Tag Archives: Kali

Day One Navaratri April 2016: Jai Kali Maa

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Kali Kali Mahakali ~ Kalike Papanasini
Khadgahaste Mundahaste ~ Kali Kali Namostute

Kali_Yantra William ClarkKali Yantra by William Clark

Jai Maa and Happy Day/Night One of Navaratri. This year I am propitiating the Devi in a different order than usual, invoking the Dasa Mahavidya instead of the nine forms of Durga used in an alternate scheme, as the One Truth is expressed in many different personalities.

This night is devoted to the goddess Kali Maa, one of the fiercest of deities, who conquers death, darkness, and time. Her name in Sanskrit comes from the word “kala,” which means time, death, darkness, or lord of death. I always find it interesting that in Hawaiian language, “kala” is associated with true freedom, trans. as “to loosen, untie, release, remove, unburden, absolve, let go, acquit, take off, and undo.”

This Hawaiian meaning of Kala synchronistically expresses the essence of Kali Maa as well, as She frees us from the unreal world of Maya. Interestingly, kala also means black in Sanskrit, whereas in Hawaiian it can also mean “sunshine.” I think her name clearly shows that She takes us from the illusionary external world of darkness into the brightest truest light within.

Wearing a garland of 52 skulls and a skirt of dismembered arms, she slays the ignorant ego that is identified with the temporal reality, which is separated from the true knowledge of Self and Oneness. Kali is often depicted with one foot on Lord Shiva lying like a corpse, which signifies the union of Purusha—Shiva, the absolute unmanifest, and Prakriti—Shakti, the creative power of manifestation. Allegorically, Shiva is the riverbed, while his Shakti flows through as the river.

275px-KaligoddessKali is associated with Lord Shani (Saturn) in Vedic astrology. She is worshiped to protect us from Saturn problems, including fear and worry; health and relationship issues; and material concerns. But one must never undertake Kali sadhana lightly (believe me, I know this firsthand). Kali Maa teaches us about the root chakra, the muladhara, which correlates with Saturn and unresolved issues related to our familial roots or societal conditioning as well as safety and security concerns. As the awareness of our deepest strength and inner knowing, Kali can help us when faced with uncertainty, at those times when we have no other choice but to “let go and let Goddess” run the show for us. Jai Maa Kali Maa!

Dive deep, O mind
Into the heart’s fathomless depths,
Where many a gem lies hid.
Dive deep and make your way
To Mother Kali’s realm. (Ramprasad Sen)

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Happy Chaitra Navaratri 2016

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The One Truth is sensed in ten different facets; the Divine Mother is approached as ten cosmic personalities. (S. Shankarnarayanan).

Navratri (Navaratri) starts tomorrow April 7 in US/April 8 in the UK and India, Asia, and Australia! It is the festival dedicated to the worship of the Divine Feminine Creative Power of the Universe known as Shakti and Maha Devi. She is said to come down and walk among us at this time, to help cleanse, bless, and heal the Earth and its inhabitants.

There are five Navaratri celebrations every year. The one in springtime is Vasant or Chaitra Navaratri. It is customary for devotees to worship Durga the first three nights; Lakshmi the second three nights; and Saraswati the last three nights. Others propitiate nine forms of the goddess Durga, and some worship the Das Mahavidya or the Ten Mahavidyas.

Worshiping these Mahavidyas bestows many gifts and removes certain obstacles on the path of life. The Mahavidyas are considered Tantric in nature, and represent the “Great or Transcendental Wisdom (Maha-Vidya), and are aspects of inner transformation. They are usually identified as:

1. Kali—The power behind time, the energy of spiritual transformation with destruction of ego

2. Tara—The Guiding Star who delivers us from darkness and samsara,  the wheel of birth and death,

3. Tripura Sundari (Shodashi and Sri Vidya)—The 16-year old maiden who represents divine perfection of Adi Shakti, the female embodiment of creativity and fertility.  She is also Lalitha, She who Plays, also known as Maha Maya, as She plays with us and through us in Her lila or divine play.

4. Bhuvaneshvari—The Goddess as World Mother, who is the reflection of Divine Wisdom, whose body is the whole cosmos.

5. Bhairavi—the Power of Death. She is Fierce.

6. Chhinnamasta—The self-decapitated form of Maa who holds Her own severed head,  signifying the ultimate power of self-sacrifice.

7. Dhumavati—The Widow Goddess, also Goddess of Death as well as Renunciation.

8. Bagalamukhi—She is also Pitambaradevi or Brahmastra Roopini and she represents the knowledge of Duality. She is in the still point between dualities and helps us to master them. She also helps us destroy lies and evil.

9. Matangi—She is the outcaste form of Saraswati (Chandalini), who dwells outside normal society. She is the power of dominion which can dispel evil.

10. Kamala—She is often identified as Lakshmi who bestows great fortune.

Mahavidyas.jpg By The Calcutta Art Studio -(This Ten Mahavidyas print is from the Calcutta Art Studio).