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Tarapith Temple
Tarapith Temple is a 13th century Hindu temple in Tarapith, Birbhum, West Bengal in India, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Tara, the second of the ten Mahavidyas in Hinduism. It is one of the 51 Sati Pithas in India.
As per the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Kalika Purana, Markandeya Purana and Shakti Peetha Stotram, the third eye of Goddess Sati fell here, after Lord Vishnu's Sudarshan Chakra splintered her body into many parts to calm down Mahadev's rage, during his cosmic dance. Vashishta Muni, who first saw it, started worshipping there and the place was later developed into a temple. In addition to the temple, Tarapith is closely associated with the mystic saint Bamakhepa, who is said to have had deep spiritual experiences in this area. The cremation ground accompanying the temple is one of the most revered and popular sites for tantric practices in Shaktism.Day after day, thousands of faithful devotees gather at the sacred Tarapith Temple. Drawn from West Bengal and from across the nation, pilgrims arrive with deep reverence in their hearts, seeking the blessings of the Divine Mother and the grace of this holy seat of worship.
Tarapith temple is situated near the Dwaraka river in the serene village landscape of Rampurhat-II Tehsil. Emerged in a spiritual and crowded atmosphere, the temple attracts millions of pilgrims every year. The nearest railway station is Rampurhat Railway Station while the nearest bus stop is the Tarapith Bus Stop. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is its nearest airport.
There are several legends narrated on the origin and importance of Tarapith and the temple, all related to the goddess Tara deified in the Tarapith temple.
A well-known legend relates to the Shakti Piths. Sati, Lord Shiva's counterpart, felt insulted when her father Daksha deliberately did not invite Shiva to the great yajña "the fire sacrifice" he organized. Despite Shiva's refusal citing that they're not invited, when Sati however arrived to the place, Daksha insulted Shiva by saying cuss words for him in front of all the attendants. Unable to bear this humiliation of her husband, Sati gave up her life by jumping into the yajña fire. Infuriated by this tragic turn of events, Shiva went wild. Then, Vishnu, in order to pacify Shiva, decimated the body of Sati with his chakram. Sati's body part fell all over the Indian subcontinent. The places where the body parts fell have become centres of worship of the Goddess in different manifestations. There are 51 such holy temples which are called Shakti Piths. In West Bengal, there are many such piths such as the Kalighat.
Vashistha had seen this form and worshipped the goddess Sati in the form of Tara. Another legend describes the following: Shiva had drunk the poison that had emerged by the churning of the cosmic oceans, to save the universe. To relieve the intense burning in his throat, Sati – in the form of Tara – breast fed Shiva to relieve him of the effect of poison in his throat. Another local narration is that Vasishtha chose this place for the worship of Sati as it was already known as a Tarapith. Among piths, Tarapith is a siddha pith, which grants enlightenment, wisdom, happiness and siddhis ("supernatural powers").
Another oral legend about the temple states that the sage Vashishtha practised austerities toward Tara, but was unsuccessful, so on the advice of a divine voice, he went to meet the Buddha – an avatar of Vishnu according to some schools of Hinduism – in Tibet. The Buddha instructed Vasishtha to worship Tara through the practices of vamachara. During this time, Buddha had a vision of Tarapith as an ideal location for a temple that would serve to enshrine the image of Tara. Buddha advised Vasishtha to go to Tarapith, the abode of Tara. At Tarapith, Vasishtha performed penance by reciting Tara mantra 300,000 times. Tara was pleased with Vasishtha's penance and appeared before him. Vasishtha appealed to Tara to appear before him in the form of a mother suckling Shiva on her breast, the form that Buddha had seen in his divine vision. Tara then incarnated herself in that form before Vasishtha and turned into a stone image. Since then Tara is worshipped in the Tarapith temple in the form of a mother suckling Shiva on her breast.
Tarapith, Kalighat and Nabadwip are considered among the most important tirthas (holy places with a sacred water body) for Bengali Hindus.
