Shoolini , ( Sanskrit : शूलिनी) is the principal form of the Goddess Durga or Parvati , also known as Devi and Shakti .
106-437: Maa Shoolini ( Mahashakti ), the form and formless, is the root of knowledge, wisdom, creation, preservation and annihilation. She is Shakti or power of Lord Shiva . Narasimha , the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu , couldn't control his rage after killing the unruly demon king Hiranyakashipu . He was becoming a threat to the entire universe. So, Lord Shiva, in order to pacify Narasimha, manifestated as Sharabha . Shoolini
212-552: A deity in Hinduism . The concept and reverence for goddesses appears in the Vedas , which were composed around the 2nd millennium BCE. However, they did not play a vital role in that era. Goddesses such as Durga , Kali , Lakshmi , Parvati , Radha , Saraswati and Sita have continued to be revered in the modern era. The medieval era Puranas witness a major expansion in mythology and literature associated with Devi, with texts such as
318-555: A pantheon of ten goddesses. The rarer forms of Devi found among tantric Shakta are the Mahavidyas , particularly Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshvari , Tara , Bhairavi , Chhinnamasta , Dhumavati , Bagalamukhi , Matangi , and Kamala . Other major goddess groups include the Sapta-Matrika ("Seven Mothers"), "who are the energies of different major Gods, and described as assisting the great Shakta Devi in her fight with demons", and
424-415: A pustaka (book or script), a mala (rosary, garland), a water pot, and a musical instrument (lute or vina). The book she holds symbolizes the Vedas representing the universal, divine, eternal, and true knowledge as well as all forms of learning. A mālā of crystals, representing the power of meditation, and a pot of water represents the power to purify right from wrong. The musical instrument, typically
530-522: A veena , represents all creative arts and sciences, and her holding it symbolizes expressing knowledge that creates harmony. The Saraswatirahasya Upanishad of the Yajurveda contain ten verses called " dasa sloki " which are in praise of Sarasvati. In this Upanishad, she is extolled as You are the swan gliding over the pond of creative energy, waves and waves of creative forces emanating from your form! Radiant Goddess resplendent in white, dwells forever in
636-460: A broad range of culturally valued goals and activities. Her connection with motherhood and female sexuality does not confine the feminine or exhaust their significance and activities in Hindu literature. She manifests in every activity, from water to mountains, from arts to inspiring warriors, from agriculture to dance. Parvati's numerous aspects, states Gross, reflect the Hindu belief that the feminine has
742-527: A cognate of devi is Latin dea . When capitalised, Devi maata refers to the mother goddess in Hinduism. Deva is short for devatā and devi for devika . According to Douglas Harper, the etymological root dev- means "a shining one", from * div -, "to shine", it is an Indo-European cognate of the Greek dios , Gothic divine and Latin deus (Old Latin deivos ); see also *Dyēus . A synonym for
848-462: A day over nine days. These are: Shailaputri , Brahmacharini , Chandraghanta , Kushmanda , Skandamata , Katyayani , Kaalratri , Mahagauri and Siddhidaatri . In the goddess-worshiping Shaktidharma denomination of Hinduism, the supreme deity Mahadevi manifests as the goddess Mahasaraswati in order to create, as the goddess Mahalaxmi in order to preserve, and as the goddess Mahakali ( Parvati ) in order to destroy. These three forms of
954-508: 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 . 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." At Tarapith, Devi's manifestation as Tara ("She Who Saves") or Ugratara ("Fierce Tara")
1060-451: A part of the bhakti movement symbolising "yearning of human soul drawn to Krishna". In South India , she is considered as Bhumidevi . Though goddess Radha has more than thousand names but some of her common names used by devotees are – Radhika, Radhe, Radharani, Madhavi, Keshavi, Shyama, Kishori, Shreeji, Swamini ji (in Pushtimarg ) , Raseshwari, Vrindavaneshwari and Laadli ji. In
1166-839: A pervasive vision of the Devi as supreme, absolute divinity. As expressed by the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna , one of the most influential figures in modern Bengali Shaktism: Kali is none other than Brahman. 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
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#17330862977441272-552: A shakta Upanishad, Sita is extolled as the supreme goddess. The Upanishad identifies Sita with Prakrti (nature) which is constituted by "will" ichha , activity ( kriya ) and knowledge ( jnana ). The Upanishad also states that Sita emerged while furrowing, at the edge of the plough . She is extolled as one of the Panchakanya for her virtuous qualities; taking their names destroys all sins. Her life story and journeys with her husband Rama and brother-in-law Lakshmana are part of
1378-608: A shakta or tantric poem, is dedicated to the Supreme Deity of the sect, Parvati who is considered much superior to Shiva. It celebrates Parvati and her feminine persona. It is an approach to the tantra through Parvati. In Shakti Tantra traditions, Devis are visualized with yantra and are a tool for spiritual journey for the tantric adept. The adepts ritually construct triangle yantras with proper use of visualization, movement, and mantra. The adepts believe, state John Stratton Hawley and Donna Marie Wulff, that "to establish such yantra
1484-474: A universal range of activities, and her gender is not a limiting condition. In Hindu belief, Parvati is the recreative energy and power of Shiva, and she is the cause of a bond that connects all beings and a means of their spiritual release. Devi is portrayed as the ideal wife, mother, and householder in Indian legends. In Indian art, this vision of ideal couple is derived from Shiva and Parvati as being half of
