Shaktism focuses worship upon the Hindu Divine Mother, here manifested as Tridevi – the conjoined forms of Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati. Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth Parvati ( Sanskrit: Pārvatī sa [[wiktपार्वती पार्वती]] sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu Saraswati (pronounced as; Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati Thai: สุรัสวดี is the

Shaktism (Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ, शाक्तं; lit. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical , "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of Hinduism that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi – the Hindu Divine Mother – as the absolute, ultimate Godhead. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred Devi ( Devanagari: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism. It is, along with Saivism, Vaisnavism, and Smartism, one of the four primary schools of Hinduism. Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and Smartism (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition, as termed in Sanskrit) is a denomination of the Hindu

Shaktism regards Devi (lit. , "the Goddess") as the Supreme Brahman itself, the "one without a second", with all other forms of divinity, female or male, considered to be merely her diverse manifestations. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. In the details of its philosophy and practice, Shaktism resembles Saivism. However, Shaktas (Sanskrit: Śakta, शक्त), practitioners of Shaktism, focus most or all worship on Shakti, as the dynamic feminine aspect of the Supreme Divine. Shiva, the masculine aspect of divinity, is considered solely transcendent, and his worship is generally relegated to an auxiliary role. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva ^[1]

The roots of Shaktism penetrate deep into India's prehistory. From the Goddess's earliest known appearance in Indian paleolithic settlements more than 22,000 years ago, through the refinement of her cult in the Indus Valley Civilization, her partial eclipse during the Vedic period, and her subsequent resurfacing and expansion in Sanskrit tradition, it has been suggested that, in many ways, "the history of the Hindu tradition can be seen as a reemergence of the feminine. The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin The Vedic Period (or Vedic Age) is the period in the History of India during which the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, were being "^[2]

Over the course of its history, Shaktism has inspired great works of Sanskrit literature and Hindu philosophy, and it continues to strongly influence popular Hinduism today. The roots of Shaktism – a Hindu denomination that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother – Literature in Sanskrit begins with the Vedas, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India; the golden age of Classical Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya Shaktism is practiced throughout the Indian subcontinent and beyond, in countless forms, both Tantric and non-Tantric; however, its two largest and most visible schools are the Srikula, or family of Sri, strongest in South India, and the Kalikula, or family of Kali, which prevails in northern and eastern India. Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric SRi is a specification (spec badge given to mid-sized or larger cars which are fitted with performance engine suspension or other performance enhancements as standard South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Kali redirects here See Kali (disambiguation for other uses Not to be confused with Kali (demon, the personification of Kali Yuga ^[3]

Overview

Shakti and Shiva

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Shaktas conceive the Goddess as the Supreme Deity, who is the source of the cosmos and the energy that governs and controls it. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English But, "nowhere in the religious history of the world do we come across such a completely female-oriented system. " ^[4] Shaktism's focus on the Divine Feminine does not imply a rejection of Masculine or Neuter divinity; however, both are deemed to be inactive in the absence of Shakti. In Shakta worship, Shiva is cast in an "inferior or dependent role as a servant or gatekeeper of the goddess". Shaktas declare that Shiva would be a shava (corpse) without the power of the goddess to guide him. This doctrine is emphasized in the images of Kali standing on a seemingly dead Shiva. ^[5]

Shiva and Shakti in the half-male, half-female form of Ardhanari. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred In Hinduism, Ardhanari ( Devanāgarī sa अर्धनारी IAST Ardhanārī or Ardhanarishvara (sa अर्धनारीश्वर (Elephanta caves, 5th century CE. The Elephanta Caves are the focal point of Gharapuri Island which was renamed the Elephanta Island by the Portuguese located in the Mumbai harbour off Mumbai, India. Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial ) Author:Pratheepps

As set out in Adi Shankara's renowned Shakta hymn, Saundaryalahari (c. Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below The Saundarya Lahari meaning "Waves Of Beauty" is a famous literary work written by Adi Shankara. 800 CE), "Shiva when united to Shakti permeates and sustains the Universe, but [he] cannot have an iota of activity when dissociated from Shakti. This is the basic and fundamental tenet in Shaktism. "^[6]

Shakti (the Supreme Goddess as Power or Energy) is considered the motivating force behind all action and existence in the phenomenal cosmos. The cosmos itself is Brahman; i. e. , the concept of an unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that provides the divine ground of all being. Masculine potentiality is actualized by feminine dynamism, embodied in multitudinous goddesses who are ultimately reconciled into one. ^[7]

The noted historian V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar^[8] expressed it thus: "Shaktism is dynamic Hinduism. The excellence of Shaktism lies in its affirmation of Shakti as Consciousness and of the identity of Shakti and Brahman. In short, Brahman is static Shakti and Shakti is dynamic Brahman. "^[9] In religious art, this cosmic dynamic is powerfully expressed in the half-Shakti, half-Shiva deity known as Ardhanari. In Hinduism, Ardhanari ( Devanāgarī sa अर्धनारी IAST Ardhanārī or Ardhanarishvara (sa अर्धनारीश्वर ^[10]

Shaktism views the Devi as the source, essence and substance of virtually everything in creation, seen or unseen, including Shiva. Indeed, in the Devi-Bhagavata Purana, a central Shakta scripture, the Devi declares:

"I am Manifest Divinity, Unmanifest Divinity, and Transcendent Divinity. Devi-Bhagavata Purana popularly known as Shrimad Devi Bhagvatam, is a Hindu scripture in Sanskrit, dedicated to Devi, the Hindu name for the I am Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, as well as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Saraswati (pronounced as; Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati Thai: สุรัสวดี is the Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth Parvati ( Sanskrit: Pārvatī sa [[wiktपार्वती पार्वती]] sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu I am the Sun and I am the Stars, and I am also the Moon. I am all animals and birds, and I am the outcaste as well, and the thief. I am the low person of dreadful deeds, and the great person of excellent deeds. I am Female, I am Male, and I am Neuter. "^[11]

