Kali: The Goddess of Tantras

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Mahakali (Shakti of Shiva) embodies towering strength and force, with an extreme intensity of divine violence that nothing can resist. When she moves into action, nothing can stand before her. To all the agents and champions of falsehood like Asuras (demons, evil doers), she displays the warrior spirit of manifesting divine power that thrives on battle (Durga and Kali). She also stretches her hand to succour, for she too is a mother behind her wrath; there is deep love, intent on the seeker's greatest progress (Parwati-Durga). Mahakali brings intensity wherever she manifests, and she motivates the victory of the Divine. The Vedas have enunciated the identity of Shiva and Shakti. Both have been described as the same: one without the other is a non-entity. Shiva is the form of knowledge and aesthetics, and Shakti is the form of action and power. Without action, knowledge is useless, a corpse, and that is why Kali standing on the chest of Shiva is worshipped. This book deals with all aspects of Kali, be it as the goddess, as Mahakali, in Saktism, in Tantricism, and in all different aspects, which an interested reader shall find fascinating. The book is small, as compared to the vast mythology, exploits and episodes of goddess Kali, but brings out all the essential knowledge about the great Goddess.

In Hinduism, there are three major and equally important Gods or embodiments of the Absolute (Brahma), Visnu, Siva and Devi(Divine Mother), each of whom (except Brahma) is the centre of a separate devotional cult. A devout Hindu worships either of the three (Vishnu, Shiva and Devi) as a personal God. Devi, the great Goddess, has probably been worshipped in one form or another since the time of the Saraswati Indus culture (7500 B.C.) and perhaps even earlier. She has an ambiguous nature and appears in many forms. In her benevolent aspects, she is the great mother, a Goddess of abundance, fertility, and childbirth; in her terrific or destructive forms, she is the valiant demon fighter Durga and the bloodthirsty, all-destroying Kali. The Goddess's devotees regard her as the embodiment of universal energy; she is believed to be the potency that dwells in each of the male Gods and the spark that arouses them to action. Devi enjoys wide devotion all over India, but she has a particularly large following in Eastern India, in the state of West Bengal.

Wherever the Bengalis reside, they establish a Kali Badi, a temple where the image of the Goddess Kali is installed. The Divine Mother (Bhagwati) in her various forms energizes the whole universe. Everyone is attached to the mother; the father is the nourisher, but the mother is life. The mother is the source of the desire to live, and life is protected by the Divine Mother, who preserves it in three main forms, according to Durga Saptashati. One is Goddess Lakshmi, another is Saraswati, and the third is Goddess Kali, the three consorts or Saktis of the Trinity of Gods Vishnu, Brahma, and Mahesh (Shiva). In Hinduism, there are three major and equally important Gods or embodiments of the Absolute (Brahma): Vishnu, Shiva, and Devi(Divine Mother), each of whom (except Brahma) is the centre of a separate devotional cult. A devout Hindu worships either of the three (Vishnu, Shiva and Devi) as a personal God. Devi, the great Goddess, has probably been worshipped in one form or another since the time of the Saraswati Indus culture (7500 B.C.) and perhaps even earlier.

She has an ambiguous nature and appears in many forms. In her benevolent aspects, she is the great mother, a Goddess of abundance, fertility and childbirth; in her terrific or destructive forms, she is the valiant demon fighter Durga and the bloodthirsty, all-destroying Kali. The Goddess's devotees regard her as the embodiment of universal energy; she is believed to be the potency that dwells in each of the male Gods and the spark that arouses them to action. Devi enjoys wide devotion all over India, but she has a particularly large following in Eastern India, in the state of West Bengal. Wherever the Bengalis reside, they establish a Kali Badi, a temple where the image of the Goddess Kali is installed. The Divine Mother (Bhagwati) in her various forms energizes the whole universe. Everyone is attached to the mother; the father is the nourisher, but the mother is the life. The mother is the source of the desire to live, and life is protected by the divine mother, who preserves it in three main forms, according to Durga Saptashati.

One is Goddess Lakshmi, another is Saraswati, and the third is Goddess Kali, the three consorts or Saktis of the Trinity of Gods Vishnu, Brahma, and Mahesh (Shiva). Kali represents the eternal mother principle in nature. She is traditionally pictured as a four-armed female standing on the recumbent form of God Shiva, the infinite, because the activities of nature or the phenomenal world spring from the latent spirit. The four arms symbolise cardinal attributes: two beneficent, two destructive, the essential duality of matter or creation. Kali is worshipped by all Gods. She is Swaha (Ashes) as well as Swadha (religious). She is the preserver, as well as the destroyer. Her name Kali is due to a legend that once, while Shiva and Parvati were sitting in a romantic mood on Mount Kailasa, in an amorous way, Shiva called Golden Parvati Kali. Parvati felt insulted, but silently said that this very Kali will come to the help of the Gods in fights with the demons (asuras); and then I shall acquire this name as Kali. If so happened that when the demon Raktbeeja came to the battlefield, one drop of blood fell from his body, it produced thousands of demons, thereby increasing the strength of the demon army.

