Major Philosophical Thinkers and Schools: Shaktism | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Roots of Shaktism: A Journey Through Time

Ancient Beginnings:

• The earliest known depictions of the Devi date back over 20,000 years ago in Indian Paleolithic settlements. These ancient cultures likely revered the goddess in various forms, laying the groundwork for her later significance.
• During the Indus Valley Civilization, the cult of the Devi was refined and became more structured. This period saw the emergence of distinct symbols and practices associated with her worship, indicating a growing importance in the spiritual landscape.

The Vedic Period:

• In the Vedic period, the Devi experienced a partial eclipse. While she was still acknowledged, the focus of worship shifted towards male deities such as Indra and Agni. However, the seeds of her future prominence were sown during this time.

Resurgence and Expansion:

• The Devi resurfaced and expanded her influence in the Sanskrit tradition. This period saw a revival of interest in the goddess, with texts and practices emphasizing her power and significance.
• Shaktism as we know it today began to take shape during the Vedic Age. The foundational literature of this period laid the groundwork for the worship of the Devi.
• The tradition further evolved during the formative period of the Hindu epics, where stories and teachings about the Devi became more prominent.

The Gupta Age and Beyond:

• Shaktism reached its zenith during the Gupta Age (300-700 CE). This period is marked by a flourishing of art, literature, and philosophy that celebrated the Devi. Temples dedicated to her were built, and her stories were told and retold in various forms.
• After the Gupta Age, Shaktism continued to expand and develop. New texts, practices, and regional variations emerged, reflecting the dynamic nature of the tradition.

In summary, the roots of Shaktism trace a path from ancient reverence for the Devi through various cultural and historical shifts, leading to the vibrant and diverse tradition we see today. Throughout this journey, the core idea of worshipping the divine feminine has remained a central and powerful aspect of Hindu spirituality.

Shaktism in Veda

• During the Vedic period, female divinity was still present in belief and worship, but generally in a more subordinate role, with goddesses primarily serving as consorts to the great gods.
• The most significant female deity in the Vedas is Ushas, with several hymns dedicated exclusively to her. The Rig Veda mentions three divine mothers—Aditi, Prithvi, and Saraswati—from whom the Vedic gods were born. Prithvi later transformed into Bhudevi, the goddess of the earth, in later Hinduism.
• The Rig Vedic hymn Devi Sukta also features two of Hinduism's most beloved goddesses:Vac, associated with present-day Saraswati, and Sri, now better known as Lakshmi.

Shaktism in Vedic Literature

Shaktism in Upanishads:

• The Kena Upanishad tells a story where the Devi appears as the shakti, or essential power, of the Supreme Brahman.
• It begins with the Vedic deities Agni, Vayu, and Indra boasting about their victory over demons, only to lose their divine power in front of a mysterious yaksha.
• When Indra tries to question the yaksha, it vanishes, replaced by the Devi in the form of a beautifully adorned yakshini.

Shaktism in Epic:

• Although the Ramayana does not mention a goddess of purely Shakta character, the Mahabharata contains numerous references confirming the vitality of Shakta worship.
• The Mahabharata talks about a goddess residing in the Vindhyas, worshipped by hunting peoples, and the process of goddess-worshipping indigenous peoples integrating into the caste system.
• In the Epic's Durga Stotras, the Devi is revealed as a powerful Female Principle, encompassing various local goddesses.
• The Tamil epic Silappatikaram(c. 100 CE) reflects the cult of the Female Principle in South India, presenting goddesses like Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati as different aspects of the same power.

Shaktism in Puranas

• The significant Puranas from the Shakta perspective include Markandeya Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Devi Purana, and Kalika Purana.

Devi-Mahatmya

• The Devi-Mahatmya, a crucial text in Shaktism, was integrated into the Markandeya Purana around the 7th century.
• This text brings together various mythic, cultic, and theological elements related to different female divinities for the first time.
• It includes verses praising the Devi (goddess) and narrating her exploits, such as her victory over the demon Mahishasura.
• The stories in the Devi-Mahatmya are accompanied by verses in which the gods praise her in various ways.

