Kali

2004-11-30T16:08:12Z

Jportugal: The mother of the World and Time

== Introduction ==

The supreme Goddess, '''Kali''', the Mother of the World and Time, the only goddess with power enough to save the Humankind from the evil, sins, disasters, protecting us from all the occurrences that can kill us or make us ill, through her grace there is no limits to Men.
The goddess Kali is also associated with Ganga, also a Mother. This two goddess are often connoted to be sisters, but '''Kali''' is more powerful that ''Ganga'' and likely ''Ganga'' could be seen as a daughter of '''Kali'''.
The worship of '''Kali''' in India is very popular, with special relevance in the Eastern, where she’s worshipped both at home in her benevolent aspect, associated with ''karma'' ideologies and in shrines associated a [[tantric]] rituals. Besides daily deities the Goddess '''Kali''' is also object of special worships on special dates like the day of ''Dipavali''. Her ''Vijamantra'' is ''Krim'', the mantra of ''Kriya Yoga'', the [[Yoga]] of practice. Animal sacrifice is used in some occasions during the worship of '''Kali'''.

== Historic Background ==

'''Kali''' is regarded as one of the famous deities in India. The earliest reference of Kali can be found in the ''Mundak Upanishad''. Also in the ''Oriya Ramayana'' written by ''Balaram Das'' in 15 A.D. we can see a vivid description of ''Kali'' and in ''Shyamasaparyavidhi'' written by ''Kasinath'' in the year 1699 A.D. a reference of '''Kali''' worship.
''Hindu Vedic'' literature associates '''Kali''' with the goddess ''Nirtti'' since both of them are dark complexioned, but in [[post-vedic]] period ''Nirtti'' had lost popularity and Kali raise in importance and deities
Some believe '''Kali''' is the later form of ''Vedic'' goddess -''Nirtti''.
The actual forms of '''Kali''' worship are based in three texts: ''Kali Tantra'', ''Tantrasara'' and ''Shyamarahasya''.

== Kali Forms ==

The four arms of '''Kali''' are believed to represent the complete circle of creation and destruction, a energy of transformation and spiritual awakening, both contained within her.
In her right hands, making the [[mudra]] position of “fear not” and conferring boons, are the creative aspect of '''Kali'''.
Her left hands, holding sword and a head are her destructive aspect. The bloodied sword and severed head symbolize the destruction of ignorance and apathy, the awakening for the knowledge, in this frame we can assume that the sword that she holds are the sword of knowledge it self, that cuts the roots of ignorance and dismember the false consciousness (the severed head) from the body.
Her three eyes represent the sun, the moon, and the fire, with which she sees though the past, the present and the future. This last tree attributes are also the reason of the name '''Kali''', which is the feminine form of ‘Kala’, a ''Sanskrit'' term for Time.

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Kali