# शक्ति (śakti)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/shakti

शक्ति (śakti) is a Sanskrit word meaning power, ability, strength, or might, faculty, skill, or capacity, effectiveness or efficacy of a remedy, the female organ as worshipped by the Shakta sect, the power or meaning of a word, case-power, the idea conveyed by a case. Its 45 recorded definitions are grouped into 12 contexts, among them General Power and Ability, Name of a Sage (Śakti, son of Vasiṣṭha), A Weapon (Spear, Missile, etc.).

- **Etymology:** E. शक to be able, aff. क्तिन् — E. śaka to be able, aff. ktin
- **SLP1:** `Sakti`  **IAST:** śakti  **Devanagari:** शक्ति
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/shakti/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** शाक्ती (śāktī), शक्ती (śaktī)

## Meanings by context

### General Power and Ability (10 definitions)
- 1. Power, ability, strength, or might. 2. Faculty, skill, or capacity.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 1044,2] शक्ति (śakti) or शक्ति (śakti) f. power, ability, strength, might, effort, energy, capability ( शक्त्या (śaktyā) or आत्म - श् (ātma-ś) ° (°) or स्व - श् (sva-ś) ° (°), ‘according to ability’; परं शक्त्या (śaktyā) (paraṃ śaktyā), ‘with all one's might’; वित्त - शक्त्या (śaktyā) (vitta-śaktyā), ‘according to the capability of one's property’; शक्ति (śakti) म् अ - हापयित्वा (śaktim a-hāpayitvā), ‘not relaxing one's efforts, exerting all one's strength’), faculty, skill, capacity for, power over ( gen. loc. dat., or inf. ), Ṛg-veda (Title) &c. &c. [ ID=210902 ]
- effectiveness or efficacy of a remedy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > effectiveness or efficacy (of a remedy), Śārṅgadhara-saṃhitā (Title) [ ID=210903 ]
- 1. Ability, capacity, power, strength, or skill. 2. Efficacy of a remedy. 3. Regal power. 4. Active power or female energy of a deity, especially of Shiva. 5. Force, signification, or function of a word. 6. Creative power or imagination of a poet.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 305-a3 ] शक्ति (śakti) 1. śák-ti, f. ability, capacity, power, strength, skill, to ( g., lc., inf., —° ); efficacy Page306-1 ( of a remedy etc. ); regal power ( which comprises the three elements, prabhāva, majesty, utsāha, energy, and mantra, counsel); active power or female energy of a deity ( esp. of Śiva ); force of a word, signification, function, case-notion; creative power of a poet, imagination: in. śaktyā (± ātma- or sva-), accorded to ability; paraṃ śaktyā, with all oneʼs might; śaktim ahāpayitvā, not relaxing oneʼs efforts, exerting oneself to the utmost. [ ID=17428 ]
- 1. Power. 2. Subduing opposition. 3. Meaning. 4. An iron dart. 5. The energy of a deity or female divine power.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 742-a ] शक्ति (śakti) ( क्तिः ) ((ktiḥ)) 2. f. Power; subduing opposition; meaning; iron dart; Page742-b+ 38 energy of a deity, female organ worshipped by the Shāktas. [ ID=37093 ]
- 1. Ability, power, or strength. 2. Regal power in politics. 3. A female deity. 4. A kind of missile. 5. The expressive power of a word or its relation to its designated object. 6. Poetic genius. 7. The inherent power of a cause to produce effects. 8. The female organ worshipped by the Shaktas.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 704-20 ] शक्ति (śakti) f. 1. Ability, power, strength, energy, prowess, ज्ञाने मौनं क्षमा शक्तौ (jñāne maunaṃ kṣamā śaktau) R. ii.22, ii.34, xi.42; 2. regal power (in politics); [it is of three kinds, viz., (1) प्रभावशक्ति (śakti) (prabhāvaśakti) or प्रभुशक्ति (śakti) (prabhuśakti) (the eminent position of the king); (2) मंत्रशक्ति (śakti) (maṃtraśakti) (the power of good counsel); (3) उत्साहशक्ति (śakti) (utsāhaśakti) (energy)], त्रिसाधना शक्ति (śakti) रिवार्थमक्षयम् (trisādhanā śaktirivārthamakṣayam) R. iii.13, Sis. ii.26; 3. a female deity; (these are variously enumerated); 4. a kind of missile, ततो बिभेद पौलस्त्यः शक्त्या वक्षसि लक्ष्मणम् (tato bibheda paulastyaḥ śaktyā vakṣasi lakṣmaṇam) R. xii.77; 5. the expressive power of a word, (op. to लक्षणा (lakṣaṇā) and व्यंजना (vyaṃjanā) ) (in rhetoric), the relation of a word to the thing designated by it (in Nyāya ); 6. the poetic faculty, poetic genius, शक्ति (śakti) र्निपुणता लोकशास्त्रकाव्याद्यवेक्षणात् (śaktirnipuṇatā lokaśāstrakāvyādyavekṣaṇāt) K.Pr. i.; 7. the inherent power of a cause to produce its effects (in Nyāya phil.); 8. the female organ worshipped by the Śāktas. [ ID=36879 ]
