Goddess of death of horror in Hinduism. Kali Ma in Soviet culture
As you know, in Hinduism, in addition to the supreme deity, there are many other gods and their incarnations. All of them serve the same goal - leading a person along the path of enlightenment, but each uses his own means for this.
The Indian goddess Kali is the destructive form of Parvati, the wife of Shiva. She is depicted, as a rule, dancing on the body of Shiva, with four hands, in one of which she holds the head of a demon with a protruding tongue from which blood drips, and a garland of skulls. It would seem that the image should have made her a negative character, but adherents of Hinduism highly revere her. There is even a special cult dedicated to Kali. The goddess, who is the destructive hypostasis of Shakti, also personifies protection from dark forces and a maternal, caring principle.
Goddess Kali is a manifestation of "divine anger", and not causeless destructive aggression. She gets rid of ignorance and demons, purifying and protecting. She is also associated in Hinduism with great joy: defeating enemies, she always laughs. The Goddess constantly supports honest people. But the adherents of the cult of Kali, misinterpreting Hindu philosophy, performed terrible rites, accompanied by human sacrifice, as a result of which this deity became associated with senseless bloodshed and ruthlessness.
The true essence of this goddess remains in the harmonious union of creative and destructive forces.
The Goddess Kali exists in twelve manifestations-hypostases: the goddess of Creation, Kali of Preservation, Destruction, Restriction, Destruction, Death, Horror, Goddess of the Cosmic Egg, Kali of the Supreme Radiance, Terrible Fire of Time, Great Time and Kali of Fearlessness.
All these forms carry out a gradual transition of consciousness to enlightenment through the acceptance of all objects of the external world, as part of one's Self, and oneself, as the world.
Thus, destruction is the blurring of boundaries between various forms existence.
Goddess Kali destroys the duality of the world and doubt.
The image of this deity includes many symbols: her four hands represent both the cardinal points and the main chakras; three eyes - the three main forces on which the entire philosophy of Hinduism rests: creation, preservation and destruction; a garland of skulls - a series of reincarnations of a person, and a severed head - liberation from the ego; blue skin color - eternity; the corpse under her feet is the frailty of the bodily shell; bloody tongue - guna rajas, and black hair - purity of consciousness.
We see that the goddess Kali embodies all the basic ideas and principles of Hinduism, even if in a strange and maybe even repulsive form. It symbolizes eternal life and victory over petty concerns about the body, ignorance and evil forces.
Despite the fact that she is rarely ranked among the main gods of Hinduism, her image is undoubtedly a typical example for those who strive to comprehend. After all, Kali is also an eternal balance and harmony, the unity of the creative and destructive principles in the form of a female deity.
Kali
Kali(translated from Sanskrit - “black”) - a dark and evil hypostasis, a dark Shakti and a destructive side. The Indian goddess of death, destruction, fear and horror, destroys ignorance, restores world order, frees and blesses those who seek to know God. Her name in the sacred is associated with the god of fire ().
The name Kali appears for the first time in the Ri-gveda. Also known as Kalikamata("black earth mother"), Kalarati("black night"), among the Tamils - as Cottraway. Kalika, Kalika is a form of the name Kali.
Outwardly, the goddess Kali always looks very intimidating. Depicted as a thin, four-armed woman with blue skin and long tousled hair, which form a mysterious curtain of death that envelops all life. Usually naked or dressed in the skin of a panther. In her upper left hand she holds a bloody sword that destroys doubt and duality, in her lower left hand she holds a demon's head, symbolizing the cutting off of the ego. With her upper right hand, she makes a protective gesture that drives away fear, while with her lower right hand she blesses for the fulfillment of all desires. The four hands symbolize the 4 cardinal directions and the 4 main chakras.
Creation, preservation and destruction are governed by the three eyes of the goddess. Kali corresponds to three times: past, present and future. A belt made of human hands, which is thrown over the goddess, means a powerful and inexorable action of karma.
Its dark blue color is the color of infinite cosmic, eternal time, as well as death. This symbolism draws attention to the superiority of Kali over the realm of mortals. Black color means only pure unclouded human consciousness.
The garland of skulls with which she is adorned signifies a series of human incarnations and shows her ability to free the mind from identifying itself with the body. This garland symbolizes wisdom and strength. There are exactly 50 skulls - according to the number of letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. The goddess stands on a corpse, which only confirms the transient nature physical body.
The blood-red tongue symbolizes the rajas guna, the kinetic energy of the universe, symbolized by the color red.
Kali is the many-faced Goddess who presides over life from the moment of conception to death. It symbolizes the cosmic power of eternal time.
At the cosmic level, Kali is associated with the elements of air or wind, vayu, prana. This force pervades the universe as the energy of transformation. It acts quickly and does not leave behind any traces, causing radical changes. Kali is the perception of the lightning of truth that denies all illusions. She embodies creation, preservation and destruction, evokes both love and horror.
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 an avatar, which is a doctrine of a god who from time to time descends into the world of people. 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, who has four red faces looking in different sides. 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 is associated with it. interesting legend, 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. Besides, indian god 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 in question about 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 about 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 Vyasa. 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, the 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 upper hand she compresses a sword covered with the blood of enemies, destroying duality and all sorts of doubts, at the bottom - a severed demon's head, 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 the entire human life, and the 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. Various people talk about it Scientific research, 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 different names and shapes 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.
Still exact amount their victims have not been established, but according to the Guinness Book of Records, there were about 2 million. 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 goddess Kali (meaning "black") is the personification of death and destruction in Hinduism.
She is usually depicted wearing a necklace of skulls, a loincloth of severed hands, her tongue sticking out dripping blood, and holding a severed head.
In time immemorial, the asura Mahisha performed penance for a long time and received the gift of remaining invisible to everyone except a woman. Then he overthrew Indra from the heavenly throne and himself reigned over the world. The gods, unable to endure this humiliation, came to the rulers of the world Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu with a plea to save them from the atrocities of the demon. The flame of anger escaped from the mouths of the gods and merged into a fiery cloud, uniting their forces. From it arose a woman, whose face was the flame of Shiva, her hands - the power of Vishnu, the belt - the power of Indra. Her eyes were created by Agni, the god of fire; the eyebrows are the divine twins of Asivina; teeth - Brahma, hips - the goddess of the earth Prithivi, ears - the wind god Vayu. The celestials armed her with a bow and arrows, a trident and an ax, a club and a noose. The goddess issued a war cry and, riding a lion, rushed into battle. Thousands of enemies, led by Mahisha, attacked her, but the Goddess, as if effortlessly, repelled their attacks, and hundreds of new warriors rushed into battle emerged from her breath. The formidable warrior cut the demons with a sword, stabbed them with a spear, threw arrows at them, threw a noose around their neck and dragged them along the ground. Cliffs and mountains shook, rivers of blood flowed, the sky darkened. But suddenly the goddess jumped up into the air and fell on Mahisha from above. She stepped on his head with her foot and pinned his body to the ground with a spear. Mahisha tried to take on a different appearance and escape from the formidable goddess, but she cut off his head with a sword.
Celebrating the victory, Kali began to dance. Her movements became more and more impetuous, everything shook around her, and the world was threatened with destruction. The gods begged Shiva to stop the frantic dance of the goddess, but even he failed to calm her down. Then Shiva lay down on the ground in front of Kali, and she, continuing to dance, trampled on him until she realized what was happening and stopped the dance. Kali has two sides: creative and destructive. Under the name of Bhowani, she carries a destructive beginning. She demands that animals be sacrificed to her, because she draws energy and strength from living beings, but no one can kill without her permission. In the incarnation of Durga, she destroys evil. If someone wants to enlist her help in the fight against demons, he must present the goddess with a buffalo.
Goddess Kali is one of the incarnations of Devi, or Durga, the wife of Shiva; the personification of the formidable aspect of his divine energy - shakti.
Kali is known for her destructive power, as evidenced by her many names. Shri Ugraprabha (Radiant Rage), Shri Naramandali (Garland of Skulls), Shri Krodhini (Cosmic Wrath) - all these names testify to her anger. But Kali is also called Sri Vilasini (Ocean of Joy), Sri Bhogavati (The Supreme Giver of Joy in the World), Sri Manorama (The Highest Divine Grace and Charm) due to the fact that she symbolizes the protection of mankind from evil, motherly love and care.
Depicted as a thin dark-skinned four-armed and long-haired woman. Usually naked or dressed in the skin of a panther. In her upper left hand she holds a bloody sword that destroys doubt and duality, in her lower left hand she holds a demon's head, symbolizing the cutting off of the ego. With her upper right hand, she makes a protective gesture that drives away fear, while with her lower right hand she blesses for the fulfillment of all desires.
The four hands symbolize 4 cardinal directions and 4 main chakras.
