Shakti and Shâkta : essays and addresses on the Shâkta Tantrashâstra

SOME CONCLUSIONS

to abandon the world. The universe is Shakti Herself in that form. All that is needed is to know this and to act with such knowledge. There are those who speak of abandoning all on some future day, thinking thus only to entirely place themselves at, as they call it the Mother's Feet. Such think that their desire for worldly prosperity, for wife, children, relations, friends and self is something which stands in the way of Her service. This is according to Shakta principles an essential error. Why should such desire stand in the way of entire service? It might if we looked upon the world as mere unconscious Maya. But it is Shakti. Wife and children and all else are Her, and service of them is service of Her. It is the one Devi who appears in the form of all. Service of the Deviin any of Her aspects is as much worship as are the traditional forms of ritual Upfsana. This is not to say that these may, therefore, be neglected. India also is one of Her forms—a specific Shakti, the Bharata Shakti. Those who merely talk of the difference between its peoples have not seen beyond the surface of things. Those who have, will have experienced a peculiar influence shed by this country alone. So much is this so, that an English writer of great insight has said that the contrast is not between the Kast and West, but between India and the rest of the world. It is not without reason, therefore, that it has been called a Punya-bhfimi and Karma-bhfimi. Service of that Mother-form is that aspect of religion which is called true patriotism which is then one and not in conflict with that which is higher than patriotism namely true Humanity. The whole of man’s life may thus be made the worship of Her. The Siddhi or result of such worship is all worldly-prosperity and that Chittashuddi or purity of mind which leads through Yoga to Liberation from the world of form. The Devi is both formless and form. Union may be had with Reality in either of its aspects, in Bhukti asin Mukti, in Enjoyment as well as Liberation. The former is the Sthfila (gross), the latter the 433 55