Shakti

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Shakti

Shakti [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

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Â© The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Shakti in Hinduism, the female principle of divine energy, especially when personified as the supreme deity. The name comes from Sanskrit śakti ‘power, divine energy’.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Shakti." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Shakti." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (November 14, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Shakti.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Shakti." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Retrieved November 14, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Shakti.html

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