Ascending to Greatness through Empowering Role Models
The Source & Primordial Shakti
The first and foremost principle to understand here is that it's Primordial Shakti (Adi Shakti), which manifests as Masculine and Feminine. Masculine Shakti cannot be equated to Shiva because Shiva in its Primordial state is Shava (inactive or dead like a corpse), the Unmanifest Source, or Brahm, the Source. In other words, Shiva is the absence of Shakti, yet in other words, Shiva the Source cannot manifest itself without Shakti. The different manifestations of Shiva the Source, such as Mahesh, Shankara, Aditya or Rudra, are the Masculine Manifestations of Primordial Shakti for various purposes in the cosmos. Similarly, different manifestations of Shiva the Source, such as Durga, Kali, Parvati, and Lakshmi, are the Feminine Manifestations of Primordial Shakti for various purposes in the cosmos. The entire Creation and manifestation come out from the Source.
Adiyogi Shiva & Hindi Names
Here, we are not talking about the Adiyogi Shiva who did lots of Tapasya & Sadhana and was more of a powerful, exalted Yogi, a being who strived hard through Tapasya to merge into the Unmanifest Source Shiva or Brahm or Paramatma. This confusion of names & people hinders the fundamental understanding of various scriptures. We need to remember that in the Indus/Hindu/Sindhu valley civilisational geography, the Sahastranama (1000 Names) of Source/Shiva/Brahm/Paramatma, Shakti, Devi or Devata are the names of people as well. All the possible Hindi or Sanskrit names of people are also the names of Source, Shakti, Devi or Devata.
All humans in Sanatana Dharma, Hindu Civilisation are named after Divine Beings, Divine Shakti, so they live the life of Dharma and Adhyatma (Spirituality) and attain the highest, the Source, through Enlightenment or Self-Realisation and achieve Moksha/Mukti.
Ardhanarishwara
Most people do not understand the Ardhanarishwara State because the "Drishti" (Vision) to understand/know/perceive (Darshan) happens only through Samadhi.
They mistakenly think that the left (mirror image, it's right side of physical body), blue, and masculine half of the Ardhanarishwara is Shiva; it is not. Instead, the "whole" is Shiva, the masculine half is the Masculine form of Shakti, and the feminine half is the Feminine form of Shakti.
Pure Shakti (Neither Masculine, nor Feminine, nor Neutral)
Because Masculine, Feminine, & Neutral, all types of Shakti reside in the Source, which is called Shiva as per Shaivaism, Brahm as per Upanishads & Vedanta, and Paramatma as per Samkhya Darshan's terminology. The unmanifest Source, Shiva, Brahm or Paramatma, has the Primordial Shakti of manifestation, just like the heat in the fire. The unmanifest Source Shiva, Brahm or Paramatma has the Shakti of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction inherent in it, and only when manifestation or Creation has to happen the Creator Shakti is manifested as Brahma, Sustenance Shakti is manifested as Vishnu and Destroyer Shakti are manifested as Mahesha. Even at this stage, neither of these Shakti can be classified as Masculine or Feminine because of the absence of Subtle or Gross Tattva/Elements, regardless of the human-like personification of these. Such personifications are only symbolic.
Masculine or Male like symbolism depicts the Non-Dynamic or Static, Restful, Inactive states, while Feminine or Female like symbolism depicts the Dynamic, Moving/Kinetic, Active states.
When one loses the "Rupa (Form) and Nama (Shabda/Language/Words)" through the process of Samadhi, one can perceive the entire Creation in Truth, as it is.
Otherwise, human-like imagery keeps polluting the mind, and different terminology from various scriptures becomes an acute source of confusion. Only when other creational elements, Tattva or Pancha Bhoota, start manifesting and mixing with Shakti does Shakti become masculine, feminine, a mixture of both, or neutral.
Why do different types of Shakti manifestations happen? Why can't such an almighty powerful Source, Shiva/Brahm/Paramatma, let everything happen through just one kind of Shakti?
Let's first look at the Macro perspective (Brahmanda).
