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Concept of Aad
Shakti
Pritpal Singh / January 16, 2014

One of the biggest myths prevalent in the panth today, is that Guru Gobind Singh Ji worshipped
the Hindu Goddess Durga. This is nothing more than a perversion of the truth by many anti-
purataan elements who wish to give Sikhi a sanataani and polytheistic tint. Guru Gobind Singh Ji
was a worshipper of Akal Purakh, the primordial lord. He had no reason to worship any goddess
especially since his forbears had declared the sanataani gods and goddesses to be nothing
more than a creation of maya, and similar to humans. Yet the basis of this perversion has it’s
roots in a far more subtle and Gurmat-supportive truth. It has been mentioned many times in
ithiaasic Granths that a certain “Kalika” or “Bhagauti” or even “Bhavani” is the mother of the
Khalsa. Are these names reflective of the multi-limbbed diety prevalent on the Indian sub-
continent? Or are they only concepts in the Sikh ethos? The answer to this question surprisingly is
found in the steeks, the Gurmat scholars of old created. These steeks point us towards the right
path in seeking out who “Bhavani” or “Durga” really is.
Modern day steek of Sri Sarbloh Granth.

These steeks were often prepared by Nihungs, Nirmalas or Udasis, individuals who were often
steeped in Sikh lore and knew the high usage of metaphors found in Gurbani. Their steeks pertain
the Hindu Goddesses and in fact all of creation to be nothing more than a mirage created by the
aad-shakti of God. In layman terms this can be summed up as God creating creation through his
power. The names of the different Goddesses in Hindu mat, are used to describe the various tasks
which the lord undertakes with his power in Gurmat. For example “Parbati” in Hindu mat is the
divine consort of Shiva. But in Gurmat she is the creative energy of the universe. Simply put aad-
shakti cannot exist without the lord. Nor does it have any sense of masculinity or femininity. Thus
“Parbati” is when the lord uses his energy for creation.

The mother of the Goddess Parbati, is the Aad-Shakti of Waheguru.

“Maya Laxmi” is the same energy. Nothing has changed except the task. One has to imagine
“Parbati” transforming into “Maya Laxmi.” The lord has created the universe, now he sees to it’s
each and every desire through “Maya Laxmi.” The nourishing energy of the universe.

Then we have the “Adi-Bhavani.” The primordial giver of life. A combination of both energies. In fact
these energies are all one but the name changes.

In his Suraj Prakash Granth Kavi Santokh Singh has written an extensive ode to Saraswati. To
him it is not any multi-limbbed Goddess but the energy of intelligence. He calls upon the lord to
grant him this energy in order for him to complete his task. Of course this energy does not possess
only the aforementioned names. It can be summed up as being even “Kalika”, “Bhagauti”,
“Bhavani” and many other names.

“We call that ‘Shakti’ what Guru Nanak Dev Ji has written is the mother of the universe and who
has created Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. (quotes 30th Verse of Japji Sahib). God being confined
within himself gave hukam (command) for his power to become manifest, that Shakti created the
whole world and thus takes the form of the mother… some worship shakti as Bhavani, others as
Kalika and others as Chandi. We worship this shakti in the form of our weapons.”

– (Baba Santa Singh Ji, Audio Recording, April 1995).

Shastars.

Often it is said that in Sat-yug this shakti manifested itself as a multi-limbbed female, due to it’s
role as mother of the universe. It came in different forms depending on the need of the times.
Sometimes as a giver of life and at others a taker of life. In Kal-yug it manifested in the
appearance of a sword and presented itself to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Hence the great diety, as
she is mistakenly viewed, which many individuals assert Guru Gobind Singh Ji worshipped
presented herself to him! Doesn’t this prove the greatness of the Guru? Especially since such a
high and mighty goddess became his slave!