- 1. Strength. 2. Power. 3. The active power of a deity personified as his wife. 4. Signification. 5. Allaying opposition. 6. An iron spear, dart, or sword.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 0926-b ] शक्ति (śakti) śak + ti, f. 1. Strength, Pañc. i. d. 265; with loc., Bhartṛ. 2, 60 ( ātmadamane, in restraining or ruling one's self 2. Power. Hit. pr. d. 31, M.M. 3. The active power of a deity personified as his wife (as Gauri of Śiva, etc.), Kathās. 3, 62 (of the god of love); eight particular goddesses, Brāhmī, etc. cf. Wilson, Hind. Th. 2. ed. ii. 52, n. ad Mālat. 74, 5. 4. Signi- fication, Bhāṣāp. 79. 5. Allaying op- position. 6. An iron spear or dart, MBh. 5, 5259; a sword, Mālat. 82, 16. — Comp. A-, f. want of strength, Bhartṛ. 2, 44. Ananta-, Amara-, Ugra-, Deva-, Bahu-, m. proper names, Pañc. 3, 11, 12; 183, 20. Ātmaśakti, i. e. ātman-, f. one's own strength or power, Hit. pr. d. 31, M.M. Yathā-, adv. to the utmost of one's power, Hit. ii. d. 51; Lass. 59, 1. Rati-, f. the faculty of en- joying love, Böhtl. Ind. Spr. 2077. Śiva-, m. a proper name, Rājat. 5, 131. [ ID=14368 ]
- 1. Ability, power, or capacity. 2. The triple power of a king. 3. The active energy of a deity, especially of Shiva. 4. The meaning or function of a word. 5. Poetic imagination. 6. Help, assistance, or a gift.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 534 ] 1 शक्ति (śakti) f. ability, power, capacity of ( infin., loc., gen., or —°); the triple power of a king; the energy or active power of a deity, esp. of Śiva; the power of a word i.e. its meaning or function; the productive power of a poet, i.e. his fancy or imagination; help, assistance, gift, donation. [ ID=31601 ]
- ability, power  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 255-a ] śákti, f. ability, power. [ ID=4089 ]
- 1. Ability, power, capacity, capability, faculty, strength, energy, or prowess. 2. Regal power consisting of royal majesty, good counsel, and energy. 3. The active power or energy of a deity personified as his wife. 4. The female organ. 5. The force or meaning of a term. 6. An iron spear, lance, pike, or dart. 7. A sword. 8. An instrument used in gambling. 9. Allaying or appeasing opposition.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 0985-c ] Śakti, is, f. ability, power, capacity, capability, faculty, strength, energy, prowess; regal power (hav- ing three parts or constituent elements, viz. 1. pra- bhu-tva, the majesty or pre-eminence of the king himself; 2. mantra, the power of good counsel; 3. utsāha, the force of energy); the energy or active power of a deity personified as his wife and Page0986-a+ 81 worshipped under various names, (sometimes only eight Śakti goddesses are enumerated, as follow, In- drāṇī, Vaiṣṇavī, Śāntā, Brahmāṇī, Kaumārī, Nāra- siṃhī, Vārāhī, and Māheśvarī, but some substitute Cāmuṇḍā and Caṇḍikā for the third and sixth of these: according to another reckoning there are nine, viz. Vaiṣṇavī, Brahmāṇī, Raudrī, Māheśvarī, Nāra- siṃhī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī, Kārttikī, and Pradhānā: others reckon fifty different forms of the Śakti of Viṣṇu besides Lakṣmī, some of these are Kīrtti, Kānti, Tuṣṭi, Puṣṭā, Dhṛti, Śānti, Kriyā, Dayā, Medhā, &c. and fifty forms of the Śakti of Śiva or Rudra besides Durgā or Gaurī, some of whom are Guṇo- darī, Virajā, Śālmalī, Lolākṣī, Vartulākṣī, Dīrgha- ghoṇā, Sudīrgha-mukhī, Go-mukhī, Dīrgha-jihvā, Kuṇḍodarī, Ardha-keśī, Vikṛta-mukhī, Jvālā-mukhī, Ulkā-mukhī, &c. Sarasvatī is also named as a Śakti, both of Viṣṇu and Rudra: according to the Vāyu- Purāṇa the female nature of Rudra became twofold, one half asita or white, and the other sita or black, each of these again becoming manifold, those of the white or mild nature included Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Gaurī, Umā, &c. those of the dark and fierce nature, Durgā, Kālī, &c.); the