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When there were neither the creation, nor the sun, the moon, the planets, and the earth, there was only darkness and everything was created from the darkness. The Dark appearance of Dakshina kali represents the darkness from which everything was born. Sometimes her complexion is deep blue, like the [[sky]] and [[ocean]]. As she is also the goddess of Preservation Dakshina Kali is worshiped as mother to preserve the [[nature]]. Dakshina Kali is standing calm on [[Shiva]] ,her appearance represents the preservation of mother nature. Her free, long and black hair represents nature's freedom from [[civilization]]. Under the third eye of Dakshina kali, the signs of both sun, moon and fire are visible which represent the driving forces of [[nature]].Dakshina Kali is not always thought of as a Dark Goddess. Despite Dakshina Kali’s origins in battle, She evolved to a full-fledged symbol of Mother Nature in Her creative, nurturing and devouring aspects. She is referred as a great and loving primordial Mother Goddess in the Hindu tantric tradition. In this aspect, as Mother Goddess, she is called as Kali Ma, meaning Kali Mother, and millions of Hindus revere Her as such.<ref name="Sister Nivedita">Kali the Mother, Sister Nivedita p. 25.</ref>
When there were neither the creation, nor the sun, the moon, the planets, and the earth, there was only darkness and everything was created from the darkness. The Dark appearance of Dakshina kali represents the darkness from which everything was born. Sometimes her complexion is deep blue, like the [[sky]] and [[ocean]]. As she is also the goddess of Preservation Dakshina Kali is worshiped as mother to preserve the [[nature]]. Dakshina Kali is standing calm on [[Shiva]] ,her appearance represents the preservation of mother nature. Her free, long and black hair represents nature's freedom from [[civilization]]. Under the third eye of Dakshina kali, the signs of both sun, moon and fire are visible which represent the driving forces of [[nature]].Dakshina Kali is not always thought of as a Dark Goddess. Despite Dakshina Kali’s origins in battle, She evolved to a full-fledged symbol of Mother Nature in Her creative, nurturing and devouring aspects. She is referred as a great and loving primordial Mother Goddess in the Hindu tantric tradition. In this aspect, as Mother Goddess, she is called as Kali Ma, meaning Kali Mother, and