Shakti, Universal Cosmic foundation and pre-substance state

The Shakta is so called because he is a worshipper of Shakti (Power), that is, God in Mother-form as the
Supreme Power which creates, sustains and withdraws the universe. His rule of life is Shaktadharma, his
doctrine of Shakti is Shaktivada or Shakta Darshana. God is worshipped as the Great Mother because, in
this aspect, God is active, and produces, nourishes, and maintains all. Theological Godhead is no more
female than male or neuter. God is Mother to the Sadhaka who worships Her Lotus Feet, the dust on
which are millions of universes. The Power, or active aspect of the immanent God, is thus called Shakti.
In Her static transcendent aspect the Mother or Shakti or Shivé is of the same nature as Shiva or "the
Good". That is, philosophically speaking, Shiva is the unchanging Consciousness, and Shakti is its
changing Power appearing as mind and matter. Shiva-Shakti is therefore Consciousness and Its Power.
This then is the doctrine of dual aspects of the one Brahman acting through Its Trinity of Powers (Iccha,
Will; Jñana, Knowledge; Kriya, Action). In the static transcendent aspect (Shiva) the one Brahman does
not change and in the kinetic immanent aspect (Shivé or Shakti) It does. There is thus changelessness in
change. The individual or embodied Spirit (Jivatma) is one with the transcendent spirit (Paramatma).
The former is a part (Amsha) of the latter, and the enveloping mind and body are manifestations of
Supreme Power. Shakta Darshana is therefore a form of Monism (Advaitavada). In creation an effect is
produced without change in the Producer. In creation the Power (Shakti) "goes forth" (Prasharati) in a
series of emanations or transformations, which are called, in the Shaiva and Shakta Tantras, the 36
Tattvas. These mark the various stages through which Shiva, the Supreme Consciousness, as Shakti,
presents Itself as object to Itself as subject, the latter at first experiencing the former as part of the Self,
and then through the operations of Maya Shakti as different from the Self. This is the final stage in
which every Self (Purusha) is mutually exclusive of every other. Maya, which achieves this, is one of
the Powers of the Mother or Devi. The Will-to-become-many (Bahu syam prajayeya) is the creative
impulse which not only creates but reproduces an eternal order. The Lord remembers the diversities
latent in His own Maya Shakti due to the previous Karmas of Jivas and allows them to unfold
themselves by His volition. It is that Power by which infinite formless Consciousness veils Itself to Itself
and negates and limits Itself in order that it may experience Itself as Form.
This Maya Shakti assumes the form of Prakriti Tattva, which is composed of three Gunas or Factors
called Sattva, Rajas, Tamas. The function of Prakriti is to veil, limit, or finitize pure infinite formless
Consciousness, so as to produce form, for without such limitation there cannot be the appearance of
form. These Gunas work by mutual suppression. The function of Tamas is to veil Consciousness, of
Sattva to reveal it, and of Rajas the active principle to make either Tamas suppress Sattva or Sattva
suppress Tamas. These Gunas are present in all particular existence, as in the general cause or Prakriti
Shakti. Evolution means the increased operation of Sattva Guna. Thus the mineral world is more subject
to Tamas than the rest. There is less Tamas and more Sattva in the vegetable world. In the animal world
Sattva is increased, and still more so in man, who may rise through the cultivation of the Sattva Guna to
Pure Consciousness (Moksha) Itself. To use Western parlance, Consciousness more and more appears as
forms evolve and rise to man. Consciousness does not in itself change, but its mental and material
envelopes do, thus releasing and giving Consciousness more play. As Pure Consciousness is Spirit, the
release of It from the bonds of matter means that Forms which issue from the Power of Spirit (Shakti)
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Chapter One: Indian Religion As Bharata Dharma
become more and more Sattvik. A truly Sattvik man is therefore a spiritual man. The aim of Sadhana is
therefore the cultivation of the Sattva Guna. Nature (Prakriti) is thus the Veil of Spirit as Tamas Guna,
the Revealer of Spirit as Sattva Guna, and the Activity (Rajas Guna) which makes either work. Thus the
upward or revealing movement from the predominance of Tamas to that of Sattva represents the spiritual
progress of the embodied Spirit or Jivatma.
It is the desire for the life of form which produces the universe. This desire exists in the collective
Vasanas, held like all else, in inchoate state in the Mother-Power, which passing from its own (Svarupa)
formless state gives effect to them. Upon the expiration of the vast length of time which constitutes a
day of Brahma the whole universe is withdrawn into the great Causal Womb (Yoni) which produced it.
The limited selves are withdrawn into it, and again, when the creative throes are felt, are put forth from
it, each appearing in that form and state which its previous Karma had made for it. Those who do good
Karma but with desire and self-regard (Sakama) go, on death, to Heaven and thereafter reap their reward
in good future birth on earth -- for Heaven is also a transitory state. The bad are punished by evil births
on earth and suffering in the Hells which are also transitory. Those, however, who have rid themselves
of all self-regarding desire and work selflessly (Nishkama Karma) realize the Brahman nature which is
Saccidananda. Such are liberated, that is never appear again in the World of Form, which is the world of
suffering, and enter into the infinite ocean of Bliss Itself. This is Moksha or Mukti or Liberation. As it is
freedom from the universe of form, it can only be attained through detachment from the world and
desirelessness. For those who desire the world of form cannot be freed of it. Life, therefore, is a field in
which man, who has gradually ascended through lower forms of mineral, vegetable and animal life, is
given the opportunity of heaven-life and Liberation. The universe has a moral purpose, namely the
affording to all existence of a field wherein it may reap the fruit of its actions. The forms of life are
therefore the stairs (Sopana) on which man mounts to the state of infinite, eternal, and formless Bliss.
This then is the origin and the end of man. He has made for himself his own past and present condition
and will make his future one. His essential nature is free. If wise, he adopts the means (Sadhana) which
lead to lasting happiness, for that of the world is not to be had by all, and even when attained is
perishable and mixed with suffering. This Sadhana consists of various means and disciplines employed
to produce purity of mind (Cittashuddhi), and devotion to, and worship of, the Magna Mater of all. It is
with these means that the religious Tantra Shastras are mainly concerned. The Shakta Tantra Shastra
contains a most elaborate and wonderful ritual, partly its own, partly of Vaidik origin. To a ritualist it is
of absorbing interest.