Talk:Shakti

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I left the line about "shakti" meaning "power" here because I suspect some of the current links (I think I weeded out all the ones that were to the band) are about that, and I don't have time to go through them all. If someone does, and most of the links to this title are for the religious concept, then that line should be moved to Shakti (disambiguation), and pages that reference that meaning redirected there. If, on the other hand, many/most pages that link here reference the meaning, the meaning should be moved to the disambig page, the disambig page moved here, and this page moved to Shakti (deity) or some such, and those page adjusted properly. Noel (talk) 15:11, 23 Nov 2004 (UTC)

The use of the word "power" throughout this article is seen slightly misaligned with the philosophical foundations of shaktism. A better translation in this context is thought to be "motive". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.130.37.6 (talk • contribs)


Ummm well, I for one would love to have some input on "motive" added in. I have also heard shakti reffered to as "intention." Go for it. Sethie 03:47, 9 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Maya/Shakti

'I don't think that Shakti is motive. Shakti" means power. "Shakti" means energy.

"Devi" should not be translated as mother. "Maya" should not be considered at par with "Laxmi", "Saraswati" or "Parvati". "Maya" is different from "Shakti". "Maya" means illusion. Illusion blinds or obstructs a person to perceive the omni present God. "Maya" makes one forget about supreme goal of attaining "Moksha" and keeps one entangled in worldly pleasures and thus prevents one from taking recourse to attain "Moksha". "Laxmi", "Parvati" are worshipped as Goddesses out of reverence. It's not so with "Maya", if I may take liberty, the suffix "devi" attached to "Maya" is sarcastic or is given an abstract form to represent illusion.

"Laxmi", "Parvati", "Saraswati" and other goddesses' presence in one's life is desired whereas spiritually one desires that "Maya" leave them. It's accepted that the world can not function without "Maya" but "Maya" is considered to be evil and docrines advocate to leave "Maya". In other words, one should make oneself free from the (evil) effects of "Maya" in order to attain "Moksha".

Hindus have one family Goddess which is referred to as "Kuldevi". A family should not be construed of husband-wife and their children. Usually all relations of one, bearing common surname is known as a family though it may number in thousands and compose of hundreds of individual family units. Hindus highly revere "Kuldevi". Traditionally, marriage between a girl and boy having same "Kuldevi" is forbidden considering them to be brother-sister. In Hindus marriage between cousins is taboo however marriage between cousins from maternal side is an accepted custom in some castes (not all) as the genes differ between them. swadhyayee 02:17, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for your input...I have read that Shakti means Power, force and Energy. Is this true. Also I deleted the Etymology section for various reasons. It was long, a tad unorganized and I did not believe that it flowed nicely. If anyone has any ideas to be put into the section please discuss or just go for it. Also I placed a Lakshmi picture on the page, does this fit the article.--Seadog ♪ 02:45, 17 November 2006 (UTC)
Removed as Maya not Shakti:
"In the Hindu scripture 'Devi Mahatmya', Mahamaya (Great Maya) is said to cover Vishnu's eyes in Yoganidra (divine sleep) during cycles of existence when all is resolved into one. By exhorting Mahamaya to release Her illusory hold on Vishnu, Brahma is able to bring Vishnu to aid him in killing two demons, Madhu and Kaitabh, who have manifested from Vishnu's sleeping form."--Redtigerxyz (talk) 14:31, 2 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Roll back

I have rolled back removal of a sentence as the removal was not warranted: [1]. --Bhadani 15:13, 12 February 2007 (UTC) - this has reference to: [2]. --Bhadani 15:14, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sachi-Shakti

REMOVED sentence from lead: Some scholars believe that the name "Shakti" is derived from the name of Lord Indra's consort "Sachi.": REF: "Hindu Goddesses Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Tradition by David Kinsley page 17 minor vedic Goddesses". This is WP:POV(point of view) so must not placed in the lead.

Direct quote from the ref book p.17: "(Indrani) is also called by the name Saci(sachi), which denotes power and suggests the later idea of sakti(shakti), the feminine, personified might of the gods in later Hindu mythology"

--Redtigerxyz (talk) 14:17, 2 February 2008 (UTC)