Shri Mahalakshmi (Ambabai) Kolhapur

Shri Mahalakshmi Devi or Ambabai in Kolhapur is Goddess Lakshmi, wife of Lord Vishnu. Many scriptures clearly mention that Lakshmi Devi, wife of Vishnu killed Kolasura and Lakshmi Devi as living in Kolhapura or Karavirapura. Padma Purana, Skanda Purana, Devi Bhagavata Purana, Lakshmi Sahasranama, Tantraloka of Abhinava Gupta, Lakshmi Narayana Hrudayam, Tulasi Sahasranamam and even Karavira Māhātmya also describes Mahalakshmi Devi in Kolhapur as Vishnupatni.

Lakshmi Sahasranama of Skanda Purana:

?ā?karī vai??avī brāhmī sarvadēvanamaskr?tā |

sēvyadurgā kubērāk?ī karavīranivāsinī ||

Meaning: The Goddess who is worshipped by all devatas including Shankari, Vaishnavi and Brahmi and who is worshipped as Durga, who by her mere glance can make a man rich is living in Karaveera (Karaviranivasini).

kalidō?apra?amanī kōlāhalapurasthitā |

Meaning: The Goddess Who Solves Problems During the Kali Age who stays in Kolhapur.

mahālak?mīrmahākālī mahākanyā sarasvatī |

bhōgavaibhavasandhātrī bhaktānugrahakāri?ī || 2 ||

Meaning: The Goddess who is Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, Mahasaraswati and Mahakanya and who blesses her devotees with pleasure (Bhogas) and wealth.

kotibrahmadisamsevye kotirudradikirtite ?

matulungamayam khetam sauvarnacasakam tatha ??

Meaning: The Goddess who is served by billions of Brahmas and Rudras and who is holding Matulunga (citrus fruit) and shield in her hands.

?ākambharī mahā?ō?ā garu?ōparisa?sthitā |

si?hagā vyāghragā dēvī vāyugā ca mahādrigā ||

Meaning: The Goddess who nourishes mankind with fruits and vegetables. The Goddess Who is Dark Red, who sits on the Garuda, Lion, and Tiger, who Makes Wind Move and the Goddess Who Sits on a Big Mountain

2. Lakshmi Tantra, a Vaishnava Pancharatra Text:

Lakshmi Tantra clearly describes Lakshmi Devi as holding, Matulunga (citrus fruit), a club, a shield and a vessel containing amruta in her hands when she descends to kill asuras (demons) for the welfare of the world.

Lakshmi Devi in Lakshmi Tantra also says to Indra, that I only took three great forms as Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, Mahasaraswati, and I am Mahishasuramardhini, Mahavidyas, and I am Narayani but I am wife of Lord Vasudeva/Narayana/Vishnu.

Karavira Māhātmya: Glory of the Karavirapura: Karavira Mahatmya also describes Mahalakshmi Devi of Kolhapur as Lakshmi Devi, Vishnu Patni.

4. Mahalakshmi Ashtakam of Padma Purana: Mahalakshmi Ashtakam Stotra sang by Indra in Padma Purana clearly describes the Goddess Lakshmi is seated on Garuda who have killed Kolhasura.

Namasthe Garudarudhe Kolasura bhayamkari

Sarvapapahare-devi Mahalakshmi Namosthuthe (2)

Meaning: I bow to you, who mounts on Garuda, who created great fear and annihilated the demon Kolasura

The Goddess who removes all the sins, O Mahalakshmi I bow to you

5. Lakshmi Narayana Hridayam of Atharva Rahasya:

Lakshmi Narayana Hrudaya of Atharva Rahasya also describes her as holding Matulunga (citrus fruit), Gada (Mace), and Shield in her hands:

Mathulunga Gadha kete panou pathrascha vibhrathi, Vaga lingascha maanascha vibhrathi nrupa moordhani. || 4

Meaning: She shines holding a citrus fruit, mace, and a shield in her hands,

She shines on the forehead of the king who respects vaaga linga.

6. Tulasi Sahasranama also descibes her as :

Om karaviresvaryai namah ? -

Meaning: She who is in Karaveera/Kolhapur

Om matulangadharinyai namah ?

