Kalarati:
Kalaratri (Sanskrit: कालरात्रि, romanized: Kalaratri) is the seventh of the nine Navadurga forms of the goddess Mahadevi. She is first referenced in the Devi Mahatmya. Kalaratri is one of the fearsome forms of the goddess. It is not uncommon to find the names, Kali and Kalaratri being used interchangeably,although these two deities are argued to be separate entities by some.Kali is first mentioned in Hinduism as a distinct goddess around 300 BCE in the Mahabharata, which is thought to have been written between the 5th and 2nd centuries BCE (with possible oral transmission from a much earlier period).
Kalaratri is traditionally worshipped during the nine nights of Navaratri celebrations. The seventh day of Navaratri puja in particular is dedicated to her, and she is considered the fiercest form of the goddess, her appearance itself invoking fear. This form of the goddess is believed to be the destroyer of all demon entities, ghosts, evil spirits and negative energies, who are said to flee upon knowing of her arrival .The Saudhikagama, an ancient Tantric text from Orissa referenced in the Silpa Prakasha,describes goddess Kalaratri as being the goddess ruling over the night portion of every calendar day. She is also associated with the crown chakra (also known as the sahasrara chakra), said to yield the worshipper siddhis (supernatural skills) and nidhis (riches): knowledge, power and wealth in particular.
Kalaratri is also known as Shubankari (शुभंकरी), meaning auspicious/doing good in Sanskrit, due to the belief that she always provides positive results to her devotees. Hence, it is believed that she makes her devotees fearless.
Other, less well-known names of this goddess include Raudri and Dhumorna.
Scriptural References:
Mahabharata: One of the earliest references to Kalaratri is found in the Mahabharata (first written down in the 5th century BCE, with additions and alterations continuing on through the 1st century BCE), specifically in the tenth part of the Sauptika Parva (Book of Sleeping). After the battle of the Pandavas and Kauravas, Ashwatthama, the son of Dronacharya, vows to avenge the death of his father. Going against the rules of war in the stealth of the night, he creeps into the Kuru camp dominated by Pandava followers. With the power of Rudra, he attacks and kills the followers in their sleep.
During his frenzied assaults on the followers, Kalaratri appears on the spot. “.....in her embodied form, a black image, of bloody mouth and bloody eyes, wearing crimson garlands and smeared with crimson unguents, attired in a single piece of red cloth, with a noose in hand, and resembling an elderly lady, employed in chanting a dismal note and standing full before their eyes.”
This reference is seen to depict Kalaratri as the personification of the horrors of war.[citation needed]
Markandeya Purana
Chapter 1 of the Durga Saptashati, verse 75, uses the term Kalaratri to describe Devi:
prakṛtistvaṃca sarvasya guṇatraya vibhāvinī
kāḷarātrirmahārātrirmoharātriśca dāruṇā
You are the primordial cause of everything
Bringing into force the three qualities (sattva, rajas and tamas)
You are the dark might of periodic dissolution
You are the great night of final dissolution and the terrible night of delusion.
Skanda Purana :The Skanda Purana describes Lord Shiva beseeching his wife, Parvati, to help the gods when they are terrorised by the demon-king, Durgamasur. She accepts and sends Goddess Kalaratri, "...a female whose beauty bewitched the inhabitants of the three worlds [...] by the breath of her mouth she reduced them to ashes."
Devi Bhagavata Purana: After the goddess Ambika (also known as Kaushiki and Chandika) comes forth from the body of Parvati, Parvati’s skin turns extremely dark, almost black, like the hue of dark clouds. Therefore, Parvati is given the names Kalika and Kalaratri. She is described as having two arms, holding a scimitar and a blood-filled skull cup, and she eventually kills the demon king, Shumbha.[citation needed]. Other scriptural references to Goddess Kalaratri include the Lalita sahasranama (found in the Brahmanda Purana) and Lakshmi sahasranama.
Etymology: The first part of the word kalaratri is kala. Kala primarily means time, but also means black. This is a masculine noun in Sanskrit. Time, as perceived by ancient Indian mystics, is where everything takes place; the framework on which all creation unfolds. The mystics conceived of kala as a personified deity. This, then, gave rise to the idea of the deified Kala as devourer of all things, in the sense that time devours all. Kalaratri can also mean "the one who is the death of time." In the Mahanirvana Tantra, during the dissolution of the universe, Kala (time) devours the universe and is seen as the supreme creative force, Kali. kali is the feminine form of kālam (black, dark-coloured). A nineteenth-century Sanskrit dictionary, the Shabdakalpadrum, states: कालः शिवः । तस्य पत्नीति - काली । kalah sivah । tasya patnikikali- "Shiva is kala, thus, his wife is kali."
The second part of the word kalaratri, is ratri, night, and its origins can be traced to the oldest of the Vedas, the Rigveda and its hymn, Ratrisukta. The sage Kushika, while absorbed in meditation was said to have realised the enveloping power of darkness and thus invoked Ratri (night) as an all-powerful goddess in the form of the hymn. The darkness after sunset became deified. Each period of the night, according to Tantric tradition, is under the sway of a particular terrifying goddess who grants a particular desire to the aspirant. The word kalaratriin Tantra refers to the darkness of night, a state normally frightening to ordinary individuals, but considered beneficial to worshippers of the Goddess. In latter times, Ratridevi ('Goddess Ratri' or 'Goddess of the Night') came to be identified with a variety of goddesses.[citation needed] Since the colour black is seen to reference the primal darkness before creation, and also the darkness of ignorance. Hence, this form of the goddess is also seen as one who destroys the darkness of ignorance.[citation needed] Invoking Goddess Kalaratri is said to empower the devotee with the devouring quality of time and the all-consuming nature of night, thus allowing all obstacles to be overcome and guaranteeing success in all undertakings.[citation needed
Legends: Once there were two demons named Shumbha and Nishumbha, who invaded devaloka and defeated the demigods. Indra the ruler of the gods, along with the othergods went to the Himalayas to get Lord Shiva's help in retrieving their abode. Together, they prayed to Goddess Parvati. Parvati heard their prayer while she was bathing, so she created another goddess, Chandi (Ambika) to assist the gods by vanquishing the demons. Chanda and Munda were two demon generals sent by Shumbha and Nishumbha. When they came to battle her, Goddess Chandi created a dark goddess, Kali (in some accounts, called Kalaratri). Kali/Kalaratri killed them, thereby acquiring the name Chamunda.