Picture this: the 'One' transforms into the 'Many,' a process facilitated by the 'Base, Anchor (Adhara)' type of Shakti and a super 'Dynamic, Kinetic, Ever-changing' kind of Shakti. Imagine a universe where all celestial bodies, planets, stars, and galaxies are motionless, frozen in time, like a lifeless Shava (corpse). The scenery remains unchanged, infinite dimensions can't be created, and most importantly, the dimension of Kala (Cosmic Time) will be non-existent and cycles and seasons will not happen. After all, the 2-dimensional pictures you take from your camera are all frozen in time.
Now, imagine the opposite: all celestial bodies, planets, stars, and galaxies flying at super high kinetic speed, changing so rapidly that in a moment, creation (Srijan) and death (Pralaya) both happen. Such dynamic and high-speed volatility cannot be perceived, and an Atma, the Being, will not have enough time for Bhoga/Experiential perception and Apwarg/Moksha and Karma Deha cannot be sustained.
Now, let's look at the Micro perspective (Pinda).
Imagine if only Males or Masculine Shakti-type bodies and beings existed; then nothing would change; they would lie dead-like, frozen corpse-like, always still, with no decay, growth, beauty, or time, almost like a plastic inanimate object. Such a situation or dimension can't be called "existence" because it's dead; it's Sattva with pure Tamas.
Now picture the opposite: if only Female or Feminine Shakti-type bodies and beings existed, then everything would change at such a rapid speed that all beings would be born and dead in a moment. Seasons, cycles, growth, decay—everything would happen in the blink of an eye. This would be a precarious state, and it would always seem more like destruction (pralaya); it's Sattva with pure Rajas.
Hence, what you see as Male or Female is a beautiful mixture or balance of Masculine (Static) and Feminine (Kinetic) Shakti. Both types of Shakti are needed and complement each other; the Masculine becomes the Base (Adhara) to anchor the highly dynamic Feminine. In humans, to purify and balance the Masculine Shakti and take it to the level of Divinity, it must become the Adhara, the Base for the Feminine Shakti within themselves and to other females. To purify and balance the Feminine Shakti and elevate it to the level of Divinity, females must accept the Dynamism, super-changing, creating & nurturing abilities within themselves and find the anchor within or with-out through males.
Many fathers, brothers, and husbands become the perfect Base and anchor for their daughters, sisters and wives so they can fly high yet be grounded in reality, anchored in trust, surrounded by protection and the Feminine Shakti within them can find its full, beautiful expression as an existence. Many mothers, sisters and wives become the creative, nurturing, ever-changing, ever-loving dynamism and kineticism for their sons, brothers and husbands so that the Masculine Shakti within them can find its proper expression and elevate to the level of divinity. Many friends & unnamed bonds become such divine aspects for each other and uplift each other in life.
What's that one thing that allows all this to happen? Love: Prema/Prem, not Attachment, Moha or Raga. Prem is the invisible golden bond that connects Masculine & Feminine Shakti. This Prem is inherent quality of "Ananda" in Paramatma.
I am one such fortunate daughter of a father who, while living, never saw me as a male or female child but as an infinite, multidimensional expression of existence; he could see me beyond the physical body, he never tried to clip my wings instead became the perfect Adhara/Base, Anchor for the wildness, craziness, roaring highly dynamic Shakti that I harboured, and myriad dimensions that I was growing into. When fathers and men fail to become Adhara, Base, or Anchor for the females in their lives, they try to clip their wings and want to control their dynamism in many ways. I am one such fortunate daughter of a mother who, while living, always saw me as an ultimate divine expression of Feminine Shakti and who nurtured me, made me highly creative and loved me in such a way that I learnt to love unconditionally, the Prema/Prem happened within me for anyone and everyone around me. When mothers and females fail to become the creative, nurturing, unconditionally loving force for their sons & males around, they create dry, desert-like men incapable of loving themselves and anyone else, yet searching, craving for beauty & love everywhere else.
I found my truest spiritual expression, Samadhi/Enlightenment/Self-Realisation and live in Sat-Chit-Ananda. I achieved Moksha because of the balanced Shakti around me in the form of my parents, and I could balance within myself through my Tapasya/Sadhana later in life. As a person (Jeeva), I grew up mentally and emotionally balanced, highly creative, and nurturing in music, arts, poetry & beauty with a super logical & rational mind questioning higher realities of existence and falling in love with software programming, with the ability to live & die in Prema for the person and later Bhakti for Paramatma. My paternal grandmother was the epitome of Durga Shakti and gave me unbound courage. In contrast, my maternal grandmother was the ultimate expression of all nine forms of Nava Durga, the Nine Goddess. I learnt the multi-dimensional aspect of Feminine Shakti from her. I am explaining this so the parents reading this article realise the difference a Shakti-balanced upbringing can make in their children's lives, and they can develop the Drishti/Perspective to look at all this correctly and in a balanced way.