female organ (as the counter- part of the phallic representation of Śiva, and wor- shipped either literally or figuratively by a sect of Hindūs termed Śāktas, see śākta ); the power or signification (of a word), force or meaning of a term (defined in the Nyāya as the relation of the term to the thing designated padasya padārthe samban- dhaḥ ); an iron spear, lance, pike, dart [cf. śāk- tīka ]; a sword; a kind of implement or instrument used in gambling; allaying or appeasing opposition; ( is ), m., N. of a Muni or sage (the eldest of Va- siṣṭha's hundred sons; according to Viṣṇu-Purāṇa I. 1. he was father of Parāśara, and was devoured by king Kalmāṣa-pāda, when changed to a man-eating Rākṣasa, in consequence of a curse pronounced upon him by the sage; he is represented as having over- come the power and speech of Viśvā-mitra at the sacrifice of king Saudāsa, and is regarded as the Ṛṣi of Ṛg-veda VII. 32, 26, IX. 97, 19 — 21, IX. 108, 3, 14 — 16; Śakti is also identified with one of the Vyāsas, and elsewhere with the sage Jātūkarṇa). —Śakti-kuṇṭhana, am, n. (in phil.) the deadening of a capacity. —Śakti-kumāra, as, m., N. of a poet. —Śakti-gaṇa, as, m. the company or assem- blage of the Śaktis, (see under śakti above.) —Śakti- graha, as, ā, am, taking hold of the force or mean- ing (of a word or sentence); apprehending the meaning (in any particular sense), acceptation (of a word &c.); holding or bearing a spear or lance, armed with a spear; ( as ), m. perception or appre- hension of the force or sense (of a word); a spear- man, lancer; epithet of Śiva; of Kārttikeya. —Śakti- grāhaka, as, ikā, am, who or what causes to ap- prehend the force or signification (of a word or phrase), determining or establishing the meaning of words (as a dictionary, grammar, &c.); taking hold of the force (of a word &c.); holding a spear, &c. —Śakti-ja, as, ā, am, born from Śakti; ( as ), m. son of Śakti. —Śakti-tas, ind. according to power, to the best of one's ability. —Śakti-tā, f. power, capacity, faculty. —Śakti-traya, am, n. the three constituents of regal power (viz. king, minister, and energy; see śakti ). —Śakti-dhara, as, m. a spear- man, lancer; epithet of Kārttikeya. —Śakti-dhṛk (see dhṛk, p. 459), bearing a spear. —Śakti-parṇa, as, m. the tree Echites Scholaris (= sapta-parṇa). —Śakti-pāṇi, is, m. ‘spear-handed,’ armed with a spear or lance, a spearman; epithet of Kārttikeya. —Śakti-pāta, as, m. prostration of strength. —Śak- ti-pūjaka, as, m. a Śakti-worshipper, a Śākta, (see śakti, śākta. ) —Śakti-pūjā, f. Śakti-worship, (see above.) —Śakti-pūrva, as, m. ‘having Śakti for a forefather,’ epithet of Parāśara (as son of Śakti). —Śakti-prakarṣa, as, ā, am, possessing superior capacity or extraordinary power. —Śakti-bhṛt, t, t, t, bearing a spear, armed with a spear; ( t ), m. a spearman, lancer; epithet of Kārttikeya. —Śakti- bheda, as, m. difference of power; a special capacity. Page0986-b+ 81 —Śakti-bhairava-tantra, am, n., N. of a Tantra work. —Śakti-mat, ān, atī, at, possessed of ability, powerful, mighty, able; possessing a competence, one who has gained a fortune. —Śakti-yāmala, N. of a work. —Śakti-ratnākara (°na-āk°), as, m. ‘jewel-mine of Śakti,’ N. of a work on the mystical worship of Śakti or Durgā, (it contains five chapters compiled from the Tantras and Purāṇas.) —Śakti- vāda or śakti-vicāra, as, m., N. of a philosophical work by Gadādhara-bhaṭṭācārya. —Śakti-vādin, ī, m. one who asserts or believes in Śakti-worship. —Śakti-vaikalya, am, n. deficiency of power, impairment of strength, incapacity, debility. —Śakti- hīna, as, ā, am, powerless, impotent. —Śakti-he- tika, as, m. one who has a spear for a weapon, a spearman, lancer, soldier armed with a lance. —Śak- ty-apekṣa, as, ā, am, having regard or reference to ability, according to power or capacity. —Śakty- ardha, as, m. perspiring and panting with exertion or fatigue, (according to Śabda-k. = śrama-dvārā kukṣi-lalāṭa-grīvāsūtpanno gharmo dīrgha-ni- śvāsaś-ca. ) —Śakty-avara, as, ā, am, junior to Śakti. [ ID=45963 ]
- See page 985  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > [Printed book page 0987-c ] शक्ति (śakti) śakti, &c. See p. 985, col. 3. [ ID=46007 ]