Thereupon, a demon named Raktabija arrived. Raktabija had the boon that if any drop of blood of his fell onto the ground, a clone of him would be created. When Kalaratri attacked on him, his spilt blood gave rise to several clones of him. As such, it became impossible to defeat him. So while battling, Kalaratri furious at this, drank his blood to prevent it from falling down, eventually killing Raktabija and helping goddess Chandi to kill his commanders, Shumbha and Nishumbha. She became so fierceful and destructive that she stated killing everyone whoever coming in front of her. All the gods prayed in front of god shiva to stop her so shiv decided to come below her foot trying to stop her. When she was engaged in killing everyone, god shiva appeared below her foot. By seeing her beloved husband below her foot, she bit her tongue(Her idols and pictures contain this look) and helped him(God Shiva) to stand and in the guilt, she forgot about the fight and hence god shiva calmed her down.
Another legend says that Goddess Chamunda (Kali) was creator of Devi Kalaratri. Riding a powerful donkey, Kalraatri chased the demons Chanda and Munda and brought them to Kali after catching and incarcerating them. Then these demons were killed by goddess Chamunda. This story is closely related with another goddess named Chandamari.
She is the power of the most darkest of nights. At night, the animal kingdom take break from work and they all fall asleep. As they sleep, their exhaustion is removed. At the time of final dissolution, all the creatures of the world seek shelter, protection and refuge onto the lap of the mother goddess. She is the time of the dark night, the death-night. She is Maharatri, (the great night of the periodic dissolution) as well as Moharatri (the night of delusion). At the end of Time, when destruction makes its arrival, the goddess transforms herself into Kalaratri, who devours all Time, without leaving any remains.
Yet another legend recounts that, there was a demon named Durgasur who want to destroy world and drove away all the devas from swarg and snatched four Vedas . Parvati got to know about this and created Kalaratri, instructing her to warn Durgasur against an attack. Durgasur's guards however tried to capture Kalaratri when she turned up as a messenger. Kalaratri then assumed a gigantic form and delivered the warning to him. Subsequently, when Durgasur came to invade Kailash, Parvati battled him and killed him gaining the name Durga. Here Kalaratri serves as an agent who gives the message and warning from Parvati to Durgasur.
Kalaratri Temple Dumri Buzurg Nayagaon, Bihar, Saran The complexion of Kalaratri is that of the darkest of nights with bountiful hair and a heavenly shaped form. She has four hands - the left two hands hold a scimitar and a thunderbolt and the right two are in the varada (blessing) and abhaya (protecting) mudras. She wears a necklace that shines like the moon. Kalaratri has three eyes which emanate rays like lightning. Flames appear through her nostrils when she inhales or exhales.Her mount is the donkey, sometimes considered as a corpse. Blue, red and white colours should be used to wear on this day.
The appearance of Goddess Kalaratri can be seen as bearing doom for evil-doers. But she always bears good fruits for her devotees and should avoid fear when faced with her, for she removes the darkness of worry from life of such devotees. Her worship on the seventh day of Navratri is given especially high importance by Yogis and Sādhakas.
Prayers:
Mantra
ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नम: Oṃ Devī Kālarātryai Namaḥ
मां कालरात्रि मंत्र- Maa Kalratri Mantra:
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ कालरात्रि रूपेण संस्थिता नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नम:
Dhyan Mantra
करालवंदना धोरां मुक्तकेशी चतुर्भुजाम्। कालरात्रिं करालिंका दिव्यां विद्युतमाला विभूषिताम॥
Karalvandana dhoram muktkeshi chaturbhujam. Kaal Ratrim karalikaam divyam vidyutmala vibhushitam.
Shitala
Sheetala (Sanskrit: शीतला, IAST: sitala) lit. '"coolness"', also spelled as Shitala and Seetla, is a Hindu goddess venerated primarily in North India.She is regarded to be an incarnation of the goddess Parvati. She is believed to cure poxes, sores, ghouls, pustules, and diseases, and most directly linked with the disease smallpox. Sheetala is worshipped on Tuesday Saptami and Ashtami (the seventh and eighth day of a Hindu month), especially after Holi during the month of Chaitra. The celebration of the goddess Sheetala on the seventh and eighth day of the Hindu month is referred to as the Sheetala Saptami and Sheetala Asthami, respectively.
Mythology:The deity is typically depicted as a mother who defends children from paediatric ailments, such as exanthemata and smallpox. She also serves as a fertility goddess that assists women in finding good husbands and conceiving healthy sons. Her auspicious presence promises the welfare of the family and is considered to protect the devotee's sources of livelihood. Sheetala is also summoned to ensure refreshing rainfall and the prevention of famines, droughts, and cattle diseases.