The three eyes of the goddess govern the three powers: creation, preservation and destruction. It also corresponds to the three times: past, present and future, and is the symbol of the Sun, Moon and lightning. She is wearing a belt made of human hands, which denote the inexorable action of karma. Its dark blue color is the color of infinite cosmic, eternal time, as well as death. This symbolism draws attention to the superiority of Kali over the realm of mortals.
The Mahanirvana Tantra says: “Black color includes white, yellow and all other colors. Similarly, Kali contains all other beings.”
Black color symbolizes the unclouded state of pure consciousness. The garland of skulls with which it is adorned signifies a succession of human incarnations. There are exactly 50 skulls - according to the number of Sanskrit letters, a storehouse of power and knowledge. The head carried by Kali represents the ego, the idea 'I am the body', which she destroys. The skulls also show her ability to free the mind from identifying itself with the body. This garland symbolizes wisdom and strength. The tousled hair of the goddess Kali (elokeshi) forms a mysterious curtain of death that envelops all life. The corpse on which she stands indicates the transient and inferior nature of the physical body. The blood-red tongue symbolizes the rajas guna, the kinetic energy of the universe, symbolized by the color red.
Kali is in anahata. It interacts with the physical heart; in this form it is called Rakti-Kali (red Kali), the pulsation of the heart. But beauty is not only charm, it is also horror and even death. Kali is unattainable beauty, unrequited love. Beauty is incomprehensible because it has no form. Kali symbolizes eternal life. Eternal life has a price. Only that which is immortal can be infinite, since nothing can change its nature. Mortal and transitional process will end sooner or later. To benefit from the eternity that is Kali, our mortal nature must be sacrificed. Therefore, Kali appears frightening and destructive to the ordinary eye.
Kali is the many-faced Goddess who leads life from the moment of conception to death. It symbolizes the Cosmic power of eternal time. At the cosmic level, Kali is associated with the elements of air or wind, vayu, prana. This force pervades the universe as the energy of transformation. It acts quickly and does not leave behind any traces, causing radical changes. Kali is the perception of the lightning of truth that denies all illusions. She embodies creation, preservation and destruction, evokes both love and horror. In the human body, Kali exists in the form of breath or life force (prana). The symbol of Kali is the crescent moon.
Worshiping Kali as a Demon Slayer and Powerful Patron Goddess especially common in Bengal, where the main temple dedicated to her Kalighata (in English pronunciation - Calcutta), which gave the name to the capital of Bengal - Calcutta, is located. The second of the best temples of Kali is in Dakshineswar. Kali worshipers drank wine for ritual purposes. During the ritual, believers drank sacred water in three sips, put a mark on the middle of the eyebrows with red powder, red flowers were brought to the image of the goddess and candles were lit. Then a prayer was read, after which, inhaling the aroma of the sacrificial flower, the believers ate the sacrificial offerings. The festival in honor of the goddess is celebrated in early September.
From the 12th to the 19th centuries, a secret sect of thugs, fanatics who devoted themselves to the service of Kali as the goddess of death and destruction, was widespread in India. Tugh bands in central India robbed caravans and killed travelers. The victim was strangled by throwing a rope or scarf around the back of the neck, and then buried with a ritual pick-hoe or thrown into a well. The exact number of their victims is not known for certain, but the Guinness Book of Records attributes two million deaths to their account. In the 1830s, the Governor-General of India, Lord William Bentinck, put an end to the Thugs through mass arrests and executions. In English, the word "thugs" (thugs) has acquired the nominal meaning of "thug killers".
Western cults of mystical and satanic directions mistakenly perceive and describe Kali as a goddess equivalent to the Egyptian deity Set, a brutal bloodsucker and murderer who eats the flesh of her victims. The etymology of the name of the Goddess Kali is associated with the concepts of "time" and "black". The name Kali appears for the first time in the Rig Veda. Also known as Kalikamata ("black earth mother"), Kalarati ("black night"), among the Tamils as Kottaway. Kalike/Kalika is a form of the name Kali.
According to the existing ideas of the Vedic tradition, the “Black Age” is now taking place in our universe ( iron age, machine age) – Kali Yuga. In Hinduism, the last era, after which the renewal of time begins. Characterized by a decline in morality. The Kali Yuga lasts 432,000 human years. Started in 3102 B.C. e.
