Click Here & Upgrade

Expanded Features
PDF
Documents
Unlimited Pages
Complete

Orissa Review * September - October - 2005

Some New Facts About Goddess Samlei

Sasanka S. Panda

It is a popular belief that goddess Samlei is none- was originally a deity of the tribal populace of
else than goddess Lankesvari, the titulary deity Sambalpur region and to appease them king
of Ravana,the demon king of Lanka, who was Balaram Dev elevated her to the status of the
killed in the battle field by Purusottama Rama in Rastra Devi of Sambalpur
the Tretaya Yug. As the demon kingdom.
king Ravana was deeply
Goddess Lankesvari is
engrossed in evil deeds, being
worshipped at Sonepur now also
disgusted the titulary goddess of
on a rock bed in the river
Suvarna Puri Lanka left the fort
Mahanadi,at a distance of
of Lanka and vanished. As
about Samlei it is said that then around one furlong from the right
Lankesvari reappeared in the bank. It is said that the monolithic
kingdom of Sambala and was rock is surrounded by a deep
worshipped as Samlei by the gorge having unfathomable
local populace in her place of water. The impression we get
open-air worship on a rock bed from the Lankesvari pitha at
inside the river Mahanadi in a Sonepur that of oper-air
place called Gumodarha worship. There is no shrine or
(Gumo Gorge). When the temple for this goddess, but
Chauhan kingdom of various religious symbols like the
Sambalpur was established by gada, sankha, padma, chakra,
Goddess Samalei a pair of foot-prints, a pair of
king Balaram Dev some time in
the 16th century, she was brought from her original sacrificial pillars or posts called Merukhunti, two
seat of worship and installed in a temple, lions and three yonipithas are carved on the
construced by the king. However,as the when this monolithic rock.In the south-west side of this
temple became dilapidated the seventh Chauhan monolithic rock, there is a two-lined long
king of Sambalpur, Shri Chhatra Sai (1689-1725 inscription in the Nagari character of the 10th-
A.D.) rebuilt the present temple form of the 11th century A.D.This monolithic rock is quite
goddess is uniconic and does not confirm to any interesting as we find the rock-cut carving of a
Hindu iconography, it seems probable that she temple diagram also amidst the above mentioned

84
 Click Here & Upgrade
Expanded Features
PDF
Documents
Unlimited Pages
Complete

Orissa Review * September - October - 2005

symbols. Each line of the inscription has twelve to yoni worship might be prevailing there also in
characters. In the starting of this inscription there the remote past. As this Lankesvari pitha at
is the rock-cut carved figure of a running horse Sonepur is situated deep inside the river
with a chhatra fixed on its back. The entrance Mahanadi, it seems that in the ancient days
portion of this rock-cut diagram is in the southern sadhakas were engaged in austerity in complete
direction, where in both sides there are two figures seclusion.
of lions with their raised forepaws as if depicting
Identifying Samlei of Sambalpur with
the simhadvara or the lion's
Lankesvari by the priests
gate of a temple. After these
and taking into account the
carvings, to the proper left
original place of worship of
there are two rock-cut pillar
figures on the floo r, goddess Samlei,which was
symbolizing the pair of in the Gumo Darha (Gumo
sacrificial posts, called the Gorge)o f the river
Merukhunti or t he Mahanadi, it can be
Merukham (Meru pillars). A surmised that like the
figure of Hanuman is carved Lankesvari pitha of
near these pillars in the north- Sonepur,the Samlei pitha
east corner. It is quite of Sambalpur was also on
interesting to be noted that in a rock bed inside the river,
the Samlei temple at being surrounded by deep
Sambalpur, a huge image of water.
Hanuman is enshrined in a Is Samlei t he same
subsidiary shrine, situated in goddess Lankesvari who
the north-east corner of the has been mentioned in the
pradaksina patha, the path Tantric Buddhist text
of circumambulation). An old Twenty Armed Durga Sadhanamala as a deity of
priest of the Samlei temple of Sambaleswari Temple Vajrayana ? If so, was she
Sambalpur once told this popular atleast from the time of Indrabhuti, the
scholar that Hanuman is also worshipped there king of Sambala, who was a great devotee of
because he was instrumental in bringing Lord Jagannath in the 8th century A.D. ? Is she
Lankesvari (Samlei) to Sambala from Lanka in having any connection with Vaisnavism ? In this
the Tretaya Yug. This theory is very interesting
connection it can be mentioned that for the first
as we find a pair of foot-prints,Vaisnavite images
time Jagannath has been mentioned in a religious
like Kacchapa, Varaha, Matsya and Narasimha
text titled Gyanasiddhi, authored by king
etc. in the big Mukhasala hall of the Samlei temple
Indrabhuti of Sambala. Now the question arises,
at Sambalpur. It is quite possible that these
whether there is any connection between
symbolism is associated with the cult of
Jagannath and goddess Samlei or Lankesvari ?
Lankesvari. As three yonipithas are carved on
the monolithic rock, Lankesvari Pitha at Sonepur, It is also said that goddess Samlei was
it is possible that some sort of esoteric cult related worshipped as the protectress goddess by the

