Kamakshi

The goddess Kamakshi is a form of Tripura Sundari or Parvati or the universal mother goddess. The main abode of Kamakshi is the Kamakshi Amman temple at Kanchipuram. Other important forms of goddess Tripura Sundari are Meenakshi. Her consort is Shiva. The main temples of Kamakshi Devi in Goa are the Kamakshi Rayeshwar temple at Shiroda.

Goddess Kamakshi is considered to be the representation of Shri Vidya - Shri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari - she reigns supreme in Kanchi. The image of the goddess has been carved out of a Salagrama shila and the Meru in the temple is also made of Salagrama, believed to be consecrated by sage Durvasa, one of the renowned Shrividya upasakas. Kanchi is one of the most powerful pithas of the Devi. Many literary and musical compositions have been about this great Devi.

Shri Kamakshi and Tripura Sundari

While to many westerners it might seem that Kamakshi must be different from Tripura Sundari as they appear to have different names. However in the Hindu pantheon, the "names" of the deities are more descriptions than names. Tripura Sundari, like many of the forms of the supreme, has 1000 names assigned to her and these can be found in the Lalita sahasranama text. One of the names in this text is "Kamakshi" which means "She whose eyes awaken desire, or She who has beautiful eyes".