Among the countless incarnations, incarnations and images of the Goddess Kali, a special place belongs to the mysterious, at the same time calling and frightening, always disturbing the soul and leaving no one indifferent to herself, the formidable Goddess Kali, who contains all conceivable forms and manifestations of divinity - from the most merciful and attractive, to angry, terrifying and unimaginably monstrous.
The cults of the Lady Kali were once ubiquitous. This is confirmed by the evidence of the sacred texts of various religions, it is not refuted by scientific data. The cult of the Black Goddess in ancient times had its direct analogues in the most different corners peace. IN ancient greece met woman's name Calli and the city of Callipolis existed. The ancient Finns, before the introduction of Christianity, revered the Black Goddess named Kalma (which is very similar to Kali Ma). Among the Semitic tribes living in Sinai, the priestesses of the goddess of the moon were called kalu.
The ancient Celts worshiped the Goddess Kele, whose priestesses bore the title of Kelles, from which the modern English name Kelly is commonly believed to derive. Kalek (very similar to Kali Ek) is a sorceress, a Celtic word. And there is more to this than mere coincidences in names. Kali is the Great Mother of all beings, revered under various names and in different forms practically everywhere.
Goddess Kali generously endows her chosen ones with scholarship and a poetic gift. It has long been known that the source of inspiration for all creative people is the Black Goddess. But she has a special weakness for poets, considering them her closest and most valued chosen ones. It happens that the Black Goddess visits the most gifted poets at the moments of their creative insights, each time appearing before them in the form of a dazzlingly beautiful female goddess, bringing them both good and evil, light and darkness, black passion and heavenly pleasure, evil love and the opportunity to become stronger. , but at the same time angrier and more ferocious, tougher and more merciless. Thus the Goddess conducts a cruel selection, exalting the strongest and destroying the weakest. In the world of darkness there is no place for sentiment, complacency and unjustified mercy! Every strong person must receive the black hardening of the soul.
The goddess KALI is very closely connected literally with each of us, connected through the language word forms that we all use, I will give a few examples:
KALInew bridge -
- bridge over the Smorodina River (transition between the world of the living and the world of the dead) from the epic epic.
KALIningrad -
- city (territorially does not border on the Russian Federation).
KALIpso - that was the name of the nymph among the ancient Greeks; Odysseus once lived on her island.
KALIgula - ancient Roman emperor, known for his cruelty.
KALIsharp (graph) - famous mystic, magician, sorcerer and adventurer who called himself by different names...
apoKALIpsis - biblical revelation about the end of the world.
The exKALIdrill - magic sword of King Arthur.
Agree that most of the examples cited are connected either with destruction or with a deep transformation. Both of these actions are under the control of the Goddess Kali.
Sripada Sadasivacharya "The Practice of Worshiping Kali"
Worship Kali ( kali puja) happens various kinds and types. Such worship can be carried out through a yantra (mystical diagram), a murti (temple image), a kalasha (a sacred vessel filled with water or consecrated wine), a sacred fire, a kula-stri (a woman revered as a living image of the Goddess), a kumari (a virgin revered as a Goddess), a symbolic image of a yoni (female womb) or simply a triangular depression in the ground. Worship itself can be very complex and multi-component, and very simple. The complex Kali Puja in Tantric communities is performed by specially trained clergy (Tantrist Brahmins or monastic Jangam priests). The collective Kali-puja performed in the circle (chakra) of initiates can also be quite complex. A simpler and more accessible form of Kali Puja can be performed by anyone at the home altar or in other conditions at any time.
The simplest worship of Kali
The sequence of actions of the simplest Kali-puja, in which Adya-Kali (the highest and Primordial Form of the Mother Goddess) is revered, is as follows:
1) The sadhaka bathes and puts on clean clothes (preferably used exclusively for ritual purposes). Acamana (drinking previously consecrated water) should be performed in three sips with mantras:
OM ATMA-TATTVAYA SVAHA(Om. May the essence of the soul be good!)OM SHAKTI-TATTVAYA SVAHA(Om. May the essence of Shakti be good!)
OM SHIVA-TATTVAYA SVAHA(Om. May the essence of Shiva be good!)
After that, tripundra (Shaivite tilaka) should be applied to the forehead with sacred ashes, and Shakti Devi’s tilaka (usually kumkuma, a special red powder) is used for this, while concentrating the mind on Shiva and Shakti.
