"Divine Mother Lakshmi"

 It is appropriate to worship Lakshmi as our Divine Mother during the Dasara festivities. We also worship Devi Saraswati and Devi Durga as the Deities of Vidya and Valor on the days of Ashtami and Navami of the Dasara. Who are all these Shakti aspects?

 Lakshmi Tantra, a Pancharatra Agama Shastra Text clearly explains all these starting from the primordial state step by step from basic stages. Accordingly, there are Thirty-five Sattvata realities, with Brahman as the Transcendental supreme power. Thus, first comes Bhagavan (God), param dhamam, the highest seat where everything is still. This is identical with the potential aspect of Lakshmi, It is brahmn, Absolute Void, rather, mahattanta shanta, with absolutely no vibration (Supreme Silence). Then comes the manifest aspect of 'Adi Purusha' (the First Person). followed by His Shakti (valor), niyati, kala, and the thre qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas. Then follow maya, prasuti, prakriti, and the three components of mnas, buddhi, and ahankara. These are followed by the ten organs (Indriya- jnyana and karma). These are the basic stages of creation as accepted by agama scholars.

   Bhagava (God) includes all divine emanations. Lakshmi says, "I am Brahmn" and I am identical with 'tat' sat.-. Mahalakshmi, She, Mahalakshmi becomes dynamic (kriyashakti), the active aspect of God. Purusha is the collective man (living being) and his shakti is Mahalakshmi. (Lakshmi Tantra p. XXIII). Niyati is Mahavidya, who reoresents cosmic wisdom Who controls law and order in the universe. Mahakali is Kala (Time), Who is in fact the Creator,of the material universe. Then there are the purana (epic) that describe the universe as in Brahmanda purana, Shiva purana, Vishnu purana and the like. ,