1590-404: A white lotus . She not only embodies knowledge but also the experience of the highest reality. Her iconography is typically in white themes from dress to flowers to swan – the color symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity, discrimination for true knowledge, insight and wisdom. She is generally shown to have 8 to 10 arms, but sometimes just shows two. The four hands hold items with symbolic meaning –
1696-771: Is "the paradigm for rituals and ceremonies for the bride and groom in Hindu weddings ." Archaeological discoveries and ancient coins suggest the recognition and reverence for goddess Lakshmi in the Scytho-Parthian kingdom and throughout India by the 1st millennium BCE. She is also revered in other non-Hindu cultures of Asia, such as in Tibet.She is also worshipped in Buddhism. Lakshmi's iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples throughout Southeast Asia, estimated to be from second half of 1st millennium CE. In modern times, Lakshmi
1802-433: Is Brahman whom I address as Shakti or Kali. Shaktas celebrate most major Hindu festivals, as well as a huge variety of local, temple- or deity-specific observances. A few of the more important events are listed below: The most important Shakta festival is Navaratri (lit., "Festival of Nine Nights"), also known as "Sharad Navaratri" because it falls during the Hindu season of Sharad (September/October/November). This
1908-586: Is I, it is my greatness dwelling in everything. The Vedic literature reveres various goddesses, but far less frequently than Gods Indra , Agni and Soma . Yet, they are declared equivalent aspects of the neutral Brahman, of Prajapati and Purusha . The goddesses often mentioned in the Vedic layers of text include the Ushas (dawn), Vāc (speech, wisdom), Sarasvati (as river), Prithivi (earth), Nirriti (annihilator), Shraddha (faith, confidence). Goddesses such as Uma appear in
2014-584: Is a form of Maa Kali or Maa Durga. She is also known as Shoolini Durga . Shoolini Mela Solan, the Mushroom city of India acquires its name from the sacred shrine of Goddess Shoolini positioned in Solan. The marvellous temple of Shoolini Devi is principally reckoned for the Shoolini Mela celebrated here in the last week of June every year. Dedicated to the patron Goddess of Solan i.e. Maa Shoolini, celebrated in
2120-417: Is a major Hindu denomination in which the godhead or metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically to be a woman. Shaktism involves a galaxy of goddesses, all being regarded as different aspects, manifestations, or personifications of the divine feminine energy called Shakti . It includes various modes of worship, ranging from those focused on the most worshipped Durga , to gracious Parvati , and
2226-524: Is also mentioned as the creative power of Shiva in Tripura Upanishad , Bahvricha Upanishad and Guhyakali Upanishad. Devi identifies herself in the Devi Upanishad as Brahman in her reply to the gods stating that she rules the world, blesses devotees with riches, that she is the supreme deity to whom all worship is to be offered and that she infuses Ātman in every soul. Devi asserts that she
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#17330862977442332-415: Is an example of the later, where she subsumes all goddesses, becomes the ultimate goddess, and is sometimes just called Devi. Theological texts projected Mahadevi as ultimate reality in the universe as a "powerful, creative, active, transcendent female being." The Puranas and Tantra literature of India celebrates this idea, particularly between the 12th–16th century, and the best example of such texts being
2438-591: 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. There are shamanic elements associated with the Tarapith tradition, including "conquest of the Goddess, exorcism, trance, and control of spirits." The philosophical and devotional underpinning of all such ritual, however, remains
2544-593: Is astride on a tiger or lion. In the Skanda Purana , the Devi Bhagvata Purana and other Puranas , Devi assumes the form of a warrior-goddess and defeats an asura called Durgamasura , who assumes the form of a buffalo. In this aspect, she is known by the name Durga. In later Hindu literature, states Jansen, she is attributed the role of the "energy, power (shakti) of the Impersonal Absolute". In
2650-523: Is believed to be worshipped along with her 25 forms. The kali ghat temple is located in Calcutta and Tarapith in Birbhum district . In Calcutta, emphasis is on devotion ( bhakti ) to the goddess as Kali . Where the goddess (Kali) is seen as the destroyer of evil; She is "the loving mother who protects her children and whose fierceness guards them. She is outwardly frightening – with dark skin, pointed teeth, and
2756-590: Is called Shakta. According to a 2010 estimate by Johnson and Grim, Shaktism is the third largest Hindu sect constituting about 3.2% of Hindus. The Sruti and Smriti texts of Hinduism form an important scriptural framework in Shaktism. Scriptures such as the Devi Mahatmya , Devi-Bhagavata Purana , Kalika Purana , and Shakta Upanishads like the Devi Upanishad are revered. The Devi Mahatmya in particular,
2862-461: Is called in Yoga Vasistha as Prakṛti or "all of nature". She is described in the text, state Shimkhanda and Herman, as the "one great body of cosmos", and same as Devis "Durga, Jaya and Siddha, Lakshmi, Gayatri, Saraswati, Parvati, Savitri". She is the power that supports the earth, with all its seas, islands, forests, deserts and mountains, asserts Yoga Vasistha . She is not to be confused with
