Kamakoteeshwara of Kashi

Entrance Gopuram of Sri Kanchi Kamakoteeshwar Mandir
(South Indian Architecture is clearly evident)

My warm greetings to everyone out there reading this blog! In this blog, I will share the story of my visit to a lesser known but a wonderful place in the land of Vishwanath, Kashi, where Vishwanath resides in the form of Kamakoteeshwara. Nevertheless, all forms which you see around are him only!

After moving to Benaras for my undergraduate in BHU, while surfing the net Sri Kamakoteeshwara was one of the first places which I put up on my bucket list to explore, but who am I to decide what I am gonna explore because in matters of Bhagwan you don't go to pay a visit to Parmeshwara instead he is the one calling you to himself, so the next time you are in a temple, thank the divine for it is his wish that you are there!

With the Aadi Dampati's grace, I had the opportunity of visiting Sri Kanchi Kamakoteeshwar Temple situated near the Harishchandra Ghat on the 24th of April, 2022. The visit was planned by Parmeshwar that my batchmates and I took a Rikshaw to the famous Assi Ghat of Kashi, paid homage to the nourisher of all Maa Ganga, and started our journey on foot towards the Sri Kamakoteeshwar Mandir from Assi Ghat along the Maa Ganga. On our way, we stopped at Janki Ghat and spent some time with Ganga Maiyya and at several other beautiful ghats to click photographs. After covering nearly 1Km we reached the Harishchandra Ghat, from where the locals helped us to reach Sri Kamakoteeshwar Mandir. A blog on Harishchandra Ghat will be shared whenever Bhagwati blesses me to visit the Ghat.

Sri Kanchi Kamakoteeshwar Mandir is a temple established by the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, and this is well evident from the architecture of the temple which has a beautiful Gopuram and other features which are most commonly found in the southern parts of the country. The Peetham is of great importance for the whole of Sanatan Dharma for it is said to be established by none other than Shivavtar Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya Mahabhaag, and in the contemporary world has made sure that the knowledge of Vedic Sanatan Dharma is preserved and taught for the welfare of all.

Sri Kanchi Kamakoteeshwar Mandir, Kashi is an extension of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Kanchi, and the lord who presides over this Peetham, who is the Ishwar of this establishment is Sri Kamakoteeshwar. Shiv Shiv.

The Temple is associated with the Shankar Parampara, is established as per the rules of Panchyatan and the Adhishwar of the Mandir is Sri Parmeshwar, The Panchayatan here followed is Shiv Panchayatan. Here the central Sanctum houses the divine lingam of Sri Kamakoteeshwar who has his divine consort Sri Kamakoteeshwari Amma(who is none other than the Divine Mother Srimata Kamakshi, as confirmed by the Brahmacharis in the temple) in a complex to the right in front of the central chamber and on the left resides the ever compassionate Sri Mahaganapati. On the backside, the beloved friend and Atmaswarup of Sri Parmeshwara, Sri Madhava(Narayan) has a sanctum on the right and on the left resides Sri Surya Narayan. Just behind the central sanctum, is a sanctum dedicated to the beholder of the Vel(spear) Sri Subramaniyam(Murugan, Skandha, Kartikeya) along with his consorts Maa Valli and Maa Devasena.

Apart from the Panchyatan Deities, there are chambers in the complex dedicated to Sri Ayyapa, Ram Darbar, and a beautiful sculpture of Bhagwadpad Adi Shankaracharya and his disciples. There is a beautiful chamber that houses the Shivshayanam, which is not generally observed in the temples of the north.

Also, the pillars of the temple have beautiful paintings and sculptures which depict the events from the life of Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya. One can see, a huge painting of the Living Shiva of Kanchi, Mahaperiyava Swamigal in the hall adjacent to the central area of the temple.

The temple provides a calm and peaceful environment for one to engage in the service of Parmeshwar and indulge themselves in the remembrance of the Divine through his Naam Jap, Katha, and Stotra Pathan. Since the place is not generally crowded one can easily spend their time with Bhagwan without getting disturbed by others because, in the end, no one is going to come to our aid, neither the loved ones nor the knowledge of the world that we gathered, at the end only Parmeshwar is going to save us.

This is beautifully explained by Bhagwadpaad Adi Shankaracharya in the following words;

भज गोविन्दम् भज गोविन्दम्,
गोविन्दं भज मूढ़मते।
संप्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले,
न हि न हि रक्षति डुकृञ् करणे॥१॥

O deluded-minded friend, chant Govinda, worship Govinda, love Govinda as memorizing the rules of grammar cannot save one at the time of death. ॥1॥

I hope you found this blog interesting and the next time you visit Kashi, you are gonna have Sri Kamakoteeshwar on your bucket list. This was just an attempt to share what I experienced in the Vicinity of the Supreme Being, my beloved Parmeshwar, in the form of Kamakoteeshwara, hope you enjoyed it! Attaching a few photographs I clicked, for you to check out. 

PS: I am not gonna share the image of Sri Kamakoteeshwara because if you have his Darshan here only then you might miss out on visiting him but now that you have read of him, his thought won't leave your mind unless you go for yourself and have his Darshan! May all shall experience the Infinite grace of Sri Kamakoteeshwar Mahadev and Srimata Kamakoteeshwari Amma. 

Shiv Shiv!

Bhagwadpad Adi Shankaracharya with his Four Disciples

 

Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya's encounter with Chandal Rupi Shankar(Same lord in two forms in the same pic)

Shivshayanam: A Leela of Sri Parmeshwara which is hardly seen in temples of the north