Refutation of Misconceptions Regarding Oḍyāṇa

 Refutation of the Misconceptions Regarding Oḍyāṇa 

Introduction:— 

Oḍyāṇa (ओड्याण) is the first among the 4 Ādi Śaktipīṭhas (Primordial seats of Ādyāśakti). Oḍyāṇa Janapada is situated in the swat valley of Kashmir (Now in Pak occupied Kashmir). 

Tripurasundarī Mistress of Oḍyāṇa 

It is often observed that many people are confused about the true location of the Oḍyāṇa Śakti Pīṭha. Many mistakenly equate Oḍyāṇa (ओड्याण) with Oḍra (ओड्र) or the Virajā Pīṭha (विरजापीठ). According to them, the Oḍyāṇa Pīṭha is identical with the Virajā Pīṭha located at Jajpur in Odisha. Some of them also relate this Pīṭha with Vimalā Pīṭha (विमलापीठ) of Puruṣottama Kṣetra (पुरुषोत्तम क्षेत्र). However, these notions are entirely unfounded. No ancient scriptural source has ever associated Oḍyāṇa with the land of Kaliṅga.

Let us therefore examine the scriptural and historical descriptions of the Oḍyāṇa Ādiśaktipīṭha. 

What is Oḍyāṇa Mahāpīṭha?:— 

Oḍyāṇa was also known as Suvāstu Rājya. The word swat was derived from Suvāstu. Oḍyāṇa was surrounded by several Janapadas (vedic kingdoms) such as — Lampāka (लम्पाक), Strīrājya (स्त्रीराज्य) or Puṣkalāvatī (पुष्कलावती), Puruṣapura (पुरुषपुर) etc. According to the Mūlasarvāstivādin Vinaya (मूलसर्वास्तिवादिन् विनय), after having crossed the Indus towards the west, the Buddha took eight stages to cross Uḍḍiyāna, the Lampāka, and arrived in the neighborhood of Puruṣapura Peshawar. Note, Lampaka is also a Śaktipīṭha. 

Location of Oḍyāṇa Pīṭha:— 

There are numerous Śāstrīya and historical evidences which are stating Oḍyāṇa to be swat region. Here we're trying to show some of them — 

Kubjikāmata Tantra is an ancient Kaula Tantra of Kubjikā cult. In the 2nd Chapter of Kubjikāmata Tantra, it is said that once Goddess Kubjikā or Kubjikeśvarī went to the western Himagahvara where there was a forest-keeper in the forest (vanapallikā) named Olambikā. 

"एवमुक्त्वा गता दूरं पश्चिमं हिमगह्वरम् ॥36 "

[[Reference:— Kubjikāmata Tantra, 2nd Paṭala]] 

The forest keeper and many attendants served Goddess Kubjikā. The goddess was satisfied by them. Thereafter she said, "ओड्डिता येन अङ्घ्रिभ्यां तेनेदमोड्डियानकम् ॥ "~41th Śloka, Kubjikāmata Tantra: 2nd Paṭala. 

Means:- “As I have flown up (oḍḍitā) here, therefore this place will be known as Oḍḍiyānaka”. 

Ishana shiva gurudeva (refers to a significant 11th century philosopher) in his 'Īśānaśivagurudeva paddhati' states, 

प्राच्यां श्रीकामरूपो यमदिशि च तथा कोल्लपूर्वो गिरिः स्यात्

सोपाराख्यं प्रतीच्यां धनददिशि तथा चोड्डियाणं तु पीठम् ।

 आग्नेययां चापि तद्वन्मलयगिरिरथ श्रीकुलान्तं निर्-ऋत्यां

जालन्ध्रं वायुभागे त्रिणयनहरिति स्यात् तथा देविकोट्टम् ॥ 

[[Reference:— Īśānaśivagurudeva paddhati, Volume 2, Chapter 1]]

In the eastern direction lies Śrī Kāmarūpa; in the southern (Yama’s) direction is the Kollapūrva mountain. In the western direction is the pīṭha known as Sopārā; in the northern (Kubera’s) direction lies the pīṭha of Oḍḍiyāṇa.

In the south-eastern direction is the Malaya mountain; in the south-western direction is Śrī Kulānta. In the north-western (Vāyu’s) region is Jālandhara; and Devīkoṭṭa, associated with the North-eastern direction (Śiva's direction), is also mentioned thus. 

Oḍyāṇa is also referred to be located in the north here. 

Another Kaula text Kuladīpikā Tantra states,

कामरूपं लिखेत् पूर्वे कोलगिर्यं तु दक्षिणे ।

चोहारं पश्चिमे लेख्यं उत्तरे औणकं लिखेत् ॥

मलयं चाग्निदिग्भागे नैर्-ऋत्यां तु कुलान्तकम् ।

जालन्धरन्तवायव्ये ऐशाने देवकोट्टकम् ॥ 

~ Kuladīpikā Tantra: 2nd Patala

Kuladīpikā states the locations of some Pīṭhas around whole Bhāratavarṣa. Auṇapīṭha is situated in the north side of India. It means, Oḍiyāna is located in Kāśmīra. 

