Essay name: Sucindrasthala-mahatmya (critical edition and study)
Author:
Anand Dilip Raj
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies in English the Sucindrasthala-mahatmya which represents a significant Sthalamahatmya from South India detailing the origins and development of the Trimurti temple at Suchindram in Tamil Nadu. The study reveals its legends, customs, and religious practices.
Chapter 1 - Sthala-mahatmyas of South India
11 (of 39)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
in KanyakumariksetramÄhÄtmya are written in anuá¹£á¹up metre. The work starts with a salute to Ganapati. गजमà¥à¤–मखिलं तं संपदां दनà¥à¤¤à¤§à¥à¤°à¥à¤¯à¤®à¥� à¥� गà¥à¤£à¤—णनविहितं सौखà¥à¤¯à¤¦à¤� सदà¥à¤—à¥à¤£à¤¾à¤¨à¤¾à¤‚ à¥� à¥� [gajamukhamakhilaá¹� taá¹� saṃpadÄá¹� dantadhuryam | guṇagaṇanavihitaá¹� saukhyadaá¹� sadguṇÄnÄá¹� | | ] As in the case of SSM, the KanyakumarikshetramÄhÄtmya also claims to be a part of SkandapurÄṇa authored by Vedavyasa. The first chapter has 34 verses. It deals with the request of sÅ«ta and Skanda's narration about Kanyakumari. sages to Rsis who attended the dirghasatra in NaimiÅ›a forest complains that even though they had done penance at various holy places, they didn't gain purity of mind. They require the sÅ«ta to suggest a place which gave them the divine power. SÅ«ta then narrated to them about an old story told by Skanda to Rsis like sanaka. Rest of Kanyakumarikshetramahatmya is the narration of Skanda. Kanyakumari is situated at the southern most end of Indian Penisula. This holy place imports the four aims of life to all, divine powers to ascetics and purifies to the sinners. Goddess of Kanyakumari assumed the name of puspahasa and did observed penance standing single foot to get Sucindranatha as her husband. Actually KanyakumarikshetramÄhÄtmya is a tirthamÄhÄtmya, glorification of several holy ghuts. Second chapter of the work contains 51 verses. It describes various tirthas including sthaṇutirtha of Sucindram and the tapas of Banasura. 20