Narayani-stuti:

• The Narayani-stuti describes the Devi's Vaishnavi-shakti, which sustains the entire universe.
• It mentions her nine Matrika forms and other manifestations as Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Narayani, Katyayani, Durga, Bhadrakali, and Ambika.
• The text announces her promise to appear in the world from time to time to destroy demons and evil.

Lalita Sahasranama:

• The Lalita Sahasranama contains the thousand names of the Hindu mother goddess Lalita.
• This sacred text is used by Hindu worshippers of Lalita Devi, who is considered a manifestation of Shakti, and is also applied in the worship of Durga, Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Bhagavati, and others.
• Part of the Brahmanda Purana, the Lalita Sahasranama operates on multiple levels, referencing the Devi's physical qualities and exploits while also serving as a guide to philosophy and esoteric practices such as kundalini yoga and Srividya Shaktism.

Kalika Purana:

• The Kalika Purana, an early medieval Shakta text, reflects diverse forms of Devi worship.
• Composed in Assam or nearby Bengal, it portrays the goddess in both benign and terrifying forms.
• In her shanta(calm) aspect, she exhibits a strongly erotic character, while in her raudra(fierce) manifestation, she is best worshipped in a cremation ground.
• The Kalika Purana outlines two worship methods:Dakshina-bhava(the right method), involving regular rites and rituals including animal and human sacrifice, and Vama-bhava(the left method), incorporating alcohol, meat, and sexual rites.
• Both methods have a Tantric influence, stronger in Vama-bhava. The Purana also details the performance of the popular festival of Durga Puja.

Pithas:

• The Puranas mention various sacred places linked to different manifestations of Devi, known as pithas.
• The Devi Bhagavata refers to these places, while the Kalika Purana specifies seven pithas associated with the dismembered pieces of Sati’s body, such as Kamarupa, Jalandhar, Purnagiri, and Devikuta.
• The number of pithas increased over time, reflecting an expansion in the sacred geography associated with the goddess.
• Pilgrimages to Shakta pithas were well-established in the early medieval period..

Architectural and Sculptural Remains

Remnants from various regions of the subcontinent indicate the widespread veneration of Durga, along with the associated cults of the Matrikas (typically mentioned as seven or eight in number) and the Yoginis.

Yoginis:

• There were 64 Yoginis, described in ancient texts as attendants or manifestations of Durga during her battle against the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha.
• The principal Yoginis were often identified with the Matrikas.
• The worship of the Sapta-Matrikas and Yoginis was particularly popular in eastern India.
• In Orissa, numerous Matrika images have been discovered in and around Jajpur.
• Roofless temples dedicated to the Yoginis can be found at Ranipur Jharial and Hirapur.

Multi-Armed Durga:

• Images of multi-armed Durga from this period are abundant, especially in eastern India.
• Such images are also found in the Tamil Nadu region, where a distinctive feature is the goddess's association with a stag.

Nishumbhamardini:

• Representations of the goddess as Nishumbhamardini, the slayer of the demon Nishumbha, are present among the reliefs in numerous temples from the Chola period.

Local Goddesses:

• Inscriptions from early medieval India reference various local goddesses. For example, those from Orissa mention goddesses like Viraja and Stambheshvari, while those from Assam mention Kamakhya.
• The Puranic tradition unified these diverse goddess cults by suggesting that the local goddesses were different forms of a singular, supreme goddess, the great Devi.
• In Bengal, the interaction between Brahmanism and a strong tradition of worshiping independent goddesses led to a cultural synthesis that emphasized goddess worship.
• The Matsya Purana lists 108 names of the great goddess, whereas the Kurma Purana invokes her with 1,000 names.

The Goddess as Slayer of the Demon Mahisha:

• The fundamental iconography of Durga Mahishasuramardini, which is actually the most commonly depicted form of the goddess in sculpture, was established in the early centuries CE.
• Some of the most remarkable sculptural depictions of Durga Mahishasuramardini were created by artists during the early medieval period.
• One of the most striking representations of Durga Mahishasuramardini can be found in a niche within the Virupaksha temple at Aihole.