Some 16th-century copies of the Skanda Purana's Kasi Khaṇḍa section on Varanasi describe Sheetala curing ailments like smallpox pustules:
For the sake of quelling boils and blisters (of smallpox) and for the sake of the children, a devotee takes Masūra lentils by measures and grinds them. Due to the power of Sitala, children become free from the disease.
— Skanda Purana, Chapter 12
The earliest Bengali language poems on Sheetala were composed in Saptagram in 1690. 18th-century compositions from Midnapore, West Bengal led to Sheetala's increasing prominence in religious worship. During this period, conflicts between the Maratha Empire and British East India Company led to famines that increased the mortality of smallpox cases
Name and variants : In Sanskrit, the name 'Sheetala' (शीतला sitala) literally means 'the one who cools.' An epithet of the mother goddess Devi revered in Hinduism, 'Sheetala' represents the divine blessing of bestowing cool relief from the suffering of fever. The goddess Sheetala is worshiped under varying names across the Indian subcontinent. Devotees most often refer to Sheetala using honorific suffixes reserved for respected motherly figures, such as Sheetala-Ma (Hindi: मां mam), Sheetala-Mata (Sanskrit: माता mātā), and Sheetala-Amma (Kannada: ಅಮ್ಮ am'ma). Sheetala is revered by Hindus, Buddhists, and Adivasi communities. She is mentioned in Tantric and Puranic literature, and her later appearance in vernacular texts (such as the Bengali 17th-century Sheetala-mangal-kabyas ('auspicious poetry') written by Manikram Gangopadhyay) has contributed to popularising her worship.
Sheetala Devi's worship is especially popular in the regions of North India specially by Jatavs,where she is traditionally identified as an aspect of goddess Parvati, the divine consort of Shiva. She too is said to reside in the neem tree, although she has special shrines and small temples that are in the charge of a devil- priest, usually a Jatav. In some places, like Muzaffarnagar, she is worshipped as Ujali Mata or the Bright Mother. Other shrines are located at Sikandarpur; in Bijnor, Raewala, Dehra Dun and in Jalon. These goddesses seem to have been worshipped for many centuries by the Jatavs, as has been documented.In addition to being addressed as 'Mother', Sheetala Devi is also revered with honorific titles such as Thakurani, Jagrani (queen of the world), Karunamayi (she who is full of mercy), Mangala (the auspicious one), Bhagavati (the goddess), Dayamayi (she who is compassionate, full of grace, and kindness). In Gurgaon of Haryana, Sheetala is considered to be Kripi (the wife of Drona) and worshipped in the Sheetala Mata Mandir Gurgaon. In South India, the functions of Sheetala is taken by the goddess incarnate Mariamman, who is widely worshipped by the Dravidians.
Sheetala Puja: Sheetala is primarily worshiped by women on Sitalastami, the eighth day of Phalguna, the eleventh month of the Hindu lunar calendar, which typically falls between mid-February and late March, as established by Raghunandana because the long, dry nights are associated with deaths from smallpox. There are many arti sangrah and stutis for the puja of Seetala. Some of them are Shri Shitla Mata Chalisa, Shitala Maa ki arti, and Shri Shitala Mata ashtak. According to common belief, many families do not light their stoves on Ashtami/Saptami day, and all devotees cheerfully eat cold food (Cooked the previous night) in the form of prasada. The idea behind this is that as spring fades and summer approaches, cold food should be avoided.
Iconography and symbolism: Traditional depictions Sheetala is traditionally represented as a young maiden crowned with a winnowing fan, riding a donkey, and holding a short broom to spread the content of her pot full of viral pustules or cold water of immortality. In smaller rural shrines built by Adivasi and Bahujan communities, Sheetala may be simply represented by smooth stone slabs with painted facial features and decorative adornments donated by devotees. Notably, references to neem leaves are ubiquitous in Sheetala's liturgy and also appear in her iconography, suggesting an early understanding of Azadirachta indica as a medicinal plant. Moreover, neem leaves are extensively mentioned in the Sushruta Samhita, where it is listed as an effective antipyretic, as well as a remedy for certain inflammatory skin conditions.
Sheetala is a form of Goddess Katyayani. She provides coolness to feverish patients. According to the Devi Mahatmyam, when an asura named Jvarasura gave bacterial fever to all the children, the goddess Katyayani arrived in her avatar of Sheetala to purify the children's blood by ridding them of the fever-causing bacteria, and vanquishing the evil Jvarasura. In Sanskrit jvara means 'fever', and shitala means 'coolness'. In North Indian iconography, Sheetala is often depicted with Jvarasura as her eternal servant. Other deities often worshiped alongside Sheetala Devi include Ghentu-debata, the god of skin diseases; Raktabati, the goddess of blood infections and the sixty-four epidemics; and Oladevi, a cholera-associated disease goddess.She is also depicted enthroned in an eight-handed form holding a trident, broom, discus (chakra), pot of viral pustules and healing water, branches of neem, scimitar, conch. and a hand depicting varadamudra. She is also flanked by two donkeys. This depiction has established her as a goddess of protection, good fortune, health, and power.
Smallpox eradication: Sheetala is historically understood as causing smallpox among non-believers, providing them an opportunity for reflection. Based on her religious role of healing those that make offerings to others recovering from illness, the World Health Organization's efforts to distribute smallpox vaccines initially faced resistance as local people saw vaccination as an attempt by Western science to circumvent Hindu religious order. To combat this perception, the international Smallpox Eradication Program (SEP) produced posters depicting Sheetala with a vaccination needle to reinterpret immunization as derived from Sheetala's power.
