Śāktism
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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1997
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© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions 1997, originally published by Oxford University Press 1997. (Hide copyright information)
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Śāktism (Skt.,
śakti, ‘power’). A Hindu tradition or current of thought with
śakti, divine female power, as the focus of its worship. This power is either the supreme being conceived as female or a consort of one of the Hindu gods.
The origins of Śaktism as Goddess worship can probably be traced to the Indus Valley culture, and iconographical evidence dates back to the pre-Christian era. The goddess
Durgā appears as a powerful deity in the sixth book of the
Mahābhārata and the fifth book of the
Viṣṇu Purāṇa (5th cent. CE), but it is in the Devīmāhātmya portion of
Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (7th cent. CE) that the Goddess (
Devī) is worshipped as supreme. In texts called
Tantras and Śākta
Upaniṣads we find a developed Tantric form of worship of the Goddess as Śakti.
The Śākta Tantras are closely allied to monistic or
Kashmir Śaivism and adhere to a non-dual theology with either Śakti or the union of Śiva and Śakti as absolute. Most Śākta Tantras declare themselves to be of the
Kaula or
Kula school and can be divided into two main categories: (i) the
Śrī Kula, which advocates worship of the benign and beautiful goddess
Śrī/Lakṣmī as Tripurāsundarī; and (ii) the
Kālī Kula, which advocates worship of the fierce goddess
Kālī. A smaller third category advocates worship of the Goddess
Tārā. The Śākta
sādhaka (practitioner) will follow one or other cult prescribed for him by the
guru according to his personality.
Śaktism developed, and is still practised principally, in Bengal and Assam, though worship of the goddesses at village level is found throughout India, especially in the south. Śaktism exalts the position of women by regarding them as incarnations of the Goddess; it is a mistake, however, to regard Śaktism as a force for improving the social conditions of women or low castes. Equality is only in ritual, and the role of woman is to act as a partner (śakti or
dūtī) for the male sādhaka.
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Primacy of Primogeniture
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Magazine article from: Oceania; 7/1/2007; ; 700+ words
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Psychology: A Downside to Primogeniture
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 2/19/1990; ; 316 words
; For years, research has shown that first-born children have seem to have it all. Studies revealed them to be over-represented among politicians, prominent scientists, Rhodes scholars and people listed in "Who's Who." But according to MIT historian Frank Sulloway, later-born children have a leg up
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Wordsworth on covenants, "heart conditions," primogeniture, remains, and the ties that bind in "Michael" and elsewhere. (William Wordsworth)
Magazine article from: Criticism; 3/22/1998; ; 700+ words
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Gender victorious. Giving women the chance to succeed may not be so easy; Well done Ma'am: Elizabeth has been a brilliant queen.
Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 4/21/2008; 700+ words
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Primogeniture
Dictionary entry from: Dictionary of American History
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primogeniture
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primogeniture, right of
Book article from: The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
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Thomas Jefferson and the Revision of the Virginia Laws
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Romanov
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
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