History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c92.36

v7.c92.36

¹⁶⁷⁹ ते ध्यानयोगानुगता अपश्यन्देवात्मशक्तिं स्वगुणैर्निगूढाम् । श्वेताश्व० I. 3; परास्य शक्तिर्विविधैव श्रूयते स्वाभाविकी ज्ञानवलक्रिया च॥ श्वेताश्व० VI. 8; सर्वोपेता च तद्दर्शनात् । वेदान्तसूत्र II. 1. 30, on which शङ्कर says 'एकस्यापि ब्रह्मणो विचित्रशक्ति-योगादुपपद्यते विचित्रो विकारप्रपञ्च इति।: But this is entirely different from the later Śākta doctrines. Here Brahma is said to be endowed with various *śaktis* (not one), while Śakti among Śāktas is the female principle that is supreme. It is possible that such a vedānta doctrine of *śakti* might have suggested the later all-engrossing power of Śakti as the only deity or principle