2968-475: Is celebrated as " Radhashtami ". She is described by scriptures as the chief of gopis . She is also revered as the queen of Barsana , Vrindavan and her spiritual abode Goloka . Her love affair with Krishna was set in Vraja and its surrounding forests. It is said that " Krishna enchants the world but Radha can even enchant Krishna due to her selfless love and complete dedication towards him ". Radha has always been
3074-463: Is clothed in a tiger skin, rides a tiger, and wields a staff topped by a human skull. She destroys the asuras. Literature on goddess Kali recounts several such appearances, mostly in her terrifying but protective aspects. Kali appears as an independent deity, or like Parvati, viewed as the wife of Shiva . In this aspect, she represents the omnipotent Shakti of Shiva. She holds both the creative and destructive power of time. Kali, also called Kalaratri,
3180-464: Is considered in Shaktism to be as important as the Bhagavad Gita . The Devi-Mahatmya is not the earliest literary fragment attesting to the existence of devotion to a goddess figure, states Thomas B. Coburn – a professor of Religious Studies, but "it is surely the earliest in which the object of worship is conceptualized as goddess, with a capital G". [T]he central conception of Hindu philosophy
3286-450: Is considered in Shaktism to be as important as the Bhagavad Gita . The Devi is revered in many Hindu temples and is worshipped during various Hindu festivals . The goddess-focused tradition and festivals such as the Durga puja are very popular in the eastern India. The earliest archaeological evidence of what appears to be an Upper Paleolithic shrine for Shakti worship were discovered in
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3392-483: Is escorted in a very ostentatious manner. The Mata Durga Temple of the Ganj Bazar is the ultimate destination of Goddess Shoolini which is regarded to be the abode of her sister Durga Devi. The Goddess Shoolini halts at her sister's place for three days and then returns to her own domicile. The return journey of the Goddess to her own temple is celebrated on the last day of Shoolini Mela with even more pomp and grandeur. On
3498-412: Is expressed with a different name, giving her over 1008 names in regional Hindu mythologies of India, including the popular names such as Gauri. Along with Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and learning), she forms the trinity of Hindu goddesses . Parvati is married to Shiva – the destroyer, recycler, and regenerator of the universe and all life. She
3604-438: Is held as the liberating knowledge. However, adds Tracy Pintchman – a professor of Religious Studies and Hinduism, Devi Gita incorporates Tantric ideas giving the Devi a form and motherly character rather than the gender-neutral concept of Adi Shankara's Advaita Vedanta. Shaktism is a goddess-centric tradition of Hinduism, involving many goddesses, all being regarded as various aspects, manifestations, or personifications of
3710-472: Is most dominant in northeastern India, and is most widely prevalent in West Bengal , Assam , Bihar and Odisha , as well as Nepal and Kerala . The goddesses Kubjika, Kulesvari, Chamunda , Chandi , Shamshan Kali (goddess of the cremation ground), Dakshina Kali, and Siddheshwari are worshipped in the region of Bengal to protect against disease and smallpox as well as ill omens. Kalikula lineages focus upon
3816-570: Is of the Absolute; that is the background of the universe. This Absolute Being, of whom we can predicate nothing, has Its powers spoken of as She — that is, the real personal God in India is She. Shaktas conceive the goddess as the supreme, ultimate, eternal reality of all existence, or same as the Brahman concept of Hinduism. She is considered to be simultaneously the source of all creation, its embodiment and
3922-400: Is propounded in many Hindu texts such as the Devi Upanishad , which teaches that Shakti is essentially Brahman (ultimate metaphysical Reality) and that from her arises prakṛti (matter) and purusha (consciousness) and that she is bliss and non-bliss, the Vedas and what is different from it, the born and the unborn and all of the universe. Shakti is Parvati , Shiva ’s wife. She
4028-509: Is subdivided into Vāmatantras, Yāmalatantras, and Śaktitantras. The Kulamārga preserves some of the distinctive features of the Kāpālika tradition, from which it is derived. It is subdivided into four subcategories of texts based on the goddesses Kuleśvarī, Kubjikā, Kālī and Tripurasundarī respectively. The Trika texts are closely related to the Kuleśvarī texts and can be considered as part of
4134-466: Is syncretism of Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta schools of Hindu philosophy , called Shaktadavaitavada (literally, the path of nondualistic Shakti). The Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda , remarked thus; about being an actual Shakti worshipper: "Do you know who is the real "Shakti-worshipper"? It is he who knows that God is the omnipresent force in the universe and sees in women the manifestation of that Force." Shakta-universalist Sri Ramakrishna , one of
4240-542: Is the creator of earth and heaven and resides there. Her creation of the sky as father and the seas as the mother is reflected as the 'Inner Supreme Self'. Her creations are not prompted by any higher being and she resides in all her creations. She is, states Devi, the eternal and infinite consciousness engulfing earth and heaven, and 'all forms of bliss and non-bliss, knowledge and ignorance, Brahman and Non-Brahman'. The tantric aspect in Devi Upanishad, says June McDaniel,
4346-486: Is the festival that worships the Navadurgas , forms of Devi . This festival – often taken together with the following tenth day, known as Dusshera or Vijayadashami – celebrates the goddess Durga's victory over a series of powerful demons described in the Devi Mahatmya . In Bengal , the last four days of Navaratri are called Durga Puja, and mark one episode in particular: Durga's iconic slaying of Mahishasura (lit.,