Buddhism: In Buddhist legends, Jvarasura and Shitala are depicted sometimes as companions of Paranasabari, the Buddhist goddess of diseases. Jvarasura and Sheetala are shown escorting her to her right and left side, respectively.
Kali:
Kali (/ˈkɑːliː/; Sanskrit: काली, IAST: Kali) or Kalika is a major Hindu goddess associated with time, doomsday, and death in Shaktism. Kali is the first of the ten Mahavidyas in the Hindu tantric tradition. Kali's earliest appearance is when she emerged from Durga. The goddess is stated to destroy evil in order to defend the innocent. Over time, Kali has been worshipped by devotional movements and Tàntric sects variously as the Divine Mother, Mother of the Universe, Principal energy Adi Shakti. Shakta Hindu and Tantric sects additionally worship her as the ultimate reality or Brahman. She is also seen as the divine protector and the one who bestows moksha, or liberation. Worshipped throughout India but particularly in Kashmir, South India, Bengal, and Assam, Kali is both geographically and culturally marginal.
Etymology: Kali is the feminine form of Kala (an epithet of Shiva) and thus the consort of Shiva. The homonym kalá (time) is distinct from kala (black), but these became associated through popular etymology. She is called Kali Mata ("the dark mother") and also kali which can be read here either as a proper name or as a description "the dark or black one".
Origins:Although the word Kali appears as early as the Atharva Veda, the first use of it as a proper name is in the Kathaka Grhya Sutra . Kali originated as a tantric and non-Vedic goddess. Her roots are most probably connected to the Pre-Aryan Period .
Legends: Kali's most famous appearance is on the battlefield in the sixth century text Devi Mahatmyam. The deity of the first chapter of Devi Mahatmyam is Mahakali, who appears from the body of sleeping Vishnu as goddess Yoga Nidra to wake him up in order to protect Brahma and the world from two asuras (demons), Madhu-Kaitabha. When Vishnu woke up he started a war against the two asuras. After a long battle with Lord Vishnu when the two demons were undefeated Mahakali took the form of Mahamaya to enchant the two asuras. When Madhu and Kaitabha were enchanted by Mahakali, Vishnu killed them.
In later chapters, the story of two asuras who were destroyed by Kali can be found. Chanda and Munda attack the goddess Durga. Durga responds with such anger it causes her face to turn dark, resulting in Kali appearing out of her forehead. Kali's appearance is dark blue, gaunt with sunken eyes, and wearing a tiger skin sari and a garland of human heads. She immediately defeats the two asuras. Later in the same battle, the asura Raktabija is undefeated because of his ability to reproduce himself from every drop of his blood that reaches the ground. Countless Raktabija clones appear on the battlefield. Kali eventually defeats him by sucking his blood before it can reach the ground, and eating the numerous clones. Kinsley writes that Kali represents "Durga's personified wrath, her embodied fury".
Other origin stories involve Parvati and Shiva. Parvati is typically portrayed as a benign and friendly goddess. The Linga Purana describes Shiva asking Parvati to defeat the asura Daruka, who received a boon that would only allow a female to kill him. Parvati merges with Shiva's body, reappearing as Kali to defeat Daruka and his armies. Her bloodlust gets out of control, only calming when Shiva intervenes. The Vamana Purana has a different version of Kali's relationship with Parvati. When Shiva addresses Parvati as Kali, "the dark blue one", she is greatly offended. Parvati performs austerities to lose her dark complexion and becomes Gauri, the golden one. Her dark sheath becomes Kaushiki, who while enraged, creates Kali.
Slayer of Raktabija: In Kali's most famous legend, Durga and her assistants, the Matrikas, wound the demon Raktabija, in various ways and with a variety of weapons in an attempt to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the situation for with every drop of blood that is dripped from Raktabija, he reproduces a duplicate of himself. The battlefield becomes increasingly filled with his duplicates. Durga summons Kali to combat the demons. The Devi Mahatmyam describes: Out of the surface of her (Durga's) forehead, fierce with frown, issued suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with a sword and noose. Bearing the strange khatvanga (skull-topped staff), decorated with a garland of skulls, clad in a tiger's skin, very appalling owing to her emaciated flesh, with gaping mouth, fearful with her tongue lolling out, having deep reddish eyes, filling the regions of the sky with her roars, falling upon impetuously and slaughtering the great asuras in that army, she devoured those hordes of the foes of the devas and caught the blood of Raktabija before it could fall to the ground, stopping him from creating more duplicates.
Kali consumes Raktabija and his duplicates, and dances on the corpses of the slain. In Devi Mahatmya version of this story, Kali is also described as a Matrika and as a Shakti or power of Devi. She is given the epithet Caṃuṇḍa (Chamunda), i.e. the slayer of the demons Chanda and Munda . Chamunda is very often identified with Kali and is very much like her in appearance and habit. .241 Footnotes In Tantric Kali Kula Shaktism, Kali is the supreme goddess and source of all goddesses. In Yogini Tantra, Kali kills Kolasura and Ghorasura.
Iconography and forms: The goddess has two depictions: the popular four-armed form and the ten-armed Mahakali avatar. In both, she is described as being black in colour, though she is often seen as blue in popular Indian art. Her eyes are described as red with intoxication and rage. Her hair is disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of her mouth, and her tongue is lolling. Sometimes she dons a skirt made of human arms and a garland of human heads. Other times, she is seen wearing a tiger skin. She is also accompanied by serpents and a jackal while standing on the calm and prostrate Shiva, usually right foot forward to symbolize the more popular dakṣiṇacara ("right-hand path"), as opposed to the more infamous and transgressive vamachara ("left-hand path").These serpents and jackals are shown to drink the blood of Raktabija head, which is dripping while the goddess carries it in her hand, and preventing it from falling on the ground.