Om gadadharayai namah ?

Om kheyatrayai namah ?

Om patrasamvistayai namah ?

Meaning: She who is holding Gada(mace), Matungala(citrus), Kheya(sword), and Patra(vessel).

7. Devi Bhagavata Purana:

In Devi Bhagavata Purana 7th canto, Chapter 38, Lakshmi Devi is described as living and always stays in Kolhapur.

kolapuram mahāsthānam yatra lakshmi sadā sthitā.

Abhinava Gupta, a prominent Shakta acharya in his Tantraloka also describes Lakshmi Devi, wife of Vishnu killed “Kolhasura” while describing Kamala Mahavidya. Now Shaktas should not deny this fact since their acharya Abhinavagupta also told this. Lakshmi Devi only killed Kolhasura in the form of Mahalakshmi and the Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur is none other than Lakshmi Devi, Wife of Vishnu Bhagavan.

Mahalakshmi was wrathful when Rishi Bhrigu kicked Lord Vishnu and she came within the land of mortals within Karavirapur(Kolhapur). She stayed there while Lord Vishnu incarnated as Lord Venkateshwara. Mahalakshmi who lived within Karavirapur incarnated as Padmavati and married Lord Ventakeshwara. She lived for some time within Karavirpur but Ambabai temple within Kolhapur has idol of Mahalakshmi who is not Vishnupatni.

Mahalakshmi idol within Ambabai temple Karavirpur is Mata Parvati's incarnation. Mahalakshmi also slayed the demon Kola and before he perished he wished that the city should be called on his name and that Mahalakshmi should live within this city to protect its citizens which was fulfilled. Mahalakshmi lives within the city of Karavirapur or Kolhapur (called because of the demon Kola).

“My salutations to thee who rides the Garuda and are a terror to the Asura Kola. Oh Devi Mahalakshmi, remover of all miseries my obeisance to thee.”

These shlokas are mentioned with the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam where Lord Indra praises Mahalakshmi and bows to her.Mahalakshmi is the incarnation of Adi Shakti herself therefore she is celestial. Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur is the wife of Lord Shiv who and not Vishnupatni who vanquished asura Kola and who lives within Kolhapur to protect its citizens. Mahalakshmi idol enshrined within Kolhapur is not of Mahalakshmi from Vaikuntha but the incarnanation of Adi Parashakti mentioned within the Pradhanik Rahasya of Devi Mahatmyam.The idol wields Gadā, Matulinga fruit, Pāna pātra and shield.

Shri Mahalakshmi of Karveershaktipeetham (satipeetha) is Moolachandika, the trigunatmika Parameswari , her iconography is mentioned in Durga Sapthashati , according to Uma Samhita , And Brahmavaivart purana , the Mahalakshmi Durga who killed Mahishasura by emerging from the combined energies of Gods is Shivaa Devi , that is Devi Uma Hymavati, she appeared as Yoganidra Mahakali, Chandika Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati Ambika Devi to annihilate the demons , therefore Moolachandika Mahalakshmi of Karveer Mahashaktipeetha is Matha Parvati only also all the goddesses of shaktipeethas are forms of Dakshayani only who is none other than Adyashakti Mahamaya, the consort of Shiva .

In this image we can see the arch and on the flags situated on the top of the arch, we see a winged man on one flag and a monkey-man hybrid with a tail on the other flag. This can obviously be seen as Garuda and Hanuman, two attendants most commonly seen for Vaishnav Gods like Vishnu and Krishna. Not only that but we see the Shankha and Chakra hanging at both sides of the arch. And finally, we also see two elephants flanking the Goddess, showing her to be Gaja Lakshmi.

Now, of course, we can’t only base the entire goddess over an arch, so we come to the stories. There are two stories associated with it, one being that it is a shaktipeetha so the story behind the shaktipeeth is the same story for Kholapura Mahalakshmi, and the other being in Venkateshwara Kalyanam, where Mahalakshmi resides in Kholapura, defeats Kholasura, and only after that decides to incarnate herself as Padmavathi, or even stays there till she hears that Vishnu wed her expansion, Padmavathi, instead of her. Now, when seeing the Shakti peetha list, we can see Goddesses that are not usually seen as incarnations of Parvati residing in that list, such as Saraswati as Sharadha in Kashmir, Gayatri in Rajasthan, Varahi in Uttarkhand, Savitri in Haryana, etc.

