Vedas The
Vedas name numerous forms of goddess such as
Devi (power),
Prithvi (earth),
Aditi (cosmic moral order),
Vāc (sound),
Nirṛti (destruction),
Ratri (night) and
Aranyani (forest). Bounty goddesses such as Dinsana, Raka, Puramdhi, Parendi, Bharati, and Mahi are among others are mentioned in the
Rigveda. The
Devīsūkta of the Rigveda (10.125.1 to 10.125.8) is among the most studied hymns, declaring that the ultimate reality is a goddess.
Upanishads Shakta Upanishads are a group of minor
Upanishads of Hinduism related to the
Shaktism theology. There are eight Shakta Upanishads in the
Muktika anthology of 108
Upanishads. The Shakta Upanishads are notable for declaring and revering the feminine as the Supreme, the primal cause and the metaphysical concepts in Hinduism called
Brahman and
Atman (soul).
Shakta Puranas The
Devi Bhagavata Purana describes Mahadevi in her form of
Bhuvaneshvari. It is stated that
Shiva worshipped and meditated on the goddess for thousands of years using the
bīja mantra hrīm. The goddess is described to possess both the aspects of
Para Brahman,
nirguna (without form) and
saguna (with form). In her form of
saguna, she is extolled as the mother of the universe, residing upon the highest abode named Manidvipa. All the gods and goddesses are described to be her various forms. In the
Devi Mahatmya, the
Trimurti and the demigods praise the goddess. In the third
canto of the
Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Devi addressed the
Trimurti as follows: In the
Devi Gita of Devi Bhagavatam, it is suggested that before incarnating as
Parvati, she appeared to King Himalaya and revealed divine, eternal knowledge to him. She explained herself, in the words of the
Vedas, as having neither beginning nor end. She is the only, eternal truth. The whole universe is her creation. She is the only victor and the manifestation of victory itself. She is a manifested, un-manifested, and transcendent divinity. She then displayed her scarcely seen form to him:
Satyaloka was located in her forehead; the created universe were her hairs; the sun and moon were her eyes; in her ears were the
four directions; the Vedas were her words; death, affection and emotion were her teeth;
Maya was manifested by her smile. The goddess Parvati, as
Kushmanda, gives birth to the universe in the form of a cosmic egg which manifests as the universe. Ultimately, Adi Shakti herself is the energy which exists even after the destruction of the universe and before its creation. , she is the complete supreme form. According to the
Tripura Rahasya, only Mahadevi was existed in her form of Tripura Sundari before the beginning of the universe. She is supposed to have created the Trimurti, and began the creation of the universe.
Shaiva Puranas The Shiva Purana says Adi Parashakti incarnated in materialistic form as
Parama Prakriti from the left half of Shiva (Parabrahman) during the beginning of the universe. The
Linga Purana states that Adi Shakti brings forth the evolution of life in every universe through the union of every Shiva and Parvati in all of the Universes.
Vaishnava Puranas The goddess
Lakshmi is revered as manifestation of Mahadevi in the
Vaishnavite tradition, extolled to possess a thousand names and qualities. Various texts like the
Garuda Purana,
Bhagavata Purana, and
Lakshmi Tantra refer to Lakshmi as form of Mahadevi. According to
Devdutt Pattanaik, "Lakshmi is worshipped as
maya, the delightful delusion, the dream-like expression of divinity that makes life comprehensible, hence worth living. She is true
shakti, energy, boundless and bountiful". == Iconography ==