In the ten-armed form of Mahakali, she is depicted as shining like a blue stone. She has ten faces, ten feet, and three eyes for each head. She has ornaments decked on all her limbs. There is no association with Shiva. The Kalika Purana describes Kali as "possessing a soothing dark complexion, as perfectly beautiful, riding a lion, four-armed, holding a sword and blue lotus, her hair unrestrained, body firm and youthful". When Sri Ramakrishna once asked a devotee
why one would prefer to worship Mother over him, this devotee rhetorically replied, "Maharaj, when they are in trouble your devotees come running to you. But, where do you run when you are in trouble?"
Popular form: Classic depictions of Kali share several features, as follows: Kali's most common four armed iconographic image shows each hand carrying variously a Khadga (crescent-shaped sword or a giant sickle), a trishul (trident), a severed head, and a bowl or skull-cup (kapala) collecting the blood of the severed head. This is the form of Bhima Kali. Two of these hands (usually the left) are holding a sword and a severed head. The sword signifies divine knowledge and the human head signifies human ego which must be slain by divine knowledge in order to attain moksha. The other two hands (usually the right) are in the abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (blessing) mudras, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshipping her with a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and in the hereafter. This is the form of Dakshina Kali.
She wears a garland of human heads, variously enumerated at 108 (an auspicious number in Hinduism and the number of countable beads on a japa mala or rosary for repetition of mantras) or 51, which represents Varnamala or the Garland of letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, Devanagari. Hindus believe Sanskrit is a language of dynamism, and each of these letters represents a form of energy, or a form of Kali. Therefore, she is generally seen as the mother of language, and all mantras.
She is often depicted naked which symbolizes her being beyond the covering of Maya since she is pure (nirguna) being-consciousness-bliss and far above Prakriti. She is shown as very dark as she is Brahman in its supreme unmanifest state. She has no permanent qualities—she will continue to exist even when the universe ends. It is therefore believed that the concepts of color, light, good, and bad do not apply to her.
Mahakali: Mahakali (Sanskrit: Mahakali, Devanagari: महाकाली, Bengali: মহাকালী, Gujarati: મહાકાળી), literally translated as "Great Kali," is sometimes considered as a greater form of Kali, identified with the Ultimate reality of Brahman. It can also be used as an honorific of the Goddess Kali, signifying her greatness by the prefix "Maha-". Mahakali, in Sanskrit, is etymologically the feminized variant of Mahakala or Great Time (which is interpreted also as Death), an epithet of the God Shiva in Hinduism. Mahakali is the presiding Goddess of the first episode of the Devi Mahatmya. Here, she is depicted as Devi in her universal form as Shakti. Here Devi serves as the agent who allows the cosmic order to be restored.
Kali is depicted in the Mahakali form as having ten heads, ten arms, and ten legs. Each of her ten hands is carrying a various implement which varies in different accounts, but each of these represents the power of one of the Devas or Hindu Gods and are often the identifying weapon or ritual item of a given Deva. The implication is that Mahakali subsumes and is responsible for the powers that these deities possess and this is in line with the interpretation that Mahakali is identical with Brahman. While not displaying ten heads, an "ekamukhi" or one headed image may be displayed with ten arms, signifying the same concept: the powers of the various Gods come only through her grace.
The name Mahakali, when kali is rendered to mean "black", translates to Japanese as Daikoku (大黒).
Dakshinakali: Dakshinakali is the most popular form of Kali in Bengal. She is the benevolent mother, who protects her devotees and children from mishaps and misfortunes. There are various versions for the origin of the name Dakshinakali. Dakshina refers to the gift given to a priest before performing a ritual or to one's guru. Such gifts are traditionally given with the right hand. Dakshinakali's two right hands are usually depicted in gestures of blessing and giving of boons. One version of the origin of her name comes from the story of Yama, lord of death, who lives in the south (dakshina). When Yama heard Kali's name, he fled in terror, and so those who worship Kali are said to be able to overcome death itself.
Dakshinakali is typically shown with her right foot on Shiva's chest—while depictions showing Kali with her left foot on Shiva's chest depict the even more fearsome Vamakali. Vamakali is usually worshipped by non-householders. The pose shows the conclusion of an episode in which Kali was rampaging out of control after destroying many demons. Lord Vishnu, Kali's brother, confronted Kali in an attempt to cool her down. She was unable to see beyond the limitless power of her rage and Lord Vishnu had to move out of her way. Seeing this the devas became more fearful, afraid that in her rampage, Kali would not stop until she destroyed the entire universe. Shiva saw only one solution to prevent Kali's endless destruction. Lord Shiva lay down on the battlefield so that Goddess Mahakali would have to step on him. When she saw her consort under her foot, Kali realized that she had gone too far. Filled with grief for the damage she had done, her blood-red tongue hung from her mouth, calming her down. In some interpretations of the story, Shiva was attempting to receive Kali's grace by receiving her foot on his chest.
There are many different interpretations of the pose held by Dakshinakali, including those of the 18th and 19th-century bhakti poet-devotees such as Ramprasad Sen. Some have to do with battle imagery and tantric metaphysics. The most popular is a devotional view. According to Rachel Fell McDermott, the poets portrayed Shiva as "the devotee who falls at [Kali's] feet in devotion, in the surrender of his ego, or in hopes of gaining moksha by her touch." In fact, Shiva is said to have become so enchanted by Kali that he performed austerities to win her, and having received the treasure of her feet, held them against his heart in reverence.
