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The Tantrics call the Self-creative Power of the Supreme Absolute Shakti (usually transliterated as "S'akti"), from the Sanskrit root S'ak, "to be able, to have force to do, to act" [Arthur Avalon, Shakti and Shakta, Dover books, p. ].
Without Shakti, there is no Creation. As the Bengali Shakta Tantrics are fond of saying: "Shiva (the Absolute Consciousness-Being) without Shakti is a corpse" (i.e. lifeless, inert). Hence there must also be a Power of manifestation. This is Shakti.
So the Absolute Reality is made up of two fundamental principles: Shiva, the Absolute in its own essential, perfect, unchanging, non-dual Consciousness, nature; and Shakti, which is that Absolute's own Power of self-manifestation. As Jaideva Singh explains, "Shakti is nothing separate from Shiva, but is Shiva Himself in His creative aspect" [p.9].
Shiva is nivritti (state of rest) and Shakti is pravritti (state of activity), in the ultimate state they remain in a union of oneness. This is the principle of non-duality (advaya) which is described in the Tantric texts in terms of maithuma (sexual intercourse) or kama-kala ("unit of desire"). One text, the Kama-kala-vilasa describes Shiva or Mahesha as pure illumination or self-shining (prakasha-matra-tanu) with all the principles of activity contracted within it. Shakti the seed of the future world (bhavi-chachara-bijam). Shiva realises himself through Shakti, reflection [Shashibhusan Dasgupta, Obscure Religious Cults, p.333 (1969 Firma KLM Private Ltd, Calcutta)]
Abhinavagupta
on the Absolute Godhead
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Shakti and Shakta by Arthur Avalon |
Sakti Sadhana: Steps to Samadhi - A Translation of the Tripura Rahasya by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait |