ŚHAKTI

BY MARIA GARRRE WWW.MARIAGARRE.COM

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

All spiritual traditions, particularly Tantra, aim at awakening śakti.

School of Śrīvidyā is one of the most important branches of Śakta Tāntrism which explain the many roles of śakti in the attainment of spiritual/,ystical experiences

First written forms of the word śakti appear in the Vedas, Upanisads and Purānas.

Verb root is śak of śakti means “power to produce an effect, capability, efficiency or potency”

in the Rgveda as vajra, the thunderbolt has been associated with śakti as a sense of capacity and karma the power to act. it is seen as a force instead of as a goddess.

in the Samhitas Aditi, Gña, Sarasvatī and Vāk are mentioned

The Devi Sukta in the 10th mandalam of the Rg Veda

Ūma, Parkriti and Māyā in the Upanishads

Mārkandeya Purana, Śiva Purana, Devībhagavata and Durgā Saptaśatī are among some of the most popular renditions of Śakti in ancient texts"

When she is accompaniced by a god who is her consort then her name, form, weapons and functions vary according to her consort

ऋ"#दो&त (वीस,&तम् Rig Vede Devi Suktamऋ"#दो&त (वीस,&तम्

- Rig Veda 10.8.125

ॐ अहिम&य(च*+य स-.त +य वागा3भ5णी ऋ9ष: सि;च&स<खा&मक: सव*गत: परमा&मा Aवता, 9Bतीयाया ऋचो जगती, िश(ानG 9H(<प् छKद:, Aवीमाहा&3य पाठN 9व9नयोग:।

/यानम्

ॐ Oसह+था शिशQखरा मरकतRSयTUत<Vभभ<*जT: शWखX चYधन<:शरGU दधती [HTि\िभ: शोिभता।आम<.ताWगदहारकWकणरण&का^ीरणKन-प<रा _ग` _ग*9तहा9रणी भवत< नो रत्‍‌नोaलस&कcdडला॥

(वीस,&तम्

Vak Uwachवाक् उवाच

ॐ अहX ghNिभव*स<िभUरा3यहमा9द&यTgत 9वiAवT:। अहX िमHावgणोभा 9बभ‌3य*हिमKhाkी अहमिl्वनोभा॥१॥

Om ! I move along with the Rudras, Vasus, Adithas and all other Devas. I bear the Mithra, Varuna, Indra, Agni and the two Ashwini Devas. [1]

अहX सोममाहनसX 9बभ‌3य*हX &व(ारम<त प-षणX भगम्। अहX दधािम h9वणX ह9वnमo स<Rाpq यजमानाय स<Kवo॥२॥

I bear the Soman who is the destroyer of enemies and the Twashta, Bushan and Bagan. I give wealth to the performer of the Yajna or Sacrifice who submits sacrificial things in the Yajna, who pours the Soma rasa, and who makes the Devas receive the Havis or their due of the Sacrifice. [2]

अहX रा(sी सXगमनी वस-नG िच9कत<षी Rथमा यिtयानाम्। तG मा Aवा pयदध<: प<gHा भ-9र+थाHG भ-यu्याvशयKतीम्॥३॥

I am the Queen of the Universe; I give wealth to those who worship me. I am the all-knowing one and the prime one among the worshippable deities. I enter many bodies as the Atma, taking various forms and with different manifestations, in various ways. Hence, the Devas have incorporated me in various places.[3]

मया सो अKनमिx यो 9वपyय9त य: Rािण9त य ई l5णो&य<.त म्।अमKतवो मG त उप ि{यिKत l<9ध l<त lि|वX o वदािम॥४॥

That one who eats food, who sees, breathes, and hears whatever is said, he does all that only through me (my powers). Those who do not understand me, die. O dear one ! (to the worshipper or devotee), hear this singing of mine with concentration. [4]

Iअह~व +वयिमदX वदािम ज<(X Avिभgत मान<षNिभ:।यX कामq तX तम<�X क�णोिम तX ��ाणX तम5Oष तX स<~धाम्॥५॥

"All these are me (and various manifestations of mine). I am the one worshipped by the Devas and the earthly beings. If I like someone (for his meditation towards me), I make him the greatest, the most intelligent as a Sage, and as a Self-Realised soul. [5]

अहX ghाय धन<रा तनोिम ��9BषN शरv हKतवा उ। अहX जनाय समदX क�णो3यहX�ावाप59थवीआ9वvश॥६॥

I bend the bow of the Rudra to kill all those enemies who detest all good things. I fight these bad elements / enemies only for the people. I enter, pervade and persist throughout the earth and the sky.[6]

अहX स<v 9पतरम+य म-ध*Kमम यो9नर�+वKत: सम<hN ।ततो 9व 9त�N भ<वनान< 9वiोताम-X �G व‌nम*णोप +पशिम॥७॥

I created the sky, which is (as a shelter) above the earth and which is fatherly for all beings. My creativity (power) is within the Ocean and waters. By that, I am present in all the worlds. And I touch the sky with my body.[7]

अह~व वात इव Rवा3यारभमाणा भ<वना9न 9वiा।परो 9दवा पर एना प59थpयTतावती म9हना सXबभ-व॥८॥

When I start creating all the worlds, I function like the air (so fast in the function). I am taller and higher than the Sky. I am greater than this earth. Such is my valor, might, prowess and greatness. [8]

ADITI

ŚIVA PURANA

śiva separate from śakti

Rudra, Viśnu and Brahmā

Kama | Desire

Rudra Samhita | Ch. 2 v12-43

1. the incarnation of Mahākālika

2. the incarnation of Mahālaksmī

3. Slaying of the demons

4. the incarnation of sarsvatī

5. the incarnation of umā

6. the incarnation of śatāksī

ŚRĪMAD DEVĪBHĀGAVATAM

DURGA SAPTAŚATI

used as a map to explain the multilevel universe and process which it evolves

gemetrical representation of śrīvidyā mythology

seen as Tripurasundarī | an image of the goddess

devised to give the vision of the totality of existence

ŚRĪCAKRA

in the center is the bindu, surrounded by a trikona

Vasukona (8 triangles) surround the central triangle

Daśārayugna (set of 10 triangles) surrounds the 8 triangles

Manvasra (14 triangles) then surround Saśārayugna

Nāgadala 8 petals surround the triangles

sodaśrāra, 16 petals surround the 8 petals

Vrttatraya, 3 circles, surrounded by sadanatraya (3 squares) with four openings, gates to the four directions

cosmic union of śiva and śakti

ŚAKTI MANTRAS

aum aim saraswataye namaha

aum aim hrim klim chamundaye vicche

aum hrim namaha

aum dum durgaye namaha