Shrichakra in Kamakshi Mandir

 Śrīyantra in Kāmākṣī Temple 

विश्वकारणनेत्राढ्यां महात्रिपुरसुन्दरीम्। 

बन्धकासुरसंहन्त्रीं कामाक्षीं तां भजेऽम् ॥

Introduction:— 

Brahmā is worshipping Śrīyantra 

The Kāmākṣī Temple of Kāñcīpuram is one of the fifty-one Śaktipīṭhas. As stated in the Pīṭhas­tava of the Yoginīhṛdaya:

“आम्रातकेश्वरमेकाम्रं त्रिस्रोतं कामकोट्टकम्”

According to the Lalitopākhyāna, Vāmakeśvarīmata, and other authoritative texts, this is the twelfth of the fifty-one Pīṭhas.

Kāñcīpuram (काञ्चीपुरम)—also known as Kāmakoṭa (कामकोट)—is the central seat of Dakṣiṇī Śrīvidyā (Southern Tripurā tradition). The Lalitopākhyāna of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, the Śrīvidyā Khaṇḍa of the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, and the Kāñcīpura Māhātmya of the Skanda Purāṇa all extol the sanctity and spiritual grandeur of this sacred city.

Within the precincts of the Kāmākṣī Temple are numerous revered shrines and sacred spots, such as the Gāyatrī Maṇḍapa (गायत्री मण्डप), Kṣetrāṅgī/Pralayavardhinī Durgā (क्षेत्राङ्गी/प्रलयवर्धिनी दुर्गा), Coraviṣṇu (चोरविष्णु), Dharmaśāstā (धर्मशास्ता), and the image of Durvāsa. Various manifestations of the Goddess—such as Annapūrṇā (अन्नपूर्णा), Svarṇa-Kāmākṣī (स्वर्णकामाक्षी), Āliṅgana-Kāmākṣī (आलिङ्गन कामाक्षी), and Tāpasā-Kāmākṣī (तापस कामाक्षी)—are also enshrined here. Among the notable sacred objects, the Śrīcakra (श्रीचक्र) holds a place of exceptional importance. 

Installation of the holy Śrīyantra :— 

The Śrīcakra, along with the Gāyatrī Maṇḍapa, is believed to have been installed by the Devatās themselves. 

कृत्वा स्तम्भांश्च तद्वेचा व्याहृत्यैव त्रिखण्डतः ।

वर्णत्रयं ततः कृत्वा प्रणवं पीठरूपकम् ॥ ७० ॥    

कृत्वा ते ध्यानयोगेन क्रमादेवं सुमण्डपम् । गायत्रीमण्डपाभिख्यां चक्रः सर्वे सुरेश्वराः ॥ ७१ ॥

[[ Reference:— Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa: Śrīvidyā Khaṇḍa: Chapter 12]]

Meaning:— "Thereafter, the gods, following that command, constructed the pillars. Uttering the three Vyāhṛtis—Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ—in their triple division, they delineated the boundaries of the pavilion with these three syllables. Next, they installed the sound of the Praṇava (Oṃ) in the form of a pīṭha (a foundational seat). In this manner, through contemplative yogic absorption, the gods progressively brought into being a great pavilion. Along with it was established that sacred Chakra."

Oftentimes circulated but erroneous claim asserts that Śrī Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, the Smārta Jagadguru, installed the Śrīcakra in the Kāñcīkṣetra Kāmakṣī Temple. The present article examines how far this assertion is true. 

Śrīyantra Pūjā by Brahmadeva:— 

After the Cakra was installed by the gods, it was worshipped by Lord Viriñci (Brahmā). The account is as follows—

Once, owing to some sin committed earlier, Lord Brahmā lost his vision. To dispel Brahmā’s blindness, Goddess Sarasvatī addressed him:—

“O Lord of the worlds, ocean of compassion, my Lord with four faces! I shall now tell you the cause of your blindness—listen attentively.

Become aware of the Gāyatrī Maṇḍapa in the Śrī–Kāmakōṣṭha of Kāñcīpurī,

that great pavilion which rises lofty like the all-pervading sky.

It was constructed in ancient times by Śiva Himself; it is the eternal abode of Kuṇḍalinī.

शिवेन निर्मितं पूर्वे तत्तु कुण्डलिनी गृहम् । तदेतन्मण्डपं गत्वा श्रीचक्रयजनं चरेत् ॥ ११२॥ 

[[Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa: Śrīvidyā Khaṇḍa: Chapter 14]]

You must go to that great Maṇḍapa and perform worship of the Śrīcakra.” 

नचेदांघ्रिस्पर्शपाप फलमान्ध्यं सविन्दति । 

अद्य त्वं मण्डपं गत्वा श्रीचक्रयजनं कुरु ॥ ११३ ॥

अन्धकत्वनिवृत्तिस्ते सम्भवेन्नात्र संशय़ः ।

[[Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa: Śrīvidyā Khaṇḍa: Chapter 14]]

Thereafter, Goddess Sarasvatī instructed Lord Brahmā on the procedure for worshipping the Śrīcakra enshrined in the Kāmakṣī Temple, stating that he must perform the worship according to the teachings of the Rudrayāmala Mahā-tantra (रुद्रयामल महातन्त्र).

पुरा मे शम्भुना प्रोक्तो मण्डपे पापसम्भवः ॥११५॥

तच्छान्तिस्तन्त्रमार्गेण रुद्रयामलके श्रुता । व्रह्मन्कुरु मदुक्तिंत्वमन्धकत्वविमुक्तयये ॥११६॥ 

[[Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa: Śrīvidyā Khaṇḍa: Chapter 14]]

Goddess Sarasvatī then said, “Once, Lord Śambhu instructed me regarding this Maṇḍapa; the method of Śrīcakra–worship has been prescribed in the Rudra–Yāmala Tantra. O Brahman, to dispel your blindness, you must now follow the procedure as I have described.”

Śrīchakra and Kāmākṣī 

Thereafter, Lord Brahmā arrived at the Kāmakōṣṭha and worshipped the Śrīcakra there.

As a result, his blindness was removed, and he beheld the golden-hued Ambikā Śivā.

Thus it becomes evident that the Śrīcakra of the Kāmakṣī Temple was established by the gods at the command of Goddess Śivā Herself. It was worshipped by Brahmā (ब्रह्मा), Viṣṇu (विष्णु), Vasiṣṭha (वशिष्ठ), Vyāsa (व्यास), Durvāsā (दुर्वासा), and Daśaratha (दशरथ)—the father of Rāmacandra.

Therefore, the commonly circulated notion regarding the Śrīcakra is entirely baseless. This erroneous claim has been propagated conspiratorially by a sect that seeks to appropriate the histories of all traditions as its own.

No unauthorized (Anābhiṣikta-अनाभिषिक्त) or uninitiated (Adīkṣita-अदीक्षित) person has the right to install a Śakti–cakra.