Devi Mahatmya - Philosophy

Philosophy

Devi Mahatmya accepts the ancient Vedic tradition in the form of Vāk and Trayī Vidyā and the philosophical doctrine of the codified system of Samkhya (Prakriti manifesting as the three Gunas) and Vedānta as Paramavidyā, the cause of Mukti. Further it synthesizes the then prevailing local Mother goddess cults of Aryan and non-Aryan origin.

In the first chapter it is said "all lives are conscious, but that knowledge is connected with senses. That goddess Bhagavatī, granting all kinds of prosperity, makes even the wise attracted to worldly pleasures and things forcibly with her great power of attraction. This ever-changing world with all its animate and inanimate things, is created by her. As the cause of salvation she turns into supreme spiritual knowledge, and is thus eternal; and again as the cause of bondage to worldly things she turns into things mundane and is the mistress of all, including Gods. She is eternal (and is thus beyond our knowledge) and pervades the world which may accordingly be called her form. Yet for the assistance of the lustrous souls, she appears in different forms."

Though the figure of Siva is known in Devī Māhātmya the goddess bears no special relationship to him. In fact she bears no special relationship with anyone other than her devotees. While each God has a Sakti, Devī Māhātmya avoids characterizing such forms as consorts, for the Goddess is Sakti, power itself beyond the realm of being a consort to anyone. Devī Māhātmya does not know the conceptualization that Sakti is feminine and its possessor or vehicle masculine, for as it is seen, the Goddess herself can put forth a Sakti.