Knowra Shaktism Shaktism Shaktism is a major Hindu tradition that worships the Goddess, or Shakti, as supreme reality or the active power of the divine. Its forms range from household devotion to esoteric ritual and philosophy.
Shakti : The divine power understood in Hindu traditions as the force of manifestation, action, and transformation. Shaktism centers worship on Shakti as supreme reality or the power through which divinity acts.
Durga Puja : An annual Hindu festival honoring Durga, especially prominent in Bengal and eastern India. It is one of the most visible public celebrations of the Goddess in Shakta regions.
Devi Mahatmya : A Sanskrit text from the Markandeya Purana that presents the Goddess as supreme and recounts her victories over demons. Its influential account of the Goddess’s sovereignty helped shape later Shakta theology.
Shaivism : A major Hindu tradition centered on the worship of Shiva as supreme deity. Shaktism and Shaivism often share tantric traditions but differ in which divine principle receives central emphasis.
Devi : The Sanskrit term for goddess, also used for the supreme Goddess in Hindu traditions. Shaktism’s many goddesses are understood as forms or expressions of Devi.
Navaratri : A Hindu festival lasting nine nights and dedicated to the Goddess in several regional forms. Its worship of Devi across successive nights expresses Shaktism’s many forms of the Goddess.
Devi Bhagavata Purana : A Sanskrit Purana devoted to the Goddess, her manifestations, and her supremacy. It develops a comprehensive scriptural vision of Devi as the source of the cosmos.
Vaishnavism : A major Hindu tradition centered on Vishnu and his avatars as supreme deity. Its Vishnu-centered theology provides a clear comparison with Shaktism’s Goddess-centered devotion.
Hinduism : A diverse family of religious traditions rooted in the Indian subcontinent, with varied scriptures, practices, and philosophies. Shaktism is one of Hinduism’s major devotional and theological traditions.
Shakta pitha : A sacred site associated with the Goddess, traditionally linked to parts of Sati’s body or ornaments. Pilgrimage to these sites gives Shakta devotion a sacred geography across South Asia.
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