Panchasagar Shakti Peeth – Varanasi

Panchasagar Shakti Peeth is located near Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh State

Goddess Varahi is the presiding deity, she is an incarnation of Parvati Devi.

In this place, Lord Shiva is revered as Maharudra, which means "angry person."

This is the place where Sati Devi's lower jaw, or teeth, fell, and the temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.

The Shakti Peeth is decorated with magnificent sculptures and architecture. As it glows when exposed to sunlight, the stone used to build this Shakti Peeth is special.

The breathtaking beauty of Shakti Peeth is reflected when its image falls in the adjacent water body.

The scriptures say that Varahi was created from Varaha. She has a boar form, wields a chakra (discus), and fights with a sword. After the battle described in the Purana, the Matrikas danced & drank their victim’s blood. According to an episode explained in the Devi Mahatmya Purana, to kill the demon Raktabija, Mother Goddess Durga created the Matrikas from herself and with their help slaughters the demon army. When the demon Shumbha challenges Goddess Durga to single combat, she absorbs the Matrikas into herself. In the Vamana Purana, the Matrikas arise from different parts of the Divine Mother Chandika, and Varahi arises from Chandika’s back.

The Markendeya Purana praises Varahi as a granter of boons and the regent of the northern direction, in a hymn where the Matrikas are declared as the protectors of the directions. In another instance in the same Purana, she is described as riding a buffalo. The Devi Bhagavata Purana says Goddess Varahi, with the other Matrikas, is created by the Supreme Mother. The Mother promises the gods that the Matrikas will fight demons whenever needed. In the Raktabija episode, Varahi is described as having a boar form, fighting demons with her tusks while seated on a preta (corpse). In the Varaha Purana, the story of Raktabija is retold, but here each of Matrikas appears from the body of another Matrika. Goddess Varahi appears seated on Shesha-Naga (the serpent on which the Lord Vishnu sleeps) from the posterior of Vaishnavi, consort of Lord Vishnu. Varahi is said to represent the vice of envy (asuya) in the same Purana. The Matsya Purana tells a different story of the origin of Varahi. Varahi, with other Matrikas, is created by Lord Shiva to help him kill the demon Andhakasura, who has the ability like Raktabija to regenerate from his dripping blood.

Rath Yatra is a major event here and is celebrated with great devotion Durga puja, Navratri, Vijaya dasami, and and Kalabham festival are some others that are also celebrated.

Timings

5.30 am to 7.30 pm

How to reach

2 km from Varanasi Bus Station

Nearby Temples

Sri Annapurna Devi Mandir – 300 mts

Sri Vishalakshi Temple – 300 mts

Sri Kashi Viswanath Temple – 300 mts

Sri Bada Ganesh Temple – 1 km