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4452-404: Is the mother of Hindu gods Ganesha and Kartikeya . Her parents are Himavan and Maināvati. According to Puranas she performed strict tapasya and achieved the position of consort of Shiva. Rita Gross states, the view of Parvati only as an ideal wife and mother is an incomplete symbolism of the power of the feminine in the mythology of India. Parvati, along with other goddesses, are involved with
4558-411: Is the usage of the terms yantra , bindu , bija , mantra , shakti and chakra . Among the major world religions, the concept of Goddess in Hinduism as the divine feminine has had the strongest presence since ancient times. Parvati is the Hindu goddess of love, beauty, purity and devotion. She is the mother goddess in Hinduism and has many attributes and aspects. Each of her aspects
4664-459: Is thereafter invincible, and revered as "preserver of Dharma , destroyer of evil". Durga's emergence and mythology is described in the Puranas , particularly the Devi Mahatmya . The text describes Kālī 's emerging out of Parvati when she becomes extremely angry. Parvati's face turns pitch dark, and suddenly Kali springs forth from Parvati's forehead. She is black, wears a garland of human heads ,
4770-424: Is to place the macrocosm within oneself", and doing so can yield temporal benefits, spiritual powers or enlightenment. A tantric text titled "Vigyan Bhairav Tantra", 'Vigyan' meaning "consciousness" is a conversation between Shiva and Parvati rendered in 112 verses, elaborates on "wisdom and insight of pure consciousness." Devi Puja is the worship of Parvati which is observed through four forms of Devi Yantra;
4876-498: Is worshipped as the goddess of wealth. The festivals of Diwali and Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima) are celebrated in her honor. Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and learning. She is the consort of Brahma . The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a goddess is in Rigveda . She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic age through modern times of Hindu traditions. Some Hindus celebrate
4982-581: The Devi Mahatmya , wherein she manifests as the ultimate truth and supreme power. She has inspired the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. Further, Devi is viewed as central in the Hindu traditions of Shaktism and Shaivism . Devi and deva are Sanskrit terms found in Vedic literature around the 3rd millennium BCE. Deva is masculine, and the related feminine equivalent is devi . Monier-Williams translates it as 'heavenly, divine, terrestrial things of high excellence, exalted, shining ones'. Etymologically,
5088-625: The Devi-Bhagavata Purana states: I am Manifest Divinity, Unmanifest Divinity, and Transcendent Divinity. I am Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, as well as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. 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 in
5194-496: The Kaula (a vamamarga practice) and the Samaya (a dakshinamarga practice). The Kaula or Kaulachara , first appeared as a coherent ritual system in the 8th century in central India, and its most revered theorist is the 18th-century philosopher Bhaskararaya , widely considered "the best exponent of Shakta philosophy." The Samaya or Samayacharya finds its roots in the work of
5300-511: The Rigveda . However, the goddesses are not discussed as frequently as gods ( devas ). Devi appears in late Vedic texts dated to be pre-Buddhist, but verses dedicated to her do not suggest that her characteristics were fully developed in the Vedic era. All gods and goddesses are distinguished in Vedic times, but in post-Vedic texts, particularly in the early medieval era literature, they are ultimately seen as aspects or manifestations of one Devi,
5406-692: The Shakta Upanishads , as well as Shakta-oriented Upa Puranic literature such as the Devi Purana and Kalika Purana , the Lalita Sahasranama (from the Brahmanda Purana ). The Tripura Upanishad is historically the most complete introduction to Shakta Tantrism, distilling into its 16 verses almost every important topic in Shakta Tantra tradition. Along with the Tripura Upanishad ,
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#17330862977445512-494: The Sri Chakra , is probably the most famous visual image in all of Hindu Tantric tradition. Its literature and practice is perhaps more systematic than that of any other Shakta sect. Srividya largely views the goddess as "benign [ saumya ] and beautiful [ saundarya ]" (in contrast to Kalikula's focus on "terrifying [ ugra ] and horrifying [ ghora ]" Goddess forms such as Kali or Durga). In Srikula practice, moreover, every aspect of
5618-640: The Tripuratapini Upanishad has attracted scholarly bhasya (commentary) in the second half of 2nd-millennium, such as the work of Bhaskararaya , and Ramanand. These texts link the Shakti Tantra tradition as a Vedic attribute, however this link has been contested by scholars. Scriptures such as the Devi Mahatmya, Devi-Bhagavata Purana , Kalika Purana, and Shakta Upanishads like the Devi Upanishad are particularly revered. The seventh book of
5724-564: The Kali Yuga , which is spelled similarly yet holds a different meaning. The Kali Yuga is presented as a threat to Mother India, with pictures from the nineteenth century depicting the age as a "ferocious meat-eating demon" in comparison to India's depiction of "a cow giving milk to her children". The largest annual festival associated with the goddess is Durga Puja celebrated in the month of Ashvin (September–October), where nine manifestations of Parvati ( Navadurga ) are worshipped, each on