The religious scholar C. MacKenzie Brown explains that Shaktism "clearly insists that, of the two genders, the feminine represents the dominant power in the universe. Yet both genders must be included in the ultimate if it is truly ultimate. The masculine and the feminine are aspects of the divine, transcendent reality, which goes beyond but still encompasses them. Devi, in her supreme form as consciousness thus transcends gender, but her transcendence is not apart from her immanence. "^[12]

Brown's analysis continues, "Indeed, this affirmation of the oneness of transcendence and immanence constitutes the very essence of the divine mother [and her] ultimate triumph. It is not, finally, that she is infinitely superior to the male gods – though she is that, according to [Shaktism] – but rather that she transcends her own feminine nature as Prakriti without denying it. Prakrti or Prakriti (from Sanskrit language प्रकृ्रति prakṛti is according to Vedanta philosophy the basic matter of which the "^[13]

Association with Tantra

One widely misunderstood aspect of Shaktism is its close association with Tantrism – an ambiguous, loaded concept that suggests everything from orthodox temple worship in the south of India, to black magic and occult practices in North India, to ritualized sex in the West. Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Neotantra is a term used to describe the modern western use of the word Tantra. ^[14] In fact, not all forms of Shaktism are Tantric in nature, just as not all forms of Tantra are Shaktic in nature. ^[15]

Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswathi, a Shakta adept and guru, performing the Navavarana Puja, a central ritual in Srividya Tantric Shaktism, at the Sahasrakshi Meru Temple at Devipuram, Andhra Pradesh, India, 2005. This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see Śrī Vidyā (also spelled "Shri Vidya" is the name of a Hindu religious system devoted to the goddess Lalitā Tripurasundarī or simply Tripurasundarī Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric Devipuram is a Hindu temple complex located near Visakapatnam Andhra Pradesh, India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

When the term "Tantra" is used in relation to authentic Hindu Shaktism, it most often refers to a class of ritual manuals, and – more broadly – to an esoteric methodology of Goddess-focused spiritual discipline (sadhana) involving mantra, yantra, nyasa, mudra and certain elements of traditional kundalini yoga, all practiced under the guidance of a qualified guru after due initiation (diksha) and oral instruction to supplement various written sources. For Sadhana the actress see Sadhana (actress Sadhana (Sanskrit sādhanam) is a Sanskrit term for "a means of accomplishing something" A mantra ( Devanāgarī मन्त्र (or mantram is a religious or mystical syllable or poem typically from the Sanskrit language Yantra are 'instruments' or more simply 'symbols' usually used to focus the mind A mudrā ( Sanskrit: मुद्रा lit "seal" is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. Kundalini yoga is a physical and meditative discipline, comprising a set of techniques that use the mind senses and body to create a communication A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others In Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, diksha is the Ritual of Initiation into the worship of ^[16]

In its social interactions, Tantra is "free from all sorts of caste and patriarchal prejudices. A woman or a shudra is entitled to function in the role of [guru]. Shudra ( IAST: Śūdra is the fourth Varna in the traditional four-section division in historic Hindu society All women are regarded as manifestations of Shakti, and hence they are the object of respect and devotion. Whoever offends them incurs the wrath of the great goddess. Every [male aspirant] has to realize the latent Female Principle within himself, and only by [thus] 'becoming female' is he entitled to worship the Supreme Being"^[17]

More controversial elements, such as the "Five Ms" or panchamakara, are employed under certain circumstances by some Tantric Shakta sects. Panchamakara, also known as the Five Ms, is a Tantric term referring to the five substances used in a Tantric Puja or Sadhana: However, these elements tend to be overemphasized and sensationalized by commentators (both friendly and hostile) who are ill-informed regarding authentic doctrine and practice. Moreover, even within the tradition itself there are wide differences of opinion regarding the proper interpretation of the panchamakara, and some lineages reject them altogether. ^[18]

In sum, the complex social and historical interrelations of Tantric and non-Tantric elements in Shaktism – and Hinduism in general – are an extremely fraught and nuanced topic of discussion. ^[19] However, as a general rule:

"Ideas and practices that collectively characterize Tantrism pervade classical Hinduism [and] it would be an error to consider Tantrism apart from its complex interrelations with non-Tantric traditions. Literary history demonstrates that Vedic-oriented brahmins have been involved in Shakta Tantrism from its incipient stages of development, that is, from at least the sixth century. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. While Shakta Tantrism may have originated in [pre-Vedic, indigenous] goddess cults, any attempt to distance Shakta Tantrism from the Sanskritic Hindu traditions [. . . ] will lead us astray. "^[20]

Principal deities

Shaktas may approach the Devi in any of a vast number of forms. The primary Devi form worshiped by a devotee (i. e. , his or her ishta-devi) can depend on many factors, including family tradition, regional practice, guru lineage, personal resonance and so on. Within Hinduism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta devata (Sanskrit iṣṭa-deva(tā, literally "cherished divinity " from iṣṭa There are literally thousands of goddess forms, many of them associated with particular temples, geographic features or even individual villages. However, they are all considered to be but diverse aspects of the One Supreme Goddess. ^[21]

The Devi in her benign form as Parvati, suckling her son Ganesha. Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar Opaque watercolor on paper. Jaipur, India, c. Jaipur ( Hindi: जयपुर also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan state, India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country 1820. (Smithsonian Institution)

Nonetheless, several highly popular goddess forms are known and worshiped throughout the Hindu world, and virtually every female deity in Hinduism is believed to be a manifestation of one or more of these "basic" forms. The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of The best-known benevolent goddesses of popular Hinduism include:^[22]

