Devi's Name

Shaakambhari Devi is said to be an aspect of Goddess Durga.  Shakambhari means She who nourishes by bringing (ambhari) vegetation or herbs (shaaka).  She is also called Vanashankari or the Goddess of the forest.  She is hailed as Shataakshi because She has one hundred eyes, and sees all things.  She is called Durga because she protects the devotees by removing all difficulties.  She is also called Uma (She who Nourishes, Calms, and Supports), Gauri (She who is Brilliant Illumination); Sati (the Source and Embodiment of Truth), Chandi (She who is Fierce and Intense), Kaalakaa (She who is Darkness destroying all difficulties), and Paarvati (the Goddess of the Mountains / Mother Earth).  She is manifest in the plants and especially in the forest.  Shakambhari Devi protects people in all places, averting all sorts of danger, and so people pray to her for safe passage especially at night and through forests.  Shakmbhari Devi is meditated on having a beautiful blue-colored body and eyes like blue lotuses.  She sits on a lotus and carries a bow and arrows, a lotus, grains, flowers, leaves, sprouts, roots, herbs and medicines, fruits and an abundant pile of vegetables.  Her form removes hunger, thirst (desire), and the fear of death.  Meditating on her form quickly removes sorrows, averts difficulties and darkness, and destroys all troubles and sorrows.  She grants eternal nourishment and fulfillment to Her devotees and grants immortality.

Story of Shakambhari Devi

The Story of Shakambhari Devi is recounted in the Devi Maahaatmyam (Chandi Paatham / Chapt. 11), the Devi Bhagavata Puranam (Chapt 28), and the Muurti Rahasyam (an addendum to the Chandi Paatham).  In these stories, Goddess Shakambhari is said to be an incarnation (avataara) of the Divine Mother Durga who took birth on Earth without human parents to dispel darkness for the benefit of humanity.  According to the stories a great Demon named Durgamasura (or Durgam) had performed rigorous tapasya (austerities) and had acquired all four Vedas (and all Knowledge, which is said to emanate from the Vedas).  In addition, Durgam was granted a boon from Lord Brahma that all offerings made to the Gods reached him instead, so that any efforts to seek Divine mercy by the people only gave more power to him.  Durgamasura represents the insurmountable ego, and this story describes the way that worldliness, selfishness, conceit, agitation, and confusion effect the world in times of darkness leading to drought.  Drought can be understood figuratively, to mean a lack of spiritual consciousness, but also literally as people’s agitated consciousness does tend to agitate the natural forces.  In dark times when human consciousness is devoid of spiritual qualities like compassion, mercy, generosity, and love, people act out greedy and violent impulses and this does actually cause drought and famine to effect the world.  

Durgamasura represents the insurmountable plight of the ego, which causes itself endless suffering on account of the false perception of separation.  Spiritual consciousness knows that all good which is done returns in time to the doer and that serving humanity with compassion and generosity is really serving oneself because all things are interconnected in God.  As a result of Durgamasura’s taspsya, darkness grasped human consciousness and a hundred year drought struck the Earth and a terrible famine ravaged all creatures.  The Sages took refuge in caves in the Himalayas and meditated on the benevolent Divine Mother, who appeared before them with countless eyes and bearing nourishing vegetation.  She was moved by the plight of humanity and tears of compassion fell from Her eyes for nine days, which formed a river which ended the drought and nourished all life on Earth.  In response to the request of the Sages for Her to retrieve the Vedas from Durgamasura, Devi took the form of the Dasha Mahaavidyas (the Ten Great Wsdom Goddesses) and 64,000 other Goddesses and battle with Durgamasura ensued.  Eventually, the Great Mother defeated Durgamasura, slaying him with her Trishula (trident).  Shakambhari Amman is decorated with a variety of fruits and veggies to honor her power of nourishment and abundance.  She is called Durga because she overcame this insurmountable darkness.  Shakambhari Devi is the same as the Vedic Goddess Aranyaani, the Goddess of the forest praised in the Rik Veda (10th Mandala 146th Suktam).

Shakambhari Devi's Mantras

The Mantras and Meditations of Shakambhari Devi are said to give protection, avert danger and difficulties, remove sorrows, dispel demons and darkness, and to provide nourishment, abundance of vegetables, fruits, flowers, roots, medicines, food and drink, grains and wealth.  When nourished by the spiritual shakti of the Goddess a person will never have fear or hunger but enjoy amrita and ananda immortal and eternal bliss.  Devi's mantras have the power to easily overcome insurmountable obstacles and difficulties and to break through impossible impediments.  

