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ShivainKaliiconography

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Inboththeseimagessheisshownstandingontheprone,inertordeadbodyofShiva.Thereisalegend
forthereasonbehindherstandingonwhatappearstobeShiva'scorpse,whichtranslatesasfollows:
OnceKalihaddestroyedallthedemonsinbattle,shebeganaterrificdanceoutofthesheer
joyofvictory.Alltheworldsorlokasbegantotrembleandswayundertheimpactofher
dance.So,attherequestofalltheGods,Shivahimselfaskedhertodesistfromthisbehavior.
However,shewastoointoxicatedtolisten.Hence,Shivalaylikeacorpseamongtheslain
demonsinordertoabsorbtheshockofthedanceintohimself.WhenKalieventuallystepped
uponShiva,sherealizedshewastramplingandhurtingherhusbandandbithertonguein
shame.[50]
Thestorydescribedhereisapopularfolktaleandnotdescribedorhintedinanyofthepuranas.The
puranicinterpretationisasfollows:
Once,ParvatiasksShivatochosetheoneformamongher10formswhichhelikesmost.To
hersurprise,ShivarevealsthatheismostcomfortablewithherKaliform,inwhichsheis
bereftofherjewellery,herhumanform,herclothes,heremotionsandwheresheisonlyraw,
chaoticenergy,wheresheisasterribleastimeitselfandevengreaterthantime.[51]AsParvati
takestheformofKali,Shivaliesatherfeetandrequestshertoplaceherfootonhischest,
uponhisheart.[52]Onceinthisform,Shivarequestshertohavethisplace,belowherfeetin
hericonicimagewhichwouldbeworshipedthroughout.[53]
ThisideahasbeenexploredintheDeviBhagavataPurana[28]andismostpopularintheShyama
Sangeet,devotionalsongstoKalifromthe12thto15thcenturies.
TheTantricinterpretationofKalistandingontopofherhusbandisasfollows:
TheShivtattava(DivineConsciousnessasShiva)isinactive,whiletheShaktitattava(Divine
EnergyasKali)isactive.ShivaandKalirepresentBrahman,theAbsolutepureconsciousness
whichisbeyondallnames,formsandactivities.Kali,ontheotherhand,representsthe
potential(andmanifested)energyresponsibleforallnames,formsandactivities.Sheishis
Shakti,orcreativepower,andisseenasthesubstancebehindtheentirecontentofall
consciousness.ShecanneverexistapartfromShivaoractindependentlyofhim,just
asShivaremainsamerecorpsewithoutKalii.e.,Shakti,allthematter/energyoftheuniverse,
isnotdistinctfromShiva,orBrahman,butisratherthedynamicpowerofBrahman.[54]Hence,
KaliisParaBrahmaninthefeminineanddynamicaspectwhileShivaisthemaleaspectand
static.Shestandsastheabsolutebasisforalllife,energyandbeneathherfeetlies,Shiva,a
metaphorformass,whichcannotretainitsformwithoutenergy.
WhilethisisanadvancedconceptinmonisticShaktism,italsoagreeswiththeNondualTrikaphilosophy
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ofKashmir,popularlyknownasKashmirShaivismandassociatedmostfamouslywithAbhinavagupta.
Thereisacolloquialsayingthat"ShivawithoutShaktiisShava"whichmeansthatwithoutthepowerof
action(Shakti)thatisMahakali(representedastheshort"i"inDevanagari)Shiva(orconsciousnessitself)
isinactiveShavameanscorpseinSanskritandtheplayonwordsisthatallSanskritconsonantsare
assumedtobefollowedbyashortletter"a"unlessotherwisenoted.Theshortletter"i"representsthe
femalepowerorShaktithatactivatesCreation.ThisisoftentheexplanationforwhySheisstandingon
Shiva,whoiseitherHerhusbandandcomplementinShaktismortheSupremeGodheadinShaivism.
ToproperlyunderstandthiscomplexTantricsymbolismitisimportanttorememberthatthemeaning
behindShivaandKalidoesnotstrayfromthenondualisticparlanceofShankaraortheUpanisads.
AccordingtoboththeMahanirvanaandKularnavaTantras,therearetwodistinctwaysofperceivingthe
sameabsolutereality.Thefirstisatranscendentalplanewhichisoftendescribedasstatic,yetinfinite.Itis
herethatthereisnomatter,thereisnouniverseandonlyconsciousnessexists.Thisformofrealityis
knownasShiva,theabsoluteSatChitAnandaexistence,knowledgeandbliss.Thesecondisanactive
plane,animmanentplane,theplaneofmatter,ofMaya,i.e.,wheretheillusionofspacetimeandthe
appearanceofanactualuniversedoesexist.ThisformofrealityisknownasKaliorShakti,and(inits
entirety)isstillspecifiedasthesameAbsoluteSatChitAnanda.Itishereinthissecondplanethatthe
universe(aswecommonlyknowit)isexperiencedandisdescribedbytheTantricseerastheplayof
Shakti,orGodasMotherKali.[55]
FromaTantricperspective,whenonemeditatesonrealityatrest,
asabsolutepureconsciousness(withouttheactivitiesofcreation,
preservationordissolution)onereferstothisasShivaorBrahman.
Whenonemeditatesonrealityasdynamicandcreative,asthe
Absolutecontentofpureconsciousness(withalltheactivitiesof
creation,preservationordissolution)onereferstoitasKalior
Shakti.However,ineithercasetheyoginioryogiisinterestedin
oneandthesamerealitytheonlydifferencebeinginnameand
fluctuatingaspectsofappearance.Itisthiswhichisgenerally
acceptedasthemeaningofKalistandingonthechestofShiva.[54]
Althoughthereisoftencontroversysurroundingtheimagesof
divinecopulation,thegeneralconsensusisbenignandfreefrom
anycarnalimpuritiesinitssubstance.InTantrathehumanbodyis
asymbolforthemicrocosmoftheuniversethereforesexual
processisresponsibleforthecreationoftheworld.Although
theoreticallyShivaandKali(orShakti)areinseparable,likefireand
itspowertoburn,inthecaseofcreationtheyareoftenseenas
havingseparateroles.WithShivaasmaleandKaliasfemaleitis
onlybytheirunionthatcreationmaytranspire.Thisremindsusof

