SHAKTI YOGA PHILOSOPHY

The power or active aspect of the immanent God is Shakti. Shakti is the embodiment of power.
She is the supporter of the vast universe. She is the supreme power by which the world is upheld.
She is the Universal Mother. She is Durga, Kali, Chandi, Chamundi, Tripurasundari, Rajesvari.
There is no difference between God and His Shakti, just as there is no difference between fire and its
burning power.
He who worships Shakti, that is, God in Mother form, as the supreme power which creates,
sustains and withdraws the universe, is a Sakta. All women are forms of the Divine Mother.
Shiva is the unchanging consciousness. Shakti is His changing power which appears as mind
and matter. Shaktivada or Shaktadarsana is a form of monism or Advaitavada.
A Sakta does Sadhana which helps the union of Shiva and Shakti, through the awakening of
the forces within the body. He becomes a Siddha in the Sadhana, when he is able to awaken
Kundalini and pierce the six Chakras. This is to be done in a perfect practical way under the
guidance of a Guru who has become perfect. The Shakti must be awakened by Dhyana, by Bhava, by
Japa, by Mantra-Shakti. The Mother, the embodiment of the fifty letters, is present in the various
letters in the different Chakras. When the chords of a musical instrument are struck harmoniously,
fine music is produced. Even so, when the chords of the letters are struck in their order, the Mother
who moves in the six Chakras and who is the very self of the letters, awakens Herself. The Sadhaka
attains Siddhi easily when She is roused. It is difficult to say when and how She shows Herself and
to what Sadhaka. Sadhana means unfolding, rousing up or awakening of power or Shakti. Mode of
Sadhana depends upon the tendencies and capacities of the Sadhaka.
Shakti may be termed as that by which we live and have our being in this universe. In this
world all the wants of the child are provided by the mother. The child’s growth, development and
sustenance are looked after by the mother. Even so, all the necessaries of life and its activities in this
world and the energy needed for it, depend upon Shakti or the Universal Mother.
No one can free himself from the thraldom of mind and matter without Mother’s grace. The
fetters of Maya are too hard to break. If you worship Her as the great Mother, you can very easily go
beyond Prakriti through Her benign grace and blessings. She will remove all obstacles in the path
and lead you safely into the illimitable domain of eternal bliss and make you free. When She is
pleased and bestows Her blessings on you, then alone you can free yourself from the bondage of this
formidable Samsara.
The first syllable which a child or a quadruped utters is the name of the beloved mother. Is
there any child which does not owe its all to the affection and love of its mother? It is the mother
who protects you, consoles you, cheers you and nurses you. She is your friend, philosopher,
protector and guide throughout your life. Human mother is a manifestation of the Universal
Mother.
The Supreme Lord is represented as Shiva and His power is represented as his consort, Shakti
or Durga or Kali. Just as the husband and wife look after the well-being of the family, so also Lord
Shiva and His Shakti are engaged in looking after the affairs of the world.
Radha, Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati and Savitri are the five primary forms of Prakriti or Devi.
Durga destroyed Madhu and Kaitabha through Vishnu. As Mahalakshmi, She destroyed the Asura
Mahisha and as Sarasvati She destroyed Sumbha and Nisumbha with their companions
Dhumralochana, Chanda, Munda and Raktabija.
When Vishnu and Mahadeva destroyed various Asuras, the power of Devi was behind
them. Devi took Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra and gave them necessary Shakti to proceed with the
work of creation, preservation and destruction. She is at the centre of the universe. She is in
Muladhara Chakra in our bodies. She vitalises the body through the Sushumna. She vitalises the
universe from the summit of Mount Meru.
In this system of Shakti philosophy, Shiva is omnipresent, impersonal, inactive. He is pure
consciousness. Shakti is dynamic. Shiva and Shakti are related as Prakasa and Vimarsa. Shakti or
Vimarsa is the power that is latent in the pure consciousness. Vimarsa gives rise to the world of
distinctions. Shiva is Chit. Shakti is Chidrupini. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva do their functions of
creation, preservation and destruction in obedience to Shakti. Shakti is endowed with Iccha (will),
Jnana (knowledge) and Kriya (action). Shiva and Shakti are one. Shakti Tattva and Shiva Tattva are
inseparable. Shiva is always with Shakti. There are thirtysix Tattvas, in Shakti philosophy. Shakti is in
Shakti Tattva, Nada in Sadakhya Tattva, Bindu in Isvara Tattva. The creative aspect of the Supreme
Shiva is called Shiva Tattva. Shiva Tattva is the first creative movement. Shakti Tattva is the will of Shiva.
