil of Śambhunātha) visited here .