Kali Dark. Goddess of violent death and motherhood
Indian myths about gods, unlike ancient ones, are still little known, and most Europeans do not have the slightest idea about them. Interestingly, such legends are not ordinary stories, but real epics, in the veracity of which true Hindus firmly believe.
Appearance of the gods
The history of the Ancient World is full of various legends and myths, and each nation has its own. As you know, the appearance of numerous gods was facilitated by the fact that people in the distant past could not explain why certain natural phenomena occur. Man perfectly understood that there are many things that he cannot do by himself, for example, throw lightning, raise huge waves on the sea or raise winds. Therefore, he began to attribute such abilities to more powerful beings who could cause such grandiose phenomena. They usually took the form of a human or an animal. Indian gods and goddesses were often endowed with the appearance and qualities of both. A striking example of this can be Ganesha or Hanuman - both with a human figure, but one with the head of an elephant, and the other with a monkey.
It is no secret that the most diverse and rich of all pagan beliefs is precisely Indian mythology. The gods and goddesses, which will be discussed in this article, were also endowed with several hypostases.
It must be said that Hindu legends began to take shape around the 1st century AD. e. in the Vedic culture of the Indo-Aryans. And all this is due to Brahminism, which was influenced by Buddhism. In addition, many of the ideas of Vedism were incorporated into Hinduism. This formed religion became a new stage in the development of ancient Indian society.
Main triad
Hinduism put the creator god in the forefront and established a stricter hierarchy in the pantheon. The names of Indian gods, such as Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, are included in the triad (trimurti) of supreme beings, perceived as a manifestation of a single deity. The first of them was revered as the creator and ruler of the world, who establishes social laws (dharma) on earth and divides society into castes.
Over time, special roles began to be assigned to the other two: the god Shiva became the destroyer, and Vishnu the guardian. As a result of this division, two main trends in Hinduism arose - Shaivism and Vishnuism. Even now, there are quite a few followers of these currents. The Hindu religious system, consisting of various cults, in relation to the image of Vishnu, developed the concept of avatars, which is the doctrine of a god who descends into the world of people from time to time. At the same time, every time he changes his appearance.
Pantheon
Hindus are known to worship hundreds of gods and goddesses. Some of them are white, like swan feathers, others are red, as if working tirelessly under the rays of the scorching sun, while others are completely black, like coal. But all of them are united by one thing - they keep the world and the fate of peoples in harmony. The Pantheon is built in such a way that all the ancient deities occupy their niche in it.
Brahma is the lord of all things, which has four red faces, looking in different directions. He is usually depicted sitting in a resting position on a white or pink lotus. He lives on the majestic Mount Meru. His wife Saraswati is the patroness of sciences and arts.
Indian god with elephant head - Ganesha. He is considered one of the most popular mythical characters. His father was the god Shiva and his mother was the goddess Parvati. One interesting legend is connected with him, according to which he was originally a wonderful child. Soon the gods came to congratulate the parents on the birth of their son and brought gifts with them. Seeing the baby, they all admired his beauty. The only one who did not look at him was the god Shani, who had the destructive power of his gaze. Despite this, Parvati insisted that he see her son. As soon as Shani looked at him, the child's head rolled and fell to the ground. Shiva tried to save the boy by putting it back, but it never grew back. Then Brahma advised his parents to exchange it for the head of the first animal that they come across. They turned out to be an elephant. In addition, the Indian god of wisdom Ganesha is the patron saint of travelers and merchants.
It is impossible to enumerate the entire pantheon. Here are just a few of the most famous and revered deities:
● Indra is the guardian of the Eastern side of the world. He is the god of war and the ruler of Amaravati - one of the so-called lower heavens.
● Varuna - all-seeing and punishing judge. He is the embodiment of truth and world order. It is he who searches for the guilty, punishes them, and also forgives sins.
● Agni - the Indian god of fire. He is the embodiment of the sacred flame, which, with its tongues, raises the victim directly to heaven.
● Surya - illuminates the world with light, destroys darkness, disease and enemies. He personifies the all-seeing Eye of the gods Varuna, Mitra and Agni.
● Kama - always depicted as a handsome young man with a bow and arrows. He is the patron saint of lovers and is similar to his European counterpart.
● Vayu - the lord of the wind, personifying the world's breath (prana).
● Yama is a rather ferocious deity. He is the lord of the realm of the dead and the ruler of Purgatory.
All of the above deities have great strength and power, but they all bow in the face of the great and awesome Kali.
Ramayana and Mahabharata
The history of the Ancient World is inextricably linked with many myths and legends. But perhaps the most famous are the Indian epics "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata", which were written in Sanskrit about 2 thousand years ago. Both poems belong to a genre called the heroic epic. This means that the actions described in them are nothing more than historical legends, that is, their content is based on real events that once occurred. And this primarily applies to the epic "Mahabharta". According to historians, it refers to an internecine war that broke out between two branches of the royal family of the Bharat tribe somewhere at the turn of the 2nd-1st centuries BC. e.
The events on which the Ramayana is based are less clear to specialists. But still it is believed that there is a historical core here. Scientists believe that this poem tells about the struggle of the conquerors of India, the tribes of the Aryans, with the indigenous population of the Indian south. These events may refer to the XIV-XII centuries BC. e.