In married and family life, a father sometimes becomes the loving, nurturing, forgiving, feminine Shakti for children, "if and when" the mother becomes the static, unchanging, less-loving and punishing masculine force for children and husband. This is called role reversal, but it is unhealthy for a family, as it suggests suppression of the natural expression of default inherent qualities. Males adapting the Feminine Shakti qualities is an upliftment towards divinity, if they are not the cause of broken trust & protection and their own Adhara/Anchor qualities. Females adapting the Masculine Shakti qualities by denying and rejecting the Feminine within is a downward spiral; it's like moving towards death, stagnancy. Only when females adopt Masculine Shakti qualities "after/along with" full recognition & acceptance of their Feminine Shakti within, without losing their ability to unconditionally love, create & nurture, that they uplift themselves towards Divine Feminine.
Important thing to know is that neither male nor female can grow and evolve in a worldly and spiritual manner without each other. Hence, both are needed within (inward) & with-out (outward).
Samkhya Darshan
Samkhya Darshan uses the term "Purusha" for Atma/Atman mostly, and in some places, it uses the "Purusha" term for "Paramatma". "Prakriti" is used in Samkhya Darshan for the equilibrium of 3 particles of Creation: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. When these particles are mixed with other aspects of Creation, they are named accordingly, like Buddhi, Ahamkara, Chitta, etc. Although everything is created through different permutation combinations of these three particles, the following created aspects are no longer called "Prakriti"; instead, they are referred to as "Vikrati (disturbance in equilibrium)".
The entire Creation or manifestation is a "Vikrati". As per Samkhya Darshan, the only time when Sattva, Rajas and Tamas as particles are inactive and in the state of equilibrium is called Prakriti.
Prakriti can create masculine, feminine, mixed, or neutral aspects or elements of Creation. When "Purusha (Atma/Atman)" acquires or indulges with "Prakriti (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas), the physical body (36 Elements - 18 Gross & 18 Subtle) is created. When an Atma/Atman goes through the cycles of birth & death, the death is a loss of 18 gross elements, Tattva, and an Atma always carries the 18 Subtle with it (not him/her) until it achieves Moksha and attains Maha-Samadhi afterwards. As per Samkhya, "Purusha or Atma" and "Prakriti" are neither Masculine nor Feminine, it is beyond and above such duality.
This is being explained here so you do not confuse the Samkhya Terminology of "Purusha" and "Prakriti" with Hindi words of "Purusha as males" and "Stree as females". In Sanskrit, one word could have tens of meanings depending on the context. Purusha in Sanskrit means "the one who inhabits a Pur/Pura/City/Boundary". Atma as Purusha inhabits the Pura/City of Panchakosha, Paramatma as Purusha inhabits the Pura/City of Brahmanda/Universe. As per Samkhya, Purusha and Prakriti are devoid of Masculine Shakti and Feminine Shakti; they are above & beyond that duality. Hence can't be equated to Purusha as males and Stree or Prakriti as females.
Atma's primary Shakti is "Chetna (Consciousness)", in which Masculine & Feminine Shakti aspects are inherent.
An Atma is non-dynamic, static, or inactive without its primary Shakti Consciousness. That's why some call it "Anatma" or "No Atma" after Samadhi when an Atma's personal Consciousness merges with the Universal Consciousness of Paramatma. Consciousness is Atma's primary Shakti, without which an Atma is almost non-existent, and hence, some people use the word Consciousness in place of Atma. It's like how heat is inherent in Fire, and without heat, there can't be Fire, and at times, heat and Fire are used synonymously. Atma is Fire; Consciousness is Heat. Yet, in other words "Fire is Shiva/Source/Static/Masculine aspect and Heat is Shakti/Dynamic/Feminine aspect.
Hence, the atma can manifest masculine, feminine, mixed or neutral physical bodies and minds.
