Please remove this notice after the article has been expanded. Details are on this talk page or at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion. For the Goa trance artist, see Shakta (band). Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, or Devi Mata -- the Hindu name for the Great Divine Mother -- in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity (which are however deemed to be inactive in the absence of the Shakti). In pure Shaktism, the Great ...

Including:

• Shaktism - Philosophy
• Shaktism - Origin and History
• Shaktism - Roots in Hinduism
• Shaktism - Worship
• Shaktism - Shakta Upanishads
• Shaktism - See Also

Read more here: » Shaktism: Encyclopedia - Shaktism

See also:

Shaktism, Shaktism - Philosophy, Shaktism - Origin and History, Shaktism - Roots in Hinduism, Shaktism - Worship, Shaktism - Shakta Upanishads, Shaktism - See Also

Read more here: » Shaktism: Encyclopedia II - Shaktism - Worship

This form of Hinduism is strongly associated with Vedanta, Samkhya and Tantra Hindu philosophies and is ultimately monist, though there is a rich tradition of Bhakti yoga associated with it. The feminine energy (Shakti) is considered to be the motive force behind all action and existence in the phenomenal cosmos in Hinduism. The cosmos itself is Brahman, the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being, the "world soul". Masculine potentiality is actualized by feminine dynamism, embodied in multitudinous g ...

See also:

Shaktism, Shaktism - Philosophy, Shaktism - Origin and History, Shaktism - Roots in Hinduism, Shaktism - Worship, Shaktism - Shakta Upanishads, Shaktism - See Also

Read more here: » Shaktism: Encyclopedia II - Shaktism - Roots in Hinduism

Shaktas worship Shakti, the divine Mother, in her many forms like (Kali, Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati etc.). Shakta form was one of the oldest forms of Hindu religion (evidences even from Indus valley civilisation), but with evolution of civilisation and emergence of various doctrines, various other forms of Hindu philosophy emerged. Shaivism and Shakta forms are really inseparable, as is the description of Shiva and Shakti/Sati/Parvati. Vaishanvism has also its connections with Shakta philoso ...

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Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

Read more here: » Hindu denominations: Encyclopedia II - Hindu denominations - Shaktism

This form of Hinduism, known as Shaktism, is strongly associated with Vedanta, Samkhya and Tantra Hindu philosophies and is ultimately monist, though there is a rich tradition of Bhakti yoga associated with it. The feminine energy (Shakti) is considered to be the motive force behind all action and existence in the phenomenal cosmos in Hinduism. The cosmos itself is Brahman, the concept of the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality that is the Divine Ground of all being, the "world soul". Masculine potentiality is actualized by feminine dynamism, embodied in multitudinous godd ...

See also:

Mother goddess, Mother goddess - Matriarchy and goddess history, Mother goddess - Sumerian Mesopotamian and Greek goddesses, Mother goddess - Celtic goddesses, Mother goddess - Norse goddesses, Mother goddess - Olympian goddesses, Mother goddess - Hinduism, Mother goddess - Shaktism, Mother goddess - Mother goddess worship in Catholicism, Mother goddess - Neopaganism

Read more here: » Mother goddess: Encyclopedia II - Mother goddess - Shaktism

This article is in need of attention. You can help Wikipedia by editing it into a better article. Please also consider changing this notice to be more specific. In most South Asian languages, Shakti translates literally as power. In Hinduism, Shakti is an aspect of Devi, and a personification of God as the Divine Mother who represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. In Shaktism, Shakti is worshiped as the Supreme Being. Alternatively, in other Hindu tradi ...

Including:

• Shakti - Shakti Peeths

Read more here: » Shakti: Encyclopedia - Shakti

Hindu Sects

Saivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism are considered to be the major sects of Hinduism. Followers of Saivism worship Lord Siva as their chief deity and regard him as Iswara, the Supreme Brahman. They wear a mark of three horizontal stripes on their foreheads. Followers of Vaishnavism worship Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Creator and wear a U shaped mark on the forehead with a long stripe between the two arms of U. The followers of Shakti consider the Mother Goddess as the Universal Self and creator of all. 