This epic tells about the campaign of Rama, one of the most beloved heroes not only of India, but also of neighboring countries, to the island of Lanka (most likely, this is modern Ceylon) and the search for his wife, who was kidnapped by the leader of the Rakshasa demons. The Ramayana consists of 24,000 slokas (couples) collected in seven books. In mythology, the Indian god Rama is the seventh incarnation of Vishnu. In this image, he delivers both people and gods from the power of the evil leader of the Rakshas Ravana.
In both monuments of ancient Indian poetry, allegory, truth and fiction are incomprehensibly intertwined. It is believed that the "Ramayana" came from the pen of Valmiki, and the "Mahabharata" - the sage Vyas. It is worth noting that in the form in which these works have come down to us, they cannot belong to any particular author or belong to only one century. These great epics are the result of numerous changes and additions.
Legend of the goddess - Mother of all worlds
In ancient times, asura Mahisha performed repentance for a long time and for this he was awarded a gift that gave him the opportunity to become invisible. Then this demon decided to become the ruler of the world and overthrew Indra from the heavenly throne. The gods, who did not want to obey the fierce demon, went to the rulers of the world Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and begged to save them from such humiliation.
From the lips of the angry triad, a flame of anger burst out, uniting in a fiery cloud. Having illuminated the whole Universe with a formidable brilliance, a woman appeared from it. Her face was the flame of Shiva, her hands personified the power of Vishnu, and the belt - the power of Indra. Her eyebrows were created by the divine twin brothers Asivina, her eyes were created by the lord of fire Agni, her ears were created by the windy Vayu, her teeth were created by Brahma, her hair was created by Yama, the lord of the realm of the dead, and her hips were created by Prithivi, the goddess of the earth. The celestials gave her weapons in her hands: an ax and a trident, a bow and arrows, a noose and a club. This is how the goddess Kali was born.
A warlike and terrible cry escaped from the lips of the Mother, and she, saddling a lion, rushed at the enemy. Thousands of warriors subordinate to Mahisha attacked her, but she easily repelled their attacks. Her breath created more and more warriors who rushed into battle with fury. The terrible goddess stabbed the demons with a spear, chopped them with a sword, killed them with arrows, threw nooses around their necks and dragged them behind her.
From this great battle, the sky darkened, mountains shook, and rivers of blood flowed. Several times the goddess Kali overtook Mahisha, but he kept changing his appearance and leaving her. But, at last, she overtook the demon with a huge leap and fell upon him with unprecedented force. She stepped on his head with her foot and pinned him to the ground with a blow of a spear. Mahisha again tried to take on a different form and again elude the angry goddess. This time she was ahead of him and cut off his head with a sword.
Rejoicing in her victory, Kali began to dance. She moved faster and faster. Everything around began to shake, causing the world to be completely destroyed. The gods were frightened and began to beg Shiva to stop the frantic dance of the Mother, but even he failed to stop her. Then he lay down in front of her on the ground, but this did not help either. She continued her frantic dance, trampling his body with her feet, until she realized everything that was happening. Only then did she stop.
The gods bowed before the Mother of all worlds. And she, tired from the battle, bloodied and now good-natured, promised to help them every time she needed her support. After that, the goddess hid in her impregnable temples to rest and enjoy her victory. The Eternal Mother of all things, she is responsible for everything, therefore she always remains on alert.
Image
First of all, Kali is the goddess of death, so it is only natural that she looks menacing. She is usually depicted as a dark-skinned, thin and four-armed woman with long tousled hair.
On the left side in the upper hand, she compresses a sword covered with the blood of enemies, destroying duality and all sorts of doubts, in the lower - the severed head of a demon, which symbolizes the truncation of the ego. At the top right, her right hand makes a gesture to drive away fear. From below - blesses for the fulfillment of all desires. The hands of the goddess are a symbol of the four main chakras and cardinal points.
The eyes of Kali govern the three main forces: creation, preservation and destruction. The belt she wears is made entirely of human hands, signifying the imminent action of karma. The blue or black color of her skin is a symbol of death, as well as eternal cosmic time.
The garland of skulls with which the goddess is adorned symbolizes a whole chain of human incarnations. Her necklace consists of exactly fifty parts, the same number of letters in Sanskrit - a storehouse of knowledge and power. Kali's tousled hair serves as a mysterious curtain of death that envelops all human life, and a bright red tongue is a symbol of the rajas rune, as well as the energy of the Universe.
Many faces of Kali
This goddess has two sides: one is destructive, the other is creative. Under the face of Bhovani, she personifies the first of the principles. Therefore, she needs to sacrifice animals, as she draws her strength from living beings. Under the face of Durga, she destroys evil. If someone decides to ask her for help in the fight against demons, he must sacrifice a buffalo to her.
Goddess Kali is one of the incarnations of Durga or Devi, the wife of Shiva. She personifies the formidable side of the divine energy of her husband. Kali has an unprecedented destructive power, and many of her names speak eloquently about this, for example, Sri Krodhini (Universal wrath), Sri Ugraprabha (Exuding rage), Sri Naramandali (Wearing a garland of human skulls).