1. Adi Parashakti: The Goddess as Original, Transcendent Source of the Universe.
2. Durga (Amba, Ambika): The Goddess as Mahadevi, Supreme Divinity. In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess In Hinduism, Mahadevi ( Sanskrit: Mahādevī, Devanagari: महादेवी or " Great Goddess " is a term used to denote
3. Sri-Lakshmi: The Goddess of Material Fulfillment (wealth, health, fortune, love, beauty, fertility, etc. Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth Devi ( Devanagari: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism. ); consort (shakti) of Vishnu
4. Parvati (Gauri, Uma): The Goddess of Spiritual Fulfillment, Divine Love; consort (shakti) of Shiva
5. Saraswati: The Goddess of Cultural Fulfillment (knowledge/education, music, arts and sciences, etc. Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred Parvati ( Sanskrit: Pārvatī sa [[wiktपार्वती पार्वती]] sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu Saraswati (pronounced as; Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati Thai: สุรัสวดี is the ); consort (shakti) of Brahma; identified with the Saraswati River
6. Gayatri: The Goddess as Mother of Mantras
7. Ganga: The Goddess as Divine River; identified with the Ganges River
8. Sita: The Goddess as Rama's consort
9. Radha: The Goddess as Krishna's consort
10. Sati: The Goddess of Marital Relations; original consort (shakti) of Shiva

Tantric deities

Main articles: Mahavidyas, Matrikas, and Yogini

Goddess groups – such as the "Nine Durgas" (Navadurga), "Eight Lakshmis" (Ashta-Lakshmi) or the "Fifteen Nityas" – are very common in Hinduism. The Sarasvati River ( Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती नदी sárasvatī nadī) is one of the chief Rigvedic rivers mentioned in ancient Hindu Gayatri (गायत्री gāyatrī is the feminine form of gāyatra, a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn In Hinduism, the river Ganga ( Sanskrit and Hindi गंगा Gaṅgā) or Ganges River (as called by westerners is considered The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent SITA is a multinational Information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the Aviation industry Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: For Radha the mother of Karna from Mahabharata see Radha (Mahabharata Radha (Devanagari राधा IAST Rādhā is the principal Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Satī (Devanagari सती the feminine of sat "true" or Dākshāyani is a Hindu goddess of marital felicity and longevity she is worshipped particularly Mahavidyas ( Great Wisdoms) are aspects of Devi in Hinduism. The Ten Mahavidyas are known as Wisdom Goddesses Matrikas ( Sanskrit: mātṝkās sa मातृका lit "The Mothers" also called Matara (Sanskrit mātaraḥ sa मातरः and A yogini is the female origin of a practicing male Yogi: having a steadfast mind cultivated by the disciplined pursuit of transcendence through Yoga Navadurga ( Devanagari: नवदुर्गा which literally means nine Durgas, constitute according to Hindu mythology, the manifestation of Ashta Lakshmi, also spelled as Ashtalakshmi (Sanskrit sa अष्टलक्ष्मीAṣṭalakṣmī lit But no group better reveals the elements of Shaktism better than the Ten Mahavidyas (Dasamahavidya). Mahavidyas ( Great Wisdoms) are aspects of Devi in Hinduism. The Ten Mahavidyas are known as Wisdom Goddesses Through them, Shaktas believe, "the one Truth is sensed in ten different facets; the Divine Mother is adored and approached as ten cosmic personalities. "^[23] The Mahavidyas are considered Tantric in nature, and are usually identified as:^[24]

The Goddess Kali, standing on Shiva's chest. (1770) by Richard B. Godfrey (1728 - N/A); from LACMA. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, also known as LACMA, is an Art museum in Los Angeles County California. The Devi as Kali, In Shakta theology, this configuration symbolizes Shakti as the dynamic aspect and Shiva as the static aspect of Supreme Divinity. Neither is complete without the other.

1. Kali: The Goddess as Cosmic Destruction, Death or "Devourer of Time" (Supreme Deity of Kalikula systems)
2. Tara: The Goddess as Guide and Protector, or Who Saves
3. Lalita-Tripurasundari (Shodashi): The Goddess Who is "Beautiful in the Three Worlds" (Supreme Deity of Srikula systems); the "Tantric Parvati"
4. Bhuvaneshvari: The Goddess as World Mother, or Whose Body is the Cosmos
5. Bhairavi: The Fierce Goddess
6. Chhinnamasta: The Self-Decapitated Goddess
7. Dhumavati: The Widow Goddess
8. Bagalamukhi: The Goddess Who Paralyzes Enemies
9. Matangi: The Outcaste Goddess (in Kalikula systems); the Prime Minister of Lalita (in Srikula systems); the "Tantric Saraswati"
10. Kamala: The Lotus Goddess; the "Tantric Lakshmi"

Another major goddess group is the Sapta-Matrika ("Seven Little Mothers"), "who are the energies of different major gods, and described as assisting the great Shakta Devi in her fight with demons. Kali redirects here See Kali (disambiguation for other uses Not to be confused with Kali (demon, the personification of Kali Yuga Shaktism ( Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ sa शाक्तं lit "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of In Hinduism, the Goddess Tara ( Sanskrit: Tārā, Devanagari: तारा) meaning "star" is the second of the Tripura Sundari, also called Shodashi, Lalita (lit "She Who Plays" and Rajarajeshvari, is one of the group of ten goddesses of Hindu Belief Tripura Sundari, also called Shodashi, Lalita (lit "She Who Plays" and Rajarajeshvari, is one of the group of ten goddesses of Hindu Belief Shaktism ( Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ sa शाक्तं lit "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of In Hinduism, Bhuvaneshvari is the fourth of the ten Mahavidya goddesses and an aspect of Devi. Bhairavi is a fierce and terrifying aspect of the Goddess virtually indistinguishable from Kali, except for her particular identification as the consort of the Wrathful In Hinduism, Chhinnamasta (often spelled Chinnamasta and also called Chhinnamastika) is one of the Mahavidyas and an aspect of Devi In Hinduism, Dhumavati is one the of Mahavidyas (Great Wisdoms; she is one of the many aspects of Devi. In Hinduism, Bagalamukhi or Bagala is one of the ten Mahavidya goddesses In Hinduism, Matangi is the aspect of Devi (in other words the Mahavidya) who is the patron of inner thought Kamalatmika is the Goddess Devi in the fullness of her graceful aspect Matrikas ( Sanskrit: mātṝkās sa मातृका lit "The Mothers" also called Matara (Sanskrit mātaraḥ sa मातरः and "^[25] According to Bhattacharyya:

