Sakthi Goddess

 

The Sakthi goddess, known as Shakti in Sanskrit, represents the primordial cosmic energy and the divine feminine creative force in Hinduism.

 The name Sakthi means "power," "strength," or "divine energy," and she is worshipped as the Great Divine Mother, the consort of Shiva, and the source of all creation, maintenance, and destruction.

 Shakti is inseparable from the masculine principle, often identified with Shiva, and together they symbolize the unity of male and female energies in the processes of creation and re-creation.

 She is also known by numerous names, including Devi, Parvati, Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Tripurasundari, each representing different aspects of her power and role.

In Shaktism, one of the major traditions of Hinduism, Shakti is revered as the supreme, ultimate reality, equivalent to Brahman, and is considered the dynamic aspect of the divine.

 She is the energizing force behind all existence and is central to Tantric practices, where she is associated with kundalini energy, the spiritual force believed to reside at the base of the spine.

 The worship of Shakti is deeply rooted in ancient traditions, with archaeological evidence suggesting her veneration as far back as the Upper Paleolithic period, around 9000–8000 BC, and references in the Rig Veda, such as the Devi Suktam hymn, which describes her as the creator of all worlds.

 The Devi Mahatmya, a key scripture in Shaktism, is considered as important as the Bhagavad Gita and is central to the theology of the goddess.

Shakti is also personified in various forms, including the benevolent Tripurasundari, the fierce Kali, the protective Tara, and the wisdom-associated Matangi, among others.

 These forms, known as the Mahavidyas, are central to tantric traditions within Shaktism.

 The goddess is celebrated in major festivals such as Durga Puja, particularly in eastern India, and her worship continues to be a significant aspect of Hindu religious life.