Shaktham - The Worship of Shakthy

Shaktham as the name suggests is the worship of Shakthy. Shakthy literally translates to the English word Energy. As the name suggests it is the Feminine representation of energy, which is present in all the atoms as the modern theory states. That's why Shiva, who is her partner is always associated with her. If Shakthy represents the energy Shiva represents the mass. They both are together always & never get separated from each other. The concept of "Shiva Shakthy Aikyam" is very scientific. We should be very proud to have inherited from ultra-modern Vedic ancestors!! The association of Shakthy & Shiva is also compared to the word & meaning. If any word is Shiva the meaning associated with it is Shakthy. Philosophically she is the feminine representation of the Bhramhan or the Formless & Timeless Entity.Matha or Divine Mother is present in all the places which are beautiful & aesthetic, all the auspicious ladies (Sumangalis)& in all the places where divine thoughts are given more importance.

There are lots of very frequently used terms, which might not be understandable by all the readers.Please go through the list below. Some of the important terms associated with the worship of Matha are as follows :

• Weapons of Sri Matha

  • Pasham = the rope in Matha's right hand
  • Ankusham = the goad in Matha's right hand
  • Pushpa Banam = the arrows decorated with flowers
  • Chapam = The bow made up of sugarcane

• Contemporary Names of Sri Matha

  • Devi = the feminine gender of the Sanskrit term "Deva"
  • Bhagavathy = the feminine gender of the Sanskrit term "Bhagavan"
  • Durga = one who protects her devotees like a "fort" or "Durgham"
  • Uma = a girl of 8 years age
  • Gowri = a girl of 6 years age
  • Sri Chakram = The divine house of Matha
  • Sri Puram = The divine City of Sri Matha
  • Sri Lalitha = A beautiful lady
  • Thripura Sundari = Beautiful in all the three worlds
  • Sri RajaRajeswari = Queen of the King of Kings!!
  • Sri Vidhya = One among the 64 Tanthras of Sri Matha
  • Tanthra = A customized procedure for Shakthy Worship
  • Mudhra = A symbol shown by joining different fingers ins particular pattern
  • Naivedhyam = Food offering to the Lord
  • Rishi = a saint of Vedic period.
  • Veda(m) = The divine script, which were observed by the Rishis from the cosmos & encrypted.
  • Hayagreeva = Lord Vishnu's horse faced incarnation.
  • Agasthya = He is supposed have originated from the pot or Kalasham. He is a saint & is also called as Sri Kalashodhbhava or Kumbhodhbhava.
  • Bheeja = seed(Bheeja Manthras are the sounds which are the seeds for invoking the Devatha)
  • Amba = Mother(Matha)
  • Jagathamba = Mother of the Universe (Amba is used as a suffix for the Sanskrit words)
  • Namam = Name
  • Sahasranamam = Thousand Names of any Deity
  • Yuga = Time period consisting of several thousand years.(Thredha Yuga,Dhwapara Yuga,Krutha Yuga & Kali Yauga)

There are lots of works on & about Matha or the Divine Mother. Among all the relations any living being can have the relationship with one's mother is the most divine one. Not only in the case of mammals, where mothers feed their children with milk, even in the case of other animals it's the mother's responsibility to provide the nutritions for her children. The affection & bond that one's mother has with anyone is divine as there are no expectations. If a mother who owns a countable number of children herself has so much affection on her children, how much would be the altitude of the love & affection of the Mother of all the worlds & all the creatures have on her children? That is unexplainable & the bliss her bakthas get on praising her or keerthanam is also immeasurable.The important literary works in Sanskrit language on Sri Matha are as follows:

• Works on SrimMatha or the Divine Mother

  • Vedic Works

  • Sukthams

    • Durga Suktham
    • Rathri Suktham
    • Sri Suktham

  • Upanishads

    • Bhavano Upanishad
    • Thripuro Upanishad
    • Bruhuscho Upanishad

  • Puranic Works

    • Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam (Bhramhanda Puranam)
    • Devi Mahathymam or Saptha Shathi(Markandeya Puranam)

  • Works of Great People

    • Works of Sri Shankara Bagavadpada

      • Soundarya Lahari
      • Sri Manthra Mathruka Pushpamala Stavam
      • Sri Rajarajeswari Astakam
      • Sri Lalitha Pancha Rathnam

    • Works of Abirama Bhattar

      • Abhirami Andhadhi

There are lots of forms of Matha. But the main ones are as follows:

• Dakshayini
• Parvathy
• Sri Lalithambika
• Sri Durga or Devi
• Sri Meenakshi

As we all know Dakshayini was the daughter of a demon called Daksha, who wanted to insult his own son-in-law Lord Shiva. He invited all the Devas for the Yagnam or the Fire Worship & did not invite Lord Shiva purposely. Being agitated by this event Sri Matha, went back from her father's place to her husband's house(Sri Kailasham). Lord Shiva performed Raudra Thandavam. At that time Matha's organs got dismantled & they fell on our Earth. Based on that, there are 54 Shakthy Peetas, right from Pakistan to KanyaKumari. Later Lord Shiva destroyed the demon Daksha, with his subordinates Lord Sharabeshwara & Marthanda Bhairava.This incident is depicted in Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam as, "Daksha Yagna Vinashini"

The moral of this story is that any deed that we do egotistically, without following the rules would not be fruitful & the Almighty would destroy our ego or "Ahamkaram". Matha was born as Parvathy after her body was collapsed in Roudra Thandavam or the Dance of Anger of Shiva.In Sanskrit, the word "Parvatham" means, mountain. Himalayas is considered to be very sacred mountains & it is also called as "Parvatha Raja" or the king of Mountains. Matha was born as the daughter of the King of Himalayas. So Matha then married Pashupathy Natha. This is being celebrated even now in Nepal. Matha married Lord Shiva in a "Swayam Varam". Swayamvaram was one of the seven types of Vedic marriages, where the bride can select her own "Vara" or the groom & marry him. Parvathy is praised as "Shailendra Thanaya".

Sri Durga was an unmarried young lady, who was born intentionally to destroy the demons like Mahishasura.. Markandeya Puranam, which has the 700 verses or the "Saptha Shathi", talks of the glories of Matha.More details about Chandika & Sri Durga could be seen on Devi Mahathmyam page.

Sri Laithambika, arose from the fireplace where the Devas performed Yagna. She is a Saguna & Shantha form of Matha. Please click on the link to learn more about Lalithambika & Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam.

Glories of Sri Lalithambika

Sri Meenakshi was born as the only daughter of a Tamil King called Malayadhwaja Pandya & his consort Kanchanamalai. Madurai Meenakshi ,Vishalakshi of Varanasi or Kashi & Kamakshi of Kanchipuram & their corresponding partners Madurai Sundareswara, Kashi Viswanatha & Kanchi Ekambranatha are very famous in Shakthy worship. This form of Matha is also very prominent in South. Please check the Glories of Meenakshi.

Sarvam Sri Lalithambika Arpanam Asthu