Adi Parashakti
Adi Parashakti
Adi Parashakti
For the Tamil lm, see She is a manifested (Lord Brahma), unmanifested (Lord
Vishnu) and transcendent (Lord Shiva) divinity. She then
displayed her scarcely seen form to him: Satyaloka was
According to Hindu mythology, Adi Para Shaktithe located in her forehead; the created universe were her
hairs; the sun and moon were her eyes; in her ears were
Goddess, Deviis the Supreme Being and recognized
as Para Brahman. She is also known as Parma means the four directions; the Vedas were her words; death, afwere her teeth; maya was manifested
supreme, Satya means the Truth as per many shakta fection and emotion
[3]
by
her
smile.
[1]
texts. The Devi Bhagawata Mahapurana suggests that
Adi Parashakti is the original creator, observer and destroyer of the whole universe.
As per Shaktism, Adi Parashakti appeared as Divine Pure
Eternal Consciousness i.e. Shoonya Bindu or Nirgun
Brahman, the divine zero feminine energy, which then
expresses itself as prakriti (Universal Nature)[2]
Hence Adi Parashakti is Parama Prakriti. Goddess
Lalita Tripura Sundari is the original manifested form of
Mother Adi-Parashakti. Goddess Parvati/Durga is AdiParashakti herself and is the perfect incarnation of Lalita
Tripura Sundari . Goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari, the
goddess of power and beauty, is considered as her saguna svarupa (Manifested form). That is, Lalita Tripura
Sundari is the truest material form of the Goddess, pos- Goddess Adi ParaShakthi is the Presiding Deity at the
sessing the three qualities (Sattva, rajas, or tamas). How- Parashakthi Temple in Pontiac, USA
ever, the Goddess Adi Para Shakti is also considered to be
truly supreme spirit without form (Param Atman). She is
the Great Goddess, and therefore the source of all other
goddesses. She is supreme and regarded as the Absolute 3 Adi Parashakti in Puranas
Truth in Shaktism.
Etymology
Brahma and Gowri, who incarnated as Sati then Parvati. dess Mahakali, Mahakali is myself , my full form , where
Second bubble was of Shiva and Radha. Radha further Laxmi and Saraswati are just my clone, partial form. But
expanded herself to Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga.[5]
due to meditation, you will surpass all my forms. It is then
that I will incarnate from your left half in my manifested
form. This form will be my truest manifested form. Lord
3.2 Adi shakti in Shaiva Puranas
Shiva, she will perform the task of destroying evil and will
be your consort. Aum Shakti is used to describe the name
Shiva Purana says Adi Parashakti incarnated in complete of the goddess when she is without attributes. It is hence
materialistic form as Param Prakriti from the left half of to consider Adi Shakti as supreme primordial energy. If
Lord Shiva. Linga Purana states Adi shaktis sagun swa- we analyze all the sacred texts of Indian legends then it is
roop i.e. Parvati assumed the form of Yoni and Shiva legitimate to consider Adi parashakti as supreme being.[7]
assumed the form of Linga and their union brings evolution of life. Skanda Purana and Markandeya Purana
talks about Durga or Chandi as divine mother of all cre- 3.4 Adi Shakti in Shakta Puranas
ation and truest material form of Adi Shakti. Parvati is
The Devi Bhagwat Purana says that Shiva worshiped
Durga by the same above-mentioned scriptures.[6]
and meditated on Adishakti for thousands of years, using
the beej mantra Kleem. She then incarnated in front of
him in the form of Sidhidaatri as such she appeared from
3.3 Role in creation
the left half of Lord Shiva. The same purana mentions
In Srimad Devi Bhagwat Puranas 1st book and 4th chap- Parvati, the goddess of power and beauty, is considered
her Sagun Swaroop (manifested form). The Goddess Adi
ter. Devi addressed Trimurti as follows:
Para shakti is also considered to be the truly supreme
I am Adi Parashakti, goddess Bhuvaneshvari. I am the
spirit without form (Param Atman). She is the Great
owner of this universe. I am the Absolute Reality. I am
Goddess, and all other goddesses and even all the gods
dynamic in feminine form and static in masculine form.
