Kanyakumari Amman & Soundaryalahiri

 

 

Did you know that the monumental work of "Soundaryalahari" was composed by Adi Sankara at Kanyakumari?

 

The life-like image of Devi Kanyakumari with a smiling face is a combination of innocence, purity and beauty. Here Devi who stands alone continues her eternal penance and radiates sanctity all around. The lines in Soundaryalahari which read "O Goddess Jagadambal, you have given me the faculty of speech. I compose this poem in your praise and offer it to you"

 

The first part of 41 verses called `Aanandalahari' is regarded a `Mantra Sastra' describing the subtle forms of Devi and mode of worship of the Divine Mother;The remaining 59 verses contain an exquisite portrayal of the physical form of Devi from head to foot ending with a prayer for Her grace.

 

Adi Sankara exclaims, "O Mother your right eye being the Sun creates day and your left eye being the Moon creates night". The rising Sun and the setting Sun can only be seen at Kanyakumari simultaneously and not elsewhere. (And Chitra Pournami is special)

 

As a mark of his visit, a shrine of Adi Sankara was erected between the temple of Devi and the bathing ghat at the tapering end of Kanyakumari. There is an arch nearly 30 feet height in front of the shrine and on the top of the arch an image of Dakshinamurty is fixed; The main shrine contains the marble image of Adi Sankara with his four disciples. The holy feet of Sankara are also enshrined separately in the eastern side of the main shrine.