"The growing importance of Shaktism [of the matrikas and yoginis in the first millennium CE] brought them into greater prominence and distributed their cult far and wide. [. . . ] The primitive Yogini cult was also revived on account of the increasing influenced of the cult of the Seven Mothers. In Sanskrit literature the Yoginis have been represented as the attendants or various manifestations of Durga engaged in fighting with [various demons], and the principal Yoginis are identified with the Matrikas. A yogini is the female origin of a practicing male Yogi: having a steadfast mind cultivated by the disciplined pursuit of transcendence through Yoga "^[26]

Historical and philosophical development

Main article: History of Shaktism

The beginnings of Shaktism are shrouded in the mists of prehistory. The roots of Shaktism – a Hindu denomination that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother – The earliest Mother Goddess figurine unearthed in India, belonging to the Upper Paleolithic, has been carbon-dated to approximately 20,000 BCE. The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe Africa ^[27] Thousands of female statuettes dated as early as c. 5500 BCE have been recovered at Mehrgarh, one of the most important Neolithic sites in world archaeology. Mehrgarh, ( Urdu: م‍ﮩ‍رگڑھ) one of the most important Neolithic (7000 BC to 3200 BC sites in Archaeology, lies on what The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos ^[28] While it is impossible to precisely reconstruct the religious beliefs of a civilization so distantly removed in time, it is widely believed, based on archaeological and anthropological evidence, that the great Indus Valley Civilization is probably a direct predecessor of the modern Shakta religion. The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin ^[29]

Devi portrayed as Mahishasura Mardini, Slayer of the Buffalo Demon – a central episode of the Devi Mahatmya, and one of the most famous in all of Hindu mythology. In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess

As the Indus Valley Civilization slowly declined and dispersed, its peoples mixed with other groups to eventually give rise to Vedic Civilization (c. The Vedic Period (or Vedic Age) is the period in the History of India during which the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, were being 1500 - 600 BCE). Shaktism as it exists today began with the literature of the Vedic Age; further evolved during the formative period of the Hindu epics; reached its full flower during the Gupta Age (300-700 CE), and continued to expand and develop thereafter. The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C ^[30]

The most central and pivotal text in Shaktism is the Devi Mahatmya (also known as the Durga Saptashati, Chandi or Chandi-Path), composed some 1,600 years ago. The Devi Mahatmya ( Sanskrit: devīmāhātmyam, sa देवीमाहात्म्यम् or "Glory of the Goddess " is a Hindu Here, for the first time, "the various mythic, cultic and theological elements relating to diverse female divinities were brought together in what has been called the 'crystallization of the Goddess tradition. '"^[31]

Other important texts include the canonical Shakta Upanishads,^[32] as well as Shakta-oriented Puranic literature such as the Devi Purana and Kalika Purana,^[33] the Lalita Sahasranama (from the Brahmanda Purana),^[34] the Devi Gita (from the Devi-Bhagavata Purana),^[35] Adi Shankara's Saundaryalahari^[36] and the Tantras. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The Kalika-Purana (composed c 10th century in Kamarupa (modern Assam) is one of the 18 Upapuranas It is an important work which Lalita Sahasranama is a sacred Hindu text for the worshippers of the Goddess Lalita Devi, i Brahmanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text is considered as the eighteenth Purana in almost all the lists of the Puranas and it Devi-Bhagavata Purana popularly known as Shrimad Devi Bhagvatam, is a Hindu scripture in Sanskrit, dedicated to Devi, the Hindu name for the Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below The Saundarya Lahari meaning "Waves Of Beauty" is a famous literary work written by Adi Shankara. Tantras (" Looms " or " Weavings " refers to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions ^[37]

In recent times, Bhattacharyya notes, Shaktism has so infused mainstream Hinduism that it has in certain respects "ceased to be a sectarian religion," in that it presents "no difficulty for anyone to accept its essence. "^[38] Recent developments related to Shaktism include the emergence of Bharat Mata ("Mother India") symbolism, the increasing visibility of Hindu female saints and gurus,^[39] and the prodigious rise of the "new" goddess Santoshi Mata following release of the Indian film Jai Santoshi Maa ("Hail to the Mother of Satisfaction") in 1975. Bharat Mata ( Hindi, भारत माता Bhārata Mātā) that is the Mother India or Bharathamba (Bharata - India or Jai Santoshi Maa ( Devnagari: जय संतोषी माँ is a 1975 low-budget Bollywood film that became one of the top blockbusters of all time ^[40] As Johnsen notes:

"Today just as 10,000 years ago, images of the Goddess are everywhere in India. You'll find them painted on the sides of trucks, pasted to the dashboards of taxis, postered on the walls of shops. You'll often see a color painting of the Goddess prominently displayed in Hindu homes. Usually the picture is hung high on the wall so you have to crane your neck backward, looking up toward her feet. [. . . ] In India, Goddess worship is not a 'cult,' it's a religion, [. . . ] an extraordinarily spiritually and psychologically mature tradition. Millions of people turn every day with heartfelt yearning to the Mother of the Universe. "^[41]

Worship

Shaktism encompasses a nearly endless variety of practices – from primitive animism through philosophical speculation of the highest order – that seek to access the Shakti (Divine Energy or Power) that is believed to be both the Devi's nature and form. ^[42] Its two largest and most visible schools are the Srikula, or family of Sri, strongest in South India, and the Kalikula, or family of Kali, which prevails in northern and eastern India. SRi is a specification (spec badge given to mid-sized or larger cars which are fitted with performance engine suspension or other performance enhancements as standard South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Kali redirects here See Kali (disambiguation for other uses Not to be confused with Kali (demon, the personification of Kali Yuga ^[43]

