Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya — 3rd verse: 'Ujjainyam Mahakali, Peethikayam Puruhutika | Odhyane Girijadevi, Manikya Daksha-vatike' — scriptural confirmation of Manikyamba as the 12th Ashtadasha Pitha
Draksharamam · Andhra Pradesh
Sri Bhimeshwara Swamy and Sri Manikyamba Devi Temple
Sri Bhimeshwara Swamy and Sri Manikyamba Devi Temple — Draksharama (Daksha-arama), Konaseema District, Andhra Pradesh
Manikya Daksha-vatike — 12th Ashtadasha Shakti Pitha; Bhima-rama — one of the 5 Pancharama Kshetras; Dakshina Kashi Kshetram
अन्य नाम: Bhimeshwara Swamy · Manikyamba · Bhima-rama (one of 5 Pancharamas) · Dakshārama · Dakshina Kashi Kshetram · One of the Trilinga kshetras
- Ashtadasha Maha Shakti Pitha
- 51 Shakti Pithas tradition
- 5 Pancharama Kshetras
- Among the Trilinga kshetras of the…
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
- Ashtadasha Maha Shakti Pitha — 12th Pitha in Adi Shankaracharya's stotram; verse 3: 'Ujjainyam Mahakali, Peethikayam Puruhutika | Odhyane Girijadevi, Manikya Daksha-vatike'
- 51 Shakti Pithas tradition — Sati's left cheek (vama gandasthala) fell here; Bhairava: Bhimeshwara (per Wikipedia Shakta Pithas); Shakti: a form of Bhuvaneshvari
- 5 Pancharama Kshetras — Bhima-rama; the other 4: Amararama (Amaravathi), Somarama (Bhimavaram), Ksheerarama (Palakollu), Kumararama (Samalkota); all five born of the 5 fragments of Tarakasura's Shiva-atma lingam
- Among the Trilinga kshetras of the Telugu lands
- 'Dakshina Kashi Kshetram' designation — the original site of the Daksha-yajna; etymology Draksharama = 'abode of Daksha'
01
मूल विग्रह
मुख्य देव एवं स्वरूप
Sri Bhimeshwara Swamy (Shiva) — a 2.6 m (~14-15 ft) Spatika (crystal) swayambhu lingam (claimed to be the tallest swayambhu spatika lingam in the world); Sri Manikyamba Devi — installed on the 2nd floor on a Sri Chakra established by Adi Shankaracharya; the Devi's face is tilted leftward, suggesting Vama-marga worship
Spatika swayambhu lingam (2.6 m) in the main sanctum; Manikyamba Devi on the 2nd floor seated on the Sri Chakra; per the Pancharama narrative, one of the 5 fragments of Tarakasura's Shiva-atma lingam; reinstalled here by Surya
सम्प्रदाय: Shakta-Shaiva pair — Sri Vidya Tantra (Vama-marga); Pancharama-narrative tradition
02
स्थल-पुराण
कथा, इतिहास एवं महत्व
Skanda Purana — Bhimeshwara Mahatmya
Detailed by Vyasadeva; Draksharama as the site of the Daksha-yajna and the Bhimeshwara narrative
Srinatha's Bhimeshwara Puranam (15th-century Telugu)
5-chapter Telugu kavya; describes the Vyasa-Agastya meeting, Shiva-lila, temple consecration, and the divine union of Bhimeshwara-Parvati; first printed 1901
Pancharama narrative (Skanda Purana-based)
Tarakasura received the Shiva-atma lingam as a boon of invincibility; Kartikeya (Kumaraswamy) shattered it into 5 fragments with the Agneyastra; on Vishnu's instruction Surya reinstalled and built temples at the 5 sites
संत एवं परम्परा
- Daksha Prajapati — performed the original 'Nirisvara Yaga' (yajna without Shiva) here; Sati's self-immolation; the source of the name Draksharama
- Tarakasura — obtained the Shiva-atma lingam; killed by Kartikeya and the lingam shattered into 5 fragments
- Kartikeya (Kumaraswamy) — divided the Tarakasura lingam with the Agneyastra
