In the vast tapestry of Hindu philosophy, the Shakta tradition offers one of the most profound perspectives on time, creation, and cosmic cycles through its unique emphasis on the Divine Feminine. This understanding centers on Shakti—the primordial cosmic energy that creates, sustains, and transforms the universe.

## The Divine Feminine as Cosmic Time

In Shakta metaphysics, time itself is conceived as a manifestation of the Divine Mother. The Devi Mahatmya (chapters 5-13) portrays the goddess as Kālī, whose very name derives from "kāla" or time. Unlike the Western linear conception of time, the goddess embodies cyclical time—creation, preservation, and dissolution exist in eternal rotation through her divine play (līlā).

The Devi Bhagavata Purana (Book 12, Chapter 9) explicitly states: "Time is none other than the Supreme Shakti herself, moving in a circular motion, creating the appearance of past, present and future." This cosmic vision reveals time not as an abstract dimension but as the dynamic expression of divine consciousness.

## Cycles Within Cycles: The Shakta Cosmological Framework

Shakta cosmology embraces the broader Hindu understanding of cyclical time but views these cycles as manifestations of the goddess's rhythmic breath. According to the Mahanirvana Tantra (Chapter 4, verses 30-37), the universe undergoes vast cycles:

1. **Kalpa** - A "day of Brahma" lasting 4.32 billion years
2. **Manvantara** - Epochs within kalpas where different cosmic laws prevail
3. **Yuga** - Four ages (Satya, Treta, Dvapara, Kali) of decreasing virtue

The Shakta texts uniquely interpret these cosmic cycles as the dance of Shakti. The Kularnava Tantra (1.6-9) describes: "The universe is born from Her, exists in Her, and dissolves back into Her. She is the eternal cycle of time."

## Creation as Divine Pulsation

The Shakta understanding of cosmic origins centers on spanda (divine pulsation). The Kashmir Shaiva-Shakta text Spanda-Karikas (1.1-3) explains that the universe emerges from the goddess's spontaneous vibration—her initial throb of creative energy that ripples outward, manifesting as the cosmos.

The Lalita Sahasranama (verses 84-90) addresses the goddess as "Srshti-kartri" (Creator), "Brahma-rupa" (Form of Brahma), and "Vishva-yoni" (Womb of the Universe), establishing her primacy in cosmogenesis. Unlike traditions that place a masculine deity as the originator, Shakta cosmology asserts that the feminine principle is the source.

## Living the Shakta Vision of Time

For those drawn to adopt Hindu philosophy, the Shakta understanding offers profound insights for spiritual practice:

The Shakta view teaches that we participate in divine time through ritual observances. The Yoni Tantra and Tantraloka describe practices synchronized with cosmic rhythms—moon phases, seasonal changes, and auspicious times—connecting practitioners to the goddess's cosmic dance.

Additionally, meditation on the goddess as Mahakali reveals the impermanence of all things while simultaneously unveiling the eternal consciousness that transcends time. The Saundarya Lahari (verse 32) describes: "Those who meditate on You as the destroyer of time itself attain immortality."

## Contemporary Relevance

The Shakta understanding of time offers a counterpoint to modern anxieties about linear progress and finite existence. By embracing the goddess's cyclical nature, one can find peace in the eternal rhythm of becoming and dissolution.

For those seeking to adopt Hindu philosophy, the Shakta tradition provides a path that honors the feminine principle as the source of cosmic time and being. Through study of texts like the Devi Mahatmya, Devi Bhagavata Purana, and tantric scriptures, practitioners can develop a living relationship with divine temporality.

The goddess, as time itself, invites us not merely to measure moments but to experience them as sacred pulsations of the eternal feminine—moments pregnant with the divine creative power that sustains the cosmic dance.