Srikula: Family of Sri

The Srikula (family of Sri) tradition (sampradaya) focuses worship on Devi in the form of the goddess Lalita-Tripurasundari, who conceived as the great Goddess (Mahadevi). In Hinduism, a sampradaya ( IAST sampradāya) can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’ although the word commands much more respect Rooted in first-millennium Kashmir, Srikula became a force in South India no later than the seventh century, and is today the prevalent form of Shaktism practiced in states of South India such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Tamil Sri Lanka. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island ^[44] The Srikula "family of the Goddess Sri (or Lakshmi)," , unlike Kalikula, the other school of Shaktism, respects the brahminical tradition (a mainstream Hindu tradition which respects caste and purity rules) and is strongest in South India. ^[45]

Sri Chaitanyananda Natha Saraswathi (far right) of the Sri Rajarajeshwari Peetam, a Shakta temple in Rush, N. Y. , leads devotees in performing the Tantric ritual known as Kamakhya Puja, 2007. Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric Kamakhya is a Tantric mother goddess closely identified with Kali, according to the Tantric texts (Kalikapurana Stotra Yoginitantram that are the basis for her worship at the This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see

The Srikula's best-known school is Srividya, "one of Shakta Tantrism's most influential and theologically sophisticated movements. Śrī Vidyā (also spelled "Shri Vidya" is the name of a Hindu religious system devoted to the goddess Lalitā Tripurasundarī or simply Tripurasundarī Its central image, the Sri Chakra, is probably the most famous visual image in all of Hindu Tantric tradition. The Sri Chakra or Shri Yantra of Tripura Sundari is a Yantra or Mandala formed by nine interlocking triangles surrounding the Bindu Its literature and practice is perhaps more systematic than [that of] any other Shakta sect. "^[46]

Srividya perceives the Goddess as "benign (saumya) and beautiful (saundarya)", a contrast to Kalikula's perception of the Goddess as "terrifying (ugra) and horrifying (ghora)" Kali or Durga. However, every aspect of the Goddess - malignant or gentle - is identified with Lalita. ^[47]

The Sri Chakra is worshiped as Lalita's subtle form, either as a two-dimensional diagram (sometimes drawn temporarily as part of the worship ritual; sometimes a permanent engraving in metal) or in the three-dimensional, pyramidal form known as the Sri Meru. It is not uncommon to find a Sri Chakra or Sri Meru installed in South Indian temples, because – as modern practitioners assert – "there is no disputing that this is the highest form of Devi and that some of the practice can be done openly. But what you see in the temples is not the srichakra worship you see when it is done privately. "^[48]

A modern Kaula Srividya adept performs Tantric puja at his home altar. Kaula or Kula describes a type of Hindu tantrism reckoned by Gavin Flood to derive from Kapalika or "cremation ground" asceticism Śrī Vidyā (also spelled "Shri Vidya" is the name of a Hindu religious system devoted to the goddess Lalitā Tripurasundarī or simply Tripurasundarī This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see Kerala, India, 2006. Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

The Srividya paramparas can be further broadly subdivided into two streams, the Kaula (a vamamarga practice) and the Samaya (a dakshinamarga practice). Parampara ( Sanskrit: परम्परा paramparā) denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture Kaula or Kula describes a type of Hindu tantrism reckoned by Gavin Flood to derive from Kapalika or "cremation ground" asceticism Vāmācāra (pronounced vāmāchāra is a Sanskrit term that holds the Semantic field of "left-handed attainment" and is synonymous with " Left-Hand The term Dakshinachara ( Right-Hand Path) is a technical term used to refer to Tantric sects that do not engage in heterodox practices The Kaula or Kaulachara, "first appeared as a coherent ritual system" in the eighth century in central India,^[49] and its champion is the 18th century philosopher Bhaskararaya, who is widely considered "the best exponent of Shakta philosophy. Bhaskararaya (Bhāskararāya Makhin (1690-1785 is widely considered an authority on all questions pertaining to the worship of the Mother Goddess in Hinduism. "^[50]

The Samaya or Samayacharya finds its roots in the works of a 16th century commentator, Lakshmidhara, and is "fiercely puritanical [in its] attempts to reform Tantric practice in ways that bring it in line with high-caste brahmanical norms. Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. "^[51] Many Samaya practitioners, in fact, explicitly deny being either Shakta or Tantric; however, Brooks argues that their cult remains technically both, "even if Samayins would reject this appellation. "^[52]

Outside brahamanic circles, Kaula lineages remain alive and well – though their practitioners generally prefer to worship in private, in keeping with the Hindu adage, "When in public, be a Vaishnava. When among friends, be a Shaiva. But in private, always be a Shakta. "^[53] The Samaya-Kaula division marks "an old dispute within Hindu Tantrism,"^[54] and one that continues to be vigorously debated to this day. ^[55]

Kalikula: Family of Kali

The Kalikula (family of Kali) form of Shaktism is most dominant in northern and eastern India, and is most widely prevalent in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Orissa, as well as parts of Maharashtra and Bangladesh. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Orissa (ଓଡ଼ିଶା is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. Maharashtra ( Marathi: mahārāṣṭra, IPA) is a state located on the western coast of India. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Kalikula lineages focus upon the Devi as the source of wisdom (vidya) and liberation (moksha). In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" They generally stand "in opposition to the brahmanic tradition," which they view as "overly conservative and denying the experiential part of religion. "^[56]

The Devi as Durga, in her form as Mahishasura Mardini, "Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, Mahisha. In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess Photographed at a pandal (temporary shrine) in Cossipore, North Calcutta, on October 17, 2004, during Durga Puja. A pandal is structure either temporary or permanent in a religious context Durga Puja (দুর্গা পূজা ‘Worship of Durga’ also referred as Durgotsab (bn দুর্গোৎসব ‘Festival of Durga’ is an annual

