© 2017 JETIR September 2017, Volume 4, Issue 6 www.jetir.

org (ISSN-2349-5162)

THE CONCEPT OF SHAKTI: A STUDY

ABSTRACT: Worship of the female principle (Shakti) and of Surya did not achieve equal importance as the other major Brahmiancal
cults. The female aspect of the divinity might have been venerated in the pre-Vedic times. In the Vedic age respect was shown also to the
female principle as the Divine Mother, the Goddess of abundance and personified energy (Shakti). However, clear reference to the
exclusive worshippers of the Devi is not to be found until a comparatively late period. Surya has been venerated in India from the earliest
times. In Vedic and epic mythology, Sun and his various aspects played a very important part. The East Iranian (Shakadvipi) form of the
solar cult was introduced in parts of northern India in the early centuries of the Christian era. But it was only at a comparatively late
period that god figured as the central object in religious movements.

KEYWORDS: Shakti, Cult, Durgā,Sakambari

INTRODUCTION
In this eternal world, either man or woman either rich or poor, either young or old everybody desires to lead a life with peace, joy and happy.
For this one has to perform his physical function which known as work or „karma‟ but depends on an unseen power. This unseen power
believed as god or goddess and people worship them. The female counterpart of God is known Shakti. People adore mother Goddess in a
female energy as creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe which is considered to be the power of the universe. Indian iconography has
chiefly been catalogued by historians; it has not been extensively subjected to the analytical scrutiny that is essential to its use as a source of
knowledge about our historical past. The present writing is therefore a briefly discussing about iconography at Shakti cult. As an Index of
socio religious change at the micro and macro levels. Shakti cult was most dominant and popular among the people of Medieval Bengal. It
plays an important role from that time till today. It plays an important place in the literatures also. There are various forms of the cult
worshipped by the people in the ancient period is evidenced by the inscriptions also.
I.1. CONCEPT OF SHAKTI
The word Shakti is derived from the root 'sak' meaning the capacity to have power and to 'perform'. It indicates both capacity and activity. It
may also be applied to. These are all powers of activity which are ultimately reducible to the primordial energy (adya Shakti) from where
every other form of power proceeds. Further, Shakti may be conceived to be the any form of action like seeing, hearing, smelling etc. Shakti
cult is a deep-rooted religious and historical phenomenon which evolved throughout the ages in the whole world. The Shakti cult had been
worshipped as the mother Goddess, conceived as power both creative and destructive has been an object of worship in India from early
times.1 Personification of universal energy in abstract, She resides in the macrocosm and microcosm. While all the forms of activity in the
perceptible world are the manifestation of the macrocosmic forms of Shakhty, in the microcosmic form she resides doormat in the human
body at the bottom of the spinal column (muladhara chakra). The ultimate aim delineated in the scriptures that the association of Shakti and
Siva is at the root of material and spiritual progress of mankind. Men in all ages have realized the manifestation of Siva through her in
contemplation, and this has been possible only through worship.
I.2. GENESIS OF ŚHAKTI CULT
The various views regarding the genesis of the concept of Shakti and her cult are as follows:
i.. According to some the fertility theory in the Hindu conception of the earth as Mother and its intimate association with agriculture may be
the origin of the Shakti cult.
ii. Friedrich Heiler has opined that the conception of God as mother is as natural and ultimate as the concept of Him as father? And it is just
possible that the Indian concept of the Shakti cult is nothing but a part of the widespread worship of Mother Goddess, in his work 'The
Shaktas' speaks of the possibility of certain contacts between Knossos and Egypt on the one hand and Per-Aryan Indian on the other as early
as the 3 millennium B.C. leading to the worship of Mother goddess. In this regard the history of India, Baluchistan, Iran, Mesopotamia, Asia
minor, Egypt etc. bear testimony to the worship of Mother goddess in pre-historic.
iii. Mackenzie advocates an Asiatic origin. He says that during the Brahmanic age, the Bharatas, the inhabitants of "Middle Kingdom" started
worshipping Bhārati, goddess not unlike the mother goddesses of Egypt and early Europe. This goddess became associated with 'Sarasvati'
and was ultimately recognized as the wife of Brahma, the Supreme God. When Buddhism declined and Siva became the most popular deity,
this goddess worship was transformed to his consort and was organized into a separate sect".
iv. Starbruck in his book Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics has mentioned that when he Aryan invaders settled in India and led a
peaceful agricultural life, the worship of female deities rose to a position of supreme importance and among these were Durgā, the eternity,
Sarasvati, supreme wisdom and Shakti, mother of all phenomena. either side of the head". Large numbers of terracotta figures, very probably
representing this goddess have been found in course of excavations from various sites of the Indus Valley, The early settlers of this valley
appear also to have worshipped the goddess in her an iconic form. Many ringtones, discovered at the sites can justifiably be described as cult
objects symbolising the mother aspect of the goddess.These must be studied along with not only the much decorated types of ring stones of
the Maurya period found in many north Indian sites like Taxila, Košam, Rajghat and Patna, but also phallic objects symbolising the father
god of the Indus Valley people, conveniently described by Marshall as Proto shrines. The ornamented ringstones of the historic period no
doubt represent some variety, but their general character shows that they were cult objects comparable with the ring stones of the Indus
Valley on the one hand and the cakras and the yantras of the later Śaktas on the other A seal unearthed at Harappa shows a nude female
figure, upside down with legs wide apart, and with a plant issuing from her womb. Her arms are shown in the same position in which those
of the Proto-Siva on the Mohenjodaro seal amulet are depicted. Marshall has rightly compared this striking representation of the nude female
figure with plant issuing from her womb, with the almost similar example of early Gupta terracotta sealing showing a female figure with her
legs in much the same position but with a lotus emerging from her neck instead of from her womb'. This idea of vegetation emerging from
some part of the body of a female form can at once remind us of the Devi-Mahatmya concept of the Sakambari aspect of the goddess. Thus,

