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Thread: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

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    Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    Kali is the supreme goddess of eastern tantra school known as Kali-kula sampraday . For many , she is fearsome and destructive goddess . For others she is the compassionate mother . Beneath these diverse concepts and gross misunderstandings lies the true symbolism of this divine power .

    Purusha Prakriti of samkhya

    Kali is the most successful depiction of the Purusha Prakriti concept of Sankhya darshan . Samkhya seeks to explain the mysteries of cosmos by elaborating on two fundamental concepts--the male or Purusha and the female or Prakriti . Together they constitute the whole or existence . In later ages this Purusha Prakriti concepts were indentified with various principle deities of Hindu pantheon . Thus this Purusha Prakriti concept came to be expressed as Radha Krishna , Laxmi Narayan , Shiva-Parvati , or Kali and Shiva . However among all of them the form of Kali and Shiva is the most satisfactory in terms of iconography .

    The attributeless unity called Brahman is basically inactive . His activity starts with the process of creation . During this time the energy of Brahman begins to work . Strictly speaking Brahman cannot be separated from its energy . But this energy is personified as Devi and the inactive component of Brahman as Shiva --the Purusha .

    Put in a different way the same Brahman when inactive and attributeless is Purusha , and when it starts to work and create its with attributes and Prakriti .

    In Kali , we see her dancing atop the chest of her husband . Shiva , the Purusha lies inactive below . so he is called Shava-Shiva or Shiva the corpse . And this Shiva's divine energy takes the form of Kali and does all the work . Hence she is dancing and is active . But they are not mutually exclusive . They represent two sides of the same reality and are inseperable . Hence they are interconnected . Kali is always standing on her husbands chest .

    The union of Purusha and Prakriti results in cosmos . Therefore Shiva's eyes are fixed on the eyes of Kali . And Kali looks down in acceptance .

    Her arms - Both sides of almighty

    God is not just benevolent but also destructive . This is reflected in the hands of Kali . In her right hand side arms she shows the Abhaya mudra(gesture of fearlessness) and Vara mudra(gesture of benediction) repectively . This is the benevolent aspect of the almighty . But on the other arm in left side she holds a bloody scimitar and a severed head depicting destruction and end .

    God is there for both renunciates and grihasta devotees . Kali's left hand arms with severed head and scimitar are for those disciples who intend to break away from material bondage . With the scimitar she cuts off the material bondage of this world and the severed head represents the removal of our ego , which is the main hindrance towards spiritual progress.
    With her right hands she blesses those devotees who want material benedictions and sense enjoyments . She is mother to all .

    Her lack of clothing

    She stands naked because she is brahmaswaroop . no cloth is sufficient to cover her .

    Her colour

    She is black in color because black is that color which absorbes all other colurs . She is the repository for all the talents and good qualities , hence she is black .

    Her tongue

    Her tongue is lolls out and is red in color . This symbolises unrestrained Rajo guna or mode of passion . But her white teeth bites this lolling tongue representing control of Rajo guna by Sattva guna or mode of goodness .

    Her eyes

    Her third eye in the forehead is the Gyana netra or the eye of wisdom . the three eyes represent the past , present and the future ......she is Trikaldarshi .


    Garland of human heads

    She wears a garland of severed human heads 51 in number . This represents the 51 syllables of Sanskrit script . Starting with the primordial sound ' om ' all sound vibrations emanate from the supreme . Hence each sound has a presiding deity . Kali as the true mother wears the garland of 51 types of sound in her neck .


    Girdle of human hands

    Around her waist there is a girdle of severed human hands . She is the one who can reduce or take away our karma-phal . When she is pleased she takes away the past samskars and karma phals of the sadhak and thereby help in his liberation . This severed hands symbolises taking away of karma by her .


    Her hair

    Her flowing hair spreads all over her back and reaches upto her ankles . This symbolises her spread of maya . Her maya spreads over every corner much like this mesh of hair .