### Name of a Sage (Śakti, son of Vasiṣṭha) (7 definitions)
- The name of a sage, the eldest son of Vasishtha  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > शक्ति (śakti) m. N. of a Muni or sage (the eldest of Vasiṣṭha's hundred sons; accord. to Viṣṇu-purāṇa (Title) he was father of Parāśara, and was devoured by king Kalmāṣa-pāda, when changed to a man-eating Rākṣasa, in consequence of a curse pronounced upon him by the sage; he is represented as having overcome Viśvāmitra at the sacrifice of king Saudāsa; he is regarded as the author of Ṛg-veda (Title) vii, 32, 26; ix, 97, 19 - 21; 108, 3; 14 - 16; Śakti is also identified with one of the Vyāsas, and with Avalokiteśvara, and has elsewhere the patr. Jātūkarṇa and Sāṃkṛti), Pravara texts (Literary category); Mahābhārata (Title) &c. [ ID=210929 ]
- Name of a son of Vasishtha and father of Parashara.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) 4. śakti, m. N. of a son of Vasiṣṭha and father of Parāśara. [ ID=17431 ]
- Name of a Rishi  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > 3 शक्ति (śakti) m. N. of a Ṛṣi. [ ID=31604 ]
- probably a more correct reading instead of Shaktri  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 184-1 ] Śakti 1, probably a more correct reading (of B.) instead of Śaktri (q.v.). [ ID=2289 ]
- The eldest son of Vasistha and Arundhati, and father of Parashara.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 3-357 ] Śakti (I) — (Śaktri- Br. P. ) the eldest of the 100 sons of Vasiṣṭha and Arundhatī. Father of Parāśara through Adṛ- śyanti; 1 a sage by tapas; a Vedavyāsa. Heard the Vāyu Purāṇa from Dakṣa and narrated it to Parāśara in embryo; 2 a resident of Brahmakṣetra; 3 cursed king Kalmāṣapāda in Naimiṣa. 4 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. IV. 1. 41; Br. I. 1. 9; III. 8. 91; 36. 6; M. 201. 30; Vā. 1. 174; 70. 83.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 32; 99 and 115; 35. 124; IV. 4. 65; M. 196. 26; Vā. 103. 65.] [ Footnote: 3) Vā. 59. 91, 105.] [ Footnote: 4) Ib. 2. 10-11.] [ ID=13905 ]
- a resident of Brahmakshetra  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (VII) — a resident of Brahmakṣetra. Vā. 59. 105. [ ID=13911 ]
- The son of Vasishtha, said to have been cast into the fire by the Vishvamitras.  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > शक्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 2-348 ] 1. Śakti is said in the Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa 1 to have been the son of Vasiṣṭha, and to have been cast into the fire by the Viśvāmitras. According to Ṣaḍguruśiṣya, 2 who appears to follow the Śāṭyāyanaka, 3 the story of Śakti is as follows: Viśvāmitra, being defeated in a contest by Śakti, had recourse Page2-349+ 48 to Jamadagni, who taught him the Sasarparī; later he revenged himself on Śakti by having him burnt in the forest. The Bṛhaddevatā 4 relates the first part of the tale only. Geldner 5 sees in the Rigveda 6 a description of the death struggle of Śakti, but this interpretation is more than doubtful. 7 [ Footnote: 1) ii. 390 ( Journal of the American Oriental Society, 18, 47).] [ Footnote: 2) Sarvānukramaṇī, ed. Macdonell, p. 107, and on Rv. vii. 32.] [ Footnote: 3) Geldner, Vedische Studien, 2, 159, n. 3.] [ Footnote: 4) iv. 112 et seq., with Macdonell's notes.] [ Footnote: 5) Op. cit., 2, 159 et seq.; more doubt- fully, Rigveda, Kommentar, 89.] [ Footnote: 6) iii. 53, 22.] [ Footnote: 7) Oldenberg, Ṛgveda-Noten, 1, 254.] [ ID=3138 ]