The Gods were perplexed; then the divine mother invoked Kali, requesting her to destroy the demons, but with contention, such a rare quality of good and bad, benevolent and malevolent, cannot exist simultaneously. Kali is destructive (Swaha) while she is in the world, but in the heavens, she is benevolent. Ten Mahavidyas and Shodhtopchar are her boons; Gauri (Parvati), Brahmi, Raudri, Varahi, Vaisnavi, Shiva Varuni, Kaveri, Narsinhi and Vasvi are said to be her forms. Thus Kali has perfection in animo (denonation), Mahima (exaltation), Garima (dignity), Ladhima (acuteness), Prapati (overlord), Prakamaye (Valour), ieshtav (adoration) and Vashitav (subjection). On Ashtmi (eighth day) of the navratras, these eight Siddhis become Mahagauri's and Siddhatri on the ninth day. Regarding these mysterious perfections, the Goddess says that Brahma, Visnu, and Mahesh are triple-virtued. Brahma is the Lord of Rajogun (Luxuriousness), Vishnu of Satvagun. (Righteousness) and Shiva (Rudra) of Tamogun. Brahma is fatty, Vishnu is subtle and causative bodied, and Rudra is, but in addition to these personified bodies, there is the fourth, which is Kali's, and which is normally shaped in person (samyaawastha). Kali says, "Over this Parbrahma, who is Niraakar, that is also mine; Nirgun (without attributes) and Sagun (all-encompassing) both are my forms and are illusory. Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra (Shiva) have been created by me and are inspired by me in the performance of their functions. Kali, Mahakali or Maheshwari is the Sakti of the God Siva; but what is Sakti, we shall describe it in the next chapter.

About the Author Prof. (Dr.) Chitralekha Singh. Dr. Chitralekha Singh is an academician who has an in-depth study not only of Art, in which she is the first D Lit woman in the world, but also in Mythology and theology, which is an allied basis for ART and CULTURE. She is a writer of National/International importance and has published many books and contributed research papers to different journals. She has a brilliant career and an MA First Class, PhD, and D Litt in Drawing & Painting. She is an educationist with 5 years of teaching experience as a Lecturer to HODs & Directors, Deans, and Director General, even after retirement till today, with a total journey of 55 years of life, a social worker, a charming conversationalist, and a research guide. 100 Scholars have been awarded PhD & 215 MPhil degrees under her supervision. She has a personal library, CHITRALIPT, with more than a thousand books on History, Culture, Religion & Fine Arts. She is a memorable mimic strict disciplinarian, being a unique combination of civils & military being a captian in NCC and the holder of Defence Secretary's Commendation Card In addition to her books on art which 'Painting on Śiva in Indian Art' is a classic on Art & Mythology she has published illustrated books 'Hindu Goddesses, Hinduism, Ganesa, Drawings of Rajasthan, Encyclopedia History of Indian Art (5 Volumes) Elementary History of Indian Art, 1008 names of Siva the Art of Japan, the Great Religion of the world, Saraswati, Hindu Festivals Fairs & Fast.

Hindu Manners, Customs & Ceremony, Ganga the Goddess, the holy river, Captain Speaks. Hanuman, Durga, Kali the Goddess, Jainism. Aesthetics, Art Critical History, In Hindi she has written on Chini Chitrakala, Kala, Kala Shiksha, Kala Shikshan, 'Kala Shikshan, Shikshakavam Shikshatri Bhartiya Chitrakala Mein Siva, Chiya-Chitra Yatra, Purush aur Prakriti, Jainwad, Shikha main Naatak avam Kala, Adhunik Bhartiya Samkaleen Kala, Shiksha main Kala avam Saundarya, Bhartiya Prem Nath Shri Prem Nath with an academic career in Science Medecine, Law and Studies in History & Religion, is a prolific reader and a writer, a co-author of the books Hindu Goddesses, Hinduism, and Ganesa. His approach to the topic is scientific, authenticated, and based on historical facts. He is a regular contributor to research journals on different aspects of History & Civilization.