The temple of Vishalakshi at Mir Ghat in Varanasi, near Manikarnika, is the Varanasi pitha of the Pithanirnaya. By the text Sati’s earring fell here, and the goddess is Vishalakshi and the Bhairava Kala (Kalabhairava), and the place is said to be famed as Manikarni.
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- Deity
- Vishalakshi
- Tradition
- Shakta
- Place
- Mir Ghat, near Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi
- State
- Uttar Pradesh
- Country
- India
- Map
- OpenStreetMap (25.3100, 83.0119)
The temple
According to Uttar Pradesh Tourism the temple is in the Mir Ghat area of Kashi on the Ganga, it is named in the Skanda Purana among the chief temples of Kashi, and by tradition Adi Shankaracharya installed a Shri Yantra here, which is still worshipped.
How to reach Vishalakshi, Varanasi
- According to Incredible India, Lal Bahadur Shastri airport is about 25 km away and the nearest main station is Varanasi Junction.
Where the sources differ
- Texts differ on the limb: the Pithanirnaya says the earring, the Devi Bhagavata (7.30) says the face of Gauri fell at Kashi, and Uttar Pradesh Tourism says Sati’s eyes.
- According to Sircar the original Pithanirnaya probably had only one of Varanasi and the next pitha, Kanyashrama.
- The count of pithas depends on the text: the Pithanirnaya lists 51, some Bengali lists 52, the Devi Bhagavata (7.30) gives 108 places with names of the goddess, and the early Tantras name only four (Sircar).
Frequently asked questions
Which part of Sati fell at the Vishalakshi Shakti Peetha?
By the Pithanirnaya, the earring; the Devi Bhagavata says the face and Uttar Pradesh Tourism the eyes. The goddess is Vishalakshi and the Bhairava Kalabhairava.
Where is Vishalakshi, Varanasi Shakti Peetha?
Vishalakshi, Varanasi Shakti Peetha is in Mir Ghat, near Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Which lists of tirthas include Vishalakshi, Varanasi?
The 51 Shakti Peethas (number 23 of 51 in the list).
How to reach Vishalakshi, Varanasi?
According to Incredible India, Lal Bahadur Shastri airport is about 25 km away and the nearest main station is Varanasi Junction.
Sources
- D. C. Sircar, The Śākta Pīṭhas (Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal 1948; Motilal Banarsidass, 1973): table of the Pithanirnaya pp. 35-37, note on this pitha p. 51 (archive.org)
- Vachaspatyam (Taranatha Tarkavachaspati), "pitha": the list of pithas quoted from the Tantrachudamani (Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries, sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de)
- Devi Bhagavata Purana 7.30 (the list of 108 pithas), English translation by Swami Vijnanananda (wisdomlib.org)
- Uttar Pradesh Tourism (uptourism.gov.in): Vishalakshi Devi, Varanasi
- Incredible India (incredibleindia.gov.in): Vishalakshi Temple, Varanasi
- Wikidata Q7935940 (Vishalakshi Temple): map coordinates
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