She Who is All – The Goddess of Ten Thousand Names
SHAKTI GODDESSES
Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Adi Shakti, Namo Namo
Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Namo Namo
Pritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Pritham Bhagvati, Namo Namo
Kundalini Mata Shakti, Mata Shakti, Namo Namo
Translation:
I bow to the primal power.
I bow to the all encompassing power and energy.
I bow to that through which Goddess creates.
I bow to the creative power of the Kundalini, the Divine Mother Power.
You Tube Link for above Mantra:
Shakti is, at it’s root, power; divine feminine creative power. This power is infinite and is always present; it manifests itself in awareness, in peace, in ecstacy, in our willfullness, in our intuition.
There are many Shakti Goddesses and here, we will meet four of them.
DURGA
O Queen of the Universe, you protect
the universe. As the self of the universe,
you support the universe. You are the
goddess worthy to be adored by the Lord
of the universe. Those who bow in
devotion to you themselves become the
refuge of the universe.
~~ From the Devi Mahatmyam
Durga is usually seen riding a lion or a tiger. She is the Divine Feminine in action. She carries a discus, a spear, a mace, a sword and a lotus. Durga was brought forth by male gods, who found themselves unable to defeat an attacking demon. They sent their power out as light and Durga was born. As she is the Protector of the World, she is victorious in fighting the gods’ battle.
Later, when two brothers attempt to take over the world, the male gods once again turn to Durga, begging for her help. She assents and goes to them, whereupon she is insulted and offended by comments that she will be “of use” to the brothers. She informs the brothers that they both must fight her. Laughing, they agree and a great bloody battle ensues. Again, victory is hers.
Invoke Durga when you are in need of her help, when you find yourself lacking in strength and courage.
Mantra to Durga: Aum Dum Durgaye Namaha
(oom doom door-gai-yay nuh-muh-huh)
I bow to Durga
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KALI
O Warrior Goddess with streaming
black hair,
One swing from your sword of wisdom
Will cut every egocentric root
And clarify the heart forever.
I will tame the primal obsesssions,
Greed, anger, pride, hatred,
and use them as powerful bullocks
To plow the field of consciousness.
Sowing the seeds of Om Kali Ma,
Transmitted to me by a skillful farmer,
I will reap a vast harvest of illumination for all living beings.
~~ From the Ramprasad Sen
Kali, Divine Kali, born from the eye of Durga at the battle with the demon brothers, born with a sword in her hand, cutting down the demon hordes. It is said that she used her long tongue to lick and drink the blood of her enemies. The battle puts her into a frenzy and she begins to dance her dance of death, faster and faster, destroying her enemies, crushing them under her feet. This is the dance of Kali.
In more recent history, she is also Kali Ma, the Mother Kali, a loving presence to whom to pray.
As with so many Goddesses, Kali is both light and dark, Destroyer and Nurturer.
Invoke Kali when you are in need of having obstacles removed, when you need freedom from negative situations. Remember, though, do not call on Kali lightly, as she is fierce when invoked.
Aum Adyayai vidmahe
Parameshwarayai dhimahi
Tanno Kali prachodayat
Ohm ahd-yah-yai vid-muh-hey
pah-rah-mesh-war-ay-ai dhee-muh-hee
ta-no Kah-lee pra-cho-dah-yaht
Oh, may I know the primordial one
My the supreme goddess illuminate my intellect
May I meditate on Kali
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LAKSHMI
I hereby invoke Sri Lakshmi
Who is the embodiment of absolute
bliss;
Whose luster is that of burnished gold;
Who is as wet as it were (from the Milky Ocean)
Who is blazing with splendour, and is the
embodiment of the fulfillment of all wishes;
Who satisfies the desire of her devotees;
Who is seated on the lotus and
beautiful like the lotus.
~~ From the Sri Sukta
As she floats on a lotus, Lakshmi is spiritual enlightenment. She is the symbol of spiritual prosperity, love and happiness. She embodies goodness. She is the symbol, also, of material prosperity and wealth. Her worship, in Hindu India, is the basis for the reverence of cows.
Lakshmi serves as a balance to both Durga and Kali.
Invoke Lakshmi for her blessings, for good fortune, wealth, success and goodness in life.
Aum Shrim Maha Lakshmyai Namahah
Ohm shreem muh-huh luhk-shmyai nuh-muh-hah
Om, I offer salutations to the Great
Goddess of good fortune
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SARASWATI
May Saraswati – goddess of knowledge,
who is praised by the wise, reside on my
tongue.
~~ Hymn to Saraswati
She whose name means “the flowing one”, you will find her on the lotus of upon a swan. She is the Goddess of water, from which all life flows. She is the symbol for creativity, writing, music. She has been here since the beginning and will always be here. She is the womb, the waters of life. She is there when we are inspired, when we are moved to *create*.
Invoke Saraswati when you need help with communication of all kinds, in music, in literary ventures, and when you need inspiration, or to just trust in your intuitive creativity.
Aum Aim Saraswatyai Namaha
ohm aim suh-ruh-swah-tyai nuh-muh-huh
I bow to the Goddess of Speech
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Each of these invocation mantras can be used to not only invoke, but to meditate upon each of these Shakti Goddesses. The mantras should be chanted 208 times, the easiest way being to use mala beads (https://paganpages.org/emagazine/2015/03/a-moment-for-meditation-7/)
These are just some of the Shakti Goddesses. For further reading, I highly recommend the book, “Awakening Shakti” by Sally Kempton. For mantras, I would recommend the CD, “Goddess Blessings” by Mary Marzo
I am the sovereign queen, the treasury of all treasures,
whose breathing forth gives birth to all the worlds and yet
extends beyond them – so vast am I in greatness.
~~ From the Devi Sukta
(My own personal Shakti Goddess altar)
May the Goddess Bless you!