Dakshina Kali and Krishnananda Agamavagisha : The popularity of the worship of the Dakshinakali form of Goddess Kali is often attributed to Krishnananda Agamavagisha. He was a noted 17th-century Bengali Tantra thinker and author of Tantrasara. Devi Kali reportedly appeared to him in a dream and told him to popularize her in a particular form that would appear to him the following day. The next morning he observed a young woman making cow dung patties. While placing a patty on a wall, she stood in the alidha pose, with her right foot forward. When she saw Krishnananda watching her, she was embarrassed and put her tongue between her teeth, Agamavagisha realized that this was the divine form of maa kali he was looking for. Krishnananda Agamavagisha was also the guru of the Kali devotee and poet Ramprasad Sen.
Samhara Kali: Samhara Kali, also called Vama Kali, is the embodiment of the power of destruction. The chief goddess of Tantric texts, Samhara Kali is the most dangerous and powerful form of Kali. Samhara Kali takes form when Kali steps out with her left foot holding her sword in her right hand. She is the Kali of death, destruction and is worshipped by tantrics. As Samhara Kali she gives death and liberation. According to the Mahakala Samhita, Samhara Kali is two armed and black in complexion. She stands on a corpse and holds a freshly cut head and a plate to collect the dripping blood. She is worshipped by warriors, tantrics – the followers of Tantra.
Other forms: Other forms of Kali popularly worshipped in Bengal include Raksha Kali (form of Kali worshipped for protection against epidemics and drought), Bhadra Kali and Guhya Kali. Kali is said to have 8, 12, or 21 different forms according to different traditions. The popular forms are Adya kali, Chintamani Kali, Sparshamani Kali, Santati Kali, Siddhi Kali, Dakshina Kali, Rakta Kali, Bhadra Kali, Smashana Kali, Adharvana Bhadra Kali, Kamakala Kali, Guhya Kali, Hamsa Kali, Shyama Kali, and Kalasankarshini Kali.
Symbolism: Interpretations of the symbolic meanings of Kali's appearance vary depending on Tantric or devotional approach, and on whether one views her image in a symbolic, allegorical or mystical fashion.
Physical form: There are many varied depictions of the different forms of Kali. The most common form shows her with four arms and hands, showing aspects of both creation and destruction. The two right hands are often held out in blessing, one in a mudra saying "fear not" (abhayamudra), the other conferring boons. Her left hands hold a severed head and blood-covered sword. The sword severs the bondage of ignorance and ego (tamas), represented by the severed head. One interpretation of Kali's tongue is that the red tongue symbolizes the rajasic nature being conquered by the white (symbolizing sattvic) nature of the teeth. Her blackness represents that she is nirguna, beyond all qualities of nature, and transcendent.
The most widespread interpretation of Kali's extended tongue involve her embarrassment over the sudden realization that she has stepped on her husband's chest. Kali's sudden "modesty and shame" over that act is the prevalent interpretation among Odia Hindus.The biting of the tongue conveys the emotion of lajja or modesty, an expression that is widely accepted as the emotion being expressed by Kali. In Bengal also, Kali's protruding tongue is "widely accepted... as a sign of speechless embarrassment: a gesture very common among Bengalis."
The twin earrings of Kali are small embryos. This is because Kali likes devotees who have childlike qualities in them. The forehead of Kali is seen to be as luminous as the full moon and eternally giving out ambrosia. Kali is often shown standing with her right foot on Shiva's chest. This represents an episode where Kali was out of control on the battlefield, such that she was about to destroy the entire universe. Shiva pacified her by laying down under her foot to pacify and calm her. Shiva is sometimes shown with a blissful smile on his face. he is typically shown with a garland of severed heads, often numbering fifty. This can symbolize the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet and therefore as the primordial sound of Aum from which all creation proceeds. The severed arms which make up her skirt represent her devotee's karma that she has taken on.
Mother Nature: The name Kali means Kala or force of time. When there were neither the creation, nor the sun, the moon, the planets, and the earth, there was only darkness and everything was created from the darkness. The Dark appearance of Kali represents the darkness from which everything was born. Her complexion is black. As she is also the goddess of Preservation, Kali is worshipped as the preserver of nature.[citation needed] Kali is standing calm on Shiva, her appearance represents the preservation of mother nature.[citation needed] Her free, long and black hair represents nature's freedom from civilization.[citation needed] Under the third eye of kali, the signs of both sun, moon, and fire are visible which represent the driving forces of nature.[citation needed] Kali is not always thought of as a Dark Goddess.[citation needed] Despite Kali's origins in battle, she evolved to a full-fledged symbol of Mother Nature in her creative, nurturing and devouring aspects.
There are several interpretations of the symbolism behind the commonly represented image of Kali standing on Shiva's supine form. A common interpretation is that Shiva symbolizes purusha, the universal unchanging aspect of reality, or pure consciousness. Kali represents Prakriti, nature or matter, sometimes seen as having a feminine quality of creation of life. The merging of these two qualities represent ultimate reality. A tantric interpretation sees Shiva as consciousness and Kali as power or energy. Consciousness and energy are dependent upon each other, since Shiva depends on Shakti, or energy, in order to fulfill his role in creation, preservation, and destruction. In this view, without Shakti, Shiva is a corpse—unable to act.