2) Having prepared water, gandha (scented oil or sandalwood paste), flowers (preferably red), incense sticks, a lamp with oil wicks, naivedya (a sacrificial treat) and, if desired, other offerings (for example, jewelry, pieces of beautiful fabric, wine, previously purified by the shodhana ritual, etc.), the sadhaka places these objects on a tray in front of the altar, and he himself sits down on a mat (asana) in front of the image or symbol of the Goddess. It is advisable to light a “duty lamp” or a candle on the altar or in front of it, which should burn at least during the worship of the Divine Mother.
3) Having again performed achamana with the above-mentioned mantras, the sadhaka performs some simple pranayama, and then folds the fingers of both hands into yoni mudra, after holding a flower between the palms. Keeping the yoni mudra at the level of the anahata chakra, one should read the “Adya-Kali-svarupa-stotra”.
- The sound of the mantras KRIM, KHRIM and SHRIM reflects the sting of Death, - Thus one hundred names of the Primordial Goddess Kalika are glorified, beginning with the syllable "KA". Proclaimed together, they form the essential Image of Kali.
The recitation of this stotra instantly evokes the invisible, but often quite tangible, presence of Adya-Kali in any image or symbol in which the sadhaka is going to honor Her. After reciting the stotra, the sadhaka places the flower on the yantra (or some other image or symbol of the Goddess) and bows.
4) The presence of the Goddess in an image or symbol is welcomed by bowing and reciting the mantra:
NAMAH SARVA-SVARUPINYAI JAGAD-DHATRYAI NAMO NAMAH |ADYAYAI KALIKAYAI TE KARTRYAI HARTRYAI NAMO NAMAH ||
“Worship to the Essential Image of all things, worship to the Support of the Universe!
Primordial Kalika, - You, the Creator and the Destroyer, - worship!
5) Some sacrificial offerings should be offered to the Goddess. reciting the mula mantra of Adya Kali at the same time:
HRIM SHRIM KRIM PARAMESHVARI KALIKE SVAHA“Chrome. Shrim. Krim. O Supreme Goddess Kalika! [I sacrifice all this to You] for good!”
Any offering can be offered to the Goddess by reciting this mantra. At least one red flower, fruit, or incense stick can be offered. By mentally repeating this mantra throughout the day, the sadhaka offers the Goddess as a gift all her experiences. In fact, this mantra is the strongest means of dedicating yourself and all manifestations of your life to the Primordial Goddess Kali.
6) Having made a puja (offering of available gifts), one should take in right hand rosary (japamalu) and say: AIM HRIM AKSHA-MALIKAYAI NAMAH(“Aim. Khrim. Adoration of the sacred rosary!”)
7) The sadhaka can, if he wishes, continue worshiping the Goddess by reading other hymns dedicated to Her (stotras) - for example, “Kalika-sahasranama-stotras” or “Devi-mahatmya”, sing Shakta bhajans, chant mantras and offer prayers (including in his native language). Appropriately initiated and trained correct execution homas (fire sacrifices) and balidans (animal sacrifices) can also perform these rites. It is necessary to finish the worship with reading and thus betray oneself under the protection of the Mother Goddess.
8) At the end of the worship, one should read an apologetic prayer and prayers that complete the worship of Shakti:
PRASID BHAGAVATY-AMBA PRASID BHAKTA-VATSALE |
PRASADAM KURU ME DEVI ADYA-KALI NAMO'STU TE ||
“Have mercy, O Mother Goddess! Have mercy, O Lover of Your bhaktas!
Have mercy on me, O Goddess! O Primordial Kali, worship to You!”
AYUR-DEHI DHANAM DEHI VIDYAM DEHI MAHESHVARI |
SAMASTAM-AKHIDAM DEHI DEHI ME PARAMESHVARI | |
Grant life, grant wealth, grant knowledge, O Great Goddess!
Grant all that is necessary in abundance, grant me, O Highest Goddess!
MA BHUTATRA KULE JANMA YATRA DEVI AT DAIWATAM |
AHAM DEVI NA CHA'NYOSMI BRAHMAIVAHAM NA SHOKABHAK ||
“May I not be born in such a family where the Goddess is not revered as a Deity!
I myself am the Goddess and nothing else, I am truly Brahman, who does not taste suffering!”
9) Realizing himself as inseparable from the Goddess, the sadhaka folds his hands in the samhara mudra and, grabbing the flower from the yantra (or another revered symbol of the Mother) with his fingertips, meditates on absorbing the energy of the presence of the Divine, while inhaling the ida (right nostril) the fragrance of the flower. After that, you should put a flower on your head and take communion with offerings donated to the Mother.