It is the seed and womb of the entire world.
The first manifestation is called the Sadakhya or SadaShiva Tattva. In this Tattva there is the
beginning of formation of ideas. There is Nada Shakti in this Tattva. Next comes Isvara Tattva. This
Tattva is called Bindu. The fourth Tattva is Vidya or Suddhavidya. Then Prakriti modifies into the
Tattvas of mind, senses and the matter which constitutes the world.

Nada, Bindu are all names for different aspects of Shakti. Nada is really Shiva Shakti. Shiva has
two aspects. In one aspect, He is the supreme changeless one who is Satchidananda. This is Para
Samvit. In the other aspect, He changes as the world. The cause of the change is Shiva Tattva. This
Shiva Tattva and Shakti Tattva are inseparable. Shakti Tattva is the first dynamic aspect of Brahman.
Nishkala Shiva is Nirguna Shiva. He is not connected with the creative Shakti. Sakala Shiva is
associated with the creative Shakti. Maya or Prakriti is within the womb of Shakti. Maya is the matrix
of the world. Maya is potential in the state of dissolution. She is dynamic in creation. Maya evolves
into the several material elements and other physical parts of all sentient creatures under the
direction of Shakti. There are thirtysix Tattvas in Shakti philosophy. In Shakti philosophy we have
Brahman, Shakti, Nada, Bindu and Suddhamaya. In Saiva Siddhanta philosophy we have Shiva,
Shakti, Sadakhya and the Suddhamaya. The rest of the evolution in Shakti philosophy is the same as in Saiva Siddhanta philosophy.
Knowledge of Shakti leads to salvation. “Shaktijnanam vina devi nirvanam naiva jayate—O
Devi without the knowledge of Shakti, Mukti cannot be attained” (Isvara says to Devi). The Jiva or
the individual soul thinks when he is under the influence of Maya that he is the doer and the enjoyer
and identifies himself with the body. Through the grace of Shakti and through Sadhana or
self-culture, the individual soul frees himself from all fetters, attains spiritual insight and merges
himself in the Supreme.
There is in reality nothing but the One Self. The experienced is nothing but the experiencer.
Brahman appears as the world through the mirror of mind or Maya. An object is nothing but the One
Self appearing through Maya as non-self, to itself as subject. Triputi or knower, knowledge and
knowable vanishes in Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Supreme Shiva or Brahman alone exists.
In the Kenopanishad, it is said that the gods became puffed up with a victory over the
Asuras. They wrongly took the success to be the result of their own valour and prowess. The Lord
wanted to teach them a lesson. He appeared before them in the form of a Yaksha, a huge form, the
beginning and end of which were not visible. The Devas wanted to find out the identity of this form
and sent Agni for this purpose. The Yaksha asked Agni: “What is your name and power?” Agni
replied: “I am Agni (Jatavedas). I can burn up the whole universe in a minute.” The Yaksha placed
before Agni a dry blade of grass and asked him to burn it. Agni was nor able to burn it. He ran away
from the Yaksha in shame. The gods then sent Vayu to enquire who the Yaksha was. Vayu
approached the Yaksha. The Yaksha said to Vayu: “Who are you? What is your power?” Vayu said:
“I am wind-god. I can blow up the whole world in a minute.” The Yaksha then placed a blade of
grass before Vayu and told him to blow that away. Vayu could not make it move an inch from its
place. He left the place in shame. Last of all came Indra himself. When Indra reached the place, he
found that the Yaksha had vanished.
Then Uma appeared before Indra and revealed to him the real identity of the Yaksha. She
said to Indra: “It is the power of the Divine Mother and not that of the gods that crowned the gods
with victory. It is the Shakti or Uma or Haimavati, sister of Krishna, that is the source of the strength
of all the gods.” Shakti is the great teacher of Jnana. She sheds wisdom on her devotees.