Some scholars state outright that the Kalikula school rejects brahminical tradition. ^[57] These views are difficult to reconcile with the plurality of views within the larger Hindu tradition outside of the Kalikula school; the great Hindu saint, Ramakrishna, probably, one of the most famous worshippers of Kali, was born in a traditional brahmin family, and worshipped Her as the Divine Mother; furthermore, he was not a follower of the kalikula school, but rather an adherent of the smarta advaitic tradition, which considers Devi to be one of the five equal forms of the Divine. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ( Bangla: রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস Ramkṛiṣṇo Pôromôhongśo) ( February 18, 1836 - Kali redirects here See Kali (disambiguation for other uses Not to be confused with Kali (demon, the personification of Kali Yuga Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Smartism (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition, as termed in Sanskrit) is a denomination of the Hindu Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Devi ( Devanagari: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism. ^[58];^[59]

The main deities of Kalikula are Kali, Chandi and Durga. Chandi ( Sanskrit: sa चण्डी Caṇḍī or Chandika (Caṇḍīka is the supreme Goddess of Devi Mahatmya (Sanskrit Devīmāhātmyam देवीमाहात्म्यम् Other goddesses that enjoy veneration are Tara and the all other Mahavidyas as well as regional goddesses such as Manasa, the snake goddess, and Sitala, the smallpox goddess - all considered aspects of the Divine Mother. Mahavidyas ( Great Wisdoms) are aspects of Devi in Hinduism. The Ten Mahavidyas are known as Wisdom Goddesses Manasa (মনসা Manasha is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of northeastern India, chiefly for the Sitala, Sītala Devi or Māri (Tamil is the Goddess of Smallpox or the Goddess of Disease in popular or non-Vedic ^[60]

Two major centers of Shaktism in West Bengal are Kalighat in Calcutta and Tarapith in Birbhum district. Kalighat (কালীঘাট is a locality of Kolkata, India. Tarapith is a small town near Rampurhat in Birbhum district of West Bengal in India. Birbhum (বীরভূম is a district in West Bengal state of India In Calcutta, emphasis is on devotion (bhakti) to the goddess as Kali:

She is "the loving mother who protects her children and whose fierceness guards them. She is outwardly frightening – with dark skin, pointed teeth, and a necklace of skulls – but inwardly beautiful. She can guarantee a good rebirth or great religious insight, and her worship is often communal – especially at festivals, such as Kali Puja and Durga Puja. Durga Puja (দুর্গা পূজা ‘Worship of Durga’ also referred as Durgotsab (bn দুর্গোৎসব ‘Festival of Durga’ is an annual Worship may involve contemplation of the devotee's union with or love of the goddess, visualization of her form, chanting [of her] mantras, prayer before her image or yantra, and giving [of] offerings. "^[61]

Shakta Hindus in Dhaka, Bangladesh, pray to the goddess during Durga Puja, October 2003. Dhaka (also known as Dacca ( Bangla: ঢাকা ɖʱaka is the Capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. Durga Puja (দুর্গা পূজা ‘Worship of Durga’ also referred as Durgotsab (bn দুর্গোৎসব ‘Festival of Durga’ is an annual Author: Hasan Iqbal Wamy from Dhaka, Bangladesh

At Tarapith, Devi's manifestation as Tara ("She Who Saves") or Ugratara ("Fierce Tara") is ascendant, as the goddess who gives liberation (kaivalyadayini). [. . . ] The forms of sadhana performed here are more yogic and tantric than devotional, and they often involve sitting alone at the [cremation] ground, surrounded by ash and bone. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the There are shamanic elements associated with the Tarapith tradition, including 'conquest of the goddess', exorcism, trance, and control of spirits. "^[62]

The philosophical and devotional underpinning of all such ritual, however, remains a pervasive vision of the Devi as supreme, absolute divinity. As expressed by the nineteenth-century saint Ramakrishna, one of the most influential figures in modern Bengali Shaktism:

"Kali is none other than Brahman. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ( Bangla: রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস Ramkṛiṣṇo Pôromôhongśo) ( February 18, 1836 - That which is called Brahman is really Kali. She is the Primal Energy. When that Energy remains inactive, I call It Brahman, and when It creates, preserves, or destroys, I call It Shakti or Kali. What you call Brahman I call Kali. Brahman and Kali are not different. They are like fire and its power to burn: if one thinks of fire one must think of its power to burn. If one recognizes Kali one must also recognize Brahman; again, if one recognizes Brahman one must recognize Kali. Brahman and Its Power are identical. It is Brahman whom I address as Shakti or Kali. "^[63]

Festivals

Shaktas celebrate most major Hindu festivals (albeit sometimes with a slightly different emphasis), as well as a wide variety of local, temple-specific, and/or deity-specific observances. ^[64]

Oil lamps are lit in honor of the goddess Lakshmi (right) - along with Ganesha (left) - on the occasion of Diwali, the "Festival of Lights," usually held in October or November. Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar Diwali, or Deepavali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal (Markiscarali is a major Indian and Nepalese festival and a significant

The most important Shakta festival is Navratri (The "Festival of Nine Nights", or "Sharad [Autumn] Navratri"), which together with the tenth day, known as Dusshera or Vijayadashami, commemorates the Devi's victory over various demons in the Devi Mahatmya. Navratri ( Sanskrit: नवरात्रि is a Hindu Festival of worship and dance Vijayadashami ( Nepali:विजया दशमी Kannada: ವಿಜಯದಶಮಿ Telugu: విజయదశమి Hindi: विजयदशमी The Devi Mahatmya ( Sanskrit: devīmāhātmyam, sa देवीमाहात्म्यम् or "Glory of the Goddess " is a Hindu ^[65] In Bengal, the last four days of Navaratri are celebrated as Durga Puja, marking slaying of buffalo-demon Mahishasura by Durga. Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang Durga Puja (দুর্গা পূজা ‘Worship of Durga’ also referred as Durgotsab (bn দুর্গোৎসব ‘Festival of Durga’ is an annual In Hindu mythology, Mahishasura was an Asura. Mahishasur's father Rambha was king of the Asura, and he once fell in love with a water buffalo In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess ^[66]

