A Beginner’s Guide to Kali part 2
Welcome to part two of our blog post on the divine mother, Kali.
To briefly, and very inadequately, we explain that …Mother Kali is revered as the goddess of time, change, and destruction, as well as the mother of the universe. Her worship is both powerful and transformative, as she is known to grant her devotees liberation from suffering and attachment.
In our previous post, we discussed the history and significance of Kali. Now we will delve deeper into Kali’s iconography, Shiva and Shakti, Sri Ramakrishna’s worship of Kali, famous music about Kali, and more.
Join us as we explore the mother-child relationship with Kali.
Let us embark on this spiritual journey with open hearts and minds, ready to embrace the transformative power of Kali's divine presence.
You can see our details here from our first post that cover different aspects of Kali.
Picking up where we left off….let’s explore the following on Kali
#5: Vast Amounts of Compositions and Songs for Kali
There are countless famous songs and meditative music dedicated to Kali that one can use for meditation. In Bengal, there is even a whole genre of music dedicated to Mother Kali called Shyama Sangeet.
Music is an integral part of the East's religion, and it is intertwined to a point that it is difficult to separate it from the religion. It is beautiful to see that deeply devotional and deeply rooted songs are part of mainstream culture in India.
The Famous Bengali Singer, Ramprasad
One of the most famous Kali composers is Ramprasad. Ramprasad was a mystical poet and saint from West Bengal, India, who grew up close to Calcutta in the mid-1700s. He was so in love with Kali that he couldn't practice the family Ayurvedic medicine practice. All he could do was compose poems and sing songs to his beloved Kali on the bank of the Ganga.
One day, a local prince heard him sing and appointed him to his court as a poet and composer, solving his financial problems, allowing him to write to his beloved Kali all day. He had many visions of Kali and poured his heart out with his mystical, soul-enthralling songs.
There are so many famous songs and meditative music that you can most definitely use for meditation that are written about Kali. Specifically in Bengal, there’s even a whole genre of music dedicated to mother Kali called Shyama Sangeet.
Sri Ramakrishna sang many Ramprasad songs as recorded in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.
Here’s one of my favorites from Ramprasad.
I drink no ordinary wine
by Ramprasad (Ramprasad Sen)
Original Language Bengali
I drink no ordinary wine,
but Wine of Everlasting Bliss,
As I repeat my Mother Kali's name;
It so intoxicates my mind that people take me to be drunk!
First my guru gives molasses for the making of the Wine;
My longing is the ferment to transform it.
Knowledge, the maker of the Wine,
prepares it for me then;
And when it is done,
my mind imbibes it from the bottle of the mantra,
Taking the Mother's name to make it pure.
Drink of this Wine, says Ramprasad,
and the four fruits of life are yours.”
From Elizabeth Usha Harding’s translation in her famous Kali book, Kali, the Black Goddess of Dakshineswar.
#6: Iconography of Kali
Kali's iconography is complex, and many different interpretations exist for each of them. Some of her most noted features are listed below, although there are many more to explore:
Her tongue sticking out: There are several interpretations of this, but the one I have heard the most is that Kali sticks out her tongue in embarrassment on realizing that she has stepped on her own husband in her bloodlust.
So she stepped on Shiva, and that is why Shiva is always depicted as lying underneath her. The story goes that the gods got together and were in utter dismay that what they had created in the Chandi to destroy the demon was now uncontrollable. Shiva, Kali's husband, lay down to stop her, and as an embarrassed wife, she stuck out her tongue in a playful way.
Her disheveled hair: Devi always unbinds her hair when angry or upset or when called to battle. It is believed that Kali was created to destroy evil beings, so she is usually seen in the battle field with her unbound hair, uniquely wild to Kali.
A garland of cut heads and girdle of arms: As seen in the picture, Kali wears a garland of cut human heads around her head. The heads are symbols of the ego that must be surrendered to Kali by those seeking liberation from worldly ties. These are of course morbid symbols and quite extreme, but Mother teaches that all is her, birth, life, death, decay…over and over is Her cycle. But she wears these symbols as well to give us hope of the freedom that can come.
This shows that Kali throws out the ego of human beings and gives liberation to humans from worldly ties. The garland of cut human heads also denotes that she has control over human beings. She is also the recipient of ardent devotion from her countless devotees, who approach her as a mother.
Kali has also put on a girdle of arms around her waist, which is the process to free her devotees from the cycle of death and rebirth.
Her standing upon the chest of Shiva indicates the ultimate bliss of ego being gone, a transformation, or a reunion of divine spark within human beings. Kali thus has become the explanation for the inexplicable.
Four hands: As usually in Hindu tradition, gods and goddesses are depicted with having more heads and hands than ordinary human beings. Kali, in most of the creation, can be seen having four hands.
Keep reading for the gifts and weapons she bears in each hand.
Kali with 4 Arms
The depiction of Kali with four arms is a common representation in Hindu iconography. In her four hands, Kali holds various symbolic items that represent her power and attributes.
In her upper left hand, Kali holds a severed head, which symbolizes the ego or the self. This represents her ability to cut through illusions and delusions that hold humans back from realizing their true nature.
Her upper right hand is held in a gesture of fearlessness or abhaya mudra, which symbolizes her protection and reassurance to her devotees that they need not fear anything when under her care.
In her lower left hand, Kali holds a sword, which represents knowledge, and the cutting edge of wisdom that can cut through ignorance and bring light to darkness.