Surprisingly, it is a fact that such a fierce goddess is considered a symbol of maternal love and care, and is also revered as the protector of the entire human race from evil. At the same time, she is called Sri Manorama (The Highest Divine Favor and Charm), Sri Vilasini (Ocean of Delight) and other similar flattering names.
goddess cult
Once the worship of Kali was widespread almost everywhere. This is evidenced by various scientific studies, as well as documentary evidence, which are sacred texts belonging to different religions. The cult of the so-called Black Goddess had its counterparts in all corners of the world in ancient times. For example, the ancient Finns in the pre-Christian era prayed to the Black Goddess, who was called Kalma. The Semitic tribes that once lived in Sinai called the priestesses of the goddess of the moon Kalu. It is believed that these are not just coincidences, since the mythical character we are considering is the Mother of all worlds, who was revered under various names and forms almost everywhere.
Now the Indian goddess Kali enjoys special recognition in Bengal as a slayer of demons. The fact is that on the territory of this state there is the main temple of Kalighat (the British pronounce its name as Calcutta), dedicated to her. Hence the name of the capital of Bengal. The second largest temple erected in honor of this goddess is located in Dakshineswar.
The festival dedicated to Kali is celebrated in early September. During the ritual service, her worshipers should drink the consecrated water in three sips, and then apply a special mark with red powder between the eyebrows. At the image or at the foot of the statue of the goddess, candles were lit and red flowers were brought to her. After that, a prayer was read, and then, inhaling the fragrance of flowers, the believers sat down to taste the sacrificial offerings.
Thug sect
In the period from the 12th to the 19th century, a certain secret organization existed in India. It was called the Tugh sect. It consisted of real fanatics who devoted their whole lives only to the service of the death goddess Kali. Mostly Tugh gangs operated in Central India. They were engaged in robbing caravans and killing travelers. Usually they strangled their victim with a tug, throwing a scarf or rope around her neck, and the corpse was thrown into a well or immediately buried with a ritual pick or hoe.
Until now, the exact number of their victims has not been established, but, according to the Guinness Book of Records, there were about 2 million. arrests and subsequent executions. Since then, the word thugs has appeared in the English language, meaning "thug", "robber", "murderer".
Misperception
In the West there are cults of satanic and mystical directions. They not only mistakenly perceive, but also describe the Black Goddess, comparing her with the Egyptian deity Set. She is portrayed as a merciless killer and a cruel bloodsucker who eats the flesh of her many victims.
Goddess Kali has countless hypostases, images and incarnations. She is always mysterious and can be both intimidating and attractive at the same time. She disturbs the soul, and her faces leave no one indifferent. Kali absorbed all conceivable manifestations and forms of the divine principle - from angry and frankly terrifying to the most attractive and merciful.
The Indian goddess of death, destruction, fear and horror, the wife of the destroyer Shiva. As Kali Ma ("dark mother"), she is one of the ten aspects of Shiva's wife, a bloodthirsty and powerful warrior. Her appearance is almost always frightening: swarthy or black, with long tousled hair, usually depicted naked or in only one belt, standing on the body of Shiva and leaning with one foot on his leg, and the other on his chest. Kali has four arms and claw-like nails on her hands. In two hands she holds a sword and the severed head of a giant, and with the other two she seduces those who worship her. She wears a skull necklace and corpse earrings. Her tongue is sticking out, she has long sharp fangs. She is spattered with blood and drinks herself drunk on the blood of her victims.
Some Kapalika rituals are described in Dan Simmons' novel The Song of Kali.
In the guise of Kali, Shiva's wife manifests herself more severely. In general, the appearance of Kali is severe and terrible; this is a three-eyed monster with bared teeth, protruding tongue, many (more often four) hands, in which weapons are invested. Her earrings are in the form of the bodies of babies, the necklace is made of skulls. Holidays in her honor are colorful and popular. But she is feared and therefore revered, bringing bloody sacrifices: in the central temple of the goddess in Calcutta, Kalithat, live goats are sacrificed. Kali is considered the patroness of all those engaged in unclean deeds, including professional criminals, robbers and murderers, not to mention members of the Thug strangler caste who kill people in her honor.
The goddess Kali, one of the many wives of Shiva, embodies the divine energy that brings bloodshed, pestilence, murder and death. Her necklace is made of human skulls, and the likeness of a skirt is made up of severed hands of demons. The goddess has a dark face. She holds a sword in one hand and a severed head in the other. Her long tongue has fallen out of her mouth and greedily licks her lips, through which a trickle of blood escapes.
According to Indian myths, Kali once gathered her devotees to identify the most devoted. They were thugs. As a reward for their loyalty, she taught them how to strangle people with a handkerchief and endowed them with remarkable strength, dexterity and deceit.
Each community of thugs had one or more leaders - dzhemadars. They introduced young thugs to a cruel craft, performed religious rituals and appropriated most of the booty.
Second in position after the Jemadar was the Bhutot. He wore in his bosom a scarf twisted into a bundle with a loop at the end. A scarf made of silk fabric was called "rumal". The noose was carefully oiled and sprinkled with the sacred water of the Ganges. Rumal was believed to be Kali's toilette item. Thag, who went "on business" for the first time, tied a silver coin in a handkerchief, and after a successfully completed operation, he gave it to his mentor.
Like all the bandits of the world, the Thagas used a special jargon and conventional signs. For example, the signal for an attack was the gesture of the leader, who prayerfully turned his eyes to the sky, or the cry of an owl, Kali's favorite bird. Then the bhutot imperceptibly sneaked up to the victim and, seizing the right moment, with a sharp movement of his right hand threw a noose around the neck of the doomed.
