Hindu mythology has many feminine divinities. Most goddesses are believed to be the personification of 'Shakti', the Indian /Sanskrit concept of power. Here is a list of 10 goddesses who are believed to showcase 'Shakti' in distinct ways, and are the source of this power.
Radha
The portrayal of Radha is customarily alongside Krishna. The duo is believed to be incomplete, if not together. Radha is believed to be Krishna's friend and counterpart, hence representing his own divine power and 'Shakti'. She is regarded higher than Rukmani (the wife of Krishna, as well as the reincarnation of the goddess Lakshmi) herself. The goddess is well known for her colossal devotion towards Krishna, which in turn reflects the longing of each worshipper to be united with the supreme lord. It was through the power of her faithful devotion, that she achieved the status of goddess. She is now worshipped by a large number of devotees.
Kamdhenu
She is the mother of all cows and the goddess of plenty. She has the capability to fulfil the deepest wishes of her devotees. Her iconography depicts her as a cow with the head and breasts of a woman, or as the cow with countless deities within her. Kamdhenu emerged during the process of the great 'samudra manthan' (the churning and making of the great oceans by the Asuras and Devas). Cows are held in high regard for Kamdhenu carries symbolic importance. Her legs represent the 4 Vedas, the horns symbolise the gods and the humphs stand for the Himalayas. The cow goddess is also worshiped as the mother of earth, as her milk nourishes human life.
Tulsi
She is the goddess honoured and respected in, the form of a basil plant. Its importance in hinduism is medicinal as well as mythological. Vrinda and Jalandhar are associated many a time with Tulsi. Jalandhar, who was born through the 3rd eye of Lord Shiva, became very powerful and threatened the existence of the gods. His power was also a result of the devotion and allegiance of his wife Vrinda, an avid devotee of Vishnu. In order to kill Jalandhar and save the world and the gods from his wrath, Vishnu resolved to take the form of Jalandhar and approached Vrinda, thus leading her to commit infidelity. This deprived Jalandhar of his powers, achieved through the process of his wife's devotion. After Vrinda's realisation, that it was in fact Lord Vishnu, she cursed him to be born as a stone, called 'Shaligram'. Ultimately, she threw herself into a pyre and was reincarnated as Tulsi.
Ganga
She is the personification of the River Ganga and is held sacred in Hindu mythology. Parvat Raj Himalaya or Himavan is her father and she is the sister of the goddess Parvati. To cleanse the sins spread by Tarkasur (demon king), she ascended to heaven. At the request of Shiva, she descended back to earth, to rinse away sins of humankind. To prevent the destruction of Bhumi Devi (Mother earth), as she would not have been able to bear the waters falling from heaven, Ganga was held up by the hair of Shiva. The Ganga flows from heaven and it is believed that sin and negativity will be washed away by bathing in its holy waters.
Sita
Also known as Janaki, Sita is the incarnation of Lakshmi. The name Janaki, comes from her birth place, Janaki mandir, which is located at Janakpur in Nepal and is devoted to her. Evolved from Bhumi ,the daughter of Mother Earth, she is Ram's companion and is a main character in the epic Ramayana. She accompanies Ram in his 14year exile from Ayodhya. During the exile she is abducted by the demon king of Lanka, Ravan. This act in turn, leads to the battle where Ravan is killed by Ram and saves her. Sita is also remembered and admired for the Agni Pareeksha, or the trial by fire, to prove her maiden-hood. She is the depiction of feminine power and virtue.
Kali
She is the fierce representation of 'Shakti'. Otherwise known as the destroyer or the one who liberates the soul and bestows moksh or enlightenment. Kali is the incarnation of Parvati and Durga. The reason for her birth was to defeat the demon Raktabeej, who, it was believed, could generate new and robust demons from every drop of his blood that touched the ground. Therefore, Kali is often represented as a ferocious and vengeful goddess wearing a garland of skulls around her neck and holding a knife and bowl in her hands. In the course of the battle, she would injure Raktabeej, fill her bowl with his blood and drink it. As a result she became aggressive and destructive. To protect the world from her wrath, her husband Shiva, lay under her feet to calm her. This resulted in her biting her tongue out of embarrassment, after realising her mistake. Many a time, her iconography shows Lord Shiva lying beneath her feat and Kali biting her tongue.
Saraswati
The goddess of wisdom, music and learning, also known as Sharadha, she is married to Brahma (one of the Tridevs). She is one of the Tridevi, the feminine counterparts of the Tridev. Her vahan (vehicle) is the swan, her iconography shows her with four hands, two of which hold the Veena (a musical instrument), while the other two have a lotus flower each. The first day of spring is also observed as Basant Panchami or Saraswati Puja. In order to be blessed with wisdom and knowledge, her devotees, especially students, wake up at dawn and pay homage at her temples.
Lakshmi
The goddess of wealth, abundance and fertility, Lakshmi is majorly worshiped during the festival of Diwali. Many believe that the most beautiful and cleanest house will be chosen by Lakshmi on this festive night. Thus, devotees decorate and clean their houses. She is also one of the Tridevi and is married to Vishnu. Lakshmi depicts materialistic wealth as well as joy, glory and honour. Along with Kamadhenu, she also emerged from the 'samudra manthan'. Her vahan is the owl and also Airawat, the white elephant.
Parvati
Also known as Gauri, she is the final addition to the Tridevi. Her husband is Shiva and she has 2 sons, Kartik and Ganesh and a daughter, Ashoksundari. Lord Vishnu is her elder brother. She is the reincarnation of Sati and through ceaseless atonement and devotion, she was able to attain the full power of 'Shakti' and become one of the mightiest and esteemed goddesses and also the lawful wife of Shiva. She is the caring and maternal representation of 'Shakti'. Her vahan is the tiger.
Durga
The most well known instance of 'Shakti' in Hindu mythology is Durga, the primary deity worshipped during the festival of Navratri. It also celebrates the death of Mahishasur, one of the most powerful demon gods. Mahishasur gained popularity for being killed by a female god/deity, Durga. She is therefor also known as Mahishasur Mardani (the slayer of Mahishasur). She potrays feminine power in the universe. Her iconography shows her riding a lion whilst holding a Trishul (trident) in one of her many hands, ready to slay Mahishasur.
In the following blogs, I will cover powerful female figures from other mythologies.
Very well written !