The Legend
There was a great king called Daksha Prajapati, son of Lord Brahma. He had 27 daughters, and Sati Devi was one among them. Sati Devi married Lord Shiva. When Daksha entered the arena of a yaga performed by Agni, everyone except Lord Shiva stood up as a mark of respect, and Daksha felt insulted by Shiva's behaviour.
Later, when Daksha conducted a yaga of his own, he did not invite his daughter and son-in-law. Sati felt hurt at not being invited, yet she wished to attend against Lord Shiva's wishes. When she arrived, no one welcomed her, and she felt insulted by the actions of her sisters and parents. When her father began abusing her husband, she could not bear it and immolated herself in the sacrificial fire, invoking Agni through the right thumb of her foot.
On learning this, Lord Shiva grew furious and tore a lock of his matted hair (Jatha), striking it upon the earth — from which Lord Veerabhadra was born and rushed to the yaga to behead Daksha (who was later revived with the head of a goat). Shiva then carried Sati's body and began his fierce Tandava dance of grief and rage. Terrified, the world begged Lord Vishnu to intervene. Knowing Shiva would not stop while still holding Sati's body, Vishnu released his Sudarshana Chakra and cut the body into pieces. These parts fell at various places across India and Sri Lanka, and each such spot became known as a Shakti Peetham.
There are eighteen such principal places — Ashta (eight) and Dasa (ten) — together called the Ashta Dasa Shakti Peethas, listed below. Some traditions note that other body parts fell at additional sites, which is why the wider count of Shakti Peethas is sometimes given as 51, or even 108.
Sacred Verse
Lankayam Shankari devi, Kamakshi Kanchika pure /
Pradyumne Shrinkhala devi, Chamunda Krouncha pattane //
Alampure Jogulamba, Sri shaile Bhramarambika /
Kolha pure Maha lakshmi, Mahurye Ekaveerika //
Ujjainyam Maha kali, Peethikayam Puruhutika /
Odhyane Girija devi, Manikya Daksha vatike //
Hari kshetre Kama rupi, Prayage Madhaveshwari /
Jwalayam Vaishnavi devi, Gaya Mangalya gourika //
Varanasyam Vishalakshi, Kashmire tu Saraswati /
Ashtadasha Shakti peethani, Yoginamapi durlabham //
Sayamkale pathennityam, Sarva shatri vinashanam /
Sarva roga haram divyam, Sarva sampatkaram shubham
The Eighteen Sakthi Peedams
| # | Temple | Peedam | Location | Body Part |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shankari Devi Temple | Shankari Peedam | Trincomalee, Sri Lanka | Groin |
| 2 | Kamakshi Amman Temple | Kama Koti Peedam | Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu | Back |
| 3 | Shrinkhala Devi Temple | Pradyumna Peedam | Pandua, West Bengal | Stomach |
| 4 | Chamundeswari Temple | Krounja Peedam | Mysore, Karnataka | Hairs |
| 5 | Jogulamba Temple | Yogini Peedam | Alampur, Telangana | Upper Teeth |
| 6 | Bhramarambika Temple | Srisaila Peedam | Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh | Neck |
| 7 | Mahalakshmi Temple | Shri Peedam | Kholapur, Maharashtra | Eyes |
| 8 | Ekavira Temple | Moola Peedam | Hirvai, Maharashtra | Right Hand |
| 9 | Mahakali Temple | Ujjaini Peedam | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | Upper Lip |
| 10 | Puruhutika Devi Temple | Pushkarani Peedam | Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh | Left Hand |
| 11 | Biraja Devi Temple | Oddyana Peedam | Jajpur, Odisha | Navel |
| 12 | Manikyamba Devi Temple | Draksharama Peedam | Draksharamam, Andhra Pradesh | Left Cheek |
| 13 | Kamakya Devi Temple | Yoni Peedam | Guwahati, Assam | Yoni |
| 14 | Madhaveswari Devi Temple | Prayaga Peedam | Prayag, Uttar Pradesh | Fingers |
| 15 | Jwalamuki Devi Temple | Jwalamuki Peedam | Kangra, Himachal Pradesh | Head |
| 16 | Mangalagowri Temple | Gaya Peedam | Gaya, Bihar | Breast |
| 17 | Visalakshi Temple | Varanasi Peedam | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Wrist |
| 18 | Saraswati Temple | Sharada Peedam | Sharda, Pakistan | Right Hand |