Read more here: » Hindu Sects: Major Sects of Hinduism

The word yoni is the Sanskrit word for the 'female reproductive organ'. Translated directly into English, it could mean vulva or vagina. It also has a wider meaning in religious and spiritual contexts, where its meaning is 'creativity'. The yoni is also considered to be symbolic of Shakti or other goddesses of a similar nature. Yoni is perhaps the most misused and misunderstood word from the ancient Indo-Aryanic language, Sanskrit. The word yoni was originally used more often in a spiritual sense rather than as a term to ...

Including:

• Yoni - Historical perspective
• Yoni - Yoni worship
• Yoni - Yoni massage
• Yoni - Other

Read more here: » Yoni: Encyclopedia - Yoni

Hinduism encompasses many movements and schools fairly organized within Hindu denominations. A denomination shares a common ground of beliefs but embraces many different movements and schools inside its philosophical branches. Hindu denominations - Basic overview. Contemporary Hinduism is traditionally divided into four major denominations: Śaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Smartha. Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion. Each of its four denominations share rituals, bel ...

Including:

• Hindu denominations - Basic overview
• Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism
• Hindu denominations - Śaivism
• Hindu denominations - Shaktism
• Hindu denominations - Smartha sect
• Hindu denominations - Newer denominations
• Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

Read more here: » Hindu denominations: Encyclopedia - Hindu denominations

Please remove this notice after the article has been expanded. Details are on this talk page or at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion. Shaivism (also spelled Saivism, IAST Śaivism; see Sanskrit for pronunciation) is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. Followe ...

Including:

• Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship
• Shaivism - History
• Shaivism - Features of Shaivism
• Shaivism - Within Hinduism
• Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia - Shaivism

Shaktism (Shakta): (Sanskrit) "Doctrine of power."

The religion followed by those who worship the Supreme as the Divine Mother - Shakti or Devi - in Her many forms, both gentle and fierce. Shaktism is one of the four primary sects of Hinduism. Shaktism's first historical signs are thousands of female statuettes dated ca 5500 bce recovered at the Mehrgarh village in India.

In philosophy and practice, Shaktism greatly resembles Saivism, both faiths promulgating, for example, the same ultimate goals of advaitic union with Siva and moksha. But Shaktas worship Shakti as the Supreme Being exclusively, as the dynamic aspect of Divinity, while Siva is considered solely transcendent and is not worshiped. There are many forms of Shaktism, with endless varieties of practices which seek to capture divine energy or power for spiritual transformation.

Geographically, Shaktism has two main forms, the Srikula "family of the Goddess Sri (or Lakshmi)," which respects the brahminical tradition (a mainstream Hindu tradition which respects caste and purity rules) and is strongest in South India; and the Kalikula, "family of Kali," which rejects brahminical tradition and prevails in Northern and Eastern India.

Four major expressions of Shaktism are evident today: folkshamanism, yoga, devotionalism and universalism. Among the eminent mantras of Shaktism is: Aum Hrim Chandikayai Namah, "I bow to Her who tears apart all dualities." There are many varieties of folk Shaktism gravitating around various forms of the Goddess, such as Kali, Durga and a number of forms of Amman. Such worship often involves animal sacrifice and fire-walking, though the former is tending to disappear.

See: Amman, Goddess, Ishta Devata, Kali, Shakti, tantrism.

(See also: Shaktism, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

A mother goddess is a goddess portrayed as the Earth Mother who serves as a general fertility deity, the bountiful embodiment of the earth. From the elegant snake-offering goddess figures of Knossos to the rock-cut images of Cybele, to Dione ("the Goddess") who was invoked at Dodona, along with Zeus, until late Classical times, it is sometimes too facile to class all archaic female goddesses as manifestations of the mother goddess. Archaeologists tend to avoid such theories in interpreting sites and material remains and sometim ...