For example, an Atma may have taken the Feminine Physical Body & gender but may have a Masculine Chitta/Mind due to a higher ratio of Masculinity in its Chetna (Consciousness). Similarly, an Atma may have a Masculine Physical Body & gender but a Feminine Chitta/Mind due to a higher ratio of Feminine-ness in its Chetna (Consciousness). Here, we are not talking about transgender people or other possible physical energy & body manifestations. Instead, we are referring to the qualities that an Atma's body or mind may acquire due to the prevalence of Masculine or Feminine Shakti in its Consciousness.
Through the process of Samadhi, these two complementing Shakti, the masculine and feminine, are balanced and united (Yoga).
3 Ways | Sampurna Drishti (Wholesome Perspective)
This brings us to the three perspectives, ways or "Drishti" to look at any human being:
Masculinity or Feminity of the Consciousness/Chetna that an Atma has
Masculinity or Feminity of the Mind/Chitta that an Atma has
Masculinity or Feminity of the Physical Body that an Atma has
Here, an Atma may have a Physical body of a Male gender, Female gender, transgender, or others, but the inclinations, tendencies, and energy of the physical body can be clearly identified as Masculine, feminine, or mixed/imbalanced. This is true for only human beings and not other celestial beings.
Worldly people who are too identified with the physical body often want to model the whole world and all life situations around gender. Hence, social issues arise when Boys or Men try to become artists, musicians, or classical dancers and when Girls or Women try to become soldiers, CEOs, or Train drivers. All such parents and people project their gender/body identification on their children and force them into something that is against nature, the tendency of their minds and consciousness, only to create unhappy, messed-up human beings. It happens because people have no intelligence, consciousness to look beyond the physical body & gender.
Everyone must do some Yoga & Dhyana to remove the hardened identification with the physical body and to have a wholesome perspective.
Yet, the Divine role models must be considered to enhance their natural tendencies of Masculinity or Femininity and infuse them with Divinity. Divine role models for Masculine & Feminine represent pure Divine qualities that one must aim for and live by. Since these Divine role models are subtle expressions of Shakti, their human personification of gender levels is unimportant. It's often the opposite regarding the subtle Shakti: a male human being with more Masculine Shakti must increase and balance their Feminine Shakti through Feminine role models, while a female human being with Feminine Shakti must increase and balance their Masculine Shakti through Masculine role models.
That's what Shakti Tantra or Shakta is.
This is also required to understand the counterparts. Girls, Women, Mothers, Sisters, Wives, and Daughters will better understand Boys, Men, Fathers, Sons, Brothers, and Husbands and vice versa because the "lesser or imbalanced" Shakti in them will be balanced.
In today's world, I see many females with high Masculine mental and Consciousness tendencies and many males with high Feminine mental and Consciousness tendencies. This imbalance shows the suppression of inherent Shakti within. It's like trying to be what you are not by denying or rejecting what you are, yet the pursuits give a false feeling of strength and self-validation. The key to spiritual growth lies in finding balance, in embracing both the Masculine and Feminine aspects of our being.
Now comes the question of which Divine Masculines and Divine Feminines must be chosen to role-model the life after.
Divine Feminine seems more straightforward as we all celebrate and know "Nava Durga" (Nine Forms of Goddess Durga).
But if we look for Divine masculinity, then some people try to model after Shiva without knowing that Shiva is either a Source (unmanifest) or its various forms like Mahesh, Rudra, Bhairava, and Shankar are "destroyers" type Shakti of the Cosmos. Unless someone becomes a fierce Yogi/Yogini or Aghori, one cannot truly role-model any of Shiva's forms because the foundational aspect is "Fierceness & Destruction" it's Sattva with Tamasik Rajas. Role modelling for males after Shiva would be like role modelling for females after Kali. Kali is also "Fierceness & Destruction", Sattva with Tamasik Rajas; its various forms are Kapalini, Chandalini, Shamshaan Vasini, etc., and unless someone becomes a fierce Yogi/Yogini or Aghori, they will not understand Kali.
Modelling after Kali, Shiva, Rudra, or Mahesha would require reducing the essential qualities of those Shakti manifestations—like removing the fire of its heat.
Hence, we use nine forms of Durga and not Kali. Durga is more wholesome in her qualities to embody. Therefore, for males, we need to use the Divine Masculine with wholesome and benevolent attributes easily adopted by boys & males.