Differences among Oḍyāṇa, Oḍra and Oḍḍīśa Pīṭhas :— 

The '51 Śaktipīṭhas list' is portrayed in the Yoginīhṛdaya Tantra. The same list has been depicted in Lalitopākhyāna, Nigamasāranirṇaya, Puraścaryārṇava volume 2 Chapter 6, Tantracintāmaṇi, Dāśarathīyatantram Chapter 5, Nityāṣoḍaśikārṇava tantra Chapter 8, Saubhāgyaratnākara, Chidanandanatha's Svacchandapaddhati, Meru Tantra, Siddhaśábara Tantra, Gāndharva Tantra and many other texts. In this list, the 26th Pīṭha is Virajā / Oḍra Pīṭha, the 37th Pīṭha is Oḍḍīśa / Vimala Pīṭha of Puruṣottama, and the 50th Pīṭha is Oḍyāṇa Pīṭha. Therefore, it is clear that these three places are completely distinct and separate Śaktipīṭhas. — 

"अट्टहासं च विरजं राजगृहं महापथम् ।...

उड्डीशं च प्रयागाख्यं षष्ठीं मायापुरीं तथा ॥...

महालक्ष्मीपुरं ओड्याणं छायाछत्रमतः परम् ॥" 

Another Kaula text, Niśisañcāra Tantra describes a huge Pīṭha list. Both of Oḍyāṇa (Swat) and Oḍra (Virajā) are mentioned separately in that list. The verse of Oḍyāṇa — 

ओड्याणे महादेवी गुह्याख्या योनिसम्भवा । 

वज्रशृङ्खलधरा देवी सुघोरा दिव्यरूपिनी ॥४२॥ 

क्षेत्रपालो महानादो घोररूपो महाबलः । 

तस्मिन् पीठवरस्था तु अशोकवृक्षसमाश्रिता ॥४३॥ 

[[Reference:— Niśisañcāra Tantra: 4th Paṭala]] 

Meaning:—  In Oḍyāṇa abides the Great Goddess, known as Guhyā, born of the sacred Yoni. The Goddess bears a vajra-chain and is exceedingly fierce, yet possessed of a divine form. The Kṣetrapāla, named Mahānāda, is formidable in appearance and of great strength. Upon that eminent Pīṭha she resides, taking refuge beneath the Aśoka tree. 

On the other hand, the verse of Virajā Pīṭha is — 

विरजायामम्बिका ज्ञेया मुद्रापत्तिशधारिणी । 

सौम्यरूपा महादेवी कामैश्वर्यप्रदायिका ॥१८॥ 

तस्मिन् क्षेत्रे स्थितोऽनलः आम्रवृक्षसमाश्रितः । 

[[Niśisañcāra Tantra: 4th Paṭala]] 

In Virajā, Ambikā is to be known as the bearer of the Mudrā-pattiśa. The Great Goddess is gentle in form and the bestower of desire and prosperity. In that sacred region abides Anala bhairava, who remains stationed beneath the mango tree. 

The Vajraḍāka Mahātantrarāja also clearly mentioned Oḍyāṇa and Oḍra/ Kaliṅga Pīṭhas are two different seats. — 

ओड्याणस्तथा चैव दक्षिणकर्णोच्यते ॥१॥ 

... 

कलिङ्गस्तु मुखं प्रोक्तं लम्पकः कण्ठ उच्यते ॥६॥ 

[[ Reference:— Vajraḍāka Tantra : 14th Paṭala]] 

Not only that, it portrayed the residing Śiva-śakti forms of both Pīṭhas — 

ओड्याणे कङ्कालः प्रभावती त्वङ्मलवहा ।१६क 

“In Oḍyāṇa, (the Śiva is) Kaṅkāla; (the Śakti is) Prabhāvatī, the remover of bodily impurities.” 

ओड्रे वज्रजटिल-महाभैरवी पित्तवहा प्रकीर्तिता ॥१८ख॥

“In Oḍra, (the Śiva is ) Vajrajaṭila; (the Śakti is) Mahābhairavī, the remover of bile (pitta).” 