Including:

• Mother goddess - Matriarchy and goddess history
• Mother goddess - Sumerian Mesopotamian and Greek goddesses
• Mother goddess - Celtic goddesses
• Mother goddess - Norse goddesses
• Mother goddess - Olympian goddesses
• Mother goddess - Hinduism
• Mother goddess - Shaktism
• Mother goddess - Mother goddess worship in Catholicism
• Mother goddess - Neopaganism

Read more here: » Mother goddess: Encyclopedia - Mother goddess

Please remove this notice after the article has been expanded. Details are on this talk page or at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion. Vaishnavism is one of the principal divisions of Hinduism. Its adherents worship Vishnu or one of his avatars and are panentheistic monotheistic. Bhaktas, or worshippers of Vishnu are called Vaishnavites, an English term that originated from Vaishnava in Sanskrit). Vaishnavism - Schools of Vaishnavism. Major Vaishnava schools of thoug ...

Including:

• Vaishnavism - Schools of Vaishnavism
• Vaishnavism - The Major Schools
• Vaishnavism - The Supreme Godhead
• Vaishnavism - History of Vaishnavism
• Vaishnavism - Vaishna Upanishads
• Vaishnavism - See Also

Read more here: » Vaishnavism: Encyclopedia - Vaishnavism

Shaktism: Hindu tradition which focuses on the creative power (shakti) of the Goddess Devi, wife of Shiva.

 (See also: Shaktism, Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

There are 51 important centres of Shakti worship located in the Indian sub-continent, most of which are located in India but some in neighbouring Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet and even Pakistan. These are called Shakti Peethas. Shakti also represents the spirit of music, and is the name of a jazz fusion band featuring John McLaughlin. The band popularized eastern influence in their music, with tablas and guitars coming together. ...

See also:

Shakti, Shakti - Shakti Peeths

Read more here: » Shakti: Encyclopedia II - Shakti - Shakti Peeths

After the Aryan race intermingled with the indigenous communities of ancient India, a form of idolatory, or idol worship, developed. While the Aryans originally practiced a form of worship that did not use idols, the Dravidian form of worship made prolific use of idols. The new race that was born of their merger tended towards the Dravidian style of worship. In time, certain commonly accepted forms were adopted for the idols of each of the gods. A woman with 10 hands and bearing weapons signified Kali, or power, a woman with heavy ornaments sig ...

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Yoni, Yoni - Historical perspective, Yoni - Yoni worship, Yoni - Yoni massage, Yoni - Other

Read more here: » Yoni: Encyclopedia II - Yoni - Yoni worship

Of the 108 Upanishads of the Muktika canon, 14 are associated with Shaivaism[citation needed]. They are listed with their associated Veda (ṚV, SV, ŚYV, KYV, AV): Kaivalya (KYV) Śira (AV) See also:

Shaivism, Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship, Shaivism - History, Shaivism - Features of Shaivism, Shaivism - Within Hinduism, Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

The salient features of Saivism as it is today are:- 1 Siva is the supreme god among the Hindu god-trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. 2 He is worshipped in two forms. One as a lingam and the other as human form. The human form has several varieties. The most important of them are Nataraja - the dancing posture and Dakshinamoorthy - the teacher instructing the four sages on the absolute truth. 3 His consort Parvathi, his sons Ganapath ...

See also:

Shaivism, Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship, Shaivism - History, Shaivism - Features of Shaivism, Shaivism - Within Hinduism, Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Shaivism - Features of Shaivism

Of the 108 Upanishads of the Muktika, 13 are considered Vaishnava Upanishads. They are listed with their associated Veda (SV, ŚYV, KYV, AV): Nṛsiṃhatāpanī (AV) Mahānārāyaṇa (AV) See also:

Vaishnavism, Vaishnavism - Schools of Vaishnavism, Vaishnavism - The Major Schools, Vaishnavism - The Supreme Godhead, Vaishnavism - History of Vaishnavism, Vaishnavism - Vaishnava Upanishads

Read more here: » Vaishnavism: Encyclopedia II - Vaishnavism - Vaishnava Upanishads

Contemporary Hinduism is traditionally divided into four major denominations: Śaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Smartha. Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion. Each of its four denominations share rituals, beliefs, traditions and personal Gods with one another, but each denomination has a different philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal (mokśa, liberation) and different views of the Gods. Each follows different methods of self-realization and worships different aspects of the One Supreme God. Howeve ...

See also:

Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

Read more here: » Hindu denominations: Encyclopedia II - Hindu denominations - Basic overview