Prathyangira Devi Temple, Shollinganallur

Mythology

Sri Maha Prathyangira Devi is a powerful Devi who is said to have destroyed Sarabeshwara's arrogance. (Sarabheswara is an avatar of Siva). She is also known as Narasimhika (in the Kalisahasranama Stotram): She who is the Ferocious Half Human Half Lion of Courage. It is said that when Narashimhika shakes her Lion's Mane, she throws the stars into disarray. She is enveloped as bliss in the letter "Ksham".

Puranas tell of different origins for Maha Prathiyangara Devi. Some say that Prathiyangara Devi emerged out from the third eye of Sarabheswarar (manifestation of Lord Shiva) with 1,008 lion faces, 2,016 hands and a blood-stained tongue protruding out. She helped to reduce the ferocity of Lord Narashima.

Others say that when all the Gods were helpless to pacify Lord Narashima, the three Goddess Parvathi Devi, Saraswathi Devi and Lakshmi Devi created Prathiyangara Devi and sent her to fierce Lord Narashima, who was destroying the whole world after he extinguished the Demon King Hiranyakashipu. When Prathiyangara Devi sat on Lord Narashima's thigh he was calmed down.

Some believe that in ancient times when two rishis, Prathiyangira and Angiras, were meditating, they discovered a goddess through a Moola Mantram who was nameless. Later she privileged the rishis by naming herself after them, and hence she was called Prathiyangara Devi.

Easily Satisfied Goddess

Since this powerful deity(who pacified the lion-man incarnation of Vishnu) is said to be easily propitiated, when the proper sacrifice offer. She is said to grant the boon of any nature, her worship was normally kept shrouded in secrecy for eons as the sages thought of keeping her away from falling into the wrong hands. It was claimed in the epic Ramayana that the invincible son, Indrajit, of Ravana would have brought victory to Ravana by defeating his enemies (Lord Rama and his brothers), if the third night of yaga was not disrupted by the god Hanuman.

Appearance

In some images she is shown as dark complexioned, terrible in aspect, having a lion's face with reddened eyes and riding a lion or wearing black garments, she wears a garland of human skulls; her hair strands on end, and she holds a trident, a serpent in the form of a noose, a hand-drum and a skull in her four hands. She is also associated with Bhairava, and she has a variant form, Atharvana-Bhadra-Kali.

Her place in the Sri Chackra/Maha Meru.

This largely obsure deity is said to reside in several layers of the SriChackra with various names like Maha-Vajreswari, Ahankaraaharshini and Anakamalini, constantly worshipping the celestial Queen, Lalitha Parameshwari who is supreme of all. It has been argued that by bringing her out into the open by some selfish-minded and greedy individuals for the sake of attaining increased unearned wealth and a kind of control over others, the Swamis of today are creating trouble. By the anology of Skanthapurana, where Lord Skantha is said to have allied various evil forces to defeat Soorapathma, the servants of the Celestial Queen can not stand alone to shower only benovelence. These days one can see that the temples of this deity conduct various ceremonies to install Yantras used by precolonial era kings for war victories and control of the subjects under their rein.

The Temple

Other Gods who are also shrined in the renowned temple are Goddess Varahi, Goddess Neela Saraswathi, Lord Sarabheswara, Lord Ganesha, Lord Muruga, Lord Panjamukha Anjaneya, Lord Agni, Goddess Kaalikaambal, Lord Ayyapa, Lord Saniswara, Lord Narasimha, Lord Rahu and Ketu, Lord (Guruvayoorappan) and Lord Shiva.

Timing: 8 am - 12 pm and 4 pm - 8 pm on weekdays, Sunday from 8 am - 1 pm and 4 pm to 8.30 pm.

Poojas offered

Abishegam and Archana are a regulation here. Special poojas are offered every Sundays.

Eight kinds of acts.

Like all Tantric deities, she can be invoked for the eight kinds of acts usually performed. They are appeacing, growth, increasing, attracting, sudueing, dissention reppelling and killing. Detailed information is found as to what kind of materials are to be used for the respective aim, and the number of recitations to be performed. It is further said that any act performed invoking this deity, especially the bad ones like killing and suduing, it is impossible to retract it even when the doer wishes.

Homas performed in the temple.

Homas are performed in the temple on special occasions only and it is conducted for free and any-one can participate, there is no agent or pre-booking for homam in this temple within India or in any other countries but there are scammers who pretend as agent for homams but they are no way related to this temple, homam are performed for public welfare and it is free to all.

Location

The temple is located close to the junction and halfway down the link road of East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram Road.