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in the opinion of John Marshall, Shakti worship originated in India out of the cult of the mother goddess, and it was closely connected with
the cult of Siva. Shakti and Siva are integrally linked in Indian imagination, as the creative principle (power) and the creator, with colourful
family representing the collective organism of life.
The pre-Vedic archaeological data discussed above throws much light on the early stages of the cult long before it was fully developed into
the Shakti worship of the Epic and the Puranic age The Epics and the Puranas are mainly responsible for the consecration of this female
entity in Hindu pantheon and unfolding her diverse aspects supported by various myths and legends. 2 Historical evidence suggests that
Mother Goddess worship was prevalent in different forms in the Indian Peninsula. It seems that ancient people living in the primitive
matriarchal society had a veneration and love for the mother, which culminated in mother worship. It is no surprise that literary evidence
corroborated by archaeological findings suggests that Shakti Cult was widely worshipped in the eastern part of the country especially in
Assam and Bengal in the early period of history. 3

1.3.i. Concept of Śhakti in the Vedas

The concept of Shakti was there in the minds of Vedic seers (though the term Shakti is not found in Vedic texts), is proved by the fact that a
number of goddesses are mentioned in different capacities.Early vedic ritualism presents tou us a different picture and the Goddess occupy
comparatively subordinate position4. The ancient Rșis assigned importance to such goddesses as Aditi, the Divine Mother, Uşās, the goddess
of dawn; Prithivi, the mother of Earth; and lastly, the goddess of speech. These three distinguishable types of Mother Goddesses in the
Rgveda viz.
i. The type of mother goddess for giving kindness and gentleness is represented by Aditi.
ii. The type of virgin mother goddess for martial spirit and beauty is represented by Uşās.
iii. The type of mother goddess who is regarded as a tutelary or special guardian deity of people is represented by Sarasvati.
It has been described in the post Vedic texts as the Devi-Sukta ,and great was importance assigned to it in the ritualism as the puranic Śhakti
worship5 .

I.3.ii. Concept of Shakti in the Epics and Purānas

Śhakti is depicted in a very high position in the age of Epics,. She is called Devi and is respected by all. In the Rāmāyaṇa she is always
considered the wife of Siva. Her name Umā and Girija were very popular. Even she was regarded as Rudrāni and Pärvati". There are other
references in the Rāmāyaṇa which indicate that the worship of mother goddess was quite well known to the tradition though not mentioned
in clear terms. In the fifth book there is a mention of a goddess named Surasa who is told to be the mother of Nāgas. There is another
goddess in the Rāmāyana named Simhikā seen by Hanuman. We find a mention that Lankā, the capital city of Ravana's kingdom was
protected by a demon goddess named Lankini. Sita, the wife of Rāma is described as Kala Ratri, the terrible aspect of Shakti". Even Sita took
the form of Kāli for the destruction of Rävana is found in the two later Rāmāyanas viz. Adhyatma Rāmāyanas.In ancient India Devi Durga or
Shakti designated as six arms,eight arms ten arms and also hundred arms who is identified as Mother Earth.6 It was mentioned by R.D
Banerjee.