Durga a slave of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

This devi (female’s) limbs in Gurmat are indicative of the nine modes of Bhagti. In Suraj Prakash
Granth Kavi Santokh Singh mentions an important incident. It is one of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s
last updesh(s) to the Khalsa.

ਪਢੀਯਹਿ ਸਰਬ ਗੁਰਨਿ ਕੀ ਬਾਨੀ । ਰਖੀਯਹਿ ਰਹਤ ਜੁ ਹਮਹੁਂ ਬਖਾਨੀ ।

ਪਾਯਹੁ ਮਾਤ ਕਾਲਿਕਾ ਗੋਦਿ । ਪੰਥ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਲਹੈ ਪ੍ਰਮੋਦ ।੧੧।

Read all of the Guru’s Bani [Words/scriptures], and keep the Conduct [rehat] for which you have
been told [also discussed in a previous section]. I have placed you in the lap of Mata Kalika, the
Khalsa Panth will experience great happiness.

-( Sri Gurpratap Suraj Prakash Granth, Guru Gobind Singh Ji Katha, Ain Dooja, Adiaaie
(chapter), 23).

Mata Kalika, according to the purataan scholars, can be translated in either three ways. One, as
the aad-shakti of Waheguru as the below shabad from Sarbloh Granth says:

ਮਾਤ ਭਗਵਤੀ ਪਿਤਾ ਕਾਲ ਪੁਰੁਖ, ਗਦੋ ਲਿਯੋ ਦੈ ਖਾਲ ਪਲੀ ॥

Maat Bhagvati Pita Kaal Purkh, Godh Liyo Dai Khaal Pali

[Oh Khalsa!], your Mother is Bhagavati [a term used for Devi/Adi Shakti], your father is Kaal
Purkh, you [the Khalsa] are placed in their lap and will be nurtured by them.

Or as shastars, which Guru Gobind Singh ji states to be the sargun form of the aad-shakti, or
even as Mata Sahib Kaur Ji who it is said is the aad-shakti personified just as Guru Gobind
Singh ji is Akal Purakh personified. Hence the mother of the Khalsa is no goddess created by
maya, but the very shakti of the lord which is inseparable from him. In Guru Granth Sahib Ji and
Dasam Granth Ji the same message has been clearly expounded across to the reader and the
listener. Yet it is their inability which refuses to allow them to understand who kalika or bhagauti
really is.

Shastars, a great honour has been bestowed on the Khalsa who has been given the lord’s own
energy.

Most often the detractors of the real meaning of Chandi, will argue that purataan saroops of
Dasam Bani depict Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his forebears sitting in reverence to a multi-
limbbed female diety. It is their stupidness or ignorance, or both which leads them into a blind
trap. This diety is nothing more than a metaphor for the lord’s shakti. Surprisingly however such
purataan manuscripts will almost always have the same ‘diety’ and not any different diety as is
the case in Hindu mat. Nor will there be a depiction of this diety’s consort, as Hindu mat terms
Shakti as being both masculine and feminine. Shakti, and Shakta.

Purataan manuscript of Dasam Granth. The female figure in the middle is Saraswati. The aspect
of the Lord’s energy which deals with matters of intelligence.

Another common argument used against the one shakti, different names concept is the creation of
“Chandi-Di-Vaar.” Or the ballad to Chandi. The argument has evolved over the years but the gist
of it remains the same, why would Guru Gobind Singh Ji create a ballad to a diety which he did
not worship? Once again it is the metaphor concept which comes to the rescue. “Chandi-Di-Vaar”
itself contains many references to who really Chandi is. For the Guru she is not the warrior
goddess, but the shakti of the lord. Which was instrumental in creating and nourishing Durga
and also ensuring her victory over her foes.

ਤੈਂ ਹੀ ਦੁਰਗਾ ਸਾਜਿ ਕੈ ਦੈਤਾਂ ਦਾ ਨਾਸ ਕਰਾਇਆ ॥

O Lord! By creating Durga, Thou hast caused the destruction of demons.

