Easten Religion

7/5/2018 Goddesses (Shakti) - 18.SU.REL.1111.C50 EASTERN RELIGIONS

https://elearn.sinclair.edu/d2l/le/content/112110/viewContent/3876221/View 1/4

Printer-friendly version

S H A K T I

In Hinduism, God manifests in both male a n d fem a l e form. As you have seen by now, Brahman can take on any form it

wants to - human, animal, etc. To suggest that God can only manifest in certain limited ways is a foreign concept to

Hindus. They feel that trying to limit God is not only inaccurate, but arrogant of us. Who are we to limit how God can

manifest?

One of the most powerful ways Brahman manifests is as Sh a kt i , the Supreme

Goddess/Mother. She is the cosmic sacred feminine principle that is active and creative.

Sh a kt a s (followers of Shakti) feel she is more approachable than the male gods and

more connected with our landscape/earth. For example, the G a n g es Ri ver is believed

to be a living goddess (Ganga) and India itself is considered by some Hindus to be an

earth goddess.

Shakti is also called M a h a d ev i or Devi and can manifest in hundreds of different,

separate goddesses. She is the Divine Mother and is in charge of guarding and nurturing

her children (us). But she also has a destructive side, a natural order that's positive and

necessary. Just like anybody, she has many faces - grace, creation, cruelty and

destruction. Like any human mother who can be extremely nurturing and motherly,

when angered or when her children are in danger, she can become a �erce, raging protector!

There are several hundred different goddesses, but today we will look at four. On the spectrum, two are on the more

destructive end while the other two are on the more nurturing end. But, all are equally Shakti, and in turn, equally

Brahman. You will have several audio/video clips in this lesson. Listen/watch them all - they will give you a real sense

of the essence and devotion towards the many different aspects of the Goddess.

Goddess Worship- Watch this Goddess worship in a Hindu temple in England. It will make you feel like you're right

there.

D u r g a

Durga is a demon slayer goddess. You will notice in her many hands she holds both weapons of destruction (swords)

and symbols of goodness (lotus �owers). This is to show that even though she is more of a destructive force, her

intentions are for the betterment of humankind.

Like Vishnu, she is here to rid us of our ignorance (symbolized by demons) and liberate the world from ego and illusion.

Notice the serene smile on her face. She knows her job is dirty, but she does it for the good of everyone.

The following is a Durga Puja (worship) given by a Shakta:

By t h i s u n i vers e yo u w ere b o rn , b y yo u t h i s w o rl d h a s b een crea t ed . By yo u i t i s p ro t ect ed a n d yo u , O

D ev i , s h a l l co n s u m e i t a t t h e en d . Yo u a re t h e G rea t K n o w l ed g e a n d t h e G rea t I l l u s i o n , yo u a re G rea t

P o w er, a n d G rea t M em o ry, G rea t D el u s i o n , t h e G rea t D ev i a n d t h e G rea t A s u ri . Yo u a re P ri m o rd i a l

M a t t er, yo u a re t h e g ro u n d o f t h e t h ree q u a l i t i es , yo u a re t h e G rea t N i g h t o f t h e en d o f t h e w o rl d . Yo u

a re m o re t erri b l e a n d a l s o m o re p l ea s i n g t h a n every t h i n g el s e a n d exceed i n g l y b ea u t i fu l . Yo u a re t h e

7/5/2018 Goddesses (Shakti) - 18.SU.REL.1111.C50 EASTERN RELIGIONS

https://elearn.sinclair.edu/d2l/le/content/112110/viewContent/3876221/View 2/4

s h a kt i , t h e p o w er o f a l l t h i n g s , s en t i en t a n d o t h ers , yo u a re t h e

s o u l o f every t h i n g . W h o i s ca p a b l e o f p ra i s i n g yo u , w h o h a s g i ven

fo rm t o a l l o f u s , t o V i s h n u , Sh i v a , a n d my s el f?