### A Weapon (Spear, Missile, etc.) (6 definitions)
- a spear, lance, pike, or dart  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a spear, lance, pike, dart, Ṛg-veda (Title) &c. (also शक्ती (śaktī) g. बह्व् - आदि (bahv-ādi) ) [ ID=210912 ]
- a sword  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a sword, Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary, 1st edition with marginal notes (Title) [ ID=210913 ]
- spear  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) 3. śák-ti, ( or tí), m. ( RV., C. ) spear. [ ID=17430 ]
- spear or lance  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > 2 शक्ति (śakti) शक्ति (śakti) f. spear, lance. [ ID=31602 ]
- spear, lance  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक्ति (śakti) f. spear, lance. [ ID=31603 ]
- of Guha, created by Vishvakarma from the Vaishnava effulgence of Surya  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 3-359 ] Śakti (XI) — of Guha, created by Viśvakarma from the Vaiṣṇava effulgence of Sūrya. Vi. III. 2-12. [ ID=13915 ]

### Divine Feminine Energy, Goddess, or Divine Consort (4 definitions)
- the energy or active power of a deity personified as his wife and worshipped by the Shakta sect of Hindus  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the energy or active power of a deity personified as his wife and worshipped by the Śākta ( q.v. ) sect of Hindūs under various names (sometimes only three, sometimes eight Śakti goddesses are enumerated, as follow, Indrāṇī, Vaiṣṇavī, Śāntā, Brahmāṇī, Kaumārī, Nārasiṃhī, Vārāhī, and Māheśvarī, but some substitute Cāmuṇḍā and Caṇḍikā for the third and sixth of these: according to another reckoning there are nine, viz. Vaiṣṇavī, Brahmāṇī, Raudrī, Māheśvarī, Nārasiṃhī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī, Kārttikī, and Pradhānā: others reckon fifty different forms of the Śakti of Viṣṇu besides Lakṣmī, some of these are Kīrtti, Kānti, Tuṣṭi, Puṣṭā, Dhṛti, Śānti, Kriyā, Dayā, Medhā &c. and fifty forms of the Śakti of Śiva or Rudra besides Durgā or Gaurī, some of whom are Guṇodarī, Virajā, Śālmalī, Lolākṣī, Vartulākṣī, Dīrgha-ghoṇā, Sudīrgha-mukhī, Go-mukhī, Dīrgha-jihvā, Kuṇḍodarī, Ardha-keśī, Vikṛta-mukhī, Jvālā-mukhī, Ulkāmukhī &c. Sarasvatī is also named as a Śakti, both of Viṣṇu and Rudra: according to the Vāyu-Purāṇa the female nature of Rudra became twofold, one half असित (sita) (asita) or white, and the other सित (sita) or black, each of these again becoming manifold, those of the white or mild nature included Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Gaurī, Umā &c. those of the dark and fierce nature, Durgā, Kālī &c.), Kāvya literature (Literary category); Kathāsaritsāgara (Title); Purāṇas (Literary category) ( cf. Religious Thought and Life in India, also called ’Brāhmanism and Hindūism,’ by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 181 &c. Monier-Williams’ Buddhism in its connexion with Brāhmaṇism and Hindūism: and in its contrast with Christianity (Title) 216 ) [ ID=210905 ]
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Śakti 2. § 456 (Skandotpatti): III, 226, 14352 ( devyāḥ = Durgā?). [ ID=2290 ]
- the Goddess as potency in all creatures, known also as Parashakti, Tripura, Prakriti, Bhagavati, and Maya  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 3-358 ] Śakti (IV) — (Parāśakti): the Goddess as potency in all creatures; by worshipping her in any manner one gets sal- vation; 1 by worshipping her Śiva became Ardhanārīśvara; as also other Gods like Brahmā; known as Tripurā; 2 mind-born daughter of Brahmā by name Prakṛti; was born during the course of the churning of the ocean; known also as Bhagavatī and Māyā; angry at not getting a share in the yajña of Yuvanāśva but appeased by Brahmā that she may be propitiated with paśu offer- ings. 3 A number of Śaktis mounted on cuckoos, swans, mungooses followed Lalitā's army. 4 [ Footnote: 1) M. 13. 53.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. IV. 5. 29.] [ Footnote: 3) Ib. IV. 6. 6, 53, 67.] [ Footnote: 4) Ib. IV. 17. 23.] [ ID=13908 ]
- the wife of gods generally  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (IX) — the wife of Gods generally. Vā. 106. 59. [ ID=13913 ]

