Shakini

Shakini

शाकिणी, śākiṇī, also शाकिनी, śākinī, also साकिनी, sākinī

Shakini (Sakini) – Tantric Goddess, Yoginī, who is responsible for the bones (astha) and controls the vishuddha-chakra or muladhara-chakra. She belongs to the Yogini group, which embodies the forces associated, on one hand, with the physical substances of the body (dhatu), and on the other – with the subtle level of the chakras. In addition to Śākiṇī, the group includes Ḍākinī, Rākiṇī, Lākiṇī, Kākiṇī, Hākiṇī, and sometimes Yākiṇī.

The fundamental text "Rudra-yāmala", which is the source for many later tantras, contains descriptions of chakras and their inherent Goddesses, with each given its own stotra, sahasranama and practice.

The treatise on chakras "Shatchakra-nirupana" (30) says about Shakini, who is in vishuddha, the following:

sudhāsindhoḥ śuddha nivasati kamale śākinī pītavastrā
śaram cāpaṁ pāśam sṛṇimapi dadhatī hastapadmaīścaturbhiḥ
sudhaṁśoḥ saṁpūrṇaṁ śaśaparirahitaṁ maṇdalaṁ karṇikāyāṁ
mahāmokşadvāraṁ śriyamabhi mataśīlasya śuddhendriyasya

Purer than the Ocean of Nectar is the Shakti Sakini who dwells in this Lotus. Her raiment is yellow, and in Her four lotus-like hands She carries the bow, the arrow, the noose, and the goad. The whole region of the Moon without the mark of the hare is in the pericarp of this Lotus. This (region) is the gateway of great Liberation for him who desires the wealth of Yoga and whose senses are pure and controlled. 

The commentary to this text provides a more extensive description of Shakini as well as a variation of the attributes. She is called Jyoti-svarupa, that is the light itself, she is composed of light. She is white and cool (it is connected with the Moon and the nectar ocean). She has five faces. In her lotus hands, she holds a noose, a chirp, a book, and a wiseman. She drives the pasha (the profane) mad and remains in the bones. She loves dairy food and she enjoys the nectar she drinks.

The texts of Shrividya Tradition ("Varivasyā-rahasya", "Yoginī-hridaya", "Tantrarāja tantra" and others) place Shakiki (Sakini) in muladhara-chakra. Together with other chakra goddesses, she constitutes the subtle body of Kundalini-shakti (Lalita Goddess) and is worshiped in shodha-nyasa. In “Lalitā Sahasranāma” several names of the Goddess Lalita Tripurasundari refer to Sakini:

She takes the form of Sakini’s mother (sākinyambā-svarūpiṇī-520) when she enters the muladhara chakra (mūlādhārāmbujārūḍhā-514). Possessing 5 faces (pañca-vaktrā-515), she controls the bones (asthisaṃsthitā-516). Her  attributes are ankusha, lotus, book, and gyana-mudra (aṅkuśādi-praharaṇā-517). She serves 4 shaktis from Varada to Sarasvati (varadādi-niṣevitā-518). She is pleased with the food mixed with beans and rice (mudgaudanāsakta-cittā-519).

Finally, according to "Shrīmattotara Tantra", the text of the tradition of Kubjika, Shakini has the head of a lion and eight arms, she is smoky and tied to the bone marrow. Together with other Yoginis she is located in Yogini-chakra (in the area of the throat). Shakini’s consort is one of Ashtabhairavas – Unmatt.