Short Introduction to šakta Philosophy

There is no word of wider content in any language than this Sanskrit term meaning ‘Power’. For Shakti in the highest causal sense is God as Mother, and in another sense it is the universe which issues from Her Womb. Therefore, the Yoginihridaya Tantra thus salutes Her who conceives, bears, produces and thereafter nourishes all worlds.

Today Western science speaks of Energy as the physical ultimate of all forms of Matter. So has it been for ages to the Shaktas, as the worshippers of Shakti are called. But they add that such Energy is only a limited manifestation (as Mind and Matter) of the almighty infinite Supreme Power (Maha-Shakti) of Becoming in ‘That’ (Tat), which is unitary Being (Sat) itself.

Their doctrine is to be found in the traditions, oral and written, which are contained in the Agamas, which (with Purana, Smriti and Veda) constitute one of the four great classes of Scripture of the Hindus. The Tantras are Scriptures of the Agama. The notion that they are some queer bye-product of Hinduism and not an integral part of it, is erroneous.

It is said of the Mother (in the Hymn to Her in the Mahakala-Samhita):

“Thou art neither girl, nor maid, nor old. Indeed Thou art neither female nor male, nor neuter. Thou art inconceivable, immeasurable Power, the Being of all which exists, void of all duality, the Supreme Brahman, attainable in Illumination alone.”

This concise manual will introduce the reader to the splendorous path of the Saktas and open for him the door to the mystical doctrines.