Before starting to practice such worship of Shakti, one should ask for the blessing of the spiritual teacher of the Tantric Tradition on him. It is especially important to hear the mula mantra from the guru. Only correctly and legally received mantras and puja practices are able to bring the expected results to the practitioner. It is important to remember the following: the Mother Goddess is not a servant of anyone's whims, and they do not “work” with Her (and Her sacred symbols and images), like psychics, with subtle energies. The Divine Mother is worshiped, She is served with sincere soul and heart, She is wholly surrendered to, She is loved. One who correctly understands the nature of the Goddess considers the very possibility of devotional service to Her not so much as a means of receiving from Her desired results, how much as an invaluable gift of personal relationships with Her. Devotion (bhakti) to the Goddess arises in those who worship Her without self-interest and hypocrisy as a result of Her special mercy. And the life of those who are marked by this grace of the Mother Goddess acquires a special meaning.
Special Mantras for Worshiping Shakti Devi
1). Mantra for Navratri (pronounced on the morning of the first day of the holiday):
KARISYAMI VRATHAM MATAR-NAVARATRAM-ANUTTAMAM
SAHAYAM KURU ME DEVI JAGADAMBA MAM-AKHILAM
(O Mother, I intend to perform an excellent Navaratra vrata. Support me in this intention and in this action in every way, oh Divine Mother universe!)
2). Mantra for dedication to the Mother Goddess of all your actions during the day (pronounced in the morning immediately after waking up):
PRATAR-UTTHAYA SAYAHNAM SAYAHNAT PRATAR-ANTATAH
YAT KAROMI JAGAN-MATAS-TAD-EVA TAVA PUJANAM
(O Mother of the universe! Everything that I will do from morning to evening and from evening until the next morning - all this will be my service to You!)
3). Mantras for the expulsion of unclean spirits that interfere with the performance of rites of worship (pronounced with the simultaneous sprinkling of consecrated water on all sides of the space): /p>
APASARPANTHU BHUTHANI PISACAH SARVATODISHAM
SARVESHAM VIRODHENA PUJA-KARMA-SAMARABHE
(Retreat, oh bhutas and pishachas, in all directions! Performing puja brings only benefit to everyone!)
APASARPANTU TE BHUTA YE BHUTA BHUMI-PALAKAH
BHUTANAM-AVIRODHENA PUJA-KARMA KAROMY-AHAM
(Step aside, O bhutas, guardian spirits of this place! I want to perform puja without the spirits interfering with me.)
4). Mantra-prayer for sin (can be said before the puja and at the end of it, as well as at any time in order to destroy the sinful inclinations of the mind):
DEVI TVAM PRAKRTAM CHITTAM PAPA-KRANTAM-ABHUN-MAMA
TAN-NIH SARAYA CHITTAN-ME PAPAM HUM PHAT CHA TE NAMAH
(Oh Goddess, my insignificant philistine mind is overwhelmed with sinful desires. Eliminate sin from my mind! HUM PHAT. Worship You!)
OM SARVAM ADYA-KALIKARPANAM ASTU
May everything be offered as a sacrifice to the Primordial Kalika!
"Kali ma keeps us..." Many people remember the gloomy chants of the fanatics in the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, where the main character faces the evil adherents of the cult of the goddess Kali, who demand bloody human sacrifices. Magnificent in itself, the film made the image of the goddess very bad "advertising". Meanwhile, in reality, everything is not at all as simple as Hollywood portrayed it.
Appearance of Kali
The worship of the mother goddess as the source of life and fertility has prehistoric roots, but the transformation of this worship into the image of the great goddess and the personification of cosmic forces took place around the fifth or sixth century, with the advent of the sacred text of Shaktism "Devi Mahatmya" when an attempt was made to unite the Vedic male pantheon and the female cult.
Kali appears as emanation of "power" image"invincible" and "unreachable" Goddess Durga, the winner of demons, in the battle of "divine" and "anti-divine" forces. According to legend, the evil demon, asura Mahisha, seized power over the world by force and cunning. The gods jointly created an invincible warrior who combined the flame, power, strength of Indra and the fighting abilities of many other celestials.
With a wild war cry, she rushed into battle, destroying thousands of enemies. Entire armies arose from her breath, also rushing to attack the demons. Mountains collapsed, blood flowed like a river, the sky itself turned black with horror. crushed warrior goddess Mahishu and, pinning him to the ground, cut off his head with a sword.