In Akal Ustat the Guru further states:

ਚਰਨ ਸਰਨ ਜਿਹ ਬਸਤ ਭਵਾਨੀ ॥

The goddess Durga takes refuge at the feet of Eternal and abides there.

Further more the Guru warns against the worship of such Goddesses who are only a creation of
“Parbati.”

Gods and Goddesses. Slaves of Maya.

ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਦਾਸੀ ਕਉ ਸਿਮਰਹਿ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਅੰਧ ਅਗਿਆਨਾ ॥

The blind, ignorant, self-willed manmukhs forsake their Lord and Master, and dwell on His slave
Maya. (Ang 1138).

Of course even in the Bani of “Chandi-Di-Vaar” Guru maharaj himself gives an explanation of who
“Bhagauti” really is:

ਲਈ ਭਗਉਤੀ ਦੁਰਗਸਾਹ ਵਰ ਜਾਗਨ ਭਾਰੀ ॥ ਲਾਈ ਰਾਜੇ ਸੁੰਭ ਨੋ ਰਤੁ ਪੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੀ ॥
Durga held out her sword, appearing like a great lustrous fire; She struck it on the king Sumbh
and this lovely weapon drinks blood.

Durga similar to the Guru was given the shakti of the lord in order to battle tyranny. But whereas
she only received it to defend the demi-gods, Guru maharaj received it in order to manifest the
Khalsa panth. Waheguru’s own panth and take mortals on a plane higher than the one which
these demi-gods reside on.

Durga Devi in battle.

Of course many “gyanis” will say that they forego the worship of the lord and only worship his
shakti. Because without his shakti the lord is nothing. They will point at Uggardanti and provide
quotes from it to prove that even Guru Gobind Singh Ji did likewise. The mindset of this people can
easily be explained. In terms of biological applications they reject the role of the semen in the
creation of a child, and only accept the mother as the sole creator of a child. This perverted form of
reproduction is impossible, and thus separating the lord from his shakti is also impossible.
Uggardanti is an explanation of the role of aad-shakti in the Khalsa’s life, it is not a Bani which
rejects Akal Purakh entirely. As Mahant Om Nath Sharma points out:

“Durga represents the divine mother. She is the enrgy aspect of the lord. Without Durga, Shiva
has no expression and without Shiva Durga has no existence. Shiva is the soul of Durga; Durga is
identical with Shiva…Shakti is the omnipotent power of the lord, or the cosmic energy.”

-(Mahant Om Nath Sharma, “A Mystic World”, Vol. 1, Issue 1, p. 18).

Hence solely worshipping Aad-Shakti is useless as it too has a master. The child (the Khalsa)
should be respectful of both it’s mother (Aad-Shakti) and father (Waheguru) without whom it
cannot have been brought into creation. Such a relation in sargun form is not summed up by Guru
Gobind Singh Ji worshipping Durga, but is reflected by both Guru and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji.

In conclusion one can easily sum up Durga, Kalika, Bhavani, Saraswati and other goddesses as
being nothing more than metaphors of the Lord’s infinite virtues and his infinite uses of his power.
It is folly to think that Guru Gobind Singh Ji worshipped a creation of this shakti. The Guru was a
worshipper of the sole Akal, he presented him in his writings as a warrior wielding a great sword;
which is his Aad-Shakti. This not only symbolises the power of the lord but also fits in well with the
Bir-Rass component of the Guru’s writings.

January 16, 2014 in Gurbani, Nihang Dals, Other texts, Shastar, Spiritual, Sri Dasam Granth, Sri Sarbloh
Granth, Udasi/Nirmala. Tags: Adi Shakti, Akal Ustat, Battle, Chandi Di Vaar, Shastar, Sri Dasam Granth,
Suraj Prakash Granth, Uggardanti

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← Sri Bhagwad Geeta of Guru Gobind Singh Jee Varna and Gurmat →
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