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Tarapith Temple
Tarapith Temple is a 13th century Hindu temple in Tarapith, Birbhum, West Bengal in India, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Tara, the second of the ten Mahavidyas in Hinduism. It is one of the 51 Sati Pithas in India.
As per the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Kalika Purana, Markandeya Purana and Shakti Peetha Stotram, the third eye of Goddess Sati fell here, after Lord Vishnu's Sudarshan Chakra splintered her body into many parts to calm down Mahadev's rage, during his cosmic dance. Vashishta Muni, who first saw it, started worshipping there and the place was later developed into a temple. In addition to the temple, Tarapith is closely associated with the mystic saint Bamakhepa, who is said to have had deep spiritual experiences in this area. The cremation ground accompanying the temple is one of the most revered and popular sites for tantric practices in Shaktism.Day after day, thousands of faithful devotees gather at the sacred Tarapith Temple. Drawn from West Bengal and from across the nation, pilgrims arrive with deep reverence in their hearts, seeking the blessings of the Divine Mother and the grace of this holy seat of worship.
Tarapith temple is situated near the Dwaraka river in the serene village landscape of Rampurhat-II Tehsil. Emerged in a spiritual and crowded atmosphere, the temple attracts millions of pilgrims every year. The nearest railway station is Rampurhat Railway Station while the nearest bus stop is the Tarapith Bus Stop. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is its nearest airport.
There are several legends narrated on the origin and importance of Tarapith and the temple, all related to the goddess Tara deified in the Tarapith temple.
A well-known legend relates to the Shakti Piths. Sati, Lord Shiva's counterpart, felt insulted when her father Daksha deliberately did not invite Shiva to the great yajña "the fire sacrifice" he organized. Despite Shiva's refusal citing that they're not invited, when Sati however arrived to the place, Daksha insulted Shiva by saying cuss words for him in front of all the attendants. Unable to bear this humiliation of her husband, Sati gave up her life by jumping into the yajña fire. Infuriated by this tragic turn of events, Shiva went wild. Then, Vishnu, in order to pacify Shiva, decimated the body of Sati with his chakram. Sati's body part fell all over the Indian subcontinent. The places where the body parts fell have become centres of worship of the Goddess in different manifestations. There are 51 such holy temples which are called Shakti Piths. In West Bengal, there are many such piths such as the Kalighat.
Vashistha had seen this form and worshipped the goddess Sati in the form of Tara. Another legend describes the following: Shiva had drunk the poison that had emerged by the churning of the cosmic oceans, to save the universe. To relieve the intense burning in his throat, Sati – in the form of Tara – breast fed Shiva to relieve him of the effect of poison in his throat. Another local narration is that Vasishtha chose this place for the worship of Sati as it was already known as a Tarapith. Among piths, Tarapith is a siddha pith, which grants enlightenment, wisdom, happiness and siddhis ("supernatural powers").
Another oral legend about the temple states that the sage Vashishtha practised austerities toward Tara, but was unsuccessful, so on the advice of a divine voice, he went to meet the Buddha – an avatar of Vishnu according to some schools of Hinduism – in Tibet. The Buddha instructed Vasishtha to worship Tara through the practices of vamachara. During this time, Buddha had a vision of Tarapith as an ideal location for a temple that would serve to enshrine the image of Tara. Buddha advised Vasishtha to go to Tarapith, the abode of Tara. At Tarapith, Vasishtha performed penance by reciting Tara mantra 300,000 times. Tara was pleased with Vasishtha's penance and appeared before him. Vasishtha appealed to Tara to appear before him in the form of a mother suckling Shiva on her breast, the form that Buddha had seen in his divine vision. Tara then incarnated herself in that form before Vasishtha and turned into a stone image. Since then Tara is worshipped in the Tarapith temple in the form of a mother suckling Shiva on her breast.
Tarapith, Kalighat and Nabadwip are considered among the most important tirthas (holy places with a sacred water body) for Bengali Hindus.