The noose was tightened slowly so that Kali could fully enjoy the dying agony. At the same time, the strangler uttered the following spell several times: "Kali! Kali! Goddess of death! Iron cannibal goddess! Tear my enemy with your teeth, drink his blood, defeat him, mother Kali!" A slight movement of the fingers, known only to the thugs, and the man fell dead.
Kali - in Hindu mythology, one of the formidable incarnations of the great mother goddess Devi, or Durga, the wife of Shiva, the personification of death and destruction. She was born from Durga's forehead black with anger: with blood-red eyes, four-armed; from the open mouth hung a tongue stained with the blood of the victims; her nakedness was covered with a sash of severed enemy heads or hands, a necklace of skulls and a tiger skin. Like Shiva, Kali had a third eye in her forehead. In one hand she held a weapon, in the other - the severed head of Raktabija, two hands raised in blessing. The followers of Kali considered her a loving mother goddess, capable of destroying death and demons.
One of the most dramatic images shows her squatting on the body of a dead Shiva, consuming his penis with her vagina while eating his intestines with her mouth. This scene should be taken not literally, but spiritually. It is believed that Kali takes the seed of Shiva into the vagina in order to conceive him again in her eternal womb. In the same way, she devours and destroys all life around her in order to create everything anew. On her neck she wears a necklace of skulls engraved with Sanskrit letters, which are considered sacred mantras, with the help of which Kali created, connecting the Elements. Kali Ma has an ugly face with fangs stained with blood. Above her eyebrow is the third eye. Her naked body is adorned with garlands of babies, necklaces of skulls, snakes, heads of her sons, and a belt made from the hands of demons.
Dakshinakalika
She is called Dakshina because she generously gives gifts to Her devotees. Her hair is disheveled. She is adorned with a necklace of human heads, She has long protruding teeth, She has four arms: in the lower left hand She holds a severed human head, in the upper left hand She holds a sword. With Her lower right hand She seems to give a gift (varadamudra), with Her upper right hand She guarantees freedom from fear (abhaya mudra). She has a dark complexion, She is naked. She wears two corpses in Her ears as ornaments, She wears a belt made from the hands of dead bodies, Her three eyes shine like the morning Sun. Her place of residence is the place of burning corpses. She stands on the chest of Mahadeva (Shiva), who lies like a corpse. She is surrounded by jackals. Her face is terrifying, blood dripping from the corners of Her lips. According to another version, naked (digambari), She sits on Mahadeva, who lies as if dead, She has large and high breasts, She takes the initiative in sexual play with Mahakala.
Another image of Dakshinakalika looks like this: She has a dark skin color, four arms: in Her right hands She holds a dagger (kartrika) and a human skull; garlands of human heads adorn Her head and neck; necklace of snakes on Her chest. She wears a piece of black cloth and a tiger skin on her lower back. With Her left foot She stands on the chest of a corpse, With Her right foot She stands on the back of a lion licking the corpse.
Siddhakali
In this beautiful form of Hers, Kali holds a sword in Her right hand that touches the Moon above Her head. The body of the Goddess is overflowing with nectar flowing from the moon. She drinks blood from the skull she holds in her left hand. She is naked and Her hair is loose. Her body color is like a blue lotus. It is adorned with a crown of precious stones and various ornaments. The sun and moon shine like earrings in Her ears. She stands with her left foot forward (in Alidha position).
Guhyakali
She is black as a thundercloud. She is dressed in black cloth, She has sunken eyes and ferocious teeth, a protruding hanging tongue, a smiling face. She is wearing a necklace and a sacred cord of snakes. She sits on a bed of snakes.
A tuft of her tangled hair touches the sky. She sips wine from the skull. She is wearing a garland of 50 human heads. She has a full belly. Above Her head are 1000 hoods of Ananta, the king of snakes. She is surrounded on all sides by hoods of snakes. The great serpent Takshaka wraps around Her left hand like a bracelet, Ananta wraps around Her right hand. She is wearing a belt of snakes, and on Her leg is a bracelet of precious stones. Dead bodies serve as an ornament to Her ears. To the left of Her is Shiva in the form of a boy. She has two hands. Her face expresses satisfaction. She is adorned with nine jewels; She is served by such great sages (munis) as Narada. When She laughs, Her loud laughter is terrifying.
Bhadrakali
She is starving. She has sunken eyes. Her face is dark as ink. Her teeth are like black jambu berries. Her hair is loose. She cries, saying, “I am not satisfied. I will swallow this whole world in one gulp, like a small piece of food! In her two hands she holds a noose (or two nooses shining like flames).
Shmashanakali
She is black, like a mountain of black ointment. Her place of residence is the place of burning corpses. She has disheveled hair, a withered body and a frightening appearance. She has sunken red eyes. She holds in her right hand a skull filled with wine and in her left hand a freshly severed head. With a smiling face. She constantly chews raw meat. Her body is adorned with various ornaments. She is naked and always drunk with wine. Her usual place of worship is the cremation ground, where the worshiper must perform rituals while naked.