Caution: We need to remember that these are powerful Divine Masculine and Feminine Shakti that we are trying to role-model after for human evolution & social harmony; people will experience the life-changing impact of these, so they must be chosen carefully. The subtle existence of human beings is impacted seriously when one wants to use these Divine Shakti as role models; the Mind is changed, and Consciousness is altered.
Some people role model Hanuman Shakti as Divine Masculine but then fail to understand Brahmacharya in its true sense and instead consider it just celibacy, which becomes a problem for householders and married people. Some people go to the Vedas to find the Divine Masculine. Still, in the Vedas, the Divine Masculine Shakti types are mostly in elemental forms, and mapping their qualities with humans is challenging.
Many want to role model Rama or Krishna without realising that they were "Bhava-Pratyaya Yogis" and they became "Guru" after their own Samadhi/Enlightenment and were not "Acharya" whose behaviour (Acharan), qualities, lifestyle can be mapped as is to the common human-beings. Rama attained Samadhi/Enlightenment in Guru Vashishtha's Ashram at age 17, and Krishna attained it in Rishi Sandipani's Ashram at age 16. When one attains Enlightenment in any of their lifetime, that lifetime is referred to as Prapti-Janam. A highly divine, mystical dimension becomes their living reality, and then what they do, why they do it, is above & beyond the boundaries of Karma hence they can't be looked upon from the perspective of an ordinary human being who is not a Yogi or Yogini and is bound by the Karma. When "Guru" Tattva is awakened in any Yogi/Yogini after Samadhi/Enlightenment, their purpose is to show the Truth, live for Truth, establish Dharma by any means necessary, to throw light and give Shakti to others to help them walk their spiritual journey. Their thoughts, speech and actions are beyond Karmic boundaries; hence, their actions, thoughts, decisions, and life situations will not make much sense to an ordinary person. We have "Acharya" to follow the lifestyles, qualities, & behaviours (Acharan) who are walking their own spiritual journey, are Dharmic and still living within the boundaries of Karma. Such Acharya can be living role-models yet will display common human-like tendencies from time to time and may not be "perfect" at times to follow. Whoever attains Samadhi/Enlightenment and realises the supreme Guru Tattva must not copied for their own life's decisions & behaviours, instead their Shakti must be used to feel Ananda for healing, Wisdom & light of Consciousness for awakening oneself. Only they have the ability to look into other's Karma and Chitta-Vrittis & prescribe exact Sadhana & tools for spiritual practice.
Adi Shankaracharya conveyed this beautifully by drinking "Soma/Alcohol" first. After his followers did the same, he drank the massive pot of "molten iron," which his followers definitely couldn't copy; instead, they fainted after seeing him. Ram and Krishna both did "Leela;" all that Enlightened Beings do post-Enlightenment is referred to as "Leela," which is above and beyond "Karma." Ordinary, worldly people cannot play Leela, nor Yogi/Yogini in progress have such ability.
However, we need not do such mental gymnastics. Nava Durga is part of Markandeya Purana, which means we should also find Divine Masculine in one of the Puranas. Puranas are much more recent in terms of timeline and are easily understood by common worldly people. They provide Shakti aspects that are much closer to human qualities and capabilities.
Vishnu Purana is one such Purana that explains "Dwadash Aditya" (12 Aditya). Aditya means Sun/Surya, and it's the most benevolent, life-giving Divine Masculine Shakti, made up of "Sattvik Rajas", which is the form of Agni (Rupa/Form, Visual), an inherent quality of males of today's era, Yuga.
Here's a table outlining the qualities that males can imbibe from each of the twelve Adityas mentioned in the Vishnu Purana:
Here's a table outlining the qualities that females can imbibe from each of the nine Durgas mentioned in the Markandeya Purana:
Dharma and Adharma
Children must be taught about Dharma & Adharma both, so they can live with Dharma & protect themselves and others against Adharma. Scriptural knowledge & Self-Defence/Weapons Knowledge (शास्त्र विद्या & शस्त्र विद्या) must be given to all children; boys & girls alike. You can learn more about Dharma & Adharma here.
May all the young boys and girls and others grow up, evolve to be the beautiful balance of Divine Masculine & Divine Feminine and all parents encourage these qualities in their children and themselves.
Blessings to all,
~ Prakriti