Sri Matra Saktih - The Power of Divine Mother

The southern part of Bharat is unique in its cultural heritage.

The state of Karnataka leads the south in many spiritual and cultural aspects. Among the leading temples and Ashrams in Karnataka, the Sri Rajarajeshwari temple and Sri Kailash Ashrama Mahasamsthana that are situated in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, adorn the city as well as the state.

The name of Bangalore has been derived from the word 'Bendakaaluru' which literally means boiled gram. The puranik background to this name is attributed to the Rishi Atri and his consort Anasuya who had their Ashram at this place where the Sri Rajarajeshwari temple is situated today. It is stated that the consorts of the trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara i: e, Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvati were jealous of any devout wife (pathivratha) in the Bhooloka. In order to establish the Paathivrathya of 'Anasuya' the wife of Sri Atri rishi, a leela was enacted by the divine sage Narada.

He materialized some grams (kaalu) made of iron and brought them to the wives of the trinity requesting them to have the grams boiled for him. All the three failed, stating that nobody could do it. Sage Narada belittled them by stating that they were unable to do what an ordinary mortal woman Anasuya could do. Later, he approached Anasuya with the same request. The latter carried out the errand without delay by the power of her paathivrathya or devotion to her husband. Hence, the place where the grams were boiled were called as "Bendakaaluru' which later became Bangalore or Bangalore.

This region geographically lies on the east west meridian of Karnataka and is also called as Kalyananagari. Sri Rajarajeshwari temple is situated in the south-west corner of the region between Cauvery and Vrishabhavati river called earlier as Kanchanagiri later as Kanchanahalli and also as Champakvana. It is said in the Tantra Chudamani that this place forms the kama bhaga or ear of the numerous shakti peethas in Bharat.The Peetha has been called as Jaya Peetha and presiding Bhairava is Abiru Bhairava.

It is at this place that His Holiness Sri Tiruchi Mahaswamigal established SRI KAILASH ASHRAMA MAHASAMSTHANA and SRI RAJARAJESHWARI TEMPLE.

The presiding Deity Sri Rajarajeshwari is seated on this Shakti Peetha called as Jaya Peetha in the magnificent temple precincts.

It is said that in the remote past many devas, rishis, munis, siddhas including deva rishi Narada and others have propitiated the divine mother Sri Rajarajeshwari at this very place and obtained siddhi.

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