### Miscellaneous Concrete Nouns or Specific Concepts (3 definitions)
- probably a flag staff  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 1044,3] ( prob. ) a flag-staff (see रथ - श् (ratha-ś) ° (°) ) [ ID=210914 ]
- a specific configuration of stars and planets  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a partic. configuration of stars and planets (when the latter are situated in the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th astrological house), Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā (Title) [ ID=210928 ]
- the balance of a scale  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (V) — the tula or balance of scale, addressed as. M. 274. 59. [ ID=13909 ]

### Other Specific Proper Names or Titles (3 definitions)
- The daughter of Vasishtha and Arundhati  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (III) — as a daughter of Vasiṣṭha and Arundhatī. Br. I. 2. 10. [ ID=13907 ]
- the name of Vyasa in the twenty-fifth Dvapara  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (VI) — the name of Vyāsa in the 25th (27th- Vi. P. ) Dvāpara; Muṇḍīśvara avatār of the lord. Vā. 23. 208; Vi. III. 3. 18. [ ID=13910 ]
- an Ajitadeva  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (VIII) — an Ajitadeva. Vā. 67. 34. [ ID=13912 ]

### Power or Signification of Words, Texts, or Grammar (3 definitions)
- the power or meaning of a word  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the power or signification of a word (defined in the Nyāya as पदस्य पदा (padasya padā) र्थे सम्बन्धः (rthe sambandhaḥ) i.e. ‘the relation of a word to the thing designated’), Bhāṣāpariccheda (Title); Sāhitya-darpaṇa (Title) [ ID=210907 ]
- case-power, the idea conveyed by a case  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in Gram. ) case-power, the idea conveyed by a case (= कारक (kāraka) ), Pāṇini (Author) ii, 3, 7, Sch. [ ID=210908 ]
- the power or force or most effective word of a sacred text or magic formula  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the power or force or most effective word of a sacred text or magic formula, Upaniṣad (Literary category); Pañcarātra (Title) [ ID=210909 ]

