Adishakti

Adishakti

आदिशक्ति ādiśakti

Epithet of the Mother Goddess, the primordial divine Power, the highest aspect of Shakti, non-different from Parabrahman. She who creates, maintains and destroys Universes; the power of illusion and the power of knowledge. She has many names – Para-shakti, Kundalini, Parvati, Lalita Tripura Sundari, Durga, Kali and many others. Any form of the Goddess is Her manifestation.

In "Shrimad Bhagavata Purana", Vishnu describes the nature of Shakti as follows:

"This is Devi Bhagavati, Maha-vidya and Maha-maya, indestructible and eternal. She is the Completeness, Prakriti, the Cause of everything. This Devi cannot be perceived by those who have a weak (unawakened) consciousness, only yogis can see Her through their yogic power. She is eternal (Brahman) and also non-eternal (Maya). She is the power of the highest divine Will, the first creative impulse of this universe" (book 3, chapter 3)