Shakthi Worship

"To those who adore thee, O' Mother, Thou grantest all boons, Thou art the origin of the Vedas and of all the Worlds, Be pleased to shine in my heart and accept my adoration. Thou art effulgence,Thou art the light of the Devas and Thou art in everything and beyond everything. Bathe me in Thy light and purify me"

History of Shakthi Worship

Goddesses, the feminine aspect of the Divine has been worshipped in all cultures, the world over, since earliest times. The Divine as the great Mother, the Eternal, Universal Mother is familiar to us from the ancient written records of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome and India. She manifests in various historical religions of the world, including the most ancient living religious tradition of Hinduism. In the early Church, the Holy Spirit was experienced as feminine, as seen from the writings of some church Fathers. In early Judaism, the figure of wisdom is experienced as feminine and the theology of "Shekina" and other references in Isaiah as to the Motherhood of God are well known. Ever since the resurrection of Christ, the grace of Christ has always manifested itself in the form of Mary. Now, in today's world, there is a new realization to view God as the Mother. It is in this regard that Shakthi worship in Hinduism, which dates back to several thousand years in India, can make a significant contribution.

In India, since Indus Valley times, the newly discovered Saraswathy river civilization and the Vedic period, we find a rich tradition of theology as well as worship-patterns of God as Mother, Devi and Parashakti, complete with liturgies, symbolism's, philosophies and psychologies. Her manifestations and worship centers are seen in various parts of India.

The origin of Shakthi worship can be traced to such Vedic texts as Sri-Suktam, Durga-Suktam, Bhu-Suktam, Tripuropanishad, Bhavanopanishad etc. In Sandhya Upasana, we think of Gayatri Devi in the solar orb and imagine that the sun shines by HER effulgence and that She is also the Truth, which has kindled the light of reason in our minds. Her praise is sung thus in the Mantra 'Ayatu Varada Devi': "To those who adore thee, O' Mother, Thou grantest all boons, Thou art The origin of the Vedas and of all the Worlds, Be pleased to shine in my heart and accept my adoration. Thou art effulgence, Thou art the light of the Devas and Thou art in everything and beyond everything. Bathe me in thy light and purify me". It would show that the daily Sandyavandanam enjoined by Vedas is primarily Shakthi worship.

We have references of Shakthi worship in Maha-Bharata in many contexts - before entering Matsya- Kingdom, at the commencement of battle of Kurukshetra Arjuna prayed Durga, -- In Bhagavatam we observe Rukmini worshipping Ambika before her marriage. Devi Bhagavatam deals entirely with the glory of divine Mother. Brahmanda puranam contains Lalitha Sahasranama and Trisati. Candi or Devi-Mahatmyam forms part of Markandeya-puranam. Saundaryalahari (one of the 64 Sakta Tantras) says that after Siva had filled the world with the other Tantras, He gave out, at the request of Devi, the 'Sri Tantra' which fulfills the objects covered by all other Tantras. This is known as the worship of Tripura or Sri-Vidya, and includes Upasana of "Bala, Pancadasi and Sodasi"

The worship of Devi in Sri-Cakra is set forth by Adi-Sankara in his Prapancasara and Saundaryalahari. We have numerous places of Shakthi worship- Shakthi is adored as: Uma in Himalayas - Amba in Kashmir, Visalakshi in Varanasi., Gauri in Kanya Kubja, Bhavani in Maharashtra and Kali in Calcutta. Shakti is worshipped as Bala in Kanya Kumari, as Meenakshi (Syamala in Mantrini) in Madura in Tamil Nadu, as Akhilandeswari or Dandini at Jambukesvaram, as Kamakshi at Kancipuram, Karumari in Chennai, Sarada at Srungeri, as Camundesvari at Mysore, and as Bhagavati in Kerala. During Navaratri days She is adored as Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati (three in one).

Karumari Amman: Devi Parashakthi has manifested herself in the form of Karumari Amman in a village named Thiruverkadu on the outskirts of Chennai, India. Karumaari is one of the ‘Sapta Kannikas’ (seven ‘Shakthi’ forms of Goddess Parvati). The Temple in Pontiac, Michigan also enshrines the same manifestation of Parashakthi as Karumari.

Jagat sarvam Saktimayam
OM TATSAT

PARASHAKTHI (The Eternal Mother) Temple 551 W. Kennett, Pontiac, Michigan 48340 Phone - 248 - 322-4731 Maps & Directions e-mail: omshakthi@parashakthitemple.org