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Shakti

(1) Power.  (2) Strength.   (3) Power of Almighty. 

(4) In Hindoo concept, God is formless, hence neither male nor female. Yet in order to conceive God, God is male, or female or both. The last choice is more popular. he male form has all the attributes except the might which is the attribute of female. In this concept, the male is Shiv and the female is Shakti. The female has been given many names but they all represent power. With the same concept, in the humans, a female has the power if she can recognize it and use it. This power does not mean the physical power, but the power of qualities - endurance, longevity, fairness and love. By love is meant the love of mother which is the purest, most unselfish, and the strongest form of love experienced in any situation.

Many people worship God in male and female pairs, such as Shiv-Paarvatee, Vishnu-Lakshmee, Indra-Shachee, Raadhaa-Krishn, and Seetaa-Raam. But the concept of Shakti, when used exclusively, refers to Paarvatee. The most popular names of Paarvatee used in this context are

Ambaa (the mother),
Ambikaa (the mother),
Annapoornaa (who nourishes),
Bhairavee (terror to the wicked),
Chaamundaa (killer of demons),
Chandee (the angry),
Devee (the Goddess),
Durgaa (difficult to access),
Gauree (the fair-complexioned one),
Kaalee (death to the wicked),
Kaamaakshee,
Lalitaa
Mahaakaalee
Mahishmardinee (slayer of Mahish demon)
Paarvatee
Vijayaa

There are 9 Shakti who should be worshipped while worshipping Soorya -
Deeptaa,  Sookshmaa,  Jayaa,  Bhadraa,  Vibhooti,  Vimalaa,  Amoghaa,  Vidyutaa,  and Sarvatomukhee.
[Agni Puraan, p 35-36]

Saraswatee's Servants are 9 Tattwaatmikaa Shakti --
      Lakshmee,  Medhaa,  Kalaa,  Tushti,  Pushti,  Gauree,  Prabhaa,  Mati,  and  Durgaa
According to Mantra Mahaarnav, their names are --
      Prabhaa,  Maayaa,  Jaya,  Sookshmaa,  Vishuddhaa,  Nandinee,  Suprabhaa,  Vijayaa, and Sarvsiddhidaa
[Agni Puraan, p 99]

There are 8 Shakti --
    Brahmaanee, Maaheshwaree, Kaumaaree, Vaishnavee, Vaaraahee, Maahendree, Chaamundaa, and Chandikaa
    (Mahaalakshmee)
[Agni Puraan, p 305]

Shaakt

There are three sects in Hinduism - Vaishnav, Shaiv and Shaakt. Vaishnav people worship Bhagavaan Vishnu and His Avataar (Raam, Krishn etc); Shaiv people worship Bhagavaan Shiv and his sons - Ganesh and Kaartikeya and his Gan etc; and Shaakt people worship Shakti (power or Devee - Kaalee, Bhavaanee, Saraswatee etc). Although all kinds of people are found everywhere in India, still one may find UP state people mostly Vaishnav; Southern states people Shaiv; and Bengal people mostly Shaakt.

"Tantra literature gave rise to an extreme group called Shaakt with whom Shiv became less important compared to his consort Bhavaanee (Durgaa). The book "Mahaa Nirvaan Tantra" clarifies the true philosophy of this sect. In this work, God is considered as the Mother of the Universe. It deals with three attitudes - "Pashu Bhaav", "Veer Bhaav", and "Divya Bhaav". In the last attitude the devotee is asked to breach all social restrictions. The practical perversion of this edict resulted in encouraging the eating of meat, consumption of liquor and freedom sex."
[Aangiras, p 359]

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