Shakti
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Quick-adding category "Tantric practices" (using [[WP:HOTCAT|HotCat]])
: ''This article is about the Hindu religious concept, for other meanings of the word see: [[Shakti (disambiguation)]].''
[[Image:Tridevi.png|thumb|The ''Tridevi'' – the conjoined forms of [[Lakshmi]] , [[Parvati]] and [[Saraswati]] - considered Shaktis of the ''[[Trimurti]]''- [[Vishnu]], [[Shiva]] and [[Brahma]] respectively]]
'''Shakti''' meaning sacred ''force'', ''power'' or ''energy'' is the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] concept or personification of the divine [[Femininity|feminine]] aspect, sometimes referred to as 'The Divine Mother'. Shakti represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. In [[Shaktism]], Shakti is worshiped as the [[Supreme Being]]. However, in other Hindu traditions, Shakti embodies the active energy and power of male [[deity|deities]] ([[Purusha]]s), such as [[Vishnu]] in [[Vaishnavism]] or [[Shiva]] in [[Shaivism]]. Vishnu's shakti counterpart is called [[Lakshmi]], with [[Parvati]] being the female shakti of Shiva.
==Evolution==
David Kinsley believes that the concept of "Shakti" may be derived from Lord Indra's consort [[Sachi]] (Indrani), meaning power.<ref>Hindu Goddesses Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Tradition by David Kinsley page 17 minor vedic Goddesses</ref> Indrani is part of a group of seven or eight mother goddesses called the [[Matrikas]] (Brahmani, Vaishnavi, Maheshvari, Indrani, Kumari, Varahi and Chamunda and/or Narasimhi), who are considered shaktis of major Hindu gods(Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Skanda, Varaha/Yama and Devi and Narasimha respectively).
The Shakti goddess is also known as Amma (meaning 'mother') in south India, especially in the states of Tamil Nadu,Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. There are many temples devoted to various incarnations of the Shakti goddess in most of the villages in [[South India]]. The rural people believe that Shakti is the protector of the village, the punisher of evil people, the curer of diseases, and the one who gives welfare to the village. They celebrate Shakti Jataras with a lot of hue and great interest once a year. Some examples of incarnations are Gangamma, Aarti, Kamakshamma, Kanakadurga, Mahalakshmammma, Meeenakshamma, Poleramma and Perantalamma.
==Shakti Peethas==
There are [[51]] important centres of Shakti [[worship]] located in the Indian sub-continent, which are located in [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Nepal]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Tibet]] and [[Pakistan]]. These are called [[Shakti Peethas]]. Most Shakti peethas have since developed into famous temple complexes, including: [[Amarnatha]] ([[Jammu]] and [[Kashmir]]), [[Jwalaji]] ([[Himachal]]), [[Katyayani]] ([[Chattarpur]], [[Delhi]]), [[Kamakhya]] (Assam), [[Naina]] [[Devi]] ([[Himachal]]), [[Manasa]] devi ([[Chandigarh]]).
==Adi Shakti==
'''Adi-Shakti''' or '''Adi Shakti''' is a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] concept of the ultimate [[Shakti]], the ultimate feminine power inherent in all Creation. This is especially prevalent in the [[Shakta]] denomination within Hinduism, which worships the Goddess [[Devi]] in all Her manifestations.
==Shakti force: Devi Prakriti==
[[Devi]] [[Prakriti]] (a [[Shakti]]) in the context of Shaktis as forces unifies [[Kundalini]], [[Kriya]], [[Itcha shakti|Itcha]], [[Para]], [[Jnana]], [[Mantrika shakti|Mantrika]] Shaktis. Each is in a [[chakra]].
==Standard representation==
The Adi Shakti has a [[Unicode]] representation of U+262C ({{Unicode|☬}}) on the [[Miscellaneous Symbols]] table. This symbol is also known as the [[Khanda (religious symbol)|Khanda]].
==See also==
*[[Ardhanari]]
*[[Kundalini]]
*[[Devi]]
*[[Mahadevi]]
*[[Mahakali]]
*[[Shaktipat]]
==Further Reading==
*{{cite book|first=June|last=McDaniel|year=2004|title=Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal|publisher=New York: Oxford University Press}}
==Notes==
{{reflist|3}}
==External links==
* [http://www.webonautics.com/mythology/shakti.html Indian Mythology: Shakti]
* [http://www.om-guru.com A site containing short biographies of several Shakta devotees from the Indian state of Bengal]
* [http://www.vedabase.net/s/sakti Shakti: Listing of usage in Puranic literature]
* [http://www.celextel.org/adisankara/soundaryalahari.html Shakti temples of India] (Includes articles on Shaktism)
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[[Category:Mother goddesses]]
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