29/11/2025
KAMAKHYA- THE REGIONAL GODDESS OF KAMARUPA: Goddess Kamakhya appears for the first time in the text while discussing the seven Pithastanas of the Goddess after the dismemberment of the Goddess‟s body by Vishnu, Brahma and Sanaiswara. Here the goddess is mentioned as form of the Goddess to be worshipped in Kamarupa or Kamagiri where the female reproductive organ of the Goddess lies.Again in the episode of Naraka the goddess is addressed as the presiding deity of Pragjyotisha, in the middle of Kamarupa. While establishing Naraka as the king of Kamarupa, Vishnu informs Naraka that the great goddess Yoganidra, having assumed the form of Kamakhya, always resides in this region. The Kalika Purana refers to Naraka as the king of the vast region up to the river Dikkaravasini recovered from the Kiratas, where the goddess, Kamakhya was the Queen.Vishnu having plunged into Ganga within a moment arrived at pragjyotishpura situated in the midst of Kamarupa where Kamakhya is the presiding deity. From the west of the seat of Lalitakanta upto the river Karatoya this is the region of Kamakhya. This is region where Naraka is the ruler. Therefore Vishnu instructs Naraka not to worship any other god or goddess except the great goddess Kamakhya, who is no other than Mahamaya herself. O my son ; you shall not worship any other god or goddess except the great goddess Kamakhya, the mother of the world, who is none else than Mahamaya, Ambika. Praising Kamarupa as the most sacred pitha where Hara and Parvati always resides and Hara is subordinate to her in the mountain called Nilacala. In another episode Siva suggests Vetala and Bhairava that like Vishnu is superior to all gods, and Lakshmi excellent of all goddesses, the same way Mahamaya (in form of Kamakhya) in Kamarupa is recommended to be best of all. Kamarupa is praised as the most sacred land of the goddess. The Goddess Kamakhya is rare everywhere, but in Kamarupa she is present in every household.In this way Kamakhya is presented in the text as form of the Supreme Goddess to be worshipped in the region of Kamarupa.Thus she is the regional goddess of Kamarupa.
Text- KALIKA PURANA