Rakshakali or Mahakali
She is black. She has four arms and is adorned with garlands of heads - one garland on Her head, the other on Her shoulders. In Her two right hands She holds a sword and two lotuses. In Her left hands She holds a dagger and a skull. Her matted hair touches the sky. She is wearing a necklace of snakes. She has red eyes. She wears black cloth and has a tiger skin around Her waist. Her left foot is on the chest of a corpse, her right foot is on the back of a lion. She sips her wine, bursts into terrible laughter and makes loud guttural noises. She is incredibly terrible.
As the greatest force of time, the energy of Kali creates various Yugas or eras of the existence of the world, which mankind goes through in the process of long cycles of cosmic evolution.
Kali is the Goddess of eternity, watching over all our changes and contributing to those who help our spiritual growth.
More specifically, Kali is Yuga-Shakti or that energy, the force of time, which takes humanity from one world era to another. She is busy supporting the spiritual energy of the planet in both light and dark ages.
The Dark Goddess is not just a Hindu deity, she is the universal, world form of the Mother, who is the true ruler of this world. The awakening and conversion to the Goddess that is happening today on a global level is, speaking from the point of view of yoga, the awakening of the energy of Kali.
The Mother Goddess as a dark, mystical and transcendent Devi (goddess - translated from Sanskrit) holds the key to the true power and realness of the universe in all its manifestations. Kali re-enters the human environment and the Earth realm to work magic and evoke feelings of fear and reverence.
The Goddess causes all changes on the planet, awakening the Shakti (energy) of the planet and stimulating not only the individual, but a more global planetary consciousness. Modern natural and other disasters that are currently happening all over the planet are a manifestation, an indication of the all-changing power of Kali, pushing humanity to break with divisive beliefs and end our destructive activities that already threaten all life on the planet. .
Until we make these crucial internal changes and end our destructive attitudes and actions, we will face the worldwide wrath of Kali on a global level, and the threat of a universal catastrophe will only increase over time, until then we will be faced with a choice. : either radically change your life, or disappear from the face of the earth as a species. To accept the challenge of Mother Kali, we must change internally and give up our attempts to control the outside world, directing our efforts, first of all, to understanding ourselves.
At present, our civilization does not pay due respect to the Devatas, the cosmic powers of the Gods and Goddesses, personifying the sacred forces of nature, on which the well-being of our existence depends. Intellectuals and scientists devalue the Deities by whose grace we are able to function, and replace them with delusions of philosophy, politics or anthropology, which are in fact only a reflection of ordinary human behavior that does not carry anything sacred. Religions, hiding behind the name of the Lord, give themselves up to politics and seek to establish their creed as the dominant one in the world, instead of spreading the message, the knowledge of love, unity, the mercy of the Mother, as well as the possibility of self-realization.
Meanwhile, even the bulk of those who try to practice Tantra have reduced its status to little more than black magic and are using the spiritual world to further their own material goals and those of their clientele who pay for it. It seems that exploitation for commercial purposes and self-promotion "overlaid" the very essence of the yogic tradition on all fronts.
The true Dharma, the natural and universal principles, are present only to a small extent in those who are trying to save the planet. We see a large number of disgruntled "angry" activists who are looking for an opportunity to put the blame for the world's problems on someone else, yelling and cursing others, instead of becoming truly peace-loving helpers whose goal is to unite us for a greater good. for all.
We continue to divide humanity in the name of religion and politics, fighting each other, while everywhere we continue to devastate the planet, plundering its resources and polluting its land, water and air.
In order to bring our planet into a new, spiritual era, into a new world era of consciousness of a higher level, we must acquire Shakti or the ability to do so. We need strength, knowledge, sincerity and grace from higher powers. We cannot rise above our human, social and psychological problems on our own, because our behavior and state of consciousness exist only within these limits. For this to happen, we must humbly seek the grace of the Mother, especially in her aspect as Kali, the Mother as the ruler of all time and change.
We need a new energy, Shakti, to make the necessary global changes, a new message, an impulse of spiritual power from the Mother Goddess. In order for this to happen, we must first of all accept Shakti into ourselves, into our own minds and hearts, and learn to live in harmony with its rhythms and transformative vibrations, allowing it to purify and change our own, first of all, psychological nature. .
The power of the Divine Feminine is also necessary in order to promote a new birth of a higher consciousness in the world, not only at the level of individual individuals, but at the level of the entire planet. We must recognize the Goddess in all her forms, of which her changing manifestation as Mother Kali is perhaps the most important. We need the grace of the feminine, gentleness and kindness to alleviate the pain and anger that burns us from the inside, the fire of which for many generations has been fueled by greed, vanity and ignorance.
We need to rise above the vicissitudes of human passions and needs by opening our hearts to the life-giving power of Shakti Kali. Mother Kali strives to ensure that we can fully experience and feel her energy, as this will make our lives meaningful for the progress of our souls. We can feel its mystical power again in full manifestation in this unsettled, transitional age. She patiently seeks those who can carry her gracious will.
For true renewal to come, everything old must go. This is the work of the energy of Kali or the force of time. But this is not just some external factor in the destruction of evil in people through good. At present, we mostly live in the “gray zone”, where the purity of the heart is practically not found, does not exist. Meanwhile, no soul is intrinsically evil; the good essence can be resurrected in her if we do it at the right time under the right circumstances. We must get rid of weakness, judgment, pity and narrowness within ourselves.
Negative forces (Asuras, demons) currently have the upper hand, but often the darkest time of the night comes just before dawn, and everything negative must manifest outwardly before it can be completely eliminated. There is no such non-divine force or power that Mother Kali could not find a counterbalance to, could not absorb and dissolve in the higher world.