are her various forms, says the Devi Gita from Shakti
You have appeared to govern the universe through my
Mahabhagawat Purana.[8] Namely, according to the Devi
energy. You are the masculine form of Absolute Reality,
Bhagwata Purana, Parvati is lineal progenitor of all other
while I am the feminine form of that Reality. I am begoddesses (which are essentially her various forms and
yond form, beyond everything, and all the powers of God
names).
are contained within me. You must know that that I am
However Adi shakti is also non dierent from Nirguna
the Eternal limitless energy.
Brahman, the truly supreme spirit without form.
She then said: Brahma! You will be generator of the universe; the Goddess Sharada (saraswati)is your consort, my In Devi Mahatmyam, Trimurti and demigods praises Adi
form by which I will be recognized as the goddess of wis- shakti:
dom and the primeval sound. Lord Brahma, this goddess Shrishti Sthiti Vinasham Shakti Bhute Sanatane
will be with you when you create the universe.
Guna Shaye (Devoid of all attributes i.e. Nirgun) Gana
She continued: Lord Narayana! You are the Supreme, Im- maye (Having all the attributes) Narayani Namausmortal Spirit. You are formless, yet you take form. I assign tute[9]
you to be the preserver of the universe. You will take a different incarnations in order to save this universes inhabi- Meaning: We bow to the rst female (Narayani), The
tants. Oh Narayana! You are the Supreme of all the deities eternal energy who creates, sustains and destroys all the
with form. You have created Lord Brahma, and Brahma elements i.e. tatva and the one who is truly supreme spirit
will further create three hundred thirty million other gods (Nirgun) at the time who encapsulate all the attributes for
and goddesses. My Great Power, goddess Mahakali, has Generation, Observation and Destruction.
been born from your mystic sleep. You are the Paramatman. Your consort will be goddess Shri Maha Lakshmi,
my form. Lord Vishnu, this goddess will be with you when 4 Adi Shakti and Modern Science
you rule/maintain the universe. When life evolves, you will
take the form of Vishnu, the one who will perform the task The concept of Adi shakti is very much similar to the
of observing and preserving this universe.
modern discoveries in the eld of Modern science and
At Last she instructed: Oh Lord Rudra, the Great Lord,
you are the personication of time, which is above all.
You will perform the task of destroying and regenerating this universe. When you are formless absolute, time
stands still. It is due to my power that you become dynamic and are capable of bringing about the destruction
and regeneration of this universe. Your consort is god-
6.2
repeating one name directly or indirectly i.e. Shakti or Energy. Who is actually omnipresent in all beings. Shakti
is there in Highest Vishnu to lowest Insect. If Krishna or Shiva are sarva shaktimaan, then presence of
Shakti is rst that makes them sarva shaktimaan, hence
both Shiva and Vishnu are not base. Shakti is actual
Base. We Worship because of energy, we walk because of
shakti, we do all the activities because of shakti. So How
can Creation/Preservation/Destruction be done without
shakti. Shakti is required to get a soul into a body, Shakti
is required to sustain soul to live, Shakti is required to destroy/release from a Body. Even if Kundalini Shakti be
deprived from Lord Shiva then He will be a Corpse. [12]
6.1
7 ADI-PARASHAKTI FORMS
goddesses. As per tantras these ten goddesses are original 6.4.3 Maya
source of ten incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
She is the one who delude living beings from GOD and
From Dhumavati, Lord Mastsya was incar- takes any being to the world of illusion. She promotes
greed, anger, and arrogance. It is assumed that in the
nated
Age of Kali Yug. Her eect is highest.[15]
From BaglaMukhi, Lord Kurma was incarThe conclusion to be reached from the above-mentioned
nated
scriptures is that Parvati or Durga are the truest material
From Bhairavi, Lord Varaha was incarnated
forms of Adi shakti. However Adi shakti is non dierent
From Chinnamasta, Lord Narsingh was incar- from Nirguna Brahman, the truly supreme spirit without
nated
form.
