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MALUR SRI BALAMBIKA TEMPLE Address: Maruthi Extension 2nd stage, Kasaba Hobli, Malur Taluk, Kolar District, Karnataka - India Website : http://malurbalambikatemple.com Email : contactus@malurbalambikatemple.org Instagram: balambikadivyasangam
Issue 2 | Volume 15 | June 2025 Balavin Kural
Kshetra Varalaru series: "Sri Kolhapur Mahalakshmi temple Shakti peetam", by Smt. Indumathi Om Gurubyo Namah Balambika charanam. We are going to see about the famous Mahalakshmi temple, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. There are 5 gopurams in this temple. Maha Kali and Maha Saraswati are on both the sides of Mahalakshmi. It is believed that Sati's eyes fell here. The famous festivals celebrated here are Kirnotsavam, Ratotsavam, Lakshmi puja, Deepavali, Varalakshmi vratham and Navaratri. There is a small window to the side of Devi through which Sun's rays will fall from head to toe on Her twice a year. This is celebrated as Kirnotsavam. There is a story related to this temple and the Lakshmi temple in Tirupati. Once when sage Brugu visits Lord Vishnu, who is sleeping with Lakshmi serving Him at His feet, ignores him. The sage gets angry and kicks the Lord on the left side of His chest where the Goddess resides. The Lord awakens and holds the Sage's feet and apologises for not acknowledging him. This makes the Goddess angry and She leaves the Lord and goes to Tirupathi. But before reaching Tirupati She first stays in Kolhapur. Till today, a red saree is sent from Tirupati to Kolhapur during Navaratri. It is also believed that the Goddess killed an Asura named Kolasura here. Hence the name Kolhapur. This Shakthi peetam attracts lots of devotees everyday from all over the country. Image courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Mahalakshmi_Temple,_Kolhapur
What's inside:
Cultural Connect: "Upanishad for the day: Katha Upanishad" The Katha Upanishad, is an ancient Hindu text and one of the main Upanishads, included in the last eight short sections of the Kaṭha school of the Krishna Yajurveda. Here is one of the important verses from it: Know the Self as Lord of the chariot, the body as the chariot itself, the discriminating intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins. The senses, say the wise, are the horses, selfish desires are the roads they travel. Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katha_Upanishad
Devi’s residence is inside our throat. Our Vak first exists in our mind and then it becomes words.These words are called Madhyama vak . This Madhyama vak which is in the throat is under the control of Devi. The Madhyama vak causes man’s state of being a slave, a limited being under the control of fate, anxiety, depression, and a sense of guilt. Sri Saraswati turns Madhyama vak into heavenly celestial speech. All our thoughts materialise as words and are audible. Sri Saraswati blooms in our tongue as external speech. We know that without speech, it is impossible to have specific actions in this world. Nine types of emotions are conveyed through our speech. Aksharas or sounds create language. The tongue has to move to create words.Thus the capacity of speech remains in the tongue. The countless thoughts flow to the tongue and die there. Some of these countless thoughts cause sorrow due to our speech. The inner tongue or uvula has the power to transform us into a divine being. Retrieving Prana Shakti from speech is called Vaikari Siddhi. Vaikari Siddhi is to go beyond Ida and pingala to open the Sushumna to receive divine blessings. Siddha’s Divine worship. Balambika Charanam. Image courtesy: https://www.bvashram.org/ the-vedic-conception-of-sound-in-four-features/
Devotee Speaks: "Thoughts and Words", by Smt. Roopa V Rajan
Know your Mythology: "Maa Varahi: Commander of the Divine Army", by Thulasinathan Kandasamy The air was thick with fear — Bhandasura, the dreaded demon, had unleashed chaos across the worlds. Empowered by a boon that no man, beast, or anyone born of a woman could harm him, his tyranny seemed unstoppable. The gods, weary and desperate, gathered before Sri Raja Rajeswari, their voices trembling with hope and anxiety. With a serene smile, the Mother of the Universe raised her hand. In that instant, a radiant energy surged forth from her—a force not born, but manifested by her will alone. Before my eyes, that energy took form: Maa Varahi, the boar-headed goddess, fierce and luminous, her eyes blazing with resolve. Adorned in celestial armor, wielding a plough and discus, she radiated both maternal compassion and the ferocity of a warrior. After her unmatched valor in battles against evil, Maa Varahi was appointed as the commander of Devi’s army. Her strategic brilliance and unwavering courage inspired the celestial forces, making her the guiding force for the Matrikas and all divine warriors. Lord Ganesha stood by her side as she advanced toward Bhandasura. The demon’s laughter echoed, mocking the very idea that anyone could challenge him. But Varahi’s voice rang out, calm and commanding: “Your time of terror ends now, Bhandasura. I am Varahi, born of the Mother’s will, commander of her armies, and destroyer of darkness.” The battle that followed was a spectacle of divine might. Varahi moved with unstoppable grace, her weapons flashing like lightning, her presence filling the battlefield with hope. Ganesha shattered the illusions Bhandasura conjured, while Varahi’s blows broke his arrogance. With a final, thunderous strike, she ended Pandasura’s reign, restoring peace and balance. As silence fell, the gods erupted in joyous praise. The heavens echoed with gratitude, and felt a wave of relief knowing that whenever darkness threatens, the Divine will always find a way to protect the world. Victorious, Maa Varahi stood tall, her aura radiant. The gods and devotees chanted her most powerful mantra, filling the cosmos with reverence: Om Aim Hreem Shreem Shyamala Varahi Danda Dharinyai Namaha. Her glory endures—protector, commander, and loving mother—answers the call of those in need. Before the great Mahabharata war, Lord Krishna himself sent the Pandavas to perform a sacred Varahi Yagya at the Sri Varahi Devi Temple in Uttarakhand. By seeking her blessings, the Pandavas invoked Maa Varahi’s protection and grace, ensuring divine support in their greatest trial. Image courtesy: https://svatantra.institute/ varahi-the-boar-headed-goddess/