    Her abode - Crematoriums

    Kali's eternal dwelling place is crematoriums or smashans . Apprently this is repulsive and even frightening . But cremtaoriums have been refered to as holy places in scriptures . This is because , a single visit to any such place helps one to realise the temporal nature of this world . The sight of dead person , the relatives lamenting over the loss , the funeral pyre etc makes us realize that this is where we are all going to end up some day , sooner of later , maybe tommorrow itself or after 50 years ! It awakens the sense of vairagya or detachment from worldly thougths . Therefore smashaans are the holiest of places . The only true thing in this universe is that we are all going to die . But the most bewildering truth of this universe is that we all seem to forget this basic truth . Kali , the mother is the resident of this crematorium , the presiding deity of the truth misunderstood as death . She is standing for all of us at the end to take us back to her , back to home , back to the lap of maa .
    Last edited by sambya; 15 November 2009 at 03:53 AM.

  2. #2
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    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    friends . there have been a problem while posting the thread above . there is an unnecessary repetion of the same text which has appeared and i cannot get rid off by editing . sorry ...

  3. #3

    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    "Kali,the great Goddess is dark in color because She constantly meditates on Sri Krsna."- Devi Bhagavatam.


    Have a good day.

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    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    yes , she meditated hard enough and became 'one' with krishna ! so worshipping kali is same as worshipping krishna .

    good day to u too !!

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    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    nice post,sambya.just WOW!the energy of kAli is infinite.i just wish kAli transcends through humans to maintain some law and order.
    Sarva DharmAAn Parityajya

  6. #6

    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    ^ your signature is confounding.


    where is mam ekam sharnam vraja - Surrender to Me alone ?

  7. #7

    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    Quote Originally Posted by sambya View Post
    yes , she meditated hard enough and became 'one' with krishna ! so worshipping kali is same as worshipping krishna .

    good day to u too !!

    nah,she doesn't need to become ONE with Sri Krsna.She is aready His energy.

    Their worship is not the same in the sense that Kali worshipper goes to Manidvipa and Krsna bhakta goes to Goloka.

    Bute they are indifferent yes.

  8. #8

    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    @ranjeetmore

    Why disturb the thread ?. look forward to more posts by kali maata worshipers.

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    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    Quote Originally Posted by ranjeetmore View Post
    ^ your signature is confounding.


    where is mam ekam sharnam vraja - Surrender to Me alone ?
    because this phrase tells a lot

    it is definitely not confounding. ease up a bit bro.
    Sarva DharmAAn Parityajya

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    Re: Iconography of Kali - Perfect symbolism

    Namaste Sambya and others,

    Wonderful post on describing the symbolism behind Goddess Kali and the meaning of Purusha-Prakriti as the powers behind the cosmos. It is perhaps the most powerful symbolism I have ever come across than any other form of God. For a long time I could not understand why Kali stands atop Lord Shiva - some ignorant people claimed She was a demonic force which had killed Him and stood over His body victoriously. Most likely these people were not Hindus, but merely people trying to incite unrest by undermining the aspect of Mother Goddess. There is a lot more than meets the eye with Maa Kali. Where I once feared Her blood-stained sword and wild appearance, I now understand and respect Her manifestation as Mother Goddess who compassionately destroys the ego. Every part of imagery which serves to represent Her makes complete sense to me now. But Her power really is an incredible thing to feel and experience.

    The truly spiritual person will draw no distinction in the mind between God as Krishna and God as Mother. As there is no difference between worship of God and His Shakti, devotion to Maa Kali is the same as devotion to Lord Shiva, which in turn is devotion to Sri Krishna.

    OM Shanti
    "Watch your thoughts, they become words.
    Watch your words, they become actions.
    Watch your actions, they become habits.
    Watch your habits, they become your character.
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

    ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
    Om Gam Ganapataye namah

    लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
    Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu

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