85
 Click Here & Upgrade
Expanded Features
PDF
Documents
Unlimited Pages
Complete

Orissa Review * September - October - 2005

boatmen who were navigating the long and vast are in the abhaya and varada mudras. She has
water course of the mighty river Mahanadi in the a protruding tongue like that of goddess Kali.
ancient days. Therefore, goddess Samlei is called Lankesvari as a goddess of tantric
Chaurasi Samlei also who protects each and Buddhism was already popular in the 8th century
every boat journey through Mahanadi. The A.D. By the late Somavamsi period, around the
Chaurasi or Eighty-four is vaguely related to the closing years of the 11th centuryA.D. the Sonepur
84 Siddhas (Chaurasi Siddhas) who were region was known as Paschima Lanka,as
experts in Tantric Buddhism or the Vajrayana recorded in the Sonepur Copper Plate grant of
Sahajayana. the So mavamsi prince, Kumaradhiraja
Goddess Samlei of Sambalpur and Somesvara Deva, who was the governer of the
goddess Subhadra of Sri Jagannath temple at Puri Sonepur region of the mighty Somavamsi empire.
are worshipped in the This Chart er was
same Bhuvanesvari declared from
mantra by the priests. Suvarnapura, his
There might be some a d min is t r a t iv e
similarities between headquarter, in which,
both the goddesses. he has been
Lankesvari is mentio ned as
called Vindhyavasini Paschimalankadhipati
Durga also. In t he or the Lord of
K a u m u d i Western Lanka. The
Mahotsava, we find present seat of
the mention of worship of goddess
Ekanga(Ekanamsa)as Lankesvari on the
the tribal goddess of the rock-bed of river
Yadavas.Here t he Hati Gate, Sambaleswari Temple Complex Mahanadi at Sonepur
goddess is depicted in was so much popular
her dual capacity as Vindhyavasini Durga and the as a place of religious sanctity that in the first
tribal deity of the Yadavas. decade of the 12th centuryA.D. the Telugu Choda
king Somesvara Deva II registered the land grant
Although it is quite interesting to be noted
of his Mahada Copper Plate Charter near the
that Samlei or Lankesvari worship is associated
Lankavarttaka (Lanka Whirlpool) on the bank
with open-air worship in the rock bed on huge
of river Chitrotpala (Mahanadi).
monolithic rocks, at Junagad in the present
Kalahandi district, Lankesvari is worshipped It is possible that Kot Samlei Cave on
inside a temple of the pidha order, built some the Trikuta Parvat(mountain), situated one km
time in the 17th century A.D. It is a four-handed away from the left bank of river Mahanadi, just
deity, seated in vajraparyankasana on a opposite Sonepur town, was the original place of
visvapadma pedestal. She is holding sankha and worship of goddess Samlei and Samlei has some
chakra in her upper left and right hands connection with Lord Jagannath, as the idol of
respectively, while the lower left and right hands Lord Jagannath was kept hidden in this cave