Śrīpāda Ācārya Ādyānanda on his 'Kulamuktikallolinī' text, identified Oḍyāṇa, Birajā, and Oḍḍīśa as three separate and distinct Pīṭhas, and described each of them individually.— 

1) Oḍyāṇa (Swat valley, Kashmir)

हकारश्चोड्डियाने भूद्धमनी तत्र ते पतत् ।

दृग्गोचरास्तवांवंत्यः सिद्धयस्तत्र संस्थिताः ॥

[[Kulamuktikallolinī : Chapter 18]] 

2) Oḍḍīśa (Purī Vimalā Pīṭha) 

उड्डीशाख्यं पकारस्य पीठं तत्र तु वामप्तः |

गुल्फो निपतितस्तत्र कृतं साधकसिद्धिदं ||

[[Same Reference]] 

3) Oḍra / Virajā Pīṭha 

विरजं तु ञकारस्य स्थानं तत्रान्तिमावलिः ।

समस्त विष्णु मंत्राणान् तत्र सिद्धिरदुरतः ॥ 

The Devī Purāṇa (quoted by several Ācāryas, such as Bhāskarācārya) differentiated Oḍyāṇa and Oḍra to be separate regions by mentioning them individually. — 

लङ्कायाञ्च ओड्रदेशे च स्त्रीराज्ये काशिकावने। 

कामरूपे तथा काञ्च्यां चम्पायाञ्चाथ वैदिशे। 

वारेन्द्रे च ओडिडयाने च मनाक्षे शिखरे तथा ॥ 

[[Reference:— Devī Purāṇa: Chapter 42]] 

Note, this text also brought up the name 'Strīrājya', the nearest state of Oḍyāṇa. 

Śāstra Pramāṇas of Oḍyāṇa Pīṭha :—   

Tripurasundari Paubha art

The residing Goddess of Oḍyāṇa Mahāpīṭha is Tripurasundarī herself. The Gaurī Tantra states, 

"ओडियाने महापीठे देवी त्रिपुरसुन्दरी। 

कुण्डाकृत महारण्ये परमामृतविग्रहा ॥" 

Meaning :— “In Oḍiyāna, the great sacred seat, abides the Goddess Tripurasundarī.

Within the vast forest shaped like a kuṇḍa, She manifests as the embodiment of supreme nectar.”

The Vārāhī Tantra says, the Mistress of Ūrdhvāmnāya is Goddess Tripurasundarī or Saubhāgyā Devī. She is also the residing goddess of Oḍiyāna. — 

ब्रह्माशक्ति समुल्लासपीठगह्वरविग्रहा ॥

ओड्याणपीठनिलया परम्ब्रह्मात्मिका शिवा । 

सर्वचक्रेश्वरी सर्व पीठेश्री मंत्रविग्रहा ॥

सर्वमंत्रेश्वरी सर्व देवेशी दिव्यविग्रहा। 

ओड्याणपीठनिलया परम्ब्रह्मात्मिका शिवा ॥ 

[[ Reference:— Vārāhī Tantra: Chapter 22]] 

Meaning :— "She is the embodied form arising from the radiant union of Brahmā and Śakti, manifest within the cavernous essence of the sacred seat.

Abiding in the Oḍyāṇa Pīṭha, She is Śivā, whose nature is the Supreme Brahman itself.

She is the sovereign of all Cakras, the glory of all sacred seats, and the very embodiment of mantra.

She is the mistress of all mantras, the supreme ruler of all deities, possessed of a divine form.

Abiding in the Oḍyāṇa Pīṭha, She is Śivā, whose essence is the Supreme Brahman." 

The same ślokas are portrayed in the Parā Tantra (Chapter 5). 

The Ūrddhvāmnāya Damanārohaṇapaddhati describes the worship of Oḍiyāna Pīṭheśvarī. The dhyāna Mantra is below. — 

सोमसुर्याग्निपीठे च दाडिम्वकुसुमोपमा ।

पाशांकुशत्रिनेत्राञ्च पञ्चवाणधनुर्द्धरा ॥ 

ब्रह्मचक्रस्थिता देवी ज्ञानशक्ति स्वरुपिणी ।

ओड्याणे महादेवी सौभाग्यायै नमोस्तुते ॥ 

Meaning :— "Abiding in the sacred seat of Soma, Sūrya, and Agni, She is radiant like the blossom of the pomegranate. Three-eyed, bearing the noose and the goad, And wielding the bow of the five arrows, The Goddess resides within the Brahma-cakra, The very embodiment of Jñāna-śakti (the power of knowledge). O Great Goddess of Oḍyāṇa, Salutations unto You, Goddess Saubhāgyā." 

Mahatripurasundari

In pursuance of the Kāmākṣī Vilāsa (कामाक्षी विलास), there are three main sacred seats (Pīṭhas) among the numerous Śaktipīṭhas. They are — 1) Kāñcīpura (Tamilnadu), 2) Jālandhara (Himachal Pradesh) 3) Oḍīyāna (Swat valley). Maharṣi Vyāsa did penance of Mahātripurasundarī in Oḍīyāna Pīṭha. 