- Surya — on Vishnu's instruction, reinstalled the Bhimeshwara lingam and built the temple; added an 8th cooling sub-lingam because the tejas of the main lingam was too intense
- Saptarishis — installed 7 cooling sub-lingams (covering 8 directions with Surya) around the main lingam to temper its intense tejas
- Maharshi Vyasa — compiled the Skanda Purana Bhimeshwara Mahatmya; also credited with installing the main Shivalingam; collaborated with Bharadwaja on the Antar-Vahini Sapta-Godavari Kundam
- Maharshi Agastya — meeting with Vyasa (Bhimeshwara Puranam)
- Bharadwaja — joined the Godavari water to the Sapta-Godavari Kundam
- Indra — installed a lingam at the Pakasasana Devalaya within the complex
- Sri Rama — installed Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy as guardian deity
- Adi Shankaracharya (8th century) — installed the Sri Chakra beneath Manikyamba; placed Manikyamba as the 12th Pitha in the Ashtadasha Stotram
- Eastern Chalukya king Chalukya Bhima I (r. 892-902 CE) — built the temple
- Ganga Mahadevi, daughter-in-law of Eastern Ganga king Narasingha Deva I — expanded the Mandapam
- Srinatha Kavi (15th century) — composer of the Bhimeshwara Puranam
ऐतिहासिक घटनाक्रम
- 8008th century — Adi Shankaracharya installed the Sri Chakra beneath Manikyamba; placed her as the 12th Pitha in the Ashtadasha Stotram — Stotra Nidhi + Hindupedia + Tirtha Yatra multi-source
- 892892-902 CE — Eastern Chalukya king Chalukya Bhima I built the present temple structure — Wikipedia Daksharamam + East Godavari Govt + InKakinada multi-source
- 110012th century — Mandapam expansion by Ganga Mahadevi, daughter-in-law of Eastern Ganga king Narasingha Deva I — Wikipedia + East Godavari Govt
- 145015th century — Srinatha Kavi composed the Bhimeshwara Puranam Telugu kavya — Wikipedia Bhimeswara Puranam
- 19011901 — first printing of Srinatha's Bhimeshwara Puranam — Wikipedia Bhimeswara Puranam
03
नित्य उपासना
दर्शन समय एवं आरती
05:30 से 21:00 तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम Open continuously; per the official tms.ap.gov.in there are two sessions: 5:30 AM-1:30 PM and 1:30-9:00 PM
Morning Abhishekam (regular days)06:00-09:00
Morning Abhishekam (Karthika Masam)05:00-11:00
Morning Aarti07:00
Midday Aarti12:00
Evening Aarti19:00
04
दर्शन
दर्शन के प्रकार
Sarva Darshan (free)निःशुल्क
Free darshan of the main Bhimeshwara lingam and Manikyamba Devi.
Suprabhatam Seva₹50
Regular Abhishekam₹200
Alankaram₹150
Special Abhishekam₹500
Aarti sponsorship₹100
05
उत्सव
प्रमुख पर्व एवं उत्सव
MahashivratriPhalguna Krishna Chaturdashi
Temple stays open continuously; full night vigil; special abhishekam. 2026 — Sunday 15 February (Chaturdashi begins 5:04 PM 15 Feb, ends 5:34 PM 16 Feb).
Sri Swamy Vari Kalyanam — Bhishma EkadashiMagha Shukla Ekadashi (Bhishma Ekadashi)
Bhimeshwara-Parvati kalyana festival. 2026 — 29 January.
Karthika Masam celebrations and Brahmotsavam (October-November)Karthika Masam
Karthika Mondays + Brahmotsavam combined; extended Abhishekam window 5:00-11:00 AM; Dhanurmasam celebrations follow.
Devi Navaratri — Sharad Navaratri (Manikyamba-centred)Ashvin Shukla Pratipada-Dashami
Nine-day Devi Brahmotsavam. 2026 — Sunday 11 October to Tuesday 20 October.
