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Goddess Kali – The Feminine Form of Time
BY AAKRITI
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When people think of Hindu goddesses, most people think of elegancy, love, and the
counterpart of their consorts. But goddess kali is different in every way. Kali is
the feminine form of time (energy of time) and one of the ten Mahavidyas. With her
tongue sticking out, she symbolizes wrath, power and sparks fear in the eyes of
great lords. With her outstretched tongue, she drinks the blood of Raktabija.

Raktabija and Maa Kali

Goddess Kali is the destroyer of the evil forces of the universe, the most powerful
form of Goddess Shakti, or Adi Shakti (the first energy, creator of the universe).
Kali is often shown as standing on the god Shiva, her consort. She wears a necklace
made of heads of the demons, and she is dark, a color that means she is beyond all
qualities of nature. She has a sickle, sword, ax, and whip along with a flower
signifying creation on her hands. Maa Kali is the chief of Mahavidyas, a group of
ten Tantric goddesses, divine Intelligence.

Contents show
Origin of Goddess Kali
Goddess kali originated from Goddess Durga’s anger to slay the asura named
Raktabija (blood-seed). Raktabija was so fierce because he could spawn from every
drop of his blood that touches the ground. Goddess Kali is seen carrying the
demon’s head and a plate to hold the blood from touching the ground.

When goddess Durga became so enraged, her wrath emerged as a goddess from her
forehead in the form of “Kali.” She was so fierce that she tore down and ate all
those who came across. It seemed impossible to calm her down. Seeing all their
efforts fail, gods went to Lord Shiva to ask him to calm her down.

Shiva laid down on her path, which is often how she is portraited. Kali was so
consumed with her bloodlust she did not realize she was standing on her own
husband. When she realized what she had done, her modesty and shame calmed her down
and saved the world.

Maa Kali’s Appearance

Maa Kali and Lord Shiva

Kali is derived from the Sanskrit word “Kala,” which means, Time. It also means
“she who is black’ – feminine noun of the Sanskrit adjective Kala. She is a dark-
colored woman, a counterpart of Goddess Gauri, who is fair, both being forms of
Shakti.

Goddess Kali is shown as a slayer of demons where she stands with one foot on Shiva
and holds a severed head. She wears a skirt of severed human arms and a necklace of
decapitated heads. Her hands show the form of both creation and destruction. The
earrings kali wears are small embryos. Kali likes followers who have childlike
qualities in them.
Forms of Kali
Goddess Kali is said to have
known forms are Bhadra kali,
forms of kali are worshipped
most popular form of Kali in
8, 12, or 21 different forms based. Some of her well-
Maha Kali, Dakshina Kali, and Chandika. Different
in different parts of South Asia. Dakshin Kali is the
Bengal.

Mother Kali
Even looking at her requires courage; she really has got a terrifying appearance.
Then why is she called Maa kali by all her worshippers and followers? Kali
symbolizes the superiority of females in nature. She is that mother who could go to
any lengths to protect her children. She is a mother who suffers pain to evoke her
children. She is the symbol of Shakti, feminine power, and creativity. The devotees
who fall at her feet in devotion or surrender in front of her can achieve moksha by
touching her feet.

Kali in Tantra Vidhya

Kali dominates tantric iconography, texts, and rituals. In those Vidhya’s, kali is
considered the highest of all deities. Kali is time herself. As stated across many
Vidhya’s, Kali will consume the world at the end of time; then, the world will be
dark and unbound like her. She is the destroyer of the universe as her counterpart
Mahakaal (Lord Shiva). Thus, worship of Kali is done to victory over the universe’s
greatest power, time itself. Kali is worshipped in cremation grounds in the darkest
of the night. The goal of tantric gurus is to become reconciled with death and
learn to accept death the way it is.

Kali Puja
Kali is especially worshipped in the Kalaratri, the seventh day of Navratri, which
starts from the new moon day of Ashwin for 9 days. The practice involves animal
sacrifices in many temples and a tantric priest to instructs on sacrificial
rituals.

Conclusion
Goddess Kali
source
Kali is the most misunderstood goddess in Hindu Religion. She is often feared and
only considered the goddess of witches and tantric. In a patriarchal society, Kali
is the true and oldest representation of female supremacy over nature. Kali teaches
us to see life not as something indifferent to life but as a part of life. She
defies the definition of an ideal goddess and is beyond the understanding of
humankind and the rules of nature. Created to destroy, she still has a core of love
and motherhood.

(Last Updated On: August 16, 2021)

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