According to
Hinduism, Shakti, literally meaning power, is the divine mother or
Lord Shiva’s consort. It is a benevolent form of Devi, the active, dynamic and feminine energy that spurs the spiritual powers of humanity.
Kali,
Durga and
Parvati are the most favored manifestations of Shakti.
Shakti stands for the power of God, who in Hinduism is Vishnu or Shiva. For Vaishnavites, God's power or Shakti is Yogamaya, and for Shaivites, God's power is Parvati. Shaktism is the branch of Hinduism that worships Shakti, the Divine Mother, in all of her forms. It developed in India between the 4th and 7th centuries. The Divine Mother is said to bestow moksha on those who worship Her. Many religious texts, known as the Tantras , were written during this period.
The centers of Shakti worship are called Shaktipithas.