Sri Swamy Vari BirthdayDecember
Bhimeshwara Swamy birthday celebration
06
आस्था
मनोकामना एवं फल
12th Pitha in Adi Shankaracharya's Ashtadasha stotram — 'Manikya Daksha-vatike'; preceded by Odhyane Girijadevi (11); followed by Kamarupa (13)
स्रोत: Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram
Bhima-rama is one of the 5 Pancharama kshetras; the other 4: Amararama (Amaravathi), Somarama (Bhimavaram), Ksheerarama (Palakollu), Kumararama (Samalkota); a combined 2-3 day yatra
स्रोत: Skanda Purana Pancharama narrative
Draksharama (Manikyamba, 12th Ashtadasha) + Pithapuram (Puruhutika, 10th Ashtadasha) — two nearby Ashtadasha Shakti Pithas of Andhra Pradesh (~45 km apart); a natural pair yatra
स्रोत: Regional Shakta tradition
Draksharama = 'abode of Daksha' = the original Daksha-yajna site; the narrative-ground of Sati's self-immolation
स्रोत: Skanda Purana + etymology
Beyond the 4th gopuram, the Antar-Vahini (subterranean) confluence of waters from the 7 Godavari rivers; built by the Saptarishis; the water is used for abhishekam
स्रोत: Sthala tradition
2.6 m (~14-15 ft) Spatika swayambhu lingam — claimed to be the tallest swayambhu spatika lingam in the world
स्रोत: Sthala tradition + ASI
07
जप
मन्त्र एवं स्तोत्र
- Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram — 3rd verse'Ujjainyam Mahakali, Peethikayam Puruhutika | Odhyane Girijadevi, Manikya Daksha-vatike' — scriptural confirmation of Manikyamba as the 12th Pitha
- Srinatha's Bhimeshwara Puranam (Telugu kavya)5 chapters; the principal Telugu literary text for the Bhimeshwara kshetra
- Skanda Purana — Bhimeshwara MahatmyaCompiled by Vyasadeva
- Om Namah Shivaya
08
तीर्थाटन
समीप के तीर्थ एवं परिपथ
Sapta-Godavari Kundam (within the temple complex)100 मी
Antar-Vahini (subterranean) confluence of waters from the 7 Godavari rivers; linked to the Saptarishi and Vyasa narratives; the sacred water for abhishekam
8 sub-lingam mandala (around the main lingam)30 मी
7 cooling sub-lingams installed by the Saptarishis + 1 by Surya = 8-direction covering
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy (guardian deity installed by Sri Rama)200 मी
Established by Sri Rama as the guardian deity
Pakasasana Devalaya (installed by Indra)150 मी
Lingam installed by Indra
Kumararama Bhimeshwara (Samalkota — Pancharama #5)25 किमी
One of the 5 Pancharama kshetras; installed by Kartikeya; the nearest Pancharama pair
Pithapuram (Puruhutika Devi 10th Ashtadasha + Pada Gaya + Kukkuteswara)45 किमी
AP Shakta pair — Draksharama (12th) and Pithapuram (10th) are nearby Ashtadasha Shakti Pithas; Pithapuram is also a Pada Gaya pind-daan site
Annavaram (Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy)65 किमी
Principal tirtha of the Satyanarayana Vrata Katha
Somarama (Bhimavaram — Pancharama #3) + Ksheerarama (Palakollu — Pancharama #4)87 किमी
The other 2 Pancharama sites; part of the 5-Pancharama yatra
Amararama (Amaravathi — Pancharama #1)400 किमी
Foremost of the 5 Pancharamas; for completing the full yatra
12th Pitha — 'Manikya Daksha-vatike'; preceded by Odhyane Girijadevi (11); followed by Kamarupa Kamakhya (13)
18 मंदिर
Bhima-rama (Draksharama); sequence: Amararama (Amaravathi) → Draksharama → Samalkota Kumararama → Bhimavaram Somarama → Palakollu Ksheerarama
5 मंदिर · 3 दिन
Draksharama (Manikyamba 12th) + Pithapuram (Puruhutika 10th) — 45 km nearby pair
2 मंदिर
Among the Trilinga kshetras of the Telugu lands (the other 2: Srisailam Mallikarjuna + Kaleshwaram)
3 मंदिर
Draksharama (Sapta-Godavari Kundam) + Annavaram + Pithapuram + Samalkota — Godavari-Delta tirtha ring
4 मंदिर
09
मार्गदर्शन
यात्रा एवं संपर्क
- पता
- Sri Bhimeshwara Swamy Devasthanam, Draksharama (Dakshārama), Ramachandrapuram Mandal, Konaseema District — 533262, Andhra Pradesh
- हवाई अड्डा
- Rajahmundry Airport (RJA) — ~50 km
- रेलवे
- Draksharama Railway Station (DKSA) — ~2 km; Samalkota Junction — ~25 km (the principal nearest junction); Kakinada Town — ~28 km
- बस-स्टैण्ड
- Draksharama Bus Stand; regular APSRTC buses from Ramachandrapuram-Kakinada-Rajahmundry
- उत्तम ऋतु
- October-March is best; Mahashivratri 15 February 2026; Bhishma Ekadashi (Sri Swamy Kalyanam) 29 January 2026; Karthika Masam (October-November) is peak; summer (March-June) is hot and humid
- हेल्पलाइन
- 08857-252488 (Executive Officer)
2 किमीDraksharama Railway Station
6 किमीRamachandrapuram
25 किमीSamalkota Junction
25 किमीAmalapuram
28 किमीKakinada Town
45 किमीPithapuram
50 किमीRajahmundry
65 किमीAnnavaram
87 किमीBhimavaram
70 किमीPalakollu
400 किमीAmaravathi