Parashakti

Parashakti, often referred to as Adi Parashakti, is a concept in Hinduism that designates the supreme feminine cosmic energy and consciousness behind the universe. It is regarded as the primal power that animates creation and underlies all manifestations of the divine. In Shaktism, Parashakti is considered the ultimate, transcendent goddess, and she is understood both as a formless principle and as the many goddesses who embody her aspects, such as Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.

Etymology and scope: The term combines para, meaning "supreme," with shakti, meaning "power" or "energy." Parashakti is used to refer to the primordial source of all energy and to the feminine divine power that pervades beings and phenomena. In many traditions, Parashakti is the root essence of the Hindu goddess pantheon and the common substratum of Shakti worship across its diverse forms.

Texts and philosophy: In Shakta scriptures such as the Devi Mahatmya and related Puranic and Tantric works, Parashakti is depicted as the supreme goddess who creates, sustains, and dissolves the cosmos. Philosophically, she is described as the dynamic energy by which Brahman manifests the world, integrating concepts of prakriti (nature) and maya with supreme reality.

Worship and practice: Devotion to Parashakti takes many forms, including ritual puja, mantra practice, and temple worship. Her diverse manifestations—fierce and protective as Durga or Kali, benevolent and sustaining as Lakshmi or Saraswati—are venerated as expressions of the same divine energy. Major festivals such as Navaratri and Durga Puja celebrate the power and presence of the divine feminine.

See also: Adi Parashakti, Shakti, Devi, Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Shaktism.