Worship:
Mantras
Kali could be considered a general concept, like Durga, and is primarily worshipped in the Kali Kula sect of worship. The closest way of direct worship is Maha Kali or Bhadrakali (Bhadra in Sanskrit means 'gentle'). Kali is worshipped as one of the 10 Mahavidya forms of Adi Parashakti. One mantra for worship to Kali is:
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
ॐ जयंती मंगला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी । दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तुते ॥
Sarvamangal-mangalyē śivē sarvarthasadhikē. Śaraṇyē tryambakē Gauri narayaṇi namō'stu tē.
Oṃ jayantī mangala kali bhadrakali kapalinī . Durga kṣama śiva dhatrī svaha svadha namō'stutē.
ॐ काली काली महाकाली कालिके परमेश्वरी । सर्वानन्दकरी देवी नारायणि नमोऽस्तुते ।।
In fact, chanting of Mahishasura Mardhini is a daily ritual in all Hindu Bengali homes especially during Navratri / Durga Pujo as it is called.[citation needed]
The chant of the first chapter of Durga Saptashati is considered a very important hymn to Sri Mahakali as Devi Mahatmyam / Durga Saptashati dates back to the Upanishadic Era of Indological literature.
Tantra:
Kali Yantra: Goddesses play an important role in the study and practice of Tantra Yoga, and are affirmed to be as central to discerning the nature of reality as are the male deities. Although Parvati is often said to be the recipient and student of Shiva's wisdom in the form of Tantras, it is Kali who seems to dominate much of the Tantric iconography, texts, and rituals.[citation needed] In many sources Kali is praised as the highest reality or greatest of all deities. The Nirvana-tantra says the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva all arise from her like bubbles in the sea, ceaselessly arising and passing away, leaving their original source unchanged. The Niruttara-tantra and the Picchila-tantra declare all of Kali's mantras to be the greatest and the Yogini-tantra, Kamakhya-tantra and the Niruttara-tantra all proclaim Kali vidyas (manifestations of Mahadevi, or "divinity itself"). They declare her to be an essence of her own form (svarupa) of the Mahadevi.
In the Mahanirvana-tantra, Kali is one of the epithets for the primordial ṥakti, and in one passage Shiva praises her: At the dissolution of things, it is Kala [Time] Who will devour all, and by reason of this He is called Mahakala [an epithet of Lord Shiva], and since Thou devourest Mahakala Himself, it is Thou who art the Supreme Primordial Kalika. Because Thou devourest Kala, Thou art Kali, the original form of all things, and because of Thou art the Origin of and devourest all things Thou art called the Adya [the Primordial One]. Re-assuming after Dissolution Thine own form, dark and formless, Thou alone remainest as One ineffable and inconceivable. Though having a form, yet art Thou formless; though Thyself without beginning, multiform by the power of Maya, Thou art the Beginning of all, Creatrix, Protectress, and Destructress that Thou art.
The figure of Kali conveys death, destruction, and the consuming aspects of reality. As such, she is also a "forbidden thing", or even death itself. In the Pancatattva ritual, the sadhaka boldly seeks to confront Kali, and thereby assimilates and transforms her into a vehicle of salvation. This is clear in the work of the Karpuradi-stotra,short praise of Kali describing the Pancatattva ritual unto her, performed on cremation grounds. (Samahana-sadhana);He, O Mahakali who in the cremation-ground, who wear skull garland and skirt of bones and with dishevelled hair, intently meditates upon Thee and recites .
Thy mantra, and with each recitation makes offering to Thee of a thousand Akanda flowers with seed, becomes without any effort a Lord of the earth. Oh Kali, whoever on Tuesday at midnight, having uttered Thy mantra, makes offering even but once with devotion to Thee of a hair of his Shakti [his energy/female companion] in the cremation-ground, becomes a great poet, a Lord of the earth, and ever goes mounted upon an elephant.The Karpuradi-stotra, dated to approximately 10th century CE,clearly indicates that Kali is more than a terrible, vicious, slayer of demons who serves Durga or Shiva. Here, she is identified as the supreme mother of the universe, associated with the five elements.
In union with Lord Shiva, she creates and destroys worlds. Her appearance also takes a different turn, befitting her role as ruler of the world and object of meditation. In contrast to her terrible aspects, she takes on hints of a more benign dimension. She is described as young and beautiful, has a gentle smile, and makes gestures with her two right hands to dispel any fear and offer boons. The more positive features exposed offer the distillation of divine wrath into a goddess of salvation, who rids the sadhaka of fear. Here, Kali appears as a symbol of triumph over death.
In Bengali tradition:Kali is a central figure in late medieval Bengal devotional literature, with such notable devotee poets as Kamalakanta Bhattacharya (1769–1821), Ramprasad Sen (1718–1775). With the exception of being associated with Parvati as Shiva's consort, Kali is rarely pictured in Hindu legends and iconography as a motherly figure until Bengali devotions beginning in the early eighteenth century. Even in Bengali tradition her appearance and habits change little, if at all.The Tantric approach to Kali is to display courage by confronting her on cremation grounds in the dead of night, despite her terrible appearance. In contrast, the Bengali devotee adopts the attitude of a child, coming to love her unreservedly. In both cases, the goal of the devotee is to become reconciled with death and to learn acceptance of the way that things are. These themes are addressed in Ramprasad's work. Ramprasad comments in many of his other songs that Kali is indifferent to his wellbeing, causes him to suffer, brings his worldly desires to nothing and his worldly goods to ruin. He also states that she does not behave like a mother should and that she ignores his pleas:
Can mercy be found in the heart of her who was born of the stone? [a reference to Kali as the daughter of Himalaya]
Were she not merciless, would she kick the breast of her lord?
Men call you merciful, but there is no trace of mercy in you, Mother.