Other Navaratris include Vasanta Navaratri ("The Spring Festival of Nine Nights" or Chaitra Navatri) - celebrated during late spring to summer (March-April) in the Hindu month of Chaitra and Ashada Navaratri("The Summer Festival of Nine Nights") in the Hindu month Ashadha. Chaitra ( Hindi: चैत cait or चैत्र caitr) is a Month of the Hindu calendar. Aashaadha ( Hindi: आसाढ़ aasaarh or आषाढ aaṣaaḍh) is a Month of the Hindu calendar. Srividya lineages celebrate Vasanta Navaratri as goddess Lalita's Navratri as opposed to Durga's Navratri in the autumn. Tripura Sundari, also called Shodashi, Lalita (lit "She Who Plays" and Rajarajeshvari, is one of the group of ten goddesses of Hindu Belief The Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu observes its major Navaratri celebration during this period. Vaishno Devi Mandir (वैष्णोदेबी मन्दिर is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located in the hill of ^[67] Ashada Navaratri is particularly important for devotees of the boar-headed goddess Varahi, one of the seven Matrikas of the Devi Mahatmya. Matrikas ( Sanskrit: mātṝkās sa मातृका lit "The Mothers" also called Matara (Sanskrit mātaraḥ sa मातरः and ^[68]

Most Shaktas worship Lakshmi ceremonially at home on this, the full moon night following Durga Puja this is also called as Khojagiri Lakshmi Puja. ^[69] Another festival dedicated to Lakshmi is Diwali (or Deepavali; the "Festival of Lights"). Diwali, or Deepavali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal (Markiscarali is a major Indian and Nepalese festival and a significant The major Hindu holiday of Diwali, the North Indian New Year, is held on the night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Kartik (usually October or November). Shaktas (and many non-Shaktas) consider it as another Lakshmi Puja, placing small oil lamps outside their homes and praying for the goddess to come and bless them. ^[70] Diwali coincides with the celebration of Kali Puja, popular in Bengal, with some Shakta traditions focusing their worship on Devi as Kali rather than Devi as Lakshmi. ^[71]

Jagaddhatri Puja is celebrated on the last four days of the Navaratis, following Kali Puja. Jagaddhatri or Jagadhatri (Bengali জগদ্ধাত্রী 'the Protector of the World' is considered as a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess It is very similar to Durga Puja in its details and observance, and is especially popular in Bengal and some other parts of Eastern India.

Gauri Puja is performed on the fifth day after Ganesh Chaturthi, during Ganesha Puja in Western India, to celebrate the arrival of Gauri, Mother of Ganesha, to come and bring her son back home. Ganesha Chaturthi ( IAST: Gaṇeśa Caturthī Devanagari: गणेश चतुर्थी or Ganesha Festival is a day on which Lord Ganesha Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar Parvati ( Sanskrit: Pārvatī sa [[wiktपार्वती पार्वती]] sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu

There are variant dates for Saraswati Puja, depending upon region and local tradition. Commonly, on the fifth day of the Hindu month of Phalguna (January-February), students offer their books and musical instruments to Saraswati and pray for her blessings in their studies. Phalguna ( Hindi: फागुन phaagun or फाल्गुन phaalgun, Tamil: பங்குனி In some parts of India, Saraswati Puja is celebrated in the month of Magh; in others, during the final three days of Navratri. Navratri ( Sanskrit: नवरात्रि is a Hindu Festival of worship and dance ^[72]

A gopuram (tower) of the Meenakshi Amman Temple, a Shakta temple at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, which was nominated in the "New Seven Wonders of the World" competition in 2004. A Gopuram or gopura (also known as a vimanam) is a monumental tower usually ornate at the entrance of a temple especially in Southern India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country New Seven Wonders of the World is a project that attempts to revive the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept with a list of modern wonders

Major Shakta temple festivals are Meenakshi Kalyanam and Ambubachi Mela. Meenakshi Kalyanam observes the auspicious occasion of Devi's (as Meenakshi) marriage to Lord Sundareshwara (Shiva) is centered around the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Meenatchi or Meenakshi ( IAST mīnakṣi, often written Meenakshi in Tamil மீனாட்சி s a Hindu deity Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi Amman Temple ( மீனாக்ஷி அம்மன் கோவில்) is a historic Hindu Madurai Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. It runs for 12 days, counting from the second day of the lunar month of Chaitra, in April or May. Chaitra ( Hindi: चैत cait or चैत्र caitr) is a Month of the Hindu calendar. ^[73] Ambubachi Mela is a celebration of the yearly menstruation of the goddess, held in June/July (during the monsoon season) at Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati, Assam. The Kamakhya Temple is a shakti temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam, India. Here the Devi is worshiped in the form of a yoni-like stone over which a naturally red-tinted spring flows. The word yoni (Sanskrit योिन yoni) is the Sanskrit word for "divine passage" "place of birth" "womb" in the sense of 'source ^[74]

Temples

Further information: List of Shakti Temples and Shakti Peethas

There are thousands of Shakti temples; vast or tiny, famous or obscure. The Shakti Peethas ( holy places of cosmic power) are places of worship consecrated to the goddess ' Shakti ', the female principal of Hinduism Moreover, countless cities, towns, villages and geographic landmarks are named for various forms of the Devi. ^[75] "In this vast country, holy resorts of the goddess are innumerable and the popularity of her cult is proved even in the place-names of India. "^[76]

At various times, different writers have attempted to organize some of these into lists of "Shakti Peethas"; literally "Seats of the Devi", or more broadly, "Places of Power". The Shakti Peethas ( holy places of cosmic power) are places of worship consecrated to the goddess ' Shakti ', the female principal of Hinduism Numbering anywhere from four to 51 (in the most famous list, found in the Tantra Cudamani), "the peethas [became] a popular theme of the medieval writers, many of whom took the greatest liberty in fabricating the place names, the goddesses and their bhairavas [consorts]. Bhairava (Sanskrit sa भैरव "Terrible" or "Frightful" sometimes known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya, is the fierce manifestation "^[77]

Criticism and misuse

Shaktism has at times been dismissed as a superstitious, black magic-infested practice that hardly qualifies as a true religion at all. Typical of such criticism is this broadside issued by an Indian scholar in the 1920s:

"The Hindoo Goddess Karle", an illustration from Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers About the Heathen, by Dr. John Scudder (London, 1849).