5830-648: The Rigveda (10.125.1 to 10.125.8) is among the most studied hymns declaring that the ultimate reality is a goddess: I have created all worlds at my will without being urged by any higher Being, and dwell within them. I permeate the earth and heaven, and all created entities with my greatness and dwell in them as eternal and infinite consciousness. The Vedas name numerous cosmic goddesses such as Prithvi (earth), Aditi (cosmic moral order), Vāc (sound), Nirṛti (destruction), Ratri (night) and Aranyani (forest); bounty goddesses such as Dinsana, Raka, Puramdhi, Parendi, Bharati and Mahi are among others are mentioned in
5936-455: The Shaktism traditions of Hinduism, found particularly in eastern states of India, Durga is a popular goddess form of Adishakti . In the medieval era composed texts such as the Puranas, she emerges as a prominent goddess in the context of crisis, when evil asuras were on the ascent. The male gods were unable to contain and subdue the forces of evil. The warrior goddess, Devi, kills the asura, and
6042-547: 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." The Srividya paramparas can be further broadly subdivided into two streams,
6148-513: The Srimad Devi-Bhagavatam presents the theology of Shaktism. This book is called Devi Gita , or the "Song of the Goddess". The goddess explains she is the Brahman that created the world, asserting the Advaita premise that spiritual liberation occurs when one fully comprehends the identity of one's soul and the Brahman. This knowledge, asserts the goddess, comes from detaching self from
6254-569: The Upanishads as another aspect of divine and the knower of ultimate knowledge (Brahman), such as in section 3 and 4 of the ancient Kena Upanishad . Hymns to goddesses are in the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata , particularly in the Harivamsa section, which was a late addition (100 to 300 CE) to the work. The archaeological and textual evidence implies, states Thomas Coburn, that the goddess had become as prominent as God in Hindu tradition by about
6360-508: The 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." Many Samaya practitioners explicitly deny being either Shakta or Tantric, though scholars argues that their cult remains technically both. The Samaya-Kaula division marks "an old dispute within Hindu Tantrism". The Kalikula (Family of Kali ) form of Shaktism
6466-569: The 64 Yoginis . The eight forms of the goddess Lakshmi, Ashtalakshmi ; and the nine forms of goddess Durga, the Navadurgas , which are mainly worshipped during the Navaratri festival. Also worshipped regularly are the numerous Gramadevatas across the Indian villages. Sub-traditions of Shaktism include "Tantra", which refers to techniques, practices and ritual grammar involving mantra , yantra , nyasa , mudra and certain elements of traditional kundalini yoga , typically practiced under
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#17330862977446572-523: The Devi as the source of wisdom ( vidya ) and liberation ( moksha ). The tantric part generally stands "in opposition to the brahmanic tradition," which they view as "overly conservative and denying the experiential part of religion." The main deities of the Kalikula tradition are Kali , Chandi , Bheema and Durga . Other goddesses that enjoy veneration are Tara and all the other Mahavidyas , Kaumari as well as regional goddesses such as Manasa ,
6678-452: The Hindu epic Ramayana , an allegorical story with Hindu spiritual and ethical teachings. However, there are many versions of Ramayana, and her story as a goddess in Hindu mythology. Her legends also vary in southeast Asian versions of the epic Ramayana, such as in the Ramakien of Thailand where she is spelled as Sida (or Nang Sida ). In Valmiki Ramayana, Sita is repeatedly expressed as
6784-546: The Kashmir of my heart. Saraswati is also found outside India, such as in Japan, Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia) and Myanmar. Vedic literature does not have any particular goddess matching the concept of Durga. Her legends appear in the medieval era, as an angry, ferocious form of the mother goddess Mahalakshmi , who assumes the avatar of Durga . She manifests as a goddess with eight or ten arms, holding weapons and skulls of demons, and
6890-808: The Kulamārga. Shaktism encompasses a nearly endless variety of beliefs and practices – from animism to philosophical speculation of the highest order – that seek to access the Shakti (Divine Energy or Power) that is believed to be the Devi's nature and form. Its two largest and most visible schools are the Srikula (family of Tripura Sundari ), strongest in South India , and the Kalikula (family of Kali ), which prevails in northern and eastern India. The Srikula (family of Sri ) tradition ( sampradaya ) focuses worship on Devi in
6996-849: The Supreme Power. Devi is the supreme being in the Shakta tradition of Hinduism; in the Smarta tradition, she is one of the five primary forms of Brahman that is revered. In other Hindu traditions, Devi embodies the active energy and power of Deva, and they always appear together complementing each other. Examples of this are Parvati with Shiva in Shaivism , Saraswati with Brahma in Brahmanism and Lakshmi with Vishnu , Sita with Rama and Radha with Krishna in Vaishnavism . Devi-inspired philosophy
7102-496: The continuation of humanity. Radha means "prosperity, success, and lightning." She is the female counterpart and consort of Krishna . She is also considered as the internal potency of Krishna. In Puranic literature such as the Brahma Vaivarta Purana , she is known as the Goddess of love and is also described as the " Prakriti " along with goddess Lakshmi, Parvati, Saraswati and Gayatri. She has figured prominently in
7208-434: The cultural concepts of masculine and the feminine as they exist among practitioners of Shaktism are aspects of the divine, transcendent reality. In Hindu iconography, the cosmic dynamic of male-female or masculine-feminine interdependence and equivalence, is expressed in the half-Shakti, half-Shiva deity known as Ardhanari . The philosophical premise in many Shakta texts, states professor of Religious Studies June McDaniel,
