Worshippers of the Devi or shakti are called Shaktas. The Agama (received knowledge) literature details the Upasana for Shaktas, the concept behind Shaktism which play an important role in Tantrik worship.

The worship of God as Mother is a very old concept and images of the mother goddess are found among the relics of many ancient civilizations. In one of the hymns of the Rig Veda, Shakti is described as residing in heaven and supporting the earth. In another passage the goddess Aditi meaning the boundless is identified with all gods and all men, with “whatever has been and whatever shall be“. In the Taittiriya Upanishad the teacher says as his final instruction to the pupil: “Regard your mother as God.” There are many minor Upanishads in which Shakti is worshipped as the absolute Brahman, the One without a second.

Shaktas believe that the Supreme Mother transcends the divine trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. She is Durga or Kriya (power of action). She is Lakshmi or Iccha (power of will). She is Saraswati or Jnana (power of knowledge).

In Tantric philosophy, God is worshipped in the form of the Divine Mother, or Dev. Absolute surrender is the main feature of Devi Upasana. The aspirant sees the Divine Mother in every female form and tries to maintain this attitude in life.

O Compassionate Mother! You are an ocean of mercy.
Bless me, If I receive a drop from that ocean, will it ever dry up?
O my sweet Mother! Guide me. Protect me, Save me.
I am your child, Jaya Tripura Sundari! Salutations to you. – Saundarya Lahiri

Upasana—In the Presence of the Divine.

From the teachings of Swami Sivananda and Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

Aim Hrim Klim