GODDESS MOOKAMBIKA: Goddess Mookambika is said to be the Mother of the Universe representing Adi Parashakti. Shakti refers to the cosmic energy that permeates through everything. ’Sak’ means `the ability to act.' Shakti manifests as Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Mookambika, Radha, Kali, Chamundi, Uma, Kamakshi, Amba and in countless other forms. Mother Shakti’s presides over creation, preservation and destruction. The 'Devi Sukta' in Rig Veda, refers to Shakti as something that has no beginning and no end, something that is constant and forever.
Goddess Mookambika, is the goddess presiding over the temple town of Kollur, some distance from Mangalore, Karnataka. Known as the Mookambika Devi Temple, it is the pride of Karnataka. It is set within the picturesque surroundings of Souparnika river and green Kodachadri hills. Here the main deity is in the linga form or Jyothirlingam. It is said that when Lord Siva drew the Srichakras with his toe, the Swayambulinga manifested itself. In the smaller half of the lingas, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma reside and in the bigger half while Mother Goddesses, Durga, Saraswathi and Lakshmi reside on the remaining half symbolically separated by a golden line. Navarathri, Janmasthami and Krishna Jayanthi festivals in Kollur are a marvel. She is depicted with three eyes and four arms with divine disc and conch.
Mother Mookambika has a very large following among the people of Karnataka, Kerla and Tamil Nadu. Overseas bhaktas make regular visits also. In Tamil, She popularly known as Mooghambighai Amma or Thaai Mooghambighai. Both ‘amma’ and ‘Thaai’ means mother. They believe that the original temple was created by Vishnu avatar, Lord Parashurama. They dedicate the deity to Goddess Parvathi but Mothers merges as One at Her instance. Indeed there is a Parvathi temple on the banks of the Souparnika river also.
MYTHOLOGY: The name Kollur traces its origins from the saint Kola Maharishi. He did his penance at the present Kollur to get a boon from Lord Siva. The rishi was troubled by a Rakshasa called Mookasura who was also doing penance. Noticing this, Mother Adi Sakti made him ‘mooka’ or dumb so he could not seek his boons. Thereafter the Rakshasa started troubling the maharishi. He prayed to Adi Parashakti and She vanquished Mookasura. The rishi continued his penance in peace. Shakti was extolled by the Gods to reside in Kollur. At Kolar Maharishi’s instance the Divine Mother accompanied by all the Gods stayed back in Kollur; hence Mother is called Mookambika.
ADI SHANKARACHARYA: Mookambika Temple is believed to be the acharya’s brain child. It is said that some 1200 years ago, acharya had a vision. He meditated at Kudajaadri hills and Devi appeared before him. He expressed wishes to incorporate Devi to a place in Kerala. She agrees to follow but challenges that he would not look back till the divine place is found. But she puts the acharya to a test by becoming absolutely quiet. The sounds of the Her anklets coming to a stop, he turns back. This happened in Kollur. Thereafter acharya conceived Devi as a form of Jyotir-Linga as Shiva-Shakti Union and installed the Deity. He also consecrated the Panchaloha image of the Goddes on the Shree Chakra. It is also written that the original temple on the Kodachari Peak was re-established in Kollur by the aharya for convenience of the bhaktas.
MUKTISTHALA: The temple is one of the Seven Muktisthala in Karnatika for pilgrims. The others muktisthalas are Udupi, Subramanya, Kumbashi, Koteshwara, Sankaranarayana and Gokarna. While the pilgrimages are dedicated to Lord Subramnya and Lord Ganesha, the Moolambika temple is the only one dedicated to Shakti along the pilgrimage route.
FESTIVALS: Vidya means knowledge as opposed to ‘avidya’ meaning ignorance. ‘Aramba’ means the beginning. Vidya Arambam basically means the initiation of small children to alphabets of their mother tongue. In Mookambika temple, this is carried on in the Saraswathi hall. It is a popular ritual on the Vijaya Dasami day. In her personification as Saraswathi, Mother also attracts bakthas from Kerala and TamilNadu to venerate her at Kollur. Important festivals are Pancha Puja and Thrikala Bali festivals. Nithyotsava is a daily ritual. Varothsavam is the weekly ritual. Pakshotsawam os fortnightly ritual. Varshika Uthsavam and Bavarathri are annual festivals.
