shakti

Shakti (shŭk`tē) [Skt.,=power], in Hinduism, name given to the female consorts of male deities. The Shakti personifies the dynamic, manifesting energy that creates the universe, while the male god represents the static, unmanifest aspect of the divine reality. The concept is related to that of prakriti in Samkhya metaphysics (see Hindu philosophy and of maya in Vedanta philosophy. The idea of Shakti is prominent in Tantra where the Kundalini energy (see yoga) is regarded as a goddess, and the theme of male-female polarity is developed. The term Shakti is often used to refer to the spiritual partner or consort of a spiritual master, a relationship often without the emotional and sexual components of ordinary marriage.

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shakti

 or sakti

In Hinduism, the “creative energy” inherent in and proceeding from God. It is exemplified by the female principle, the female reproductive organs, or the goddess Shakti, wife of Shiva. As energy, shakti is viewed as the merging of powers emanating from male gods, and it is possessed by each person. In Tantric Hinduism, the goddess Shakti is associated with the lowest of the chakras, lying dormant within the body as a coiled serpent (Kundalini) that must be aroused to reach spiritual liberation by uniting with Shiva at the top of the head. See also Shaktism.