7314-542: The deity is more important than simple obedience, thus showing an influence of the Vaishnavaite idea of passionate relationship between Radha and Krishna as an ideal bhava . Similarly, Shaktism influenced Vaishnavism and Shaivism . The goddess is considered the consort and energy ( shakti ) of the gods Vishnu and Shiva ; they have their individual shaktis, Vaishnavi for Vishnu and Maheshvari for Shiva, and consorts Lakshmi and Sati /Parvati. An adherent of Shaktism
7420-589: The earliest evidence of reverence for the female aspect of God in Hinduism is this passage in chapter 10.125 of the Rig Veda , also called the Devi Suktam hymn: I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship. Thus Gods have established me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in. Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them, – each man who sees, breathes, hears
7526-438: The energy that animates and governs it, and that into which everything will ultimately dissolve. Mahadevi said in Devi Upanishad, verse 2, "I am essentially Brahman". According to V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar – a professor of Indian history, in Shaktism theology "Brahman is static Shakti and Shakti is dynamic Brahman." Shaktism views the Devi as the source, essence and substance of everything in creation. Its texts such as
7632-412: The festival of Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of spring) in her honor, and mark the day by helping young children learn how to write alphabets on that day. She is also part of Tridevi which consists of Saraswati, Parvati (goddess of power, fertility, love, beauty), and Lakshmi (goddess of material wealth, prosperity, and fortune). Saraswati is often depicted dressed in pure white, often seated on
7738-627: The fierce Kali . After the decline of Buddhism in India , various Hindu and Buddhist goddesses were combined to form the Mahavidya , a pantheon of ten goddesses. The most common forms of the Mahadevi worshipped in Shaktism include: Durga, Kali, Saraswati , Lakshmi , Parvati and Tripurasundari . Also worshipped are the various Gramadevatas across the Indian villages. Shaktism also encompasses various tantric sub-traditions, including Vidyapitha and Kulamārga . Shaktism emphasizes that intense love of
7844-499: The first is Tara that exists in the realm of the fourth chakra representing the spiritual heart; Saraswati emanates in the first chakra; Lakshmi forms the second chakra; and Parvati is at the heart of the third chakra and completes the chakra. Worship through this Yantra leads to the realization of "cosmic energy" within oneself. Shaktism Traditional Shaktism ( / ˈ s æ k t ɪ z ə m / ; Sanskrit : शाक्तसम्प्रदायः , romanized : Śāktasampradāyaḥ )
7950-490: The form of Shiva. Shaktism's focus on the Divine Female does not imply a rejection of the male. It rejects masculine-feminine, male-female, soul-body, transcendent-immanent dualism, considering nature as divine. Devi is considered to be the cosmos itself – she is the embodiment of energy, matter and soul, the motivating force behind all action and existence in the material universe. Yet in Shaktism, states C. MacKenzie Brown,
8056-502: The form of the goddess Lalita-Tripura Sundari . Rooted in first-millennium. Srikula became a force in South India no later than the seventh century, and is today the prevalent form of Shaktism practiced in South Indian regions such as Kerala , Tamil Nadu and Tamil areas of Sri Lanka . The Srikula's best-known school is Srividya , "one of Shakta Tantrism's most influential and theologically sophisticated movements." Its central symbol,
8162-513: The four goals of human life considered important to the Hindu way of life – dharma , kama , artha , and moksha . She is the mother goddess in Hinduism. She is also part of Tridevi which consists of Lakshmi, Parvati (goddess of power, love, beauty), and Saraswati (goddess of music, wisdom, and learning). In the ancient scriptures of India, all women are declared to be embodiments of Lakshmi. The marriage and relationship between Lakshmi and Vishnu as wife and husband, states Patricia Monaghan,
8268-452: The goddess are widely known in the Hindu world. The common goddesses of Shaktism, popular in the Hindu thought at least by about mid 1st-millennium CE, include Parvati, Durga, Kali, Yogamaya , Lakshmi, Saraswati, Gayatri , Radha , and Sita . In the Eastern part of India, after the decline of Buddhism in India , various Hindu and Buddhist goddesses were combined to form the Mahavidya ,
8374-415: The goddess – whether malignant or gentle – is identified with Lalita. Srikula adepts most often worship Lalita using the abstract Sri Chakra yantra , which is regarded as her subtle form. The Sri Chakra can be visually rendered either as a two-dimensional diagram (whether drawn temporarily as part of the worship ritual, or permanently engraved in metal) or in the three-dimensional, pyramidal form known as
8480-439: The guidance of a qualified guru after due initiation ( diksha ) and oral instruction to supplement various written sources. There has been a historic debate between Shakta theologians on whether its tantric practices are Vedic or non-Vedic. The roots of Shakta Tantrism are unclear, probably ancient and independent of the Vedic tradition of Hinduism. The interaction between Vedic and Tantric traditions trace back to at least
8586-532: The honor of Goddess Shoolini commemorates the three days visit of the Goddess Shoolini Devi to her elder sister. The citizens of Solan as well as the devotees alight here from neighbouring regions congregate at the Shoolini Devi Temple. Goddess Shoolini is taken out of her temple in an extravagantly ornamented palanquin. The procession passes through different locales of Solan and everywhere it
