Shaktism

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/shaktism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the supreme being?The Great Goddess (Devi/Shakti) is identified as Brahman, the ultimate reality
2. What is the key texts?Includes the Devi Mahatmya, Devi Bhagavata Purana, and various Tantric scriptures
3. Why do people worship the Great Goddess in Shaktism?People honor the Great Goddess because she is believed to be the powerful life force that animates everything. By worshiping her, devotees feel connected to the creative power inside themselves and the world.
4. How did Shaktism start in ancient India?Shaktism began long ago in the Indian subcontinent. Early evidence shows mother goddess worship in the Indus Valley, and later the tradition grew during the Vedic and Puranic periods, especially between the 2nd and 12th centuries CE.

Brahman: The ultimate, unchanging reality or absolute consciousness in Hinduism.
Tantra: A set of esoteric traditions within Hinduism and Buddhism focused on spiritual transformation through ritual and meditation.
Mahavidyas: A group of ten Tantric goddesses representing profound wisdom and cosmic power.
Moksha: Liberation or spiritual release from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.