Devotee Speaks: "Thoughts and Words", by Smt. Roopa V Rajan Devi’s residence is inside our throat. Our Vak first exists in our mind and then it becomes words.These words are called Madhyama vak . This Madhyama vak which is in the throat is under the control of Devi. The Madhyama vak causes man’s state of being a slave, a limited being under the control of fate, anxiety, depression, and a sense of guilt. Sri Saraswati turns Madhyama vak into heavenly celestial speech. All our thoughts materialise as words and are audible. Sri Saraswati blooms in our tongue as external speech. We know that without speech, it is impossible to have specific actions in this world. Nine types of emotions are conveyed through our speech. Aksharas or sounds create language. The tongue has to move to create words.Thus the capacity of speech remains in the tongue. The countless thoughts flow to the tongue and die there. Some of these countless thoughts cause sorrow due to our speech. The inner tongue or uvula has the power to transform us into a divine being. Retrieving Prana Shakti from speech is called Vaikari Siddhi. Vaikari Siddhi is to go beyond Ida and pingala to open the Sushumna to receive divine blessings. Siddha’s Divine worship. Balambika Charanam. Image courtesy: https://www.bvashram.org/ the-vedic-conception-of-sound-in-four-features/
Know your Mythology: "Maa Varahi: Commander of the Divine Army", by Thulasinathan Kandasamy The air was thick with fear — Bhandasura, the dreaded demon, had unleashed chaos across the worlds. Empowered by a boon that no man, beast, or anyone born of a woman could harm him, his tyranny seemed unstoppable. The gods, weary and desperate, gathered before Sri Raja Rajeswari, their voices trembling with hope and anxiety. With a serene smile, the Mother of the Universe raised her hand. In that instant, a radiant energy surged forth from her—a force not born, but manifested by her will alone. Before my eyes, that energy took form: Maa Varahi, the boar-headed goddess, fierce and luminous, her eyes blazing with resolve. Adorned in celestial armor, wielding a plough and discus, she radiated both maternal compassion and the ferocity of a warrior. After her unmatched valor in battles against evil, Maa Varahi was appointed as the commander of Devi’s army. Her strategic brilliance and unwavering courage inspired the celestial forces, making her the guiding force for the Matrikas and all divine warriors. Lord Ganesha stood by her side as she advanced toward Bhandasura. The demon’s laughter echoed, mocking the very idea that anyone could challenge him. But Varahi’s voice rang out, calm and commanding: “Your time of terror ends now, Bhandasura. I am Varahi, born of the Mother’s will, commander of her armies, and destroyer of darkness.” The battle that followed was a spectacle of divine might. Varahi moved with unstoppable grace, her weapons flashing like lightning, her presence filling the battlefield with hope. Ganesha shattered the illusions Bhandasura conjured, while Varahi’s blows broke his arrogance. With a final, thunderous strike, she ended Pandasura’s reign, restoring peace and balance. As silence fell, the gods erupted in joyous praise. The heavens echoed with gratitude, and felt a wave of relief knowing that whenever darkness threatens, the Divine will always find a way to protect the world. Victorious, Maa Varahi stood tall, her aura radiant. The gods and devotees chanted her most powerful mantra, filling the cosmos with reverence: Om Aim Hreem Shreem Shyamala Varahi Danda Dharinyai Namaha. Her glory endures—protector, commander, and loving mother—answers the call of those in need. Before the great Mahabharata war, Lord Krishna himself sent the Pandavas to perform a sacred Varahi Yagya at the Sri Varahi Devi Temple in Uttarakhand. By seeking her blessings, the Pandavas invoked Maa Varahi’s protection and grace, ensuring divine support in their greatest trial. Image courtesy: https://svatantra.institute/varahi-the-boar-headed-goddess/
Kshetra Varalaru series: "Sri Kolhapur Mahalakshmi temple Shakti peetam", by Smt. Indumathi Om Gurubyo Namah Balambika charanam. We are going to see about the famous Mahalakshmi temple, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. There are 5 gopurams in this temple. Maha Kali and Maha Saraswati are on both the sides of Mahalakshmi. It is believed that Sati's eyes fell here. The famous festivals celebrated here are Kirnotsavam, Ratotsavam, Lakshmi puja, Deepavali, Varalakshmi vratham and Navaratri. There is a small window to the side of Devi through which Sun's rays will fall from head to toe on Her twice a year. This is celebrated as Kirnotsavam. There is a story related to this temple and the Lakshmi temple in Tirupati. Once when sage Brugu visits Lord Vishnu, who is sleeping with Lakshmi serving Him at His feet, ignores him. The sage gets angry and kicks the Lord on the left side of His chest where the Goddess resides. The Lord awakens and holds the Sage's feet and apologises for not acknowledging him. This makes the Goddess angry and She leaves the Lord and goes to Tirupathi. But before reaching Tirupati She first stays in Kolhapur. Till today, a red saree is sent from Tirupati to Kolhapur during Navaratri. It is also believed that the Goddess killed an Asura named Kolasura here. Hence the name Kolhapur. This Shakthi peetam attracts lots of devotees everyday from all over the country. Image courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahalakshmi_Temple,_Kolhapur