Shakti is, in her purest form, divine feminine energy that is manifest in any of the goddesses, but most often is associated with Shiva’s consort Sati, Parvati, Uma, Druga, Kali, or Ambika (Earth Mother) – all names of the same goddess. Shakti is also the energy connected with kundalini, the life-force energy that lies coiled at the base of the spine.
Confused yet? In Hinduism, the gods represent the masculine energy necessary to get things done while the feminine is what actually gets the masculine forces moving. And while it is always the god who is accomplishing great things, don’t think the goddesses are just some passive cosmic catalyst need to get them moving. These goddesses are more than capable of voicing an opinion. For example, Sati loved Shiva above all others, even though her father Daksha despised and hated the god. On one occasion Daksha began denigrating his son-in-law, which earned him the wrath of his daughter. She wound up immolating herself, in anger, in front of him.
Johnson, Donald and Jean. God and Gods in Hinduism. New York :Arnold-Heinemann India, 1972.
Sullivan, K. E. Indian Myths and Legends. London: Brockhampton Publishing Press, 1998.
Thapar,
D. R. Icons in bronze. New York: Asia Publishing House, 1961. plate
LXVI.
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Originally
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Copyright
Laurel Reufner, 2001. Comments? Email me!