Notice the language in this puja. This is praise given by a Shakta, a goddess

worshiper. Therefore, they see all the other gods as simply handmaidens to

the Supreme Goddess. They believe Durga and any form of Shakti is

u l t i m a t el y m o re p o w erfu l and great than any of the other male gods.

D u rg a ch a n t - Listen to the following audio Durga chant.

D u rg a K i rt a n - Watch this Durga Kirtan (worship through singing/dancing).

K a l i

One day when battling demons, Durga becomes absolutely furious, fed up with dealing with such ignorance and greed

all the time. In a �t of rage, her face turns black and Kali, the dark goddess, spurts forth between her eyebrows (third

eye chakra) in a �ood of black ink.

Imagine a time when you were in a state of complete rage and anger and then imagine if you would have created a

being out of that. That's Kali - a child of rage. She emerges with a sword and a noose, causing the world to tremble. She

wears a necklace of severed heads and a skirt of limbs. Unlike Durga, there are no lotus �owers or serene smiles here -

she is a bloodthirsty, ferocious, and terrifying goddesses. But she is a realistic aspect of all of us that Hindus believe we

must acknowledge and honor.

Some Christians will say that God's wrath matches His mercy. Well, t h a t is how Hindus see Kali. Remember, she is wrathful for O U R

b e n e � t , slaying our demons of ego, ignorance and greed. She gets angry at how sel�sh and forgetful of the Divine we can be. When you read

the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament), God gets angry and frustrated at humans for this same exact reason, over and over again. He

banishes Adam and Eve, sends the �ood, destroys Sodom, etc. So, while Kali is overtly scary, Hindus say it's only because of our human nature

to constantly forget God and rely on our own egos and false sense of self.

Also, speaking of Christian thought, have you heard of the saying, "Let go and let God"? Hindus believe that if you have

something bothering you or worrisome in your life, give it over to Kali and she'll destroy it happily.

7/5/2018 Goddesses (Shakti) - 18.SU.REL.1111.C50 EASTERN RELIGIONS

https://elearn.sinclair.edu/d2l/le/content/112110/viewContent/3876221/View 3/4

K a l i C h a n t . - View this chant that is accompanied by a series of Kali images.

"M et a l vers i o n K a l i C h a n t " - For another, very entertaining example of Indian media, watch this more "metal"

version of a Kali chant.

But the goddess is not all severed hands and swords. There is a very serene and nurturing aspect of Shakti, manifested

in many tranquil and peaceful individual goddesses.

L a k sh m i

Lakshmi is the goddess of Wea l t h a n d P ro s p eri t y. She is honored at the festival,

D i w a l i , which we will look at in more detail later.

She is associated with beauty, luck and is also the wife of Vishnu.

Notice that every aspect in her imagery is positive and serene - the royal elephants,

the coins of prosperity, the lotus �owers, her beautiful face and serene smile.

There are no swords or severed heads, just positive qualities of love, wealth and

royalty.

L a ks h m i C h a n t - Listen to this.

S a r a sw a t i

Saraswati is another example of a peaceful goddess. She is the goddess of Lea rn i n g , A ca d em i a a n d M u s i c.

7/5/2018 Goddesses (Shakti) - 18.SU.REL.1111.C50 EASTERN RELIGIONS

https://elearn.sinclair.edu/d2l/le/content/112110/viewContent/3876221/View 4/4

In her pictures, you will see her sitting serenely by a river, usually playing her Citar or

reading scripture.

My friend Asha, who teaches elementary school, has a picture of Saraswati on her

classroom door, to encourage learning and music.

I also have an image of Saraswati in my own of�ce at Sinclair, one given to me by

Asha.

Sa ra s w a t i C h a n t - Listen to the this.

Though all uniquely their own, Saraswati, Laskhmi, Kali and Durga ultimately are all manifestations/faces of the

supreme Goddess energy of Shakti (Devi).