Now, we still say even today that Varahi is the shakti of Varaha therefore she is an incarnation of Lakshmi, or we still say Sharada as a synonymous name to Saraswati, Gayatri as one of the wives of Brahma or even another incarnation of Saraswati, and even Savitri who is either seen as an incarnation of Saraswati or another wife of Brahma. Not only do teh incarnations differ, but we even see Vimala devi having her Bhairava as none other than the Vaishnava God, Jagganatha, who is seen as the brother of Parvati. Now why is it that the list contains incarnations of all the Tridevi instead of just all incarnations of Parvati. This can be explained in a way that still abides with Shaiva and Shakta philosophy.

By including incarnations of different goddesses as part of the List, it shows that Sati or Parvati is the cause of all goddesses and even their incarnations. So if we look at the this idea for the Sharadha peeth, we can say that Sati/ Parvati-> Saraswati (wife of Brahma)-> Sharada. So we can still say that Sharada is an incarnation of Saraswati and if we are looking at it in a Shaiva-perspective we can still say that Sati incarnated as Sharada. Same way for Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur. We can say that Sati/Parvati-> Lakshmi (Vishnu patni)-> Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur. So by that way, we can still say that Mahalakshmi in Kholapur is still a direct incarnation of Lakshmi, and when explaining for Sati, Sati incarnated as Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur through her primary incarnation as Mahalakshmi in Vaikuntha. That way it still adds up to Venkateshwara Kalyanam story and it still associates with the Shaktipeeth list and agreed on by some Hindus.

Now what do we see in the praises. Now the only sort of praise we have for Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur is the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam. In that we see the statement, “Namastestu Mahamaye/Shree Pithe Sura Poojite/Shanka Chakra Gadha Haste/Maha Lakshmi Namoostute/Namastestu Garudarudhe/Kolasura Bhayankari/Sarva Papa Hare Devi/Maha Lakshmi Namoostute” Now when we look at the Ashtakam, we see that the description of Lakshmi herself is that she has the Shankha, Chakra, and Gada and rides Garuda. Shanka, Chakra, and the Gada are the same iconography as Vishnu, and even if you dispute that, it even says, “one who rides of Garuda”.

Garuda is the vehicle to Vishnu and only Vishnu and so, this Ashtakam describes Mahalakshmi as the power of Vishnu and his Shakti, who is also none other than Lakshmi. Not only that but it also states that she is “Kholasur Bhayankari” (She who caused fear to Kholasura). Now if we look at the story of Kholasura, we see that Kholasura asked Mahalakshmi to leave Karveer for 100 years, by which he was able to create havoc and disrupt the universe because she was not there to stop the chaos. When Mahalakshmi came back, she came down to Kholapur after fighting with Vishnu (see Venkateshwara Kalyanam) where she recruited other Gods like Parvati, Bhairava, Siddhi Ganapati, Ujwalamba, Jyotiba/, and the rest of her army to attack the 4 demons protecting Kholasura and Karveer, Rakthabeej; Rakthaaksh; Rakthabhoj; and Rakthol, and help her kill Kholasura. When she was going to deliver her final blow,

Kolasur asked Lakshmi devi to show her true form (which was the 18 armed Goddess and the 4 armed Goddess which we see in Kolhapur temple), and also that Kolhapura will be as holy as Gaya, and that the people will sacrifice a pumpkin to remember him. This entire story shows Kolasura being afraid of Mahalakshmi (Vishnu patni) by first asking her to leave Karveer for 100 years, recruiting the 4 demons after 100 years thinking they could protect her, and by being defeated by Lakshmi devi. Thus by looking at the iconography, the story behind the temple, and by looking at the praises towards the Goddess, we see that Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur is none other than Lakshmi of Vaikuntha. Jay Mahalakshmi Mata.