SARASWATHI – MOOKAAMBIKA : Sri Sharadamba at Sringeri, Sri Mookambika at Kolluru, Sri Mangalamba at Mangalore, Sri Rajarajeshvari at Polali, Sri Banasankari at Badami and Bangalore, Sri Annapurnesvari at Horanadu, Sri Mahalasa Narayani at Kumta and Sri Kamakshi at Hebbur are some of the well-known Shakti temples of Karnaka. The rituals followed in these temples date back several years. They are important Shakti Kendras.
There are ancient links between Goddesses Saraswathi and Mokkambika. Panachikaadu Temple in Kerlaa is a Saraswathi Temple and it is also known as Dakshina Mookambika Temple. It is dedicated to the Goddess for Arts and Learning. The temple carries Lord Vishnu as the main deity.
MOOKAMBIKA ASHTAKAM – SKANDA PURANA
Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who is Goddess of Kolapura,
Salutations to the mother of universe, the essence of existence,
Salutations to her who is worshipped by Siva, Indra and Brahma,
Salutations to her who fulfills wishes of surrendering devotees.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For it is well known that Lord Brahma creates and Lord Vishnu cares,
And Lord Shiva destroys at the end but it is you, with look of mercy,
Who is the personification of power , whom they worship.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For you pervade the entire universe through your illusion,
You playfully bear in your womb, the entire universe,
And you exist in all the beings in the form of intelligence.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For you are being approached by your devotees,
For getting blessed by your greatly merciful look,
Downwards to them and they call you Hey Mahalakshmi.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For those men without great expression and
Downgraded dumb people, pray earnestly for your grace,
And thou make them talented and wise, Oh Mookambika.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura
For you are the supreme spirit which stands alone,
You created the entire world as if it is a play,
And in spite of that people call you Gowri and Kumari.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura
Your form Sri Chakra , which is king of all known holy symbols,
Emanated from the very great splendour of Shiva and Vishnu,
And you reside in the lotus heart of the great Yogi called Kola rishi.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura
Who holds in her arm the holy conch and the holy wheel,
Who by her hand removes fear and fulfills desires,
Who is the holy mother who sits on the lotus pose,
Who is the colour of the gold and is merciful to her devotees.
After learning this gem of the prayer by the devas,
And fixing the mind on this octet on Lakshmi,
And reciting them in the holy temple of Lakshmi,
Would bless one with education, without any doubt.
Om Mooghambighaye Namaha.
Yogi Ananda Saraswati
Goddess Mookambika, is the goddess presiding over the temple town of Kollur, some distance from Mangalore, Karnataka. Known as the Mookambika Devi Temple, it is the pride of Karnataka. It is set within the picturesque surroundings of Souparnika river and green Kodachadri hills. Here the main deity is in the linga form or Jyothirlingam. It is said that when Lord Siva drew the Srichakras with his toe, the Swayambulinga manifested itself. In the smaller half of the lingas, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma reside and in the bigger half while Mother Goddesses, Durga, Saraswathi and Lakshmi reside on the remaining half symbolically separated by a golden line. Navarathri, Janmasthami and Krishna Jayanthi festivals in Kollur are a marvel. She is depicted with three eyes and four arms with divine disc and conch.
Mother Mookambika has a very large following among the people of Karnataka, Kerla and Tamil Nadu. Overseas bhaktas make regular visits also. In Tamil, She popularly known as Mooghambighai Amma or Thaai Mooghambighai. Both ‘amma’ and ‘Thaai’ means mother. They believe that the original temple was created by Vishnu avatar, Lord Parashurama. They dedicate the deity to Goddess Parvathi but Mothers merges as One at Her instance. Indeed there is a Parvathi temple on the banks of the Souparnika river also.
MYTHOLOGY: The name Kollur traces its origins from the saint Kola Maharishi. He did his penance at the present Kollur to get a boon from Lord Siva. The rishi was troubled by a Rakshasa called Mookasura who was also doing penance. Noticing this, Mother Adi Sakti made him ‘mooka’ or dumb so he could not seek his boons. Thereafter the Rakshasa started troubling the maharishi. He prayed to Adi Parashakti and She vanquished Mookasura. The rishi continued his penance in peace. Shakti was extolled by the Gods to reside in Kollur. At Kolar Maharishi’s instance the Divine Mother accompanied by all the Gods stayed back in Kollur; hence Mother is called Mookambika.
ADI SHANKARACHARYA: Mookambika Temple is believed to be the acharya’s brain child. It is said that some 1200 years ago, acharya had a vision. He meditated at Kudajaadri hills and Devi appeared before him. He expressed wishes to incorporate Devi to a place in Kerala. She agrees to follow but challenges that he would not look back till the divine place is found. But she puts the acharya to a test by becoming absolutely quiet. The sounds of the Her anklets coming to a stop, he turns back. This happened in Kollur. Thereafter acharya conceived Devi as a form of Jyotir-Linga as Shiva-Shakti Union and installed the Deity. He also consecrated the Panchaloha image of the Goddes on the Shree Chakra. It is also written that the original temple on the Kodachari Peak was re-established in Kollur by the aharya for convenience of the bhaktas.
MUKTISTHALA: The temple is one of the Seven Muktisthala in Karnatika for pilgrims. The others muktisthalas are Udupi, Subramanya, Kumbashi, Koteshwara, Sankaranarayana and Gokarna. While the pilgrimages are dedicated to Lord Subramnya and Lord Ganesha, the Moolambika temple is the only one dedicated to Shakti along the pilgrimage route.
FESTIVALS: Vidya means knowledge as opposed to ‘avidya’ meaning ignorance. ‘Aramba’ means the beginning. Vidya Arambam basically means the initiation of small children to alphabets of their mother tongue. In Mookambika temple, this is carried on in the Saraswathi hall. It is a popular ritual on the Vijaya Dasami day. In her personification as Saraswathi, Mother also attracts bakthas from Kerala and TamilNadu to venerate her at Kollur. Important festivals are Pancha Puja and Thrikala Bali festivals. Nithyotsava is a daily ritual. Varothsavam is the weekly ritual. Pakshotsawam os fortnightly ritual. Varshika Uthsavam and Bavarathri are annual festivals.
SARASWATHI – MOOKAAMBIKA : Sri Sharadamba at Sringeri, Sri Mookambika at Kolluru, Sri Mangalamba at Mangalore, Sri Rajarajeshvari at Polali, Sri Banasankari at Badami and Bangalore, Sri Annapurnesvari at Horanadu, Sri Mahalasa Narayani at Kumta and Sri Kamakshi at Hebbur are some of the well-known Shakti temples of Karnaka. The rituals followed in these temples date back several years. They are important Shakti Kendras.
There are ancient links between Goddesses Saraswathi and Mokkambika. Panachikaadu Temple in Kerlaa is a Saraswathi Temple and it is also known as Dakshina Mookambika Temple. It is dedicated to the Goddess for Arts and Learning. The temple carries Lord Vishnu as the main deity.
MOOKAMBIKA ASHTAKAM – SKANDA PURANA
Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who is Goddess of Kolapura,
Salutations to the mother of universe, the essence of existence,
Salutations to her who is worshipped by Siva, Indra and Brahma,
Salutations to her who fulfills wishes of surrendering devotees.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For it is well known that Lord Brahma creates and Lord Vishnu cares,
And Lord Shiva destroys at the end but it is you, with look of mercy,
Who is the personification of power , whom they worship.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For you pervade the entire universe through your illusion,
You playfully bear in your womb, the entire universe,
And you exist in all the beings in the form of intelligence.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For you are being approached by your devotees,
For getting blessed by your greatly merciful look,
Downwards to them and they call you Hey Mahalakshmi.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura,
For those men without great expression and
Downgraded dumb people, pray earnestly for your grace,
And thou make them talented and wise, Oh Mookambika.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura
For you are the supreme spirit which stands alone,
You created the entire world as if it is a play,
And in spite of that people call you Gowri and Kumari.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura
Your form Sri Chakra , which is king of all known holy symbols,
Emanated from the very great splendour of Shiva and Vishnu,
And you reside in the lotus heart of the great Yogi called Kola rishi.
Salutations to Mahalakshmi , who is Goddess of Kolapura
Who holds in her arm the holy conch and the holy wheel,
Who by her hand removes fear and fulfills desires,
Who is the holy mother who sits on the lotus pose,
Who is the colour of the gold and is merciful to her devotees.
After learning this gem of the prayer by the devas,
And fixing the mind on this octet on Lakshmi,
And reciting them in the holy temple of Lakshmi,
Would bless one with education, without any doubt.
Om Mooghambighaye Namaha.
Yogi Ananda Saraswati
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