She is meditated on with a blue body and many eyes and with bow and arrow and surrounded by an abundance of grains.  For worship fruits and veggies are offered.  Her mantras and tantras are needed now to dispel the materialism of people which has led to a spiritual “drought” of consciousness.  Her mantras have the power of the mantras of Goddess Durga and also possess the power of all 10 of the Dasha Maha Vidyas (Great Wisdom Goddesses) who are said to have been generated from Shakambhari Devi.  People chant the mantras of the Maha Vidyas to overcome all difficulties indicated by the 9 planets or the rising sign in a person’s birth chart, and so the mantras of Shakambhari Devi can be used for this purpose also.  May Devi Nourish  all living creation with spiritual fulfillment.

Moola Mantra

Om am sham shaakambharii-devyai sakala-sthaavara jangama-rakShakii dhana-dhaanya vritti-karinyai namah ,
or simply
Om am sham shaakambharii-devyai namah
Meaning:
"Om am sham I bow to the Goddess Who bear Vegetation, Shakambhari Devi, you are the constant nourisher providing abundant grains and vegetables in all seasons, the Gautrdian of all living beings, and the Provider of wealth and nourishment, sustaining the livelihood of all.

We plan to post a PDF with Sanskrit and English transliteration of some of Devis important mantras soon.   

Shakambhari Devi Gayatri Mantra Chanting Video

Temples

There are several Major Temples for Shakambhari Devi (or Vanashankari as She is known in the South) throughout India.  We are listing a few major Temples dedicated to Shakambhari Amman here:

1) Ma Shakambhari Temple – Kedar Hills, Uttara Kanda
This Temple is considered to be the place where Devi did Tapasya to defeat Durgamasura.  It is considered a special Kshetra and is perhaps the most ancient Temple dedicated to Shakambhari Amman.

2) Shakambhari Shakti Peetham – Uttara Pradesh
This temple is considered 1 or 51 Shakti Peethams where it is said the parts of Sati fell to Earth.  This Temple is said to have risen from the head of Sati.  It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya performed tapasya here and that the Goddess killed Mahishasura here. 

3) Banashankari Temple – Badami, Karnataka
According to legend when Sage Agastya was forced to leave Kashi, he was troubled, and so Vishvanatha, the Lord of Kashi instructed him to worship at Kolhapura where Vishvanatha is embodied in the form of Maha Lakshmi.  Pleased with the Sage, the Goddess instructs him to worship at Tilakaranya where she is embodied in the from of Vanashankari.  Worshipping Goddess Shakambhari Devi at this site, Sage Agastya is allowed to return to Kashi.    

4) Ma Shakambhari Temple – Shikar, Rajasthan
Here Devi is installed in the form of Brahmani and Rudrani.  The murtis are in marble and red stone and covered in vermillion.  Constructed in 647 CE, this Temple is maintained by Sadhus. 

5) Banashankari Temple - Bangalore, Karnataka
This Temple was built in the Early 1900’s.  Worship of the Devi here is conducted during Rahu Kala (a time considered inauspicious to astrologers), and the Devi is thought to have the power to overcome all negativity (to transmute it). 

6) Ma Shakambhari Temple – Sambar Lake, Rajasthan
It is said that 2,500 years ago, the lake was given by the Goddess to the people in that area, and a small white temple stands under some rocks along the banks of the lake. 

7) Ma Shakambhari Temple – Kucham, Rajasthan
This is a new temple with a beautiful marble image of Devi.

8) Shakambhari Puram - Chennai
This Temple is proposed to be constructed in Chennai.

9) Shakambhari Devi Mandiram – Richmond, Virginia, USA
Under the guidance of Gananathamritananda Swamiji, devotees are working to raise funds for the construction of a traditional Agamic Temple dedicated to Shakambhari Devi, in Richmond Virginia.  The Temple is being designed by Jayandra Sthapati, and will be located in a compound along with an Ayuveda School and Healing Center and a Botanical Garden of Indian Ayurvedic Herbs and Trees.

Richmond Temple

Under the guidance of the Devi herself we are working to build a traditional Agamic Temple for Shakambhari Devi in Richmond Virginia. 

Temple Opening

To Learn More about the Temple

To Do Japam (Mantras) to help with the Temple Opening


To volunteer or learn even more email info@somamatha.com