86
 Click Here & Upgrade
Expanded Features
PDF
Documents
Unlimited Pages
Complete

Orissa Review * September - October - 2005

during the invasion of the Yavana invader described as Bhagavatya Panchambari

Raktavahu some time in the 7th century A.D.It Bhadrambika or a goddess related to the
seems more probable that Samlei and Subhadra Bhagavata cult of Vaisnavism. The uniconic form
are the one and the same goddess, as both are of goddess Samlei at Sambalpur, Barpali and
worshipped in the same Bhuvanesvari mantra Patnagarh denote her tribal origin, but the icon of
even now. Therefore Lankesvari alias Samlei alias Samlei at Sonepur relates her to the Supreme
Subhadra is the same deity in the uniconic form, Goddess Durga, and that of Bolangir also to the
who was worshipped by Indrabhuti, the king of great goddess ( Mahadevi ). Therefore Maa
Sambala in the 8th century along with Lord Durga is the same deity who is worshipped as
Jagannath in the Kot Samlei Cave of Trikuta Lankesvari and also as Samlei and has been
Parvat. Most probably the same goddess was menifested in the form of goddess Subhadra, the
called Panchambari Bhadrambika by the sister of Lord Jagannath in the Supreme
Somavamsi king Mahasivagupta Yajati II ( circa Jagannath Cult.
1025-1040 A.D.), who installed her as his titulary
deity at Pattana Suvarnapura,the capital city of In the Tebetan text Bstan - hgyur
the Somavamsi empire. As she was in the uniconic Laksmikara has been mantioned as Bhagavati
form, she was having the Panchamahabhuta or Laksmi and the successor of king Indrabhuti in
nature as her dress. (Panchambari). It connotes the succession list of the Siddhacharyas. (158,
a sort of open-air worship. Further researches K. Sahu).
can prove this contention. The all-pervading Universal menifestation
In the Samlei temples at Sambalpur and of Sakti, the great goddess Mahadevi was
Sonepur, in both the places, Hanuman, the worshipped by Rama and therefore she is called
monkey-god and the supreme devotee of Ramachandi. An image of goddess Ramachandi
Purusottama Rama is enshrined inside the temple is fitted to a Parsvadevata niche of the Samlei
as a Parsvadevata of goddess Samlei. At temple at Sambalpur in the western side of the
Sambalpur, the priests of Samlei temple told this Pradaksina Patha which proves her connection
scholar that as goddess Samlei was brought from with goddess Samlei. She is the same goddess
Lanka by Hanuman, he is also installed there as a who was called Lanka Devi or Lankesvari in the
devotee of the goddess. Goddess Samlei and Ramayana. Her magic force was pervading over
goddess Lankesvari seems to be the great Lanka and it was protected by her. But ultimately,
Goddess Durga herself, whom Purusottama Ram being satisfied by the prayer of Rama she left
worshipped and satisfied (propiated) to built the Lanka and Ravana was defeated. Then she was
bridge over the sea (Setubandha) to enter Lanka taken to Kosala, the kingdom of Rama to be
and kill Ravana. Therefore Samlei and Lankesvari worshipped there. As Sambala was also a part
might be the same goddess and both are of South Kosala, which was the maternal place
associated with the Vaisnava cult. Panchambari of Rama (His mother Kausalya was the daughter
Bhadrambika might be the sane goddess of the king of South Kosala and as she was having
Lankesvari of Sonepur, who was Bhadrambika no brother, ultimately it merged with Kosala of
having the nature as her garment ( Pancha King Dasaratha. After Rama it was ruled by
ambara ) and at the same time she has been Kusa), the Great Goddess preferred to be

87
 Click Here & Upgrade
Expanded Features
PDF
Documents
Unlimited Pages
Complete

Orissa Review * September - October - 2005

installed and worshipped in the kingdom of South 8. Brighenti, F., Sakti Cult in Orissa, New Delhi, 2001,
Kosala. p.165-166.
9. Bhattacharya, N.N. History of the Sakta Religion,
Selected References : New Delhi, 1974, p.57.
10. Singh, Prabhash Kumar, 'Goddess Lankesvari of
1. Orissa District Gazetteers, Sambalpur, ed. by. N.
Junagarh', Orissa Review, Vol.LX, Nos.2 & 3,
Senapati and B. Mahanti, 1971, p.538.
September-October, 2003, pp.94-99.
2. Epigraphia Indica, Vol.XII, pp.237-92.
11. Sahu, Dr. Nabin Kumar, 'Buddhism in Orissa', Utkal
3. Ibid, Vol.XXVIII, pp.283-92. University, Bhubaneswar, 1958.
4. Sadhanamala, II, Sadhana No.218, p.427 vide N.K. 12. Indian Culture, Vol.IV, p.212.
Sahu, Buddhism in Orissa, Pub. Utkal University,
13. Mohapatra, R.P., Archaeology in Orissa, Vol.II,
1958, p.149.
New Delhi, 1986, p.241.
5. Dr. Chitrasen Pasayat, 'Samlei to Sambaleswari -
14. Sahu, J.K., 'Temples of Sambalpur Town,' in New
Ashapuri to Samalei', Orissa Review, Vol.LXI, No.3,
Dimensions of Tourism in Orissa, Bhubaneswar,
October, 2004, pp.10-18ff.
1976, p.38.
6. Panigrahi Bibekanand, 'Jagajjanani Samalesvari
Devinkara Abirbhava Ebam Mandira Nirman'
(Oriya Book), Pub. Mrs. Manorama Panigra
Budharaja, Sambalpur, 9.10.1994, pp.2-10ff.
7. Nayak, Dr. Pabitra Mohan, 'Somalai : A Unique
Image in India,' The Orissa Historical Research
Journal, Vol.XLVIII, No.2, 2004, pp.119-121.
The writer lives at VR-23, Unit-6, Bhubaneswar

Temple Sambaleswari

88