8692-505: The manifestation of Lakshmi, as the one who blesses abundance in agriculture, food, and wealth. She is referred to golden goddess, wherein after Rama (Vishnu) is bereaved of her, he refuses to marry again, insists that he is married solely and forever to her, and uses a golden image of Sita as a substitute in the performance of his duties as a king. Sita, in many Hindu mythology, is the Devi associated with agriculture, fertility, food and wealth for
8798-452: The most influential figures of the Hindu reform movements , believed that all Hindu goddesses are manifestations of the same mother goddess . The 18th-century Shakta bhakti poems and songs were composed by two Bengal court poets, Bharatchandra Ray and Ramprasad Sen , and the Tamil collection Abhirami Anthadhi was composed by Abhirami Bhattar. The important scriptures of Shaktism include
8904-631: The ninth and fourteenth centuries the Goddess is addressed in the most general and universal of terms, as Mahadevi, and represents all goddesses as different manifestations of her. The Lalita Sahasranama (Thousand names of Lalita ( Parvati ) states that Mahadevi is known by different synonyms such as Jagatikanda (anchors the world), Vishvadhika (one who surpasses the universe), Nirupama (one who has no match), Parameshwari (dominant governor), Vyapini (encompasses everything), Aprameya (immeasurable), Anekakotibrahmadajanani (creator of many universes), Vishvagarbha (she whose Garba or womb subsumes
9010-421: The oneness of the soul and Brahman. The Devi Gita describes the Devi (or goddess) as "universal, cosmic energy" resident within each individual. It thus weaves in the terminology of Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy . The text is suffused with Advaita Vedanta ideas, wherein nonduality is emphasized, all dualities are declared as incorrect, and interconnected oneness of all living beings' souls with Brahman
9116-426: The other, represented as Ardhanarishvara . Parvati is found extensively in ancient Indian literature, and her statues and iconography grace ancient and medieval era Hindu temples all over South Asia and Southeast Asia . Lakshmi , also called Sri , is the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity (both material and spiritual). She is the consort and active energy of Vishnu . Her four hands represent
9222-466: The people, I created Earth and Heaven and reside as their Inner Controller. On the world's summit I bring forth sky the Father: my home is in the waters, in the ocean as Mother. Thence I pervade all existing creatures, as their Inner Supreme Self, and manifest them with my body. I created all worlds at my will, without any higher being, and permeate and dwell within them. The eternal and infinite consciousness
9328-405: The poems of Vidyapati (1352–1448) as a cosmic queen and later became inspiration behind many forms of art, literature, music and dance. She is also seen as the incarnation of Lakshmi . Some traditions worship Radha as the lover consort of Krishna while many other traditions worship Radha as the married consort of Lord Krishna. Radha was made famous through Jayadeva 's Gitagovinda poem which
9434-440: The same supreme goddess Shakti . Shaktas approach the Devi in many forms; however, they are all considered to be but diverse aspects of the one supreme goddess. The primary Devi form worshiped by a Shakta devotee is his or her ishta-devi , that is a personally selected Devi. The selection of this deity can depend on many factors such as family tradition, regional practice, guru lineage, and personal resonance. Some forms of
9540-603: The sixth century when Devi Mahatmya came into practice the name Devi (goddess) or Mahadevi (Great Goddess) came into prominence to represent one female goddess to encompass the discrete goddesses like Parvati and so forth. In the Hindu mythology, Devi and Deva are usually paired, complement and go together, typically shown as equal but sometimes the Devi is shown smaller or in the subordinate role. Some goddesses, however, play an independent role in Hindu pantheon, and are revered as Supreme without any male god(s) present or with males in subordinate position. Mahadevi, as mother goddess,
9646-802: The sixth century, and the surge in Tantra tradition developments during the late medieval period, states Geoffrey Samuel, were a means to confront and cope with Islamic invasions and political instability in and after the 14th century CE. Notable Shakta tantras are Saradatilaka Tantra of Lakshmanadesika (11th century), Kali Tantra ( c. 15th century ), Yogini Tantra , Sarvanandanatha's Sarvolassa Tantra , Brahmananda Giri's Saktananda Tarangini with Tararahasya and Purnananda Giri's Syamarahasya with Sritattvacintamani (16th century), Krishananda Agamavagisa's Tantrasara and Raghunatna Tarkavagisa Bhattacarya Agamatattvavilasa (17th century), as well as works of Bhaskaracharya (18th century). The Vidyāpīṭha
9752-607: The snake goddesses, Ṣaṣṭī , the protectress of children, Śītalā , the smallpox goddess, and Umā (the Bengali name for Parvati) — all of them, again, considered aspects of the Divine Mother. In Nepal devi is mainly worshipped as the goddess Bhavani. She is one of the important Hindu deities in Nepal. Two major centers of Shaktism in West Bengal are Kalighat where the skull of Kali
9858-582: The supreme goddess Mahadevi are collectively called the Tridevi .These Tridevi are said to be the Shakti of all the Gods or Deva . Like Mahasaraswati is the Shakti of Brahma; Lakshmi is the Shakti of Vishnu; and Mahakali is Shakti of Shiva. Sita, an incarnation of Lakshmi, is married to Rama , an avatar of Vishnu. She is shakti or prakriti of Rama as told in the Ram Raksha Stotram . In Sita Upanishad ,