KaliandBhairava(theterribleform
ofShiva)inUnion,18thcentury,Nepal

theprakrtiandpurusadoctrine
ofSamkhyawhereinprakavimarahasnopracticalvalue,justaswithoutprakrti,purusaisquite
inactive.This(onceagain)stressestheinterdependenciesofShivaandShaktiandthevitalityoftheir
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union.[56]
GopiKrishnaproposedthatKalistandingonthedeadShivaorShava(Sanskritfordeadbody)symbolised
thehelplessnessofapersonundergoingthechangingprocess(psychologicallyandphysiologically)inthe
bodyconductedbytheKundaliniShakti.[57]

Otherart

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TheartworkTheDinnerPartyfeaturesaplacesettingforKali.[58]

Development

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Inthelatertraditions,KalihasbecomeinextricablylinkedwithShiva.TheunleashedformofKalioften
becomeswildanduncontrollable,andonlyShivaisabletotameherjustasonlyKalicantameShiva.This
isbothbecausesheisoftenatransformedversionofoneofhisconsortsandbecauseheisabletomatch
herwildness.
TheancienttextofKaliKautuvamdescribeshercompetitionwithShivaindance,fromwhichthesacred
108Karanasappeared.Shivawonthecompetitionbyactingtheurdvatandava,oneoftheKaranas,by
raisinghisfeettohishead.OthertextsdescribeShivaappearingasacryinginfantandappealingtoher
maternalinstincts.WhileShivaissaidtobeabletotameher,theiconographyoftenpresentsherdancing
onhisfallenbody,andthereareaccountsofthetwoofthemdancingtogether,anddrivingeachotherto
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suchwildnessthattheworldcomesclosetounravelling.
Shiva'sinvolvementwithTantraandKali'sdarknaturehaveledto
herbecominganimportantTantricfigure.To
theTantricworshippers,itwasessentialtofaceherCurse,the
terrorofdeath,aswillinglyastheyacceptedBlessingsfromher
beautiful,nurturing,maternalaspect.Forthem,wisdommeant
learningthatnocoinhasonlyoneside:asdeathcannotexist
withoutlife,solifecannotexistwithoutdeath.Kali'srolesometimes
grewbeyondthatofachaoswhichcouldbeconfrontedtothat
ofonewhocouldbringwisdom,andsheisgivengreat
metaphysicalsignificancebysomeTantrictexts.TheNirvna
tantraclearlypresentsheruncontrollednatureastheUltimate
Reality,claimingthatthetrimurtiofBrahma,VishnuandRudra
ariseanddisappearfromherlikebubblesfromthesea.Although
thisisanextremecase,theYoginitantra,Kamakhyatantraand
theNiruttaratantradeclareherthesvarupa(ownbeing)ofthe
Mahadevi(thegreatGoddess,whoisinthiscaseseenasthe

Kalishownsittingonacorpseata
cremationceremony,withShivatothe
left.18thcenturyIndianwatercolour