I.3.iii. Concept of Śhakti in the Mahābhärata and Harivamsa Purana

During the period of Mahabharata many new names and aspects of the goddess were introduced. In the Bhisma Parvam there is a prayer by
Arjuna to Durgā in which he invokes and pays reverence to Siddhasenäni (leader of Siddhas), the noble, the dweller on Mandara, the
Kumari, Kali, Kapali, Krsna-Plngalā, Bhadrakali, Mahäkält, Candi, Chanda, Tärini, Varavarnini, Kätyäyani, Karāli, Vijaya, Jayä etc. In the
Virata Parvam of the Mahabharata, Yudhisthira, one of the five Pandavas invoked the goddess of power who would remove dangers which
would occur to his devotees. She is represented in this chapter as the sister of Hari, born of Yaśodā and Nanda Gopa. She is praised as the
feminine side of Krsna and Kumāri or the maiden. The two Durgåstotras in theMahabharata and the Aryastava in its supplement outline the
various constituent elements underlying the principal cult picture of the developed Shakti cult. The concept of the composite goddess
contained in its various elements such as her 'mother daughter' and 'sister' aspects, her Vedic Āryan element and last but not the least, the
various non-Äryan strands in her character. The Aryastava says that she was well worshipped by the Savaras, the Barbaras, and the Pulindas,
and she is often described in other contexts as from the higher class including the nobles and kings (as she is worshipped by Aparna, Nagna
śavari and Parna Savari. She is also commanded respect and adoration there is mention of various Devi tirthas . In the Vanaparva of the
Mahābhārata Parvata", Gauri śikhara, Sri tirtha, Devi tirtha and Matr tirtha" etc. “Shaktism”, says Eliot, “in the sense of a definite sect with
scriptures of its own, if not confined to the north-east corner, at least has its head-quarters there”.7

1.3.iv. Concept of Śhakti in the Mārkandeya Purāņa

The scholar identified one of the oldest Purana,the Märkandeya Purana its appears as the centre of the great Shakti cult, was compiled and
edited in its present form in the Gupta period. There comes a complete book under the Markandeya Purana consisting of 13 chapters named
as Durga Saptasati or DeviMahatmya. The Devi-Mahatmya is an elaboration of the concept of Devi of the Vedic doctrine, of an all powerful
Goddess of supreme transcendence as propounded in the Ambhri Sukta and Daksayani Sukta. The Saptasati speaks of the goddess Candi,
who represents a consolidated idea of different aspects of the divine truth as divine power. Here the mother goddess identified as Umā or
Pärvati is associated with the Himalayas. In Markandeya Purana the goddess Durgā is pure consciousness, (Chiti) power of Siva and the
Maya of Visnu (visnu māyeti Savdita). She is Prakrti, the primal root-evolvement. She is also represented as hunger, thirst, sleep, memory
etc. She exists in them as her reflections (Chaya rüpena samahsthita) She is also regarded as Mahavidya, Mahämäyä, Mahäsuri and
Mahamoha. In her Mahakali-Mahälaksmi Mahasarsvati aspects, she is depicted in killing the demons like Madhukaitava,Mahişăsura and
Sumbha -Niśumbha as delineated in the Prathama, Madhyama and Uttama Charita of the Devi-Mahatmya. In DeviBhagavat Purana Shakti is
addressed as Brahamavidya and Sarvachaitanyarūpas. Another passage describes Devi as Vaishnavi Purana,Agni Purana, Matsya Purana,
Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Vamana Purāna and Sankarit. She is also Bhuvanešvari, the great lady of the world. Besides, VäyuBhavisya
Purana also contain the descriptions about Shakti-worship.

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Conclusion

From the critical survey of research data ,it is concluded that the worship of Shakti is prevalent from the very beginning of human
civilization, as the source of energy dispel bee of enemy. Shakti cult is one of those rare of India which has its beginning in the earliest stages
of human beings Thus, it can be very well observed that North Indian sculptures of Mahisasuramardini would easily depict the various types
which were followed in presenting the Shakti cult. Earlier figures have provided the goddess with two, four,and six arms only slaying the
asura, represented as buffalo by piercing the trident intos back, pressing asuras head with her right leg and lifting its hind part by catching its
tail. The mount lion of the deity is generally not known. Some scholars like D.C.Bhattachary feels that the earlier artists seem to have taken
the inscription from sources rather than the Markandeya Purana because the mount of the goddess is absent from some of the earliest images.

References:
1. Banerjea, J.N., (1956) The Development of Hindu Iconography, pp.66-69.
2. Ibid
3. Sarma, Gargee., (2012) „The cult of Mother Goddess in Assam and Bengal: A comparative study (upto 13th century A.D.)‟, PhD Thessis,
Gauhati University, Guwahati.
4. Banerjea, J.N., Op.cit, pp.490-91
5. Banerjea, J.N. (1960) Pauranik and Tantrik Religion,pp. 113-115
6 Banerjee.R.D;(1933)Eastern Indian School of mediaeval sculpture,p.114
7. Eliot, (1904) „Hinduism in Assam‟, Journal of Assam Research Society, 1920, p. 1153
8.Sircar,D.C(1967) „The Shakti cult and Tara‟p-15
9. Bhattasali,N.K .,Iconography of Buddhist and Brahmanical sculptures in th Dacca Museum.
10. Saraswati ,S.K .(1957),Survey of Indian Sculpture ,p.2

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