 Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Sister Nivedita say , " [ The ] legend of [ Chand Sadagar and ] Manasā Devī , [ ... ] who must be as old as the Mykenean stratum in Asiatic society , reflects the conflict between the religion of Shiva and that of female local deities in Bengal . Afterwards Manasā or Padmā was recognized as a form of Shakti , [ ... ] and her worship accepted by Shaivas . She is a phase of the mother @-@ divinity who for so many worshippers is nearer and dearer than the far @-@ off and impersonal Shiva ... " . 