combinationofalldevis).
ThefinalstageofdevelopmentistheworshippingofKaliastheGreatMother,devoidofherusual
violence.Thispracticeisabreakfromthemoretraditionaldepictions.Thepioneersofthistraditionarethe
18thcenturyShaktapoetssuchasRamprasadSen,whoshowanawarenessofKali'sambivalent
nature.Ramakrishna,the19thcenturyBengalisaint,wasalsoagreatdevoteeofKalithewestern
popularityofwhommayhavecontributedtothemoremodern,equivocalinterpretationsofthisGoddess.
RachelMcDermott'swork,however,suggeststhatforthecommon,modernworshipper,Kaliisnotseenas
fearful,andonlythoseeducatedinoldtraditionsseeherashavingawrathfulcomponent.Somecreditto
thedevelopmentofDevimustalsobegiventoSamkhya.CommonlyreferredtoastheDeviof
delusion,MahamayaorDurga,actingintheconfinesof(butnotbeingboundby)thenatureofthe
threegunas,takesthreeforms:MahaKali,MahaLakshmiandMahaSaraswati,beinghertamas
ika,rajasikaandsattvaikaforms.Inthissense,Kaliissimplypartofalargerwhole.
LikeSirJohnWoodroffeandGeorgFeuerstein,manyTantricscholars(aswellassincerepractitioners)
agreethat,nomatterhowpropitiousorappallingyoudescribethem,ShivaandDeviaresimply
recognizablesymbolsforeveryday,abstract(yettangible)conceptssuchasperception,knowledge,
spacetime,causationandtheprocessofliberatingoneselffromtheconfinesofsuchthings.Shiva,
symbolizingpure,absoluteconsciousness,andDevi,symbolizingtheentirecontentofthatconsciousness,
areultimatelyoneandthesametotalityincarnate,amicromacrocosmicamalgamationofallsubjects,all
objectsandallphenomenalrelationsbetweenthe"two."Likemanandwomanwhobothsharemany
common,humantraitsyetatthesametimetheyarestilldifferentand,therefore,mayalsobeseenas
complementary.[59]
WorshippersprescribevariousbenignandhorrificqualitiestoDevisimplyoutofpracticality.Theydothis
sotheymayhaveavarietyofsymbolstochoosefrom,symbolswhichtheycanidentifyandrelatewith
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fromtheperspectiveoftheirown,everchangingtime,placeandpersonallevelofunfolding.Justlike
modernchemistsorphysicistsuseavarietyofmolecularandatomicmodelstodescribewhatis
unperceivablethroughrudimentary,sensoryinput,thescientistsofontologyandepistemologymustdothe
same.OneoftheunderlyingdistinctionsofTantra,incomparisontootherreligions,isthatitallowsthe
devoteethelibertytochoosefromavastarrayofcomplementarysymbolsandrhetoricwhichsuitone's
evolvingneedsandtastes.Fromanaestheticstandpoint,nothingisinterdictandnothingisorthodox.In
thissense,theprojectionofsomeofDevi'smoregentlequalitiesontoKaliisnotsacrilegeandthe
developmentofKalireallyliesinthepractitioner,notthemurthi.
ATIMEmagazinearticleofOctober27,1947,usedKaliasasymbolandmetaphorforthehumansuffering
inBritishIndiaduringitspartitionthatyear.[60]In1971,Ms.MagazineusedanimageofKali,hermultiple
armsjugglingmoderntasks,asasymbolofmodernwomanhoodonitsinauguralissue.
SwamiVivekanandawrotehisfavoritepoemKalitheMotherin1898.

KaliinneopaganandNewAgepractice

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AnacademicstudyofWesternKalienthusiastsnotedthat,"asshowninthehistoriesofallcrosscultural
religioustransplants,KalidevotionalismintheWestmusttakeonitsownindigenousformsifitistoadapt
toitsnewenvironment."[61]TheadoptionofKalibytheWesthasraisedaccusationsofcultural
appropriation:
AvarietyofwritersandthinkershavefoundKalianexcitingfigureforreflectionand
exploration,notablyfeministsandparticipantsinNewAgespiritualitywhoareattractedto
goddessworship.[Forthem],Kaliisasymbolofwholenessandhealing,associatedespecially
withrepressedfemalepowerandsexuality.[However,suchinterpretationsoftenexhibit]
confusionandmisrepresentation,stemmingfromalackofknowledgeofHinduhistoryamong
theseauthors,[whoonlyrarely]drawuponmaterialswrittenbyscholarsoftheHindureligious
tradition.Themajorityinsteadrelychieflyonotherpopularfeministsources,almostnoneof
whichbasetheirinterpretationsonaclosereadingofKali'sIndianbackground.Themost
importantissuearisingfromthisdiscussionevenmoreimportantthanthequestionof
'correct'interpretationconcernstheadoptionofotherpeople'sreligioussymbols.Itishardto
importtheworshipofagoddessfromanotherculture:religiousassociationsandconnotations
havetobelearned,imaginedorintuitedwhenthedeepsymbolicmeaningsembeddedinthe
nativeculturearenotavailable.[62]

IncarnationsofKali

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Draupadi,WifeofPandavas,wasanavatarofKali,whoborntoassistLordKrishnatodestroyarrogant
kingsofIndia.ThereisatemplededicatedtothisincarnationatBanniMataTempleatHimachalPradesh.
ThevedicdeityNirritiorthePuranicdeityAlakshmiisoftenconsideredasincarnationsofKali.

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Seealso

KaliWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

[ edit ]

Shiva
Durga
AdiParashakti
KaliPuja
Saraswati
Ramakrishna

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