9964-578: The terminal upper paleolithic site of Baghor I ( Baghor stone ) in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh , India. The excavations, carried out under the guidance of noted archaeologists G. R. Sharma of Allahabad University and J. Desmond Clark of University of California and assisted by Jonathan Mark Kenoyer and J.N. Pal, dated the Baghor formation to between 9000 BC and 8000 BC. The origins of Shakti worship can also be traced to Indus Valley civilization . Among
10070-510: The text presents its theological and philosophical teachings. The soul and the Goddess My sacred syllable ह्रीम्] transcends, the distinction of name and named, beyond all dualities. It is whole, infinite being, consciousness and bliss . One should meditate on that reality, within the flaming light of consciousness. Fixing the mind upon me, as the Goddess transcending all space and time, One quickly merges with me by realizing,
10176-558: The third day, the festivity reaches its culmination. Solan is jampacked with a deluge of devotees and visitors and the entire township throbs with unequalled gusto and fervour. Shoolini Mela is the quintessence of Solan's traditional. Devi Traditional Devī ( / ˈ d eɪ v i / ; Sanskrit : देवी ) is the Sanskrit word for ' goddess '; the masculine form is deva . Devi and deva mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for
10282-457: The third or fourth century. The literature on Shakti theology grew in ancient India, climaxing in one of the most important texts of Shaktism called the Devi Mahatmya . This text, states C. Mackenzie Brown – a professor of Religion, is both a culmination of centuries of Indian ideas about the divine woman, as well as a foundation for the literature and spirituality focussed on the female transcendence in centuries that followed. The Devi Mahatmya
10388-767: The universe), Sarvadhara (helps all), Sarvaga (being everywhere at the same time, Sarvalokesi (governs all worlds) and Vishavdaharini one who functions for the whole universe). The Mahadevi goddess has many aspects to her personality. She focuses on that side of her that suits her objectives, but unlike male Hindu deities, her powers and knowledge work in concert in a multifunctional manner. The ten aspects of her, also called Mahavidyas (or great forms of her knowledge) are forms of Parvati and they are: Kali , Tara , Tripura Sundari , Bhairavi , Bhuvanesvari , Chhinnamasta , Dhumavati , Bagalamukhi , Matangi and Kamala . Tantric literature such as Soundarya Lahari meaning "Flood of Beauty", credited to Adi Shankaracharya
10494-474: The various manuscript versions of Devi Bhagavata Purana with the embedded Devi Gita therein. Devi Bhagavata Purana gives prime position to Mahadevi as the mother of all-encompassing the three worlds and gives her the position of being all of universe – the material and the spiritual. In the Upanishadic text Devi Upanishad , a Sakta Upanishad and an important Tantric text probably composed sometime between
10600-524: The word Devi in the Vedas is Bhagavati. Bhagavatī (Devanagari: भगवती, IAST: Bhagavatī), is an Indian epithet of Sanskrit origin, used as an honorific title for goddesses in Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, it is primarily used to address the goddesses Lakshmi and Durga. In Buddhism, it is used to refer to several Mahayana Buddhist female deities, like Cundā. The worship of Devi-like deities dates back to period of Indus Valley civilisation . The Devīsūkta of
10706-483: The word outspoken. They know it not, yet I reside in the essence of the Universe. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it. I, verily, myself announce and utter the word that Gods and men alike shall welcome. I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him nourished, a sage, and one who knows Brahman . I bend the bow for Rudra [Shiva], that his arrow may strike, and slay the hater of devotion. I rouse and order battle for
10812-469: The world and meditating on one's own soul. The Devi Gita , like the Bhagavad Gita , is a condensed philosophical treatise. It presents the divine female as a powerful and compassionate creator, pervader and protector of the universe. She is presented in the opening chapter of the Devi Gita as the benign and beautiful world-mother, called Bhuvaneshvari (literally, ruler of the universe). Thereafter,
10918-484: Was also manifested with the blessing of Lord Shiva to tame Narasimha. Maa Shoolini is also popularly known as Shoolini Durga , Shivani , and Saloni , often being compared to Goddesses such as Durga and Parvati . She is also the Kula Devi (family deity), of Solan people. It was the time when Lord Vishnu took the form of Lord Narasimha to save his devotee Prahlada. This was the 4th avatar of Lord Vishnu. Narasimha
11024-442: Was half-man and half-lion, having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. After Narasimha killed the demon Hranyakashyapu, the devas or demigods were unable to calm his fury. Narasimha started on a spree of destruction, and no one could calm him. On seeing this, Lord Shiva decided to tame Lord Narasimha. Thus Lord Shiva took on the incarnated form of Sharabha, Sarabeshwara, to tame Narasimha. This form
11130-428: Was part bird and part lion, and is also called Sharabeshwaramurti . Sarabha was an eight-legged beast, mightier than a lion or an elephant and capable of pacifying a lion. Goddess Parvati then manifestated as Maa Shoolini and appeared in the right wing of Sharabheswara. She is black in color - that is why she is called Saloni. She is also holding a weapon called a 'Shool' and so she is also called 'Shool Dharini' - and
11236-457: Was written in 12th century. It is a lyrical drama, a "mystical erotic poem" which describes the love of Krishna and Radha . Some other texts which mentioned Radha are – Brahma Vaivarta Purana , Padma Purana , Skanda Purana , Devi Bhagvata Purana , Matsya Purana , Narada Pancharatra , Brahma Samhita , Shiva Purana and Garga Samhita . Radha was born in Barsana and every year, her birthday
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