In our time of chaos and strife, the highest divine power must be revered. We must in our vision rise above the level of our current historical position to the level of cosmic forces. The inevitable ecological changes that are already taking place are designed so that we can take refuge in these benevolent and all-powerful cosmic forms, in order to force us to recognize our dependence on the higher universe and its divine essence. The presence of the Devata, the highest divine force, will again manifest as a surge of merciful energies that will bring a peaceful existence to humanity and the entire Earth.
Mother Kali is the highest manifestation of power behind all spiritual and yogic movements. Mahadevi Kali is Yuga Shakti, the energy of this age, which is heralding a new yoga movement that awakens the power of Shakti. Her role has already been revealed earlier in this era by the great prophets and teachers. Such as Ramakrishna, Yogananda, Aurobindo, Anandamayi Ma and many others who performed their deeds through the power of the Mother Goddess.
There is an urgent need for new avatars and forms of the energy of Kali, for a revival of her worship and for a new and greater flow of her grace. Kali holds the key to our future as a species and to the fate of our souls. Mother Kali has the power to lift humanity to a new level of development, but first we must discover her as the Universal Mother, resting in the fire of the spiritual heart within us.
We need to embrace the purifying fire of Kali so that she can lift us to a new level of enlightenment that will only help solve our personal and global problems. Those who can endure and bear the test of Kali's fire can bring new knowledge into the world. They will open a vision of the future, which is in harmony with eternal truth and universal harmony.
Translation from English:
Shanti Nathini (Maria Nikolaeva)
| Brahma |
This and Krishna- a dark-skinned strong man, the winner of evil demons.
Shiva is the destroyer.
Saraswati,wife Brahma, goddess of speech. mistress of sciences and arts.
Pit-god of death. And many other gods.
 |
| Saraswati |
 |
| Krishna |
All these gods bow before Great Kali. Who is this Kali?Kali-This Mother of all worlds and creatures, which has twice saved peace and order.
In gray times, asuras, evil demons, enemies of people and gods, found themselves a merciless leader Mahishu with the head of a buffalo and in a fierce battle that lasted a hundred years without a break, they defeated the gods. And even though the greatest Indra, anyway, they were broken and thrown out of heaven. Then, by the way, the gods found out what it is like for people to live, because they wandered the earth, like mere mortals, and just as hard to get their daily bread. The villain Mahisha cackled over them, reigning in heaven. The gods proceeded in impotent anger, their lips spewed out flames and a huge fiery cloud appeared - a cloud of anger and a thirst for revenge, hanging over Universe.And suddenly this cloud took shape and from it appeared she, Kali, the woman of vengeance.
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| Shiva |
Flame Shiva became her face. The god of death, Yama, turned into her hair. The lord of the sun created her hands. The god of the moon - her chest. The power of the thunderer strengthened her lower back. The formidable judge strengthened her legs with his flame. sun. In the teeth - the supreme god Brahma.In the eyes of the god of fire. In the eyebrows - twin brothers, the lords of morning and evening twilight. In the nose, the lord of wealth and the lord of mountain spirits. In the ears - the swift-footed god of the wind. And how did she look Kali?great german writer Thomas Mann, retelling an old Indian legend, made a portrait Kali.” Horror was inspired by the statue of Kali. From under the stone vault of the arch, twisted with garlands of skulls and severed hands, an idol appeared, painted with colors, girded and crowned with bones and members of living beings, in a frantic rotation of its eighteen hands.
Swords, torches brandished mother, the blood smoked in the skull, which, like a cup, brought one of her hands to her lips, the blood at her feet spilled like a river. Kali The terrifying one stood in a boat that sailed on the sea of life, on the bloody sea. Animal heads with open glazed eyes, about five or six heads of a buffalo, a pig and a goat were stacked on the altar in a pyramid, and her sword, which cut them off, was sharp, shiny , although stained with gore, lay a little further away, on stone slabs.
The ferocious, goggle-eyed face of the One that brings death and Gives life, the frantic, whirlwind movement of her hands ... "
The defeated gods gave Kali all her magical weapons, and now in her hands were both a trident and a war disk. and a spear, and a wand, and rays, and an ax, and the gods thought that she did not have enough hands to take all the weapons, but for everything, got enough hands eternal mother She sat tightly on a ferocious mountain lion, reined him in, and finally grabbed another cup of wine - and drove off Kali let out a roar not a roar, a cry not a cry, a cry not a cry, but only the mountains shook and the earth trembled, and the lion carried her into battle.
But also Mahisha was strong, and his army was innumerable, thousands of thousands, and all at once, en masse pounced on Kali,Kali Yugu, as she now called herself. Horses and riders, chariots and archers, elephants and battering rams - everything fell upon her. Mother took the first blow and spurred the lion. He himself was a clot of flame, he bit and burned, trampled and tore, swept away with his mane and knocked down with his paw. thousands of soldiers of her assistants.
And everywhere that swept mother, poured streams of enemy, demonic blood.
Mahisha, however, he had not entered the battle yet; everyone thought that his squad could cope without him. But then he realized: it’s a bad thing, and he roared, and beat with hooves, and wagged his tail, and rushed across the field, burning everything in his path.