"ओड्याणाख्यं तृतीयं तु पराबीजस्वरूपकम् ॥ ८ ॥

तत्पीठं कामरूपेऽस्ति व्यासेनोपासितं सदा ।"

~ Reference:— Kāmākṣī Vilāsa: First Chapter

The Vyāsopāsitā Śrīvidyā lineage was originated from here. 

The Kālikā Purāṇa's Manuscript Reference says, 

ओड्याणं प्रथमं पीठं द्वितीयं जालशैलकम् । 

तृतीयं पूर्णपीठं तु कामरूपं चतुर्थकम् ॥४३॥ 

ओड्याणं पश्चिमे तु तथैव सुन्दरीं शिवाम् । 

[[Reference:— Kālikā Purāṇa: Chapter 64]] 

Note, Oḍyāṇa Pīṭha's location is portrayed in western subcontinent. 

But the some publishers changed Oḍyāṇa term as because they got interpolated version. But that interpolated version itself became contradictory because Oḍradeśa can't be situated in western India. 

Kālikā Purāṇa portrays about the Kātyāyanī worshipping in Oḍyāṇa. It matches with the historical evidences from Swat region. A sculpture of Goddess Kātyāyanī has been found in Ghazni, Afganisthan. Ghazni was also a part of Oḍyāṇa Janapada. The sculpture was made in 2nd century. 

Ghazni Durga

Other historical sources:— 

An important inscription has been found on the Mahāvināyaka sculpture in Gardez, Afganisthan. 

Gardez Ganesha 

According to honourable historian D.C.Sircar (Writer of 'The Śākta Pīṭhas' book) dated the statue to the 6th-7th century CE. It was written in 'Proto-Śāradā' script. That inscription clearly states, 

सरंवत्सरे अष्टतमे संज्येष्ठ-मास-शुक्ल-पक्ष-तिथौ 

त्त्रयोदश्यां शुदिरिक्षे विशाखे शुभे सिंहेचित्रके महत् 

प्रतिष्ठापितम् इदं माहविनायक परमभट्टेरक 

महाराजाधिराज-श्रि-षाहि-खिंगाल औड्याण-षाहि-पादैः॥ 

Meaning :— On the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month of Jyestha, the [lunar] mansion being the Viśakha (or Vaiśākha), at the auspicious time when the zodiacal sign Lion was bright on the horizon (lagna), in the year eight, this great image of the Mahāvināyaka was consecrated by the supreme lord, the great king, the king of the kings, the Sri Shahi Khiṃgāla, the king of Oḍyāṇa. 

Gardez Ganesha Inscription 

Note, Literal sources can be interpolated but inscriptions can't be. Once a writ is inscripted, it can't be changed in later. So, inscriptions has a great authenticity. 

This inscription has also proven about the large area of Oḍyāṇa Janapada. It was extended from swat to gardez. Apart from the Mahāvināyaka sculpture, the sculptures of Vaikuṇṭha Caturvyuha, Caturbhuja Gaṇeśa, Sūrya, Sadāśiva, Śiva-Pārvatī etc have also been found in Oḍyāṇa region. 

On the other hand, the nearest Janapada of Oḍyāṇa is Strīrājya or Puṣkalāvatī (now in Charsadda). It is also a Śaktipīṭha. It was a female-ruled and matriarchal state (King Alexander destroyed this state). The Matriarchy obviously had a strong relation with Śaktism. The whole Gāndhāra region had several Pīṭhas (Oḍyāṇa, Karavīra-śmaśāna, Lampāka, Strīrājya etc). 

Honourable historian Sir Alexander Cunningham reported about Oḍyāṇa in his book named 'The ancient geography of India'. There he stated that Chinese traveller Hwen Thsang had written on Oḍyāṇa or Swat region in his text. 

Not only that honourable historian D.C.Sircar also reported about Oḍyāṇa in his 'The Śākta Pīṭhas' work. 

According to him, Hwen Thsang had noticed the Śākta practice in Swat region. — 

As per the historians, The birthplace of Ūrdhvāmnāya Tradition or "Śrīvidyā" was Oḍiyāna, Kāśmīra. The scriptures are also stating same truth. The terms such as "Śrīkula", however, aren't usual in ancient works and have come to be used mainly to refer to a modern form of this tradition. It is better to call this system as the doctrine of Tripurā (Traipurakrama /त्रैपुरक्रम). Ancient texts also addressed this system as Saubhāgyakrama(सौभाग्यक्रम) as because the Pīṭha goddess is known as Saubhāgyā Devī (see the Dhyāna). 

Lastly would like to conclude by stating, 

ओड्ड्याणपीठ-निलय़ा विन्दु-मण्डलवासिनी ।

रहोय़ाग-क्रमाराध्या रहस्तर्पण-तर्पिता ॥ ८३॥

~ ललिता सहस्रनामस्तोत्र