Finally, her lower right hand is in the gesture of boon bestowing or varada mudra, symbolizing her ability to grant boons and blessings to those who seek her help.
These four items in Kali's hands represent her power to destroy the ego and ignorance, provide protection and fearlessness, grant knowledge and wisdom, and bless her devotees.
#7: How to get to know and please the Mother
The relationship between Kali and her devotees is often compared to that of a mother and child.
Sri Ramakrishna, a famous saint and devotee of Kali, emphasized this relationship and taught that Kali is not just a deity to be worshipped but a loving mother who is always ready to listen to her children's prayers and fulfill their wishes.
To get to know and please Kali, it is necessary to cultivate a deep sense of devotion, love, and surrender towards her, as one would towards a loving mother. This can and has been done through prayer, meditation, service to her devotees, and many other disciplines and sadhana.
Sri Ramakrishna’s display of devotion for Kali is simply beyond words. In this type of worship, one depends wholeheartedly on Kali as the Supreme Mother.
Sri Ramakrishna considered her the Supreme Goddess of All.
#8: Shiva and Kali
Kali is considered to be the consort of Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism. You can read more posts on Shiva here.
Shiva and Kali are often depicted together, symbolizing the union of masculine and feminine energies, or Shiva-Shakti. They are seen as inseparable and complementing each other. Kali worshippers also worship Shiva as a form of respect and reverence towards the cosmic couple of infinity.
The relationship between Shiva and Kali is one of the most significant aspects of Kali worship. As the god of destruction and transformation, Shiva represents the masculine energy, while Kali represents the feminine energy. Together, they symbolize the union of opposites, which is a fundamental concept in Hinduism.
In Hindu mythology, it is believed that Kali was created from Shiva's forehead during a battle between the gods and demons. Kali emerged as a fierce warrior goddess, who defeated the demon Raktabija by drinking his blood and preventing him from regenerating. This victory solidified her status as a powerful and formidable goddess.
The union of Shiva and Kali represents the balance of power in the universe, as well as the cycle of creation, destruction, and transformation. Shiva is often depicted as the passive, meditative force, while Kali is the active, dynamic force. Together, they create and sustain the world, and their union is seen as essential for the harmony of the universe.
For Kali worshippers, the worship of Shiva is considered to be an integral part of their spiritual practice. By paying homage to both Shiva and Kali, we can acknowledge the cosmic balance and the importance of the masculine and feminine energies in the universe.
The depiction of the two deities together is a reminder of the complementary nature of opposites and the need for balance in all aspects of life.
#9: Famous temples of Kali
Kali is worshipped in numerous temples across India, especially in the state of West Bengal, where she is a popular deity. Some of the most famous temples dedicated to Kali include the Dakshineswar Kali Temple and the Kalighat Kali Temple, both located in Kolkata. You can read my post here about these temples.
In Laguna Beach, California, there is a temple dedicated specifically to Kali where her worship is done daily and meticulously.
#10: Why so many people worship Kali:
Kali is often worshipped as a mother goddess who is easy to please and quick to respond to her children's prayers. This is why she has a large following, especially in the state of West Bengal.
People who have grown up with Kali worship often have a deep devotion and reliance on her as their mother. Their sweet and innocent faces are a testament to the power of their faith and devotion. For many, worshipping Kali is a life-changing experience that brings them closer to the divine.
Her children know that she is there for them.
#11: Shakti
Shakti is a Sanskrit term that translates to "power" or "energy." In Hinduism, it is used to refer to the feminine aspect of the divine, often represented as a goddess. Kali is one of the most powerful manifestations of Shakti, and she is often depicted as a fierce warrior goddess with multiple arms and a necklace of skulls.
Shiva, on the other hand, represents the masculine aspect of the divine, and he is often depicted as a yogi or an ascetic. Together, Shiva and Shakti form a divine union that represents the balance and complementarity of the masculine and feminine energies.
Kali is considered to be the embodiment of Shakti, and she is often worshipped as the ultimate symbol of feminine power and strength. In fact, Kali and Shakti are often used interchangeably, and many people believe that they are one and the same.
Therefore, when Kali is worshipped, Shakti is worshipped, and when Shakti is worshipped, Kali is worshipped. In essence, Kali and Shakti are inseparable, just as Shiva and Shakti are inseparable. So, for Kali worshippers, worshipping Shiva is a way of showing respect and reverence to the cosmic couple of infinity - Shiva-Shakti.
Ma Kali
In conclusion, Kali is a powerful and awe-inspiring deity in Hinduism, revered by many devotees as the embodiment of the divine feminine. She is often associated with destruction and chaos, but also with protection, motherly love, and spiritual transformation.
As we have explored in this post, understanding Kali's true nature and developing a sincere devotion to her involves recognizing her as the mother of all, the inseparable consort of Shiva, and the ultimate source of power and liberation.
Through prayer, meditation, or visiting one of her many temples, her devotees can develop a deep connection with Kali and receive her blessings and guidance on their spiritual journey.
As part two of a blog post series, we hope that this post has provided further insight into Kali's significance and ways to deepen our devotion to her.
May her fierce love and compassion continue to inspire and guide us towards greater spiritual awareness and liberation.
Jai Ma Kali!!
Much Love! Much Light!
I’m cheering you on in your spiritual quest!
Heather Hathaway, M.Ed.
If you want personal guidance with private meditation sessions, check out my offerings here.
Looking for more resources? Visit my most read blogs and get tons of good info and tips