See what strength he had: he hits the ocean with his tail - and he splashes ashore in fear; he throws up his buffalo muzzle - and the horns break the clouds; he roars - and impregnable mountains turn into sand.
A goddess spat on her palms and threw it onMahishumagic loop, and then leapfrog began, All the sameMahishawas not only terrible, but also smart: he turned into a lion and slipped out of the noose. But also mother was patient: she waved the sword of time and cut off the head of the animal. But for a fraction of a second before complete deathM
ahisha managed to turn into a man - and he was struck down Kali, and the man became an elephant, and the elephant became a buffalo, mother was stubborn - chopped trunks, pulled out horns, and when she was opposed to endless transformations Mahishi, she took a sip from a goblet of wine and laughed madly, her eyes flared up with a wild gleam; between the peals of thunderous laughter, she still shouted Mahishi: "Roar, crazy, while I drink wine!" - and jumped up like a witch, and collapsed on the demon, and crushed it, continuing to laugh, so that the crushed one could not turn into anything else. Kali launched a spear, waiting for the last trick of the demon. He wanted to jump out of his own vile mouth, but Mother of the World was ready and quickly cut off his head. Gods bowed before Eternal Mother, and she - tired, bloody and good-natured now, after such a heavy victory, said to the gods: - whenever danger threatens, a big trouble, oh celestials, call on me, and I will come to your aid. And having said this, she disappeared in their inaccessible temples, to lick their wounds and not to mellow in the hangover of victory and to be in constant combat readiness. How can she not be formidable and terrible if evil demons, taking advantage of the carelessness of the gods, now and then threaten to destroy the world order? mother of all things, she is responsible for everything, and it is better for her to know in what guise to meet the enemy. Note, by the way: in her terrible guise she appeared only after the battle, and no one thought about how she looks in peacetime. Yes, and they forgot about her. She was not needed. Only the peasant women of the southern India and remembered her, making their way through impassable thickets, coming to inaccessible temples mothers and offering sacrifices to her: a kid, various fruits, wine.
Peace on earth. Kama god of love frolic and his victims are happy. Anxiety all around. But the demons do not sleep. A new force has grown in their camp-brothers Shumbha And Nishumbha.And these brothers have such power that Mahisha would envy. And a new war of gods and demons began. Broken gods hid in the mountains, where falls from the sky sacred ganges and begin their earthly life. There is nowhere else to hide. And then they remembered mother existing.
Called for help great goddess. The gods waited for a long time and were taken aback when they saw that no one had appeared from the dense forests. ferocious mother, and near waters of the Ganges appeared gentle mind as beautiful as it is defenseless. The gods were saddened: they need the wrong woman now. And then a miracle happened. Body beautiful Uma as if split in two, she is tender and beautiful, remained right there, but next to her, arose from her Inescapable Mother Kali. She appeared and said:
- It is me who is praised and called upon by the gods, who are again being pressed by demons. great Kali, they call. Me, an angry and merciless warrior. But know that my spirit is enclosed, like a second self, in the body gentle Minds .Harsh Kali And lovely Uma we are two beginnings of one, two faces great goddess...
Who casually speaks of me, ferocious Kali, from that will turn away Uma who will offend Mind, will deal with me, Ferocious ...
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| Goddess Uma |
"A young girl stood at a secluded place of reunion, about to begin a pious rite. She left her sari on the steps of the descent and stood completely naked, dressed only in a necklace, earrings with swinging pendants and a white bandage on her highly gathered magnificent hair. Dazzling was the charm of her body .It all seemed to consist of seductions May and and it was of a charming color, not too dark, but not too light, rather reminiscent of gilded copper, marvelous, with the sweetly fragile shoulders of a child and delightfully convex hips, from which her flat stomach seemed to be heard in the width, with girlish poured buds of breasts and with a magnificent convex backside, tapering upwards and slenderly turning into a delicate narrow back, slightly concave when she raised her hands-vines and closed them at the back of her head so that the dark hollows of her armpits became visible. Not only her body, but also her face was between the swinging pendants charming. Nose, lips, eyebrows and elongated, like a lotus petal, eyes ... "Yes, good Uma; when she inhabits a mortal body, she becomes just that.
Kali black- like anger, like rage, like the face of an old peasant woman spoiled by the sun.
Uma white, so soft.
Kali dressed in the skin of a panther, and around her neck a necklace of skulls.
Uma in a snow-white sari and pollen sandals, bells ring on her feet.
What is common between them? And what is common between them is that Kali guards and protects peace and happiness minds,A Uma need Kali to give rise to generations that Kali will protect from demons. She's beautiful, this Uma, she is omnipotent, this Kali- and she is one.
She is the center of all the love spilled in the world. She is carnal love, rude, and she is infinite Maternal love, she is compassion and hope, therefore they come to her as to intercessor mother.We did not invent this world. It is necessary not only to be born in it, but also to survive and live, and for this you need to be able to protect yourself and protect everything that you love, and dark mother loves all living things and hates all demonic bastards.
won Kali and demons brothers Shumbhu and Nishumbhu.
Well, after the battle again into the dark forests. Again, one of her faces frightens, but her other face delights and basks in love and joy.
The eternal mother, on guard, will not close her eyelids, will not let her die, and everything will be.
And everything will always be.
And all will be well.
