Shakti: Realm of the Divine Mother

Presents the mystery of the Divine Mother in all her manifold aspects

• Explores more than 30 different goddess aspects of the Shakti force, both beneficial and malefic

• Includes Sanskrit hymns and classic verses by Sri Auribindo for each of the goddesses

Shakti is synonymous with the Devi, the Divine Mother or divine power that manifests, sustains, and transforms the universe. She is the womb of all creatures, and it is through her that the One becomes the many. Our first and primary relationship to the world is through the mother, the source of love, security, and nourishment. Extending this relationship to worship of a cosmic being as mother was a natural step found not only in the Shakti cult of Hinduism but also in ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Babylonian cultures.

Shakti presents more than 30 goddess incarnations of the Divine Mother that represent both the beneficial and malefic aspects of the Shakti force. From Lakshmi, Parvati, and Saraswati to Durga, Chandika, and Kali--each of the different functions of the female goddesses in the Hindu pantheon is revealed, accompanied by traditional Sanskrit hymns, classic verses by Sri Auribindo, and discussions of tantric philosophy. The author draws from the Devi Bhagavatham, which describes all the stories of Shakti, and the Devi Mahatmyam, the most powerful scriptural text that glorifies Shakti in her form as Durga. Using these texts she shows that through the power and grace of the Divine Mother we may be released from the darkness of ignorance and taken to the abode of knowledge, immortality, and bliss--the source from which we have come.

Table of Contents:

Foreword by Swami Kriyananda

Introduction

1 Prakriti

2 Parameswari

3 Maha Devi

4 Rajarajeshwari

5 Maheswari

6 Parashakti

7 Lalitha

8 Tripurasundari

9 Kameswari

10 Durga

11 Chandika

12 Mahishasuramardini

13 Chamunda

14 Sati

15 Dakshayini

16 Parvati

17 Aparna

18 Gauri

19 Ganga

20 Kaali

21 Lakshmi

22 Saraswati

23 Radha

24 Tulasi

25 Sita

26 Savitri

27 Shivaduti

28 Adi Shakti

29 Maha Maya

30 Sri Chakra

31 Devi Kundalini

Appendix 1. Poems on the Divine Mother
Appendix 2. Hindu Scriptures
Appendix 3. Names of Goddesses
Appendix 4. Names of Gods
Appendix 5. Names of Demons (Asuras)
Appendix 6. Alphabetical List of Mantras

Glossary of Sanskrit Terms

Bibliography

Index

About the Author :
Mataji Devi Vanamali has written six books on the gods of the Hindu pantheon, including The Play of God and The Song of Rama, as well as translating the Bhagavad Gita. She is the founder and president of Vanamali Gita Yogashram, dedicated to sharing the wisdom of Sanatana Dharma and charitable service to children. She lives at the Vanamali ashram at Rishikesh in northern India.

Review :
"This is an excellent introduction into the world of Hindu culture, easy to understand, yet filled with details that will titillate your mind and imagination." "A thoroughly interesting and memorable book." " . . . what makes this book different is that Vanamali goes beyond the stories of over thirty avatars in order to discuss the esoteric significance of each incarnation. Vanamali has accomplished the gargantuan task of bringing the many different aspects of Devi into a single book. . . . spectacularly researched . . . " "Too often, our sources of information about the Hindu Great Mother arise from Western authors. These authros, no matter how sincere, tinge their works with Western ideas. Vanamali moves us past that blockage. Her understandings are authentic and innate, steeped in the cultural frame she's lived amid. Vanamali takes us beyond the superficial into a deep understanding of the divine balance between Shakti and Shiva."