"The Tantras are the bible of Shaktism, [. . . ] identifying all Force with the female principle in nature and teaching an undue adoration of the wives of Shiva and Vishnu to the neglect of their male counterparts. [. . . ] It is certain that a vast number of the inhabitants of India are guided in their daily life by Tantrik teaching, and are in bondage to the gross superstitions inculcated in these writings. And indeed it can scarcely be doubted that Shaktism is Hinduism arrived at its worst and most corrupt stage of development. "^[78]

Statements of this kind, White notes, are based principally on the ignorance, misunderstanding and prejudice of some outside observers, as well as the unscrupulous practices of certain insiders. "It is in this context that many Hindus in India today deny the relevance of Tantra to their tradition, past or present, identifying what they call tantra-mantra as so much mumbo-jumbo. "^[79]

Further muddying the waters, "a number of Indian and Western spiritual entrepreneurs have been offering 'Tantric Sex' to a mainly American and European clientele for the past several decades. Presenting the entire history of Tantra as a unified, monolithic 'cult of ecstasy' and assuming that all that has smacked of eroticism in Indian culture is by definition Tantric, New Age Tantra eclectically blends together Indian erotics, techniques of massage, Ayurveda, and yoga into a single invented tradition [. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other . . ] pitched at a leisured populace of seekers who treat 'Tantric sex' as a consumer product. "^[80]

Nor is it uncommon to encounter assertions that the Shaiva and Vaishnava schools of Hinduism lead to moksha, or spiritual liberation, whereas Shaktism leads merely to siddhis (occult powers) and bhukti (material enjoyments) – or, at best (according to some Shaiva interpreters), to Shaivism; for example, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami has stated that in Shaktism, emphasis is given to the feminine manifest by which the masculine Un-manifest Parasiva is ultimately reached. In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Not to be confused with the African-descended Siddi people of India (though sometimes spelled identically Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. In Hinduism, Parasiva is the aspect of Siva, the Absolute which is beyond human comprehension and is beyond all attributes ^[81] Such claims are dismissed by serious theologians within Shaktism:^[82]

"Each of the [Divine Mother's] vidyas [aspects of wisdom, i. e. forms] is a Brahma Vidya [path to Supreme Wisdom]. The sadhaka of any one of these [Shakta paths] attains ultimately, if his aspiration is such, the supreme purpose of life – self-realisation and God-realisation, [for] realising the Goddess is not different from [realising] one's self. "^[83]

Expansion beyond South Asia

The practice of Shaktism is no longer confined to South Asia. Traditional Shakta temples have sprung up across Southeast Asia, the Americas, Europe, Australia and elsewhere – some enthusiastically attended by non-Indian as well as Indian diaspora Hindus. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. A non-resident Indian (NRI is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country a person of Indian origin who is born outside India or a person of Examples in the United States include the Kali Mandir in Laguna Beach, California;^[84] and Sri Rajarajeshwari Peetam,^[85] a Srividya Shakta temple in rural Rush, New York. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Laguna Beach is a seaside resort and artist community located in southern Orange County California, approximately southeast of the county seat of Santa Ana. Rush is a Town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 3603 at the 2000 census The Rush temple was, in fact, recently the subject an in-depth academic study exploring the "dynamics of diaspora Hinduism," including the serious entry and involvement of non-Indians in traditional Hindu religious practice. ^[86]

Shaktism has also become a focus of some Western spiritual seekers attempting to construct new Goddess-centered faiths. ^[87] An academic study of Western Kali enthusiasts noted that, "as shown in the histories of all cross-cultural religious transplants, Kali devotionalism in the West must take on its own indigenous forms if it is to adapt to its new environment. "^[88] However, these East-West fusions can also raise complex and troubling issues of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group

Writers and thinkers, "notably feminists and participants in New Age spirituality who are attracted to goddess worship", have explored Kali in new light. Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature She is considered as a "symbol of wholeness and healing, associated especially with repressed female power and sexuality. " These new interpretations have originated from "feminist sources,almost none of which base their interpretations on a close reading of Kali's Indian background". "It is hard to import the worship of a goddess from another culture: religious associations and connotations have to be learned, imagined or intuited when the deep symbolic meanings embedded in the native culture are not available. " ^[89]

A powerful motivation behind Western interest in Shaktism has been suggested by Linda Johnsen, a popular writer on Eastern spirituality, who asserts that many central concepts of Shaktism – including aspects of kundalini yoga as well as goddess worship – were once "common to the Hindu, Chaldean, Greek and Roman civilizations," but were largely lost to the West, as well as the Near and Middle East, with the rise of the Abrahamic religions:

"Of these four great ancient civilizations, working knowledge of the inner forces of enlightenment has survived on a mass scale only in India. Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Only in India has the inner tradition of the Goddess endured. This is the reason the teachings of India are so precious. They offer us a glimpse of what our own ancient wisdom must have been. The Indians have preserved our lost heritage. [. . . ] Today it is up to us to locate and restore the tradition of the living Goddess. We would do well to begin our search in India, where for not one moment in all of human history have the children of the living Goddess forgotten their Divine Mother. "^[90]

Notes

References

Further reading

• McDaniel, June, Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal, Oxford University Press (2004). (ISBN 0195167902)
• Ostor, Akos, The Play of the Gods: Locality, Ideology, Structure and Time in the Festivals of a Bengali Town, University of Chicago Press (1980). (ISBN 0-226-63954-1)
• Satyananda Saraswati, Swami, Cosmic Puja, Devi Mandir (2001). (ISBN 1-877795-70-4)
• Sen, Ramprasad, Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair : Selected Poems to the Mother Goddess. (ISBN 0-934252-94-7)

External links

• Bengali Religious Lyrics, Śākta
• The Indian Magna Mater