Biraja Temple, Jajpur – Religious Significance

Biraja Temple, Jajpur – Religious Significance

Sakthi Peeth:

The mythology of Daksha Yaga and Sati's self-immolation is the main theme in the origin of Shakti Peethas. Shakti Peethas are divine temples of Adi Parashakti. The cause of the presence of Devi's presence is due to the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi. The seat (Peetha) part of Sati Devi's body is believed to have fallen here. There are 51 Shakti Peeth linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. This Temple is considered as one of the 18 Maha Shakthi Peethas,

Tri Gaya Kshetrams:

Jajpur is considered as the second of Tri Gaya Kshetrams of India.

1.    Siro Gaya (Head) also familiarly known as Gaya, Bihar

2.    Nabi Gaya (Navel), Jajipur, Odisha

3.    Pada Gaya (Feet), Pithapuram, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh

References in Tantra Texts:

The Brahmayamala Tantra has a hymn, Aadya Stotra, dedicated to Shakti. In the hymn, Vimala is the goddess of Puri and Viraja (Girija) is the goddess worshiped in the Utkala Kingdom, which became Odisha. According to the Tantra Chudamani, Sati's navel fell in the Utkala Kingdom, also known as Viraja kshetra. Adi Shankara, in his Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stuti describes the goddess as Girija. In Tantra literature, the Oddiyana Peetha is located in eastern India near the Vaitarani River (an Oddiyana is an ornament worn by a woman around her navel).