May you all obtain the grace of Shakti or the Universal Mother and enjoy the supreme bliss of
the final emancipation.

Shakti is Chidrupini. She is pure, blissful Consciousness. She is the Mother of Nature. She is
Nature itself. She is power of Lord Shiva or Brahman. She runs this world-show. She maintains the
sportive play or Lila of the Lord. She is Jagat-Janani (creator of the world), Mahishasuramardini
(destroyer of Mahishasura) Bhranti-nasini (destroyer of illusion or Avidya), and Daridrya-nasini
(destroyer of poverty).


Devi is Shakti of Lord Shiva. She is Jada Shakti and Chit Shakti. She is Iccha Shakti, Kriya Shakti
and Jnana Shakti. She is Maya Shakti. Shakti is Prakriti, Maya, Mahamaya, Sri Vidya. Shakti is
Brahman itself. She is Lalita, Kundalini, Rajesvari, Tripurasundari, Sati and Parvati. Sati
manifested to Lord Shiva in the ten forms as the Dasa Maha Vidyas, viz., Kali, Bagalamukhi,
Chinnamasta, Bhuvanesvari, Matangi, Shodasi, Dhumavati, Tripurasundari, Tara and Bhairavi.
Worship of Shakti or Shaktism is one of the oldest and most widespread religions in the world.
Everybody in this world wants power, loves to possess power. He is elated by power. He wants to
domineer over others through power. War is the outcome of greed for power. Scientists are
followers of Shaktism. He who wishes to develop will-power and charming personality, is a follower
of Shaktism. In reality, every man in this world is a follower of Shaktism.
Scientists say now that everything is energy only and that energy is the physical ultimate of
all forms of matter. The followers of the Sakta school of philosophy have said the same thing, long
ago. They further say that this energy is only a limited manifestation of the Infinite Supreme Power
of Maha Shakti.
Shakti is always with Shiva. They are inseparable like fire and heat. Shakti evolves Nada and
Nada Bindu. The world is a manifestation of Shakti. Suddha Maya is Chit Shakti. Prakriti is Jada
Shakti. Nada, Bindu and the rest are only names for different aspects of Shakti.
The countless universes are only dust of Divine Mother’s holy feet. Her glory is ineffable.
Her splendour is indescribable. Her greatness is unfathomable. She showers Her grace on Her
sincere devotees. She leads the individual soul from Chakra to Chakra, from plane to plane and
unifies him with Lord Shiva in the Sahasrara.
The body is Shakti. The needs of the body are the needs of Shakti. When a man enjoys, it is
Shakti who enjoys through him. His eyes, ears, hands and feet are Hers. She sees through his eyes,
hears through his ears. Body, mind, Prana, egoism, intellect, organs and all the other functions are
Her manifestations.
Shaktism speaks of personal and the impersonal aspects of Godhead. Brahman is Nishkala or
without Prakriti and Sakala or with Prakriti. The Vedantin speaks of Nirupadhika Brahman (Pure
Nirguna Brahman without Maya) and Sopadhika Brahman (with Upadhi or Maya) or Saguna
Brahman. It is all the same. Names only are different. It is a play of words or Sabda Jalam. People
fight on word only, carry on lingual warfare, hair-splitting, logical chopping and intellectual
gymnastics. In reality the essence is one. Clay is the truth. All the modifications such as pot, etc., are
in name only. In Nirguna Brahman, Shakti is potential, whereas in Saguna Brahman, it is kinetic or
dynamic.
The basis of Shaktism is the Veda. Shaktism upholds that the only source and authority
(Pramana) regarding transcendental or supersensual matters such as the nature of Brahman, etc., is
Veda. Shaktism is only Vedanta. The Saktas have the same spiritual experience as that of a Vedantin.