But she was so intoxicated and poisoned by blood and fight that she could not stop, starting to destroy everything that surrounded her. And then, celebrating the victory, Kali started a frenzied dance, shaking the whole world and threatening to destroy it.
Then Shiva turned into a crying child, and lay down in front of her on the battlefield strewn with corpses (according to another version, he simply fell to the ground in front of her, and she stepped on him in a dance). Deceived by his illusions, Kali stopped and stuck out her tongue in surprise, and then began to soothe and breastfeed the baby. And in the evening, in order to appease the goddess, Shiva performed the dance of creation (“tandava”), and the admiring Kali and her retinue joined him.
“Terrible on the face, kind inside?”
This unique goddess has, perhaps, the most terrifying appearance among the entire host of gods. She is portrayed as four-armed thin woman with black or blue skin, usually naked or half dressed in the skin of a panther. In one hand, Kali holds a sword, in the other - the head of the demon she killed, with the other two she blesses her followers and makes a gesture that drives away fear. She has two dead bodies as earrings, a necklace of skulls on her chest, a belt made of severed human hands. Her tongue is stuck out of her mouth, her eyes sparkle with blood-red fire, her face and body are covered in blood. With one foot she tramples the body of her husband, Shiva.
This formidable image is described in detail in many ancient and modern texts. However, despite the fact that it is filled, it would seem, exclusively with symbols of death, fear and destruction, the first impression is incomplete and incorrect - all these symbols, including her very name ( "kali" in Sanskrit means "black") have a much deeper meaning, and most often - many different meanings.
By the way, Kali has many other names and nicknames: “radiating rage”, “dressed in a garland of skulls”, “cosmic anger” ... But these same people call Kali “an ocean of joy”, “the supreme giver of joy in the world”, “the highest divine mercy and charm”, remembering that she protects them from evil and gives motherly love, tenderness and care.
Inexhaustible and unsurpassed symbolism
The blackness of Kali symbolizes her all-encompassing and complex nature, since black is the basis for all others, absorbs and dissolves them. “Just as all colors disappear into black, all names and forms disappear into it” (“Mahanirvana Tantra”). On the other hand, blackness represents the complete absence of color, again denoting the content of Kali as the ultimate reality. In Sanskrit, this is called "nirguna" - qualities beyond specification.
Black color means an unclouded state of pure consciousness, the infinity of the cosmos and the eternity of time. He also symbolizes the supremacy of Kali over all things, including over the kingdom of death. The poet writes that Kali is perceived as black only with long distance and compares it with the sky or the ocean - they seem to have a blue color, but look at the sky closely or take water in your palm - and you will see that they have no color at all.
Kali's nakedness has a similar meaning. In many cases it is described as dressed in sky or space. In her absolute, primordial nakedness, Kali is free from all illusory veils. It represents nature, matter (“prakriti” in Sanskrit), considered in its true form, without any mystifications, false effects, distorted consciousness (“maya”). Kali symbolizes the bright fire of truths which cannot be hidden under the coarse garments of ignorance. Such truths simply burn them.
An image comparable to the whole universe
Kali's full breast symbolizes motherhood as a continuous act of creation, disheveled hair forms a veil of illusion, a fabric of space-time that organizes matter from the sea foam of primordial chaos. Her necklace of fifty human heads - a series of human incarnations, and each of these heads represents one of the fifty letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, which generally symbolizes a storehouse of knowledge and wisdom.
She wears belt of severed human hands, which are the main tools of human labor - thus the action of karma is indicated. But the obligatory nature of karma can be overcome and broken unilaterally - through devotion to Kali: she can snatch those who are dedicated to her from the cycle of karma.
Her white teeth are a symbol of purity, and the protruding red tongue reflects the fact that she accepts and consumes all things, including those that are considered “forbidden” by society.
Four hands the goddesses represent the full circle of creation and destruction that is contained within her, the four cardinal directions, the four main chakras, and both the creative and destructive rhythms of the cosmos. Her right hands, making signs of blessing and expelling fear, represent creative aspect Kali, while the left hands holding a bloodied sword and a severed head represent her destructive aspect.
These objects themselves, the sword and the head, symbolize the destruction of ignorance and the dawn of knowledge. Moreover, this sword of knowledge cuts the knots of ignorance and destroys "false consciousness"(severed head). With the same sword, Kali opens the gates of freedom, cutting off the eight bonds that bind human beings.
