Astha SangrahASTHA SANGRAHhttps://asthasangrah.comThe 18 Maha Shakti Peeths
The Shakti Peeths are sacred sites where, according to tradition, parts of Goddess Sati's body fell. Adi Shankaracharya's Ashtadasha Shakti Peeth Stotram describes eighteen of these as the foremost among them.
Significance of The 18 Maha Shakti Peeths
It is believed that King Daksha once held a grand yajna to which he did not invite his daughter Sati or her husband, Lord Shiva. Sati arrived uninvited and, unable to bear the humiliation heaped upon her husband there, immolated herself in the sacrificial fire. Grief-stricken and enraged, Shiva carried her body upon his shoulder and began a cosmic dance of destruction, wandering the universe. To save creation from ruin, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut Sati's body into pieces, and wherever these fell, that place became a Shakti Peeth.
The Puranas describe as many as fifty-one Shakti Peeths, but Adi Shankaracharya's Ashtadasha Shakti Peeth Stotram specifically praises eighteen of these as foremost, and this page presents that list of eighteen Maha Shakti Peeths. Note that among them, the Bhramaramba Devi Shakti Peeth (Srisailam) shares its complex with the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, and the Kamakhya Devi Shakti Peeth (Guwahati) is known as a major center of Tantric practice, both have their own detailed pages on this site.
The 18 Maha Shakti Peeths
Body part: Groin
Body part: Navel
Body part: Stomach
Body part: Hair
Body part: Upper teeth
Body part: Neck
Body part: Left eye
Body part: Back
Body part: Elbow
Body part: Left hand
Body part: Navel
Body part: Upper body
Body part: Yoni
Body part: Fingers
Body part: Tongue
Body part: Breast
Body part: Earrings
Body part: Right hand
Visiting The 18 Maha Shakti Peeths
This page is presented as a reference list only, since detailed information isn't yet available to build separate pages for most of these Shakti Peeths. The Sharada Devi Shakti Peeth, currently located in the Pakistan-administered part of Kashmir, isn't readily accessible to Indian pilgrims at present, while the remaining seventeen sit within India and Sri Lanka and are open for pilgrimage.
About The 18 Maha Shakti Peeths
This page presents the list of the 18 Maha Shakti Peeths described by Adi Shankaracharya, along with each one's goddess, body part, and location. Where a Shakti Peeth has its own detailed page, a link is provided.
The information on this page is presented with easy-to-read sizing and print support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Shakti Peeths?
The Shakti Peeths are sacred sites where, according to tradition, parts of Goddess Sati's body fell after being cut by Lord Vishnu's Sudarshan Chakra.
Are there 18 or 51 Shakti Peeths?
The Puranas describe up to fifty-one Shakti Peeths, but Adi Shankaracharya specifically praised eighteen of these as foremost in his Ashtadasha Shakti Peeth Stotram, both lists are in use, and this page focuses on those eighteen.
Does any Shakti Peeth have its own detailed page on this site?
Yes, the Bhramaramba Devi Shakti Peeth (Srisailam) shares its complex with the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, and the Kamakhya Devi Shakti Peeth (Guwahati) also has its own detailed page.
Where is the Sharada Devi Shakti Peeth located?
It is currently located in the Pakistan-administered part of Kashmir, which makes it not readily accessible to Indian pilgrims at present.