SAKTI-GODDESSES 185

Germs of the energy-creed may indeed be traced even in the Upanishads the early sacred books of the Hindus though its extreme development took place at a much later period.

Saktis may be found depicted in temples in any one of the three aspects, the calm, the terrible or the ugly, as dis- tinguished by the particular positions in which they are placed or the circumstances under which they are worshipped. When merely represented as the consorts of the gods they are mild and pleasing in appearance and have only two hands, in one of which is held the lotus bud. More often, however, the goddesses have independent existence. The majority of these latter are Saivite in their nature, i.e., wild, fearful and destructive and are often propitiated only by bloody sacri- fices. 1 Before entering upon a description of these numerous Saivite Saktis, a word may be said of each of the milder ones associated with Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. It must be noted that the characteristic feature in the worship of Saktis, whether Saivite, Vaishnavite or otherwise, is the association with them of mystic charms, or geometrical figures called chakras, yantras or pithas, with conventional and often mystic incantations and solemn ceremonials which make no appeal to the gentler feelings of human nature.

SarasvatI or Vagisvan, the consort of Brahma, may be SARASVAH or represented with two or more hands. In the former case she VAGibVARU holds the book and the rosary, and in the latter the noose and the hook in addition (fig. 1 1/). 2 VaglsvarT, who is referred to in Mayurabhanja (Introduction, p. Ixxvi) as a goddess worshipped both by the Buddhist and Hindu Tantrikas, is described in the Pdncharatrdgama as having three eyes and four hands holding in these latter the staff, book, rosary and the water-pot, which as we have seen above, are the symbols of the creator Brahma. Two other allied forms of Vagisvarl are Dhenu- Vagisvarl and Saubhagya-VagTsvan, both of which are mild in appearance and beautiful, but as Saktis in essence, they display the Saivaite attributes of three eyes, the jatdmakuta

1 A recognized classification of the Saktis under the heads Yoga, Bhoga and Vlra has been already referred to (above, p. no, note z). The first is defined to be the goddess who is identical with the pedestal of Siva ; the second is the god- dess that stands to the left of Siva or the Siva -/' as his consort and the third is the independent goddess generally installed in the third outer prakara of Siva temples.

2 In certain cases where she is represented with four hands, she holds the Vina and the water-pot.