You have cut off the heads of the children of others, and these you wear as a garland around your neck.
It matters not how much I call you "Mother, Mother." You hear me, but you will not listen.
To be a child of Kali, Ramprasad asserts, is to be denied of earthly delights and pleasures. Kali is said to refrain from giving that which is expected. To the devotee, it is perhaps her very refusal to do so that enables her devotees to reflect on dimensions of themselves and of reality that go beyond the material world.
A significant portion of Bengali devotional music features Kali as its central theme and is known as Shyama Sangeet ("Music of the Night"). Mostly sung by male vocalists, today women have taken to this form of music.
Kali is especially venerated in the festival of Kali Puja in eastern India – celebrated when the new moon day of Ashwin month coincides with the festival of Diwali. The practice of animal sacrifice is still practiced during Kali Puja in Bengal, Orissa, and Assam, though it is rare outside of those areas. The Hindu temples where this takes place involves the ritual slaying of goats, chickens and sometimes male water buffalos. Throughout India, the practice is becoming less common.[30] The rituals in eastern India temples where animals are killed are generally led by Brahmin priests.[ A number of Tantric Puranas specify the ritual for how the animal should be killed. A Brahmin priest will recite a mantra in the ear of the animal to be sacrificed, in order to free the animal from the cycle of life and death. Groups such as People for Animals continue to protest animal sacrifice based on court rulings forbidding the practice in some locations.
In Tantric Buddhism: Troma Nagm in Tibetan Buddhism, shares some attributes of Kali. Tantric Kali cults such as the Kaula and Krama had a strong influence on Tantric Buddhism, as can be seen in fierce-looking yoginis and dakinis such as Vajrayogini and Krodikali.In Tibet, Krodikali (alt. Krodhakali, Kalika, Krodheśvarī, Krishna Krodhini) is known as Tröma Nagmo (Classical Tibetan: ཁྲོ་མ་ནག་མོ་, Wylie: khro ma nag mo, English: "The Black Wrathful Lady"). She features as a key deity in the practice tradition of Chöd founded by Machig Labdron and is seen as a fierce form of Vajrayogini. Other similar fierce deities include the dark blue Ugra Tara and the lion-faced Simhamukha.
In Sinhala Buddhism: Statue at the Pathirakali Amman Temple of a guardian with a very similar appearance to Kali In Sri Lanka, Kali is venerated and called upon by Buddhists and Hindus. She is a type of mother goddess, sometimes invoked to fight disease,and a maid of the Goddess Pattini.In Sinhala Buddhism, her origin is explained through her arriving at Munnesvaram from South India, eating humans, and attempting to eat Pattini, who instead tames her. She is regarded as having seven forms; Bhadrakali (who is associated with business and gold trade, and prominently worshipped at the Tamil Hindu Munneśvaram temple, though over 80% of its patrons are Sinhala Buddhists. Bhadrakali priests here interpret her tongue as symbolizing revenge, rather than embarrassment, and she tramples the demon of ignorance[39]), Mahabhadrakali, Pēnakali, Vandurukali (Hanumapatrakali), Rīrikali, Sohonkali, and Ginikali. These forms are subordinate to Kaliamma (the mother of Kali). Red flowers, silver coins, blood, and oil lamps with mustard oil are offered to her, and as Pattini's servant, she accepts offerings on her behalf.Sohonkali is the form venerated in one of her most popular temples, the Mōdara Kali temple in Colombo.
Her worship in Sri Lanka dates back to at least the 9th century CE, and Dharmasena Thera created the Sadharma Ratnavaliya in the 13th century based on an older 5th century work, which actively recontextualizes Kali in a Buddhist context,exploring the nature of violence and vengeance and how they trap people in cycles until justification, guilt, and good and evil become irrelevant. Kali has been seen as both a demon (though a tamed one, thanks to Pattini and a goddess in Sri Lanka. She and mythical Sinhala Buddhist kings both use demonic fury as a necessary condition of conquest. Yantras are used in relation to her, sourced from the Pali Canon, later Buddhist paritta chants, and from non-Buddhist yantras and mantras. The Sadhakayantra is popular, and its corresponding mantra includes Arabic words and Islamic concepts.
Alakshmi:
Alakshmi (Devanāgari: अलक्ष्मी; from the roots अ (a): "not" and लक्ष्मी (Lakshmi): "goddess of fortune", figurative meaning "goddess of misfortune") meaning "not Lakshmi". She is described as being "cow-repelling, antelope-footed, and bull-toothed."Or she "has dry shriveled up body, sunken cheeks, thick lips, and beady eyes and that she rides a donkey. She is not mentioned by name in the Vedic, Upanishadic or early Puranic literature, but all aspects of Alakshmi match those of the Rig Vedic goddess Nirrti.
She is also said to be the shadow of Lakshmi. In Padma Purana, the cosmology includes her where the Samudra Manthana creates both good and bad of everything that emerges.That which is inauspicious and bad emerges first, more effort creates the auspicious and good, according to Padma Purana.First Alakshmi emerges, then Lakshmi appears during the Samudra Manthana.Gods send Alakshmi to go dwell amongst pernicious persons, give them poverty and grief.She as the asura of inauspiciousness and grief is the opposite of Lakshmi who is the goddess of auspiciousness and joy. Alakshmi is sometimes referred to be another name of Jyestha. Alakshmi is also known as Kalahapriya and Daridara, and the shadow opposite of Lakshmi.According to Chakrabarty, “It was said that when she entered a household, Alakshmi brought jealousy and malice in her trail. Brothers fell out with each other, families and their male lineages (kula) faced ruin and destruction.