### Regal or Political Power (3 definitions)
- regal power consisting of personal pre-eminence, good counsel, and energy  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > regal power (consisting of three parts, प्रभुत्व (prabhutva), personal pre-eminence; मन्त्र (mantra), good counsel, and उत्साह (utsāha), energy), Kāmandakīya-nītisāra (Title) ( cf. Raghuvaṃśa (Title) iii, 13 ) [ ID=210904 ]
- 1. Power, strength, or prowess. 2. An iron spear or dart. 3. The personified active energy or wife of a deity. 4. The female organ in Shaktism. 5. Allaying or appeasing opposition. 6. The force or meaning of words.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक (śaka) ्ति (śakti) [Printed book page 824 ] शक (śaka) ्ति (śakti) f. ( - क्तिः (-ktiḥ) ) 1 Power, regal power as resulting from majesty, perseverance, and counsel. 2 Power, strength, prowess. 3 An iron spear or dart. 4 The energy or active power of a deity, personified as his wife, as GAURI of ŚIVA, LAKṢMĪ of VIṢṆU, &c. 5 The female organ as the counterpart of the phallic personification of ŚIVA, and worshipped either literally or figuratively by a sect of Hindus, thence termed Śāktas. 6 Allaying or appeasing opposition. 7 Force or signification of words. E. शक (śaka) to be able, aff. क्तिन् (ktin). [ ID=37460 ]
- 1. Power, strength, or prowess. 2. An iron spear or dart. 3. The active energy of a deity personified as his wife. 4. The female organ as the counterpart of Shiva. 5. Allaying or appeasing opposition. 6. The literal force or signification of words. 7. The relation of a word to its designated thing. 8. Poetic genius. 9. The inherent power of a cause to produce its effects.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > शक् (śak) ति (śakti) [Printed book page 703-a ] शक् (śak) ति (śakti) f. ( - क्तिः (-ktiḥ) ) 1. Power, regal power as resulting from “ प्रभुशक् (śak) ति (śakti)” (”) (“prabhuśakti” (”)) or “ प्रभाव - (“prabhāva-) शक् (śak) ति (śakti) ” (”) majesty, “ उत्साहशक् (śak) ति (śakti)” (”) (“utsāhaśakti” (”)) energy, perseverance, “ मन्त्रशक् (śak) ति (śakti)” (”) (“mantraśakti” (”)) the power of god counsel: see शक् (śak) ति (śakti) त्रय (śaktitraya). 2. Power, strength, prowess. 3. An iron spear or dart. 4. The energy or active power of a deity, personified as his wife, as GAURĪ of ŚIVA, LAKSHMĪ of VISHṆU, &c. 5. The female organ as the counterpart of the phallic personification of ŚIVA, and worshipped either literally or figuratively by a sect of Hindus, thence termed ŚĀKTAS. 6. Allaying or appeasing opposition. 7. Force or signification of words, (op. to लक्षणा (lakṣaṇā) and व्यञ्जना (vyañjanā).) 8. The relation of a word to the thing designated by it, (in Nyāya Phil.) 9. Poetic genius. 10. The inherent power of a cause to produce its effects, (in Nyāya Phil.) E. शक् (śak) to be able, aff. क्तिन् । (ktin.) [ ID=39245 ]

### Help, Aid, Assistance, or Gift (2 definitions)
- help, aid, or gift  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > help, aid, assistance, gift, bestowal, Ṛg-veda (Title) [ ID=210911 ]
- help, gift  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > [Printed book page 306-1 ] शक्ति (śakti) 2. śak-tí, f. ( RV. ) help; bestowal, gift. [ ID=17429 ]

### Metaphysical or Philosophical Power/Principle (2 definitions)
- 1. The principle identified with Shiva. 2. That which urges creation by Brahma.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (II) — the principle identified with Śiva; 1 urges creation by Brahmā. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. IV. 6. 43.] [ Footnote: 2) Vi. I. 5. 47.] [ ID=13906 ]
- 1. The energy of Vishnu. 2. The primary nature in whom all beings exist and finally immerse.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Śakti (X) — of Viṣṇu; is Pradhāna puruṣātmaka; this energy separates at the deluge and unites at the time of creation; 1 something like fire in wood or oil in sesamum; from Pradhāna germinate intellect and rudiments of things and from them Asuras; 2 Pradhāna compared to a tree; Viṣṇu is mūla-prakṛti or the primary nature in whom all beings Page3-359+ 27 exist and all finally immerse; 3 is three-fold made up of the three energies of Hari. 4 [ Footnote: 1) Vi. II. 7. 31-2.] [ Footnote: 2) Ib. II. 7. 33-9.] [ Footnote: 3) Ib. II. 7. 42-3.] [ Footnote: 4) Ib. VI. 8. 7.] [ ID=13914 ]

### Poetic Creative Power or Genius (1 definition)
- the creative power or imagination of a poet  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the creative power or imagination (of a poet), Kāvyādarśa (Title) [ ID=210910 ]

### The Female Organ (Śākta Worship) (1 definition)
- the female organ as worshipped by the Shakta sect  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the female organ (as worshipped by the Śākta sect either actually or symbolically), Religious Thought and Life in India, also called ’Brāhmanism and Hindūism,’ by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 140 [ ID=210906 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546