SHAKAMBHARI POORNIMA (शाकंभरी पूर्णिमा):
It is the asspicious day when adi Shakti appeared in the form of Shakambhari (शाकंभरी) and also Shatakhi (शताक्षी) on the day of aashada poornima (ಆಷಾಡ ಪೌರ್ರ್ನಮಿ).
The story of Shakambari is told in Chapter 28 of the Devi Bhagavatam(देवी भगवत), titled, "the glory of Shatakshi Devi', Also in The Devi Mahatmyam (ದೇವಿ ಮಹತ್ಯಂ), her story is told in Chapter 11.
Story according to Devi Bhagvat :
The Dmon Durgam had acquired all four books of total knowledge (The Veda) from Lord Brahma through penance. He also received a boon from Lord Brahma that caused all the pujas, yajnas and havis that were offered to the gods to reach him instead, making him invincible. Durgam became very arrogant and started tormenting the whole world. As a consequence, it did not rain for one hundred years and the whole world was hit by a very severe drought.
The rishis and munis took refuge in the caves of the Himalayas, and meditated upon Adi shakti., The Goddess appeared in front of them. She had countless eyes that gave her the name Satakshi(शत+अक्षी=शताक्षी [अन गिनत आन्खो वाली]), and was carrying grain, cereals, vegetables, greens, fruits and other herbs and because of this was called Shakambari(शक+आम्भरि=शाकंभरी[शकोन को धरण कर के अयि हुयि]). The goddess was so moved by their plight that tears rolled down from her eyes for nine continuous days and nights. The tears became a river, which ended the drought.
The rishis and munis and the gods then requested that she recover the Vedas, which were in possession of Durgam. Durgam discovered through his messengers that people were living happily and immediately attacked with a large army.
The goddess protected the frail rishis, munis, gods and others by putting up a huge wall of fire around them, and then let her discus hover around it. There ensued a tremendous battle between the Devi and Durgam. From her body manifested the ten most powerful powers who had never been in the universe before Dasha Mahaavidyas and 64,000 other goddesses. At last the goddess Satakshi/Shakambari killed Durgam with her trident and recovered the Vedas from his possession. At that very moment all the mantras and japas that the rishis, munis and gods had performed earlier but had been absorbed by the demon Durgam transformed into the bright light of a 10,000 suns and entered the Devi. She then handed over the Vedas to the deities. Adi Shakti is also knowns as Durga because she killed the demon Durgam.
Celebrations of the festival :
The major temples of Shakambari include Shakambhari temple in Sakarai, Rajasthan ,
Sakambhari Mata Temple same as in Sakarai Rajasthan now at Pakaur (jharkhand) 150 km from Kolkatta, Banashankari Amma Temple, in Badamii and in Bangaloree, both in Karnataka state. There are many more temples to Shakambari in other parts of India, such as in Nagewadi, Maharashtra; near Satara; in Shakambari Devi near Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and in Sambhar in Rajasthan. According to a legend, the Sambhar Salt Lake was given to the people of that area some 2,500 years ago by the Goddess Shakambari. A small white temple in her honour stands under a rocky outcrop jutting into the lake This temple is more than 200 years old.In some regions Maa Shakambari Devi is worshipped for nine festive nights with utmost devotion. In Vijayawada Kanaka Durga Temple, Bhadrakali Temple in Warangal Andhra Pradesh Shakambari Navratras are celebrated jubilantly, about 15 days every day goddess is set in many avtars.
Ashada Navratri are celebrated as Guhya Navratri in Himachal Pradesh.and even in many temples the navratris or paksh utsavs are celebrated.
here are the pictures of bhadrakali temple Warangal on top and Vijayawada in bottom.amd shakambhari temple near shambar lake and in sakai on the very top..
This was the day, when Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa – author of the Mahabharata – was born to sage Parashara and a fisherman's daughter Satyavati, thus this day is also celebrated as Vyasa Purnima.[4]Veda Vyasa, did yeoman service to the cause of Vedic studies by gathering all the Vedic hymns
extant during his times, dividing them into four parts based on their use in the sacrificial rites, and teaching them to his four chief disciples – Paila, Vaisampayana, Jaimini and Sumantu. It was this dividing and editing that earned him the honorific "Vyasa" (vyas = to edit, to divide). "He divided the Veda into four, namely Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. The histories and the Puranas are said to be the fifth Veda."
