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3 different versions of her birth in Hindu texts:

1. Goddess Sheds her dark skin, which gives rise to Kali

2. Kali emerges from the forehead of the irate goddess, Durga, as she attempts to slay demons

3. She was created by the combined sacred energy of the gods to destroy a demon

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Kali, the goddess of death and time is believed to be an incarnation of the wife of Shiva, Parvati. She is also the embodiment of feminine energy, creativity, and fertility. She is a Hindu symbol of motherly love and liberation from the body.

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Depicted wearing a garland of skulls and a skirt of dismembered arms (a symbol of her having liberated her children from their attachment to their bodies), she also holds a sword and a severed head dripping with blood (a symbol of her identity as a demon slayer), and her skin is sometimes black or dark blue (a depiction of the womb of existence). She is also depicted with three eyes which represent time-- the past, present, and future.

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As an embodiment of time, Kali is sometimes argued to:

devour all things

slay demons

And while time is all consuming, many Hindus also believe one's spiritual maturity determines how they might view Kali. A person attached to his or her ego might view Kali as destructive and fearsome; however, those with mature souls without the illusion of ego may view her as affectionate to her children (believers).

Kali can...

represent the benevolence of a mother goddess

provide complete moksha for her children

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Kali- 'she who is black' or 'she who is death'
"Kal" (in sanskrit) = time

She is also known as...
...Chaturbhuja Kali, Chinnamastā, or Kaushika

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Husband= God Shiva (only he has the power to calm her from rage)

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1. Kali: core form

2. Matangi Kali: the violent reincartnation of the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati

3. Chhinna Masta: strangest form of the goddess, beheaded avatar holds its own head to drink the blood from the body's throat while standing over a couple- symbolizes destruction and creation together

4. Shamsana Kali: very human representation of the goddess who presides over the affairs of the crematorium

5. Bagala Kali: very beautiful and dangerous form of Kali, shown pulling out the tongues of demons

6. Bahairavi Kali: mother defending her children from evils

7. Tara: the most distinct and violent form of Kali (light blue complexion)

8. Shodoshi: portrayed as a seductress

9. Kamala Kali: a tantric form of the goddess of wealth and prosperity (sometimes depicted with elephants by her side)

10. Dhumavati: representation of the goddess as a widow (spirit of smoke)

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Influence of Knowledge of Kali on Knowledge of Hinduism as a Whole

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Influence of Knowledge of Kali on Knowledge of Hinduism as a Whole

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By understanding some of the gods and goddesses of this religion, we are able to glean an understanding of the most important ideas and values of Hindus overall.

Kali is the goddess of death and time, and as such her greatest attribution is her ability to grant moksha. Her seemingly gorey avatars symbolize a liberation of the cycle of life in death. An integral part of Hinduism is the belief in reincarnation and moksha (liberation from this cycle), ideas which are all represented in the characteristics, portrayal, and myths associated with Kali.

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Relatability to Major Hindu Concept of "Moksha"

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Relatability to Major Hindu Concept of "Moksha"

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Moksha is liberation: the soul's release from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Kali, as the goddess of death and time, is the bestower of Moksha.
She is the goddess who grants this blessing to followers of this religion by destroying their self-centered view of reality.

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The Slayer of Raktabija (the infinity demon)

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The Slayer of Raktabija (the infinity demon)

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The demon Raktabija, when wounded would be reborn in the form of clones for each drop of blood that hit the ground.
Devi Durga and her assistants (the Matrikas) wound the demon, Raktabija, in an attempt to destroy him. They worsened the situation, as every drop of Raktabija's blood hit the ground, a clone of the demon was born. In one version of the story, the gods combine all of their divine energy to create a being that could destroy Raktabija. In another version of the tale, only Durga produces/summons Kali. Kali is said to have swallowed the duplicate demons whole, and Raktabija was killed when she cut his head off and drank all of his blood so no more demons could terrorize the earth.