Shaktism -
Shaktism is one of the
most important sub-sects of Hinduism. It
is one of the most popular worship of the supreme Goddess Adhishakthi, in her innumerable
forms in different parts of the country.
Shakthi symbolizes ‘energy’/ ‘Potency’, worship of the same for attaining the highest spiritual benefits. Shaktism is
closely related to Shaivism, Shakthi/female energy of Lord Shiva. Therefore, Shiva and Shakthi are inseparable,
and the emotional disturbance of the Shakthi leads to creation. Without the vital energy, Lord Shiva remains
inactive. As mentioned earlier, Shakthi
has innumerable appearances as Kali who has fierce form; she is the destroyer
of evil. She has the manifestation as Janani
who is the mother of living beings, she has personified as Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi
who symbolizes wealth and richness, Goddess Durga who is the destroyer of
sorrows and miseries, Goddess Saraswathi who symbolizes wisdom and knowledge,
Goddess Sri who is the epitome of beauty, Goddess Parvathi who symbolizes love
and virtues, she is the consort of Lord Shiva, she represents death and destruction.
The Shakthites worship Goddess as the mother and the worshiper believes that the mother provides all that they yearn. Hinduism believes the supreme Goddess Kali as the destroyer of evil and fear. All that born on this Earth has to undergo constant transformation such as aging, illness, and death. None of the living beings is out of these above-said transformations in life; hence all have the fear of death. The Goddess Kali is portrayed as gruesome and alarming, to reveal the realities of life such as despair, sufferings fear of death and death. This will help us to realize the stark nature of realities of life such the nature of impermanence. The Earth we live in has to undergo various natural calamities, destruction, famine, drought, etc.., we are always surrounded by the constant threat of nature as well as wickedness of humans. Goddess Kali is often portrayed as dwelling in funeral grounds, makes us realize the fact that all the living beings on the Earth have to face death, pain, and suffering. It is an undeniable warning to living beings about the harsh truth of aging; illness and death, hence pursue the knowledge of ‘Bhramam’ which is supreme bliss. The worldly existence is a web of sufferings, pain, agony, miseries, sorrows, displeasure and grief. The worship of the gruesome form of Goddess Kali helps us to confront all the evils such as mental and physical ailments, and ultimately death. None of the living beings in this world is going to be free from any of the nature of life on the Earth. Therefore, the horrifying form of Kali is not to terrorize, the worship of Goddess Kali teaches us to confront the happiness and sorrow, beauty and ugliness, pleasure and displeasure, fear of death and death in a balanced state of mind. The ultimate truth is that she is the Mother of Universe and its living being; she not only protects her worshiper but also instills them with the knowledge of the impermanent nature of life, so that the worshiper remains free from the worldly bondage practically and rationally. Goddess Kali symbolizes energy and process of existence, worship of Goddess Kali would benefit the worshiper to overcome the fear of death, time and death which is inevitable. The worshiper of Ma Kali sees kindness and love in her brutal appearance; she removes the fear of death, evilness, and worldly bondage.
The Shakthites worship Goddess as the mother and the worshiper believes that the mother provides all that they yearn. Hinduism believes the supreme Goddess Kali as the destroyer of evil and fear. All that born on this Earth has to undergo constant transformation such as aging, illness, and death. None of the living beings is out of these above-said transformations in life; hence all have the fear of death. The Goddess Kali is portrayed as gruesome and alarming, to reveal the realities of life such as despair, sufferings fear of death and death. This will help us to realize the stark nature of realities of life such the nature of impermanence. The Earth we live in has to undergo various natural calamities, destruction, famine, drought, etc.., we are always surrounded by the constant threat of nature as well as wickedness of humans. Goddess Kali is often portrayed as dwelling in funeral grounds, makes us realize the fact that all the living beings on the Earth have to face death, pain, and suffering. It is an undeniable warning to living beings about the harsh truth of aging; illness and death, hence pursue the knowledge of ‘Bhramam’ which is supreme bliss. The worldly existence is a web of sufferings, pain, agony, miseries, sorrows, displeasure and grief. The worship of the gruesome form of Goddess Kali helps us to confront all the evils such as mental and physical ailments, and ultimately death. None of the living beings in this world is going to be free from any of the nature of life on the Earth. Therefore, the horrifying form of Kali is not to terrorize, the worship of Goddess Kali teaches us to confront the happiness and sorrow, beauty and ugliness, pleasure and displeasure, fear of death and death in a balanced state of mind. The ultimate truth is that she is the Mother of Universe and its living being; she not only protects her worshiper but also instills them with the knowledge of the impermanent nature of life, so that the worshiper remains free from the worldly bondage practically and rationally. Goddess Kali symbolizes energy and process of existence, worship of Goddess Kali would benefit the worshiper to overcome the fear of death, time and death which is inevitable. The worshiper of Ma Kali sees kindness and love in her brutal appearance; she removes the fear of death, evilness, and worldly bondage.
The role of Tantra in
Shaktism is significant, it is a method of worship of Ma Kali.
The Tantra reveals the knowledge of all the dimensions and powers of the existence
of manifestation of the energy of Ma Kali.
The Tantra is the knowledge which aims to transform the worshiper and
elevates spiritually, and set free from all those destructive and binding
nature of life.
The supreme Goddess Kali also depicts as Mother of living beings, with a pleasing personality, compassion and
full of love. She is the protector of
her passionate devotees, she protects from the fear of physical as well as mental
ailments. Goddess Kali symbolizes
creation as well as destruction, in order to create something new, something has to be
destroyed which is already in existence. These two actions should go correspondingly; Ma
Kali is described as gruesome with a black complexion that represents death, and
the divine Mother has a pleasant appearance with a beautiful smile represents
creation which consists of good and evil as well.
The worship of Shakthi brings serenity in the worshiper, it teaches to
embrace the destructive force such as destruction of the evil and the pleasing nature of the divine mother who protects her children, in the same
manner. Therefore, death and destruction
are inevitable in human life; the worship of Goddess Kali brings the knowledge
of awareness of the impermanent nature of life and helps to overcome those fears.