Finally, her three eyes represent the sun, moon and fire (or lightning) as well as creation, preservation and destruction. With their help, Kali has the ability to observe three periods of time: past, present and future. This attribute also explains the true, hidden origin of the name Kali: it is the feminine form of the word "kala" - the Sanskrit term for time.
Masculine, feminine and creative
The image of Shiva lying under the feet of Kali symbolizes not only the superiority of the spiritual aspect of being over the physical but also the passive male potential of creation. Kali, his wife, is also his "shakti" (this word has many meanings, including "power", "strength", divine energy, etc.) - i.e. feminine creations, charging the power of a male deity.
Another name for Shiva's shakti is Devi, from the root 'div', which means 'brilliance'. Therefore, this goddess is called "radiant." Shakti expresses the life-giving power of the Universe and is reflected in the very name of Shiva: in the absence of shakti, Shiva becomes simply “seam”, which means “corpse” in Sanskrit. Thus, it is assumed that without his shakti, Shiva is powerless, inert, or simply dead.
The image of Kali is most suitable for displaying the idea of the world as a game of the gods. Spontaneous, dizzying creative reflexes are conveyed in her wild appearance. Since Kali is identified with the phenomenal world, she is a picture of this world, which has an ephemeral and unpredictable character.
Her frenzied dances, disheveled hair and terrible howl are hint at our world, which, with shaking and roaring, is carried away into infinity, beyond the control of people. All things are created and destroyed in the wild dance of Kali, and man must realize that he is only invited to take a temporary and feasible part in this frantic dance of life and death performed by eternal mother nature.
With all that said, it is clear that the black goddess is considered a source of inspiration for all creative people, and first of all - poets whom she considers her favorites and chosen ones.
"Love me with all your heart..."
And for simple, ordinary people, her most important human and maternal qualities. In human relationships, the feelings between mother and child are generally considered to be the purest and strongest. Likewise, the love between the mother goddess Kali and her human offspring is particularly strong and tender.
However, while worshiping Kali, people never forget about her demonic, frightening essence. They do not distort the nature of the goddess and the truths hidden in her. They constantly mention it in prayers and hymns, but this does not repel them at all.
Kali can be intimidating and downright insane potential destroyer of the world, but she is mother of all things. And as such, children should always accept it - sometimes with amazement and awe, but still accept it. The soul that worships the goddess always remains a small child, and the soul that becomes a child finds in the goddess a mother.
In the meditation before the holy gifts, a delightful certainty is expressed: “My child, you do not need to know much to please me. Just love me with all your heart. Talk to me the way you would talk to your mother if she took you in her arms…”
Image of Kali different ways teaches a person that pain, sadness, decay, death and destruction cannot be overcome or conquered by denying them or driving thoughts of them away from your mind. Pain and sadness are woven into the fabric of human life so carefully that it is ultimately useless and pointless to deny them. To realize the fullness of your being and use your potential as human being, a person must fully accept this dimension of being.
Trying to conquer death, ignoring or forgetting about it, imagining oneself as physically immortal, putting one's ego at the center of the universe, means to arouse Kali's sarcastic laughter. Confronting death, understanding its essence and accepting it, on the contrary, means participating with pleasure in the eternal game of the gods.
To accept your mortality is to become free, learn to really sing, dance and scream with happiness, as children do. Kali becomes a mother to her children not because she protects them from natural way of being, on the contrary, it reveals to them their mortal essence and thereby liberates them, freeing them from the fetters that fetter everyone else with the chains of “adult” pretentiousness, practicality and rationality.
Cult of Kali
The worship of Kali in India is great and universal, but especially strong in Bengal. main temple Kali, Kalighata (in English pronunciation - Calcutta) and gave the name to the capital of the whole state. The second largest temple is located in Dakshineswar.
During the ritual of worshiping the goddess, one should drink wine and sacred water, apply, present red flowers to the images of the goddess and light candles. This is followed by the reading of prayers, after which you can finally start eating sacrificial offerings.
This holiday celebrated at the beginning of September. Especially massive and enthusiastic veneration of the goddess, according to historians, was observed during the period of the sultanates of the XIII - XIV centuries. As for the fanatics who devoted themselves to serving Kali as the goddess of death and destruction - yes, those called "tugs" really were also in medieval India. They robbed, killed, performed ritual sacrifices. Moreover, the number of their victims was so great that the word "tug" acquired a nominal meaning and even entered the English language with the meaning of "thug-killer". And yet, this part of the story is only one of the hypostases of the many-sided Black Goddess.