From TripurSundari, Lord Vaamna was incarnated
from Matangi, Lord Parshurama was incarnated
7 Adi-Parashakti forms
6.4
YogMaya
Mahamaya
8.1
Durga Saptashati. Mother Maha Lakshmi is the pri- impurities and claims that to know ones own energy is
mary deity of the Raja Guna. When she is formless, best method to worship Divine Mother.[18]
she becomes light.
Though core shakta people believe in direct worship
of Adi Shakti through dhyan, Meditation and Samadhi,
Maha Kali is the third incarnation of Goddess Adi Tantra, Sri chakra and traditional deity worship. While
Para Shakti. She is the goddess of spiritual ful- worshiping her through yoga, Samadhi or through Tantra,
llment as well as presiding over the destruction one needs proper adherent guru, who himself or herself
of the universe. She gives salvation to mankind. must know all the rules and rituals.[19] If someone who
She is the shakti and consort of Lord Shiva. She doesn't have proper guru, then one can also worship her
helped Lord Maha Vishnu slay the demons Madhu mere by singing praise or "aarti" of her and enlightening
and Kaitabha. She was born from the eyes of Sri lamp of claried butter or oil.
Maha vishnu as YogMaya. Mahakali is same as Yogmaya also known as Tamsi Devi as per Durga Sap- If a person don't have any Guru then he/she can
tashati. Mother Mahakali wears blue and presides consider and worship Lord Dakshinamurthy as their
over the Tamas Guna. When she is formless, she Guru.Eventually he/she will be blessed with a human
Self-Realised Guru if they are worthy.
becomes heat.
The Sri Yantra in diagrammatic form, showing how its nine interlocking triangles form a total of 43 smaller triangles.
Shaktas claim that It is assumed that Indirectly or directly, Everyone worship her. When, someone is utilizing
his/her energy in positive aspects of life then we are worshiping her. Hypothetically Shaktas assume, since, she is
absolute Energy, so when we know how to raise our inner
energy and knows how to make a balance that energy for
our daily work then ultimately, we are worshiping her. To
balance Energy for day to day life, people worship there
personal gods/God as per their religion, enlighten candles
and lamps at home, do good work for society and many
more. All these activities either energize them or these
activities are method to gain motivation.[17]
Many scholars like Swami Vivekananda prefers
meditation as best practice to stop mental impurities
as he said Holy meditation helps to burn out all mental
, ,
,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
, ,
,
,
, ,
, ,
13
,
, ,
REFERENCES
[20]
Iconography
10
Mythological stories
11
See also
Parashakthi Temple
12
Notes
13 References
[5] Brahmanda Purana translated into English in PDF | hindudharmaforums.com Sanatana Dharma Scriptures
Puranas
14
14.1
14.2
Images
File:AUM_symbol,_the_primary_(highest)_name_of_the_God_as_per_the_Vedas.svg Source:
wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Om_symbol.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
https://upload.wikimedia.org/
File:Goddess_Adi_Parashakthi_at_Parashakthi_Temple.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/
Goddess_Adi_Parashakthi_at_Parashakthi_Temple.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Rashkesh
File:Goddess_Kali_By_Piyal_Kundu1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Goddess_Kali_By_Piyal_
Kundu1.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Piyal Kundu
File:HinduismSymbol.PNG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/HinduismSymbol.PNG License: CC-BYSA-3.0 Contributors: Created by Tinette user of Italian Wikipedia. Original artist: Tinette (talk contribs)
File:Sri_Yantra_256bw.gif Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Sri_Yantra_256bw.gif License: CC-BYSA-3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: N.Manytchkine
File:Tripura_Sundari2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Tripura_Sundari2.jpg License: CC BY-SA
4.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Arjunkrishna90
14.3
Content license