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| Mother of the World |
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Indian mythology describes a time when evil forces fought with good ones, and these battles took place quite actively, i.e. with thousands of victims on both sides. The book "Devi Mahatmya" tells about this.
This treatise describes the Goddess (Devi). The Goddess in Hinduism is Shakti, the Power and Desire of God Almighty. It is She, according to Hinduism, who destroys all evil in the world. She is called differently, reflecting Her versatility - Mahamaya, Kali, Durga, Devi, Lolita... There is even the name Allah.
She has many names, the treatise "1000 names of Lolita" by Sri Shankaracharya is known, where he describes Her in a thousand names, the first of which is "The Sacred Mother, who gives not only all the good that a loving Mother gives to her child, but also the highest knowledge, the knowledge of Divine vibrations to those who worship Her". Shri Nishchinta (Worryless), Shri Nihsamshaya (Doubtless), Shri Rakshakari (Savior), Shri Parameshwari (Primary Ruler), Shri Adi Shaktihi (Primary Power, Holy Spirit), Vishva-Garbha (The whole universe is contained in Her) - such the names Shankaracharya characterizes the Power and Will of God Almighty.
Also Shankaracharya and Devi Mahatmya describe the Destructive Power of the Goddess. In any monotheistic religion (and Hinduism is certainly a monotheistic religion) it is said that God Almighty controls both good and evil. Otherwise, He would not be Almighty. So everywhere the Wrath of God Almighty is described, the wrath of terrifying power. One can recall the description of the Last Judgment in the Koran, and the description of the Apocalypse in the Bible - everywhere they talk about the terrible punishments that God brings down on those who followed the paths of evil. The treatise "Devi Mahatmya" was no exception:
Kali - one of the destructive aspects of the Goddess, is described in the seventh chapter.
| 2. Having received such an order (to destroy the Goddess), the daityas (evil forces), led by Chanda and Munda, raised their weapons and set out as an army of four clans (troops). 3. And on the golden peak of a high mountain they saw Devi sitting on a lion with a slight smile. 4. And seeing Tu (Devi), some went to capture Her, while others approached Her, drawing their swords and pulling their bows. 5. Then in Ambika a terrible anger woke up against the enemies, in a rage Her face became pitch black. 6. And from Her high forehead with brows furrowed in anger, Kali suddenly emerged - scary-faced, carrying a sword and a lasso, 7. - Holding a wondrous staff crowned with a skull, adorned with a garland of skulls, dressed in the skin of a tiger, throwing awe at the sight of (Her) wasted flesh, 8. With a wide open mouth, a terribly moving tongue, with deeply sunken scarlet eyes, announcing the cardinal directions with a roar. 9. And headlong falling on the great asuras, killing and devouring the hosts of the enemies of the celestials, 10. She grabbed the elephants with their guards, drivers, warriors, bells with one hand, and threw them into Her mouth ... 15. Some were killed by Her sword, others were struck by the blow of a staff crowned with a skull; other asuras met death, torn to pieces by Her sharp fangs. 16. In the twinkling of an eye, the entire army of the Asuras perished, and seeing this, Chanda (the demon) rushed to the unspeakably terrible Kali. 17. With a terrible shower of arrows, that great asura, as well as Munda (demon) - with a thousand thrown disks, covered (the goddess) with a trembling appearance. 18. But flying into Her mouth, those countless discs seemed to be Discs of many suns, disappearing into the depths of a cloud. 19. And roaring terribly, Kali laughed menacingly in great rage - shuddering fangs shone in Her terrible mouth. 20. Then the Goddess, seated on a great lion, rushed to Chanda and, grabbing his hair, cut off his head with a sword. 21. And seeing the death of Chanda, Munda himself rushed (to the Goddess), but was thrown to the ground by a fierce blow of Her sword. 22. At the sight of the death of Chanda and Munda, great in valor, the remnants of the troops rushed in fear in all directions. 23. And taking up the head of Chanda as well as Munda, Kali approached Chandika and said, alternating words with violent laughter: 24. "I brought you Chanda and Munda, two great animals in a sacrifice-battle, and Shumbha with Nishumbha (other 2 demons) You will kill Yourself!" |
Thus we can understand why the Goddess is given the following names: Shri Ugraprabha (Radiant Rage), Shri Naramandali (Garlanded with Skulls), Shri Krodhini (Cosmic Wrath). But at the same time - Sri Vilasini (Ocean of Joy), Sri Bhogavati (The Supreme Giver of Joy in the World), Sri Manorama (The Highest Divine Grace and Charm) - because She symbolizes the protection of mankind from evil, as well as maternal love and care. According to Devi Mahatmya, She always comes to the rescue of righteous and good people.
Unfortunately, there are always people who can use religion for their own purposes. This is how the cult of Kali arose in India, the founders of which, taking advantage of the ignorance of ordinary villagers, did terrible things, killing people. Representatives of almost all religions sometimes consider themselves entitled to kill in the name of God; here one can recall Muslim martyrs, Christian crusaders, and many others. But the followers of this terrible cult are more appropriate to compare with Satanists, they are so far from the spirit of Hinduism, they misunderstood the essence of the Goddess. As for the time, which is called "Kali Yuga", then there are many wrong views. The time of Kali is the time when human illusions reach their maximum, causing the person to suffer. This was done not at all out of hatred for humanity, but in order for people to think about the source of their suffering, to start looking for Truth and self-realization.
