Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti) is a concept in Hinduism denoting the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. The Sanskrit term carries the literal senses of energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might and capability. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti is personified as a goddess (devi) and is often understood as the active power of a corresponding male deity.
| Term | Shakti (Śakti) |
|---|---|
| Devanagari | शक्ति |
| IAST | Śakti |
| Tradition | Hinduism |
| Literal meaning | Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability |
| Gender of conception | Feminine |
| Associated principle | Prakriti (active, dynamic, creative) |
| Complementary principle | Purusha (passive, unchanging, observing) |
| Devotees | Shaktas |
| Sacred sites | Shakti Pithas |
In Hindu thought, Shakti is regarded as the energising power that animates the cosmos. As a goddess, she represents the personified energy of a Hindu god and is frequently described as the complementary force of that deity. The term Shakta is used for people associated with the worship of Shakti.
In Tantric Shaktism, Shakti is the foremost deity and is held to be akin to Brahman, the ultimate reality of Hindu metaphysics.
In Puranic Hinduism, Shiva and Shakti are presented as the masculine and feminine principles that complement each other. The female deity is identified with prakriti, the active, dynamic and creative principle, while the male deity is identified with purusha, the passive, unchanging and observing principle. According to this tradition, the interaction of these two principles brings the universe into being.
Adherents who venerate Shakti are known as Shaktas, and the broader devotional and theological tradition centred on Shakti is called Shaktism. The Shakti Pithas are shrines that are believed, within the tradition, to be the sacred seats of Shakti.
As a foundational concept, Shakti links the metaphysical idea of universal power with the devotional figure of the goddess. The concept frames divinity as a balance of complementary principles and provides the theological basis for goddess worship in several Hindu traditions, particularly Shaktism and Tantra.