The Devi-Sukta of the Rig-Veda, the Sri-Sukta, Durga-Sukta, Bhu-Sukta and Nila-Sukta,
and the specific Sakta Upanishads such as Tripuratapini Upanishad, Sitopanishad, Devi Upanishad,
Saubhagya-Upanishad, Sarasvati Upanishad, Bhavanopanishad, Bhavrichopanishad, etc.,
emphatically declare about the Mother-aspect of God. The Kena Upanishad also speaks of Uma
(Haimavati) who imparted wisdom of the Self to Indra and the Devas.
Divine Mother is everywhere triple. She is endowed with the three Gunas, viz., Sattva,
Rajas and Tamas. She manifests as Will (Iccha Shakti), Action (Kriya Shakti) and Knowledge (Jnana
Shakti). She is Brahma Shakti (Sarasvati) in conjunction with Brahma, Vishnu Shakti (Lakshmi) in
conjunction with Lord Vishnu, and Shiva Shakti (Gauri) in conjunction with Lord Shiva. Hence She is   called Tripurasundari.
The abode of Tripurasundari, the Divine Mother is called Sri Nagara. This magnificent
abode is surrounded by twentyfive ramparts, which represent the twentyfive Tattvas. The
resplendent Chintamani palace is in the middle. The Divine Mother sits in the Bindu Pitha in Sri
Chakra in that wonderful palace. There is a similar abode for Her in the body of man also. The
whole world is Her body. Mountains are Her bones. Rivers are Her veins. Ocean is Her bladder. Sun
and moon are Her eyes. Wind is Her breath. Agni is Her mouth.
The Shakti enjoys Bhukti (enjoyment in the world) and Mukti (liberation from all worlds).
Shiva is an embodiment of Bliss and Knowledge. Shiva Himself appears in the form of man with a
life—mixture of pleasure and pain. If you remember this point always, all dualism, all hatred,
jealousy, pride will vanish. You must consider every human function as worship or a religious act.
Answering calls of nature, talking, eating, walking, seeing, hearing, become worship of Lord, if you
develop the right attitude. It is Shiva who works in and through man. Where then is egoism or
individuality? All human actions are divine actions. One universal life throbs in the hearts of all,
sees in the eyes of all, works in the hands of all, hears in the ears of all. What a magnificent
experience it is, if one can feel this by crushing this little ‘I’! The old Samskaras, the old Vasanas,
the old habits of thinking, stand in the way of your realising this experience—Whole.
The aspirant thinks that the world is identical with the Divine Mother. He moves about
thinking his own form to be the form of the Divine Mother and thus beholds oneness everywhere.
He also feels that the Divine Mother is identical with Para Brahman.
The advanced Sadhaka feels: “I am the Devi and the Devi is in me”. He worships himself as
Devi instead of adoring any external object. He says: “Sa-aham—I am She (Devi)”.

Shaktism is not a mere theory or philosophy. It prescribes systematic Sadhana of Yoga,
regular discipline, according to the temperament, capacity and degree of evolution of the Sadhaka.
It helps the aspirant to arouse the Kundalini and unite Her with Lord Shiva and enjoy the Supreme
Bliss or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. When Kundalini sleeps, man is awake to the world. He has objective
consciousness. When She awakes, he sleeps. He loses all consciousness of the world and becomes
one with the Lord. In Samadhi, the body is maintained by the nectar which flows from the union of
Shiva and Shakti with Sahasrara.
Guru is indispensable for the practice of Shakti Yoga Sadhana. He initiates the aspirant and
transmits the divine Shakti.
Physical contact with a female is gross Maithuna. This is due to Pasu Bhava or animal
disposition or brutal instinct. Mother Kundalini Shakti unites with Lord Shiva in Sahasrara during
Nirvikalpa Samadhi. This is real Maithuna or blissful union. This is due to Divya Bhava or divine
disposition. You must rise from Pasu Bhava to Divya Bhava, through Satsanga, service of Guru,
renunciation and dispassion, discrimination, Japa and meditation.
Worship of the Divine Mother with intense faith and perfect devotion and self-surrender
will help you to attain Her grace. Through Her grace alone, you can attain knowledge of the
Imperishable.
Glory to Tripurasundari, the World-Mother, who is also Raja-Rajesvari and Lalita Devi.
May Her blessings be upon you all!