| Kali | |
|---|---|
Goddess of Time, Death and Destruction | |
| Member of the Ten Mahavidyas | |
 Kali by Raja Ravi Varma | |
| Affiliation | |
| Abode | Cremation grounds (but varies by interpretation), Manidvipa |
| Mantra |
|
| Weapon | Scimitar, Trishula (Trident) |
| Day | Tuesday and Friday |
| Mount | Canids |
| Texts | Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Devi Mahatmya, Kalika Purana, Shakta Upanishads, Tantras |
| Gender | Female |
| Festivals | |
| Consort | Shiva |
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Kali (/ˈkɑːliː/; Sanskrit: काली, IAST: Kālī), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. The origins of Kali can be traced to the pre-Vedic and Vedic era Goddess worship traditions in Ancient India.[1] Kali is the first of the ten Mahavidyas in the Hindu tantric tradition and is the supreme deity in the Kalikula worship tradition.[2]
The first major appearance of Kali in the Sanskrit literature was in the sixth-century CE text Devi Mahatmya.[1] Kali appears in numerous stories, with her most famous being when she sprang from the goddess Durga's fury to defeat the demon Raktabija. She is stated to destroy evil and defend the innocent. Kali is worshipped as the Divine Mother, Mother of the Universe, and Divine feminine energy.[3][4][5]
Shakta and Tantric sects additionally worship Kali as the ultimate reality or Brahman.[5] She is also seen as the divine protector and bestower of moksha (liberation).[3] Worshipped throughout South Asia but particularly in Nepal, Southern India, Bengal, and Assam, Kali is a central figure in the goddess-centric traditions of Hinduism as well as in Shaivism.[1][6]
- ^ a b c "Kali". Encyclopædia Britannica. 31 July 2024.
- ^ "The Significance of Dus Mahavidya". The Times Of India. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ a b Hawley, John Stratton; Wulff, Donna Marie (1982). Sri Ramakrishna: The Spiritual Glow. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 152.
- ^ Harding, Elizabeth U. (1993). Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar. Nicolas Hays. ISBN 978-8120814509.
- ^ a b McDaniel, June (2004). Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal. Oxford University Press.
- ^ "Dakshin Kali Khadgamala Stotra: A Hymn to the Fierce and Compassionate Goddess from Rudrayamal Tantra - Aghori Stories". aghoristories.com. Retrieved 6 May 2024.