"She, who is Isa's Kripasakti (Love and Grace), Ichcha Sakti, Kriya-Sakti, Jnana-Sakti, § and Tiropava-Sakti, who actuates all creation, sustentation and resolution, who is Rupa and Arupa and neither, who is the consort of Isa in these forms, who is all this world and all this wealth, who begets the whole world and sustains them; the Gracious Feet of this our mother, who imparts blissful immortality to souls, removes their bonds of birth and remains seated with our Father in the hearts of the Freed, let me lift up on my head."

Sakti is not maya. $

This Chit-Sakti (Uma, Durga) † Nirguna, is sharply distinguished from Maya (Saguna) also a Sakti of the Lord; and inasmuch as God is in a sense identified with His creation, as the Upadana Karana ‡ of the Universe, inasmuch as it is His

Vayu-Samhita II.

§ The description of Her as Ichcha and Kriya-Sakti follow from the first definition of Her as Chit, Jnana-Sakti. Says Arunandi: "The form of this Sakti is unlimited Intelligence. If asked whether Supreme Will and Power are also found in this Intelligence, we answer yes. Wherever there is Intelligence, there is Will and Power. As such. Power and Will will also be manifested by this Chit-Sakti."

She, the transcending One, the Chidrupa, the causer of all things:She the Parasakti, the ancient One, the Chinmayi, and inhering the Lord Siva.

† Literally, deliverer from evil, Mahishasura Mardhani; Mahisha meaning buffalo, is a symbol of Ignorance.

‡ The words Upadana does not occur in the Upanishats. The word Parinama occurs in the Svetasvatara Upanishat:

The 'Parinama' is also found in the

Light that illumines all this world, so Our Mother is also identified with Maya, as Mahamaya.*

This Maya is matter, the 'object' of Western philosophy, and comprises Tanu (the body), Karana (the sense, internal) Bhuvana (the world) and Bhoga (sensation) and is defined as follows: