Shakti and Shâkta : essays and addresses on the Shâkta Tantrashâstra

ADDENDA I IS SHAKTI FORCE?

HERE are some persons who have thought, and still think,

that Shakti means force and that the worship of Shakti is

the worship of force. Thus Keshub Chunder Sen (New Dispensation, p. 108), wrote :

“Four centuries ago the Shaktas gave way before the Bhaktas. Chaitanya’s army proved invincible, and carried all Bengal captive. Even to-day his gospel of love rules as a living force, though his followers have considerably declined both in faith and in morals. Just the reverse of this we find in England and other European countries. There the Shiktas are driving the Bhaktas out of the field. Look at the Huxleys, the Tyndalls and the Spencers of theday. What are they but Shaktas, worshippers of Shakti or Force ? The only Deity they adore, if they at all adore one, is the Prime Force of the universe. To it they offer dry homage. Surely then the scientists and materialists of the day are a sect of Shakti-worshippers, who are chasing away the true Christian deyotees who adore the God of Love. Alas! for European Vaisnnavas They are retreating before the advancing millions of Western Shaktas. We sincerely trust, however, the discomfiture of devotion and Bhakti will be only for a time, and that a Chaitanya will yet arise in the West, crush the Shaktas, who only recognise Force as Deity and are sunk in carnality and voluptuousness, and lead natures into the loving faith, spirituality, simplicity, and rapturous devotion of the Vaishnava.

Professor Monier Williams (* Hinduism”) also called it a doctrine of Force.

Recently the poet Rabindranath Tagore has given the authority of his great name to this error (Modern Review, July, 1919). After pointing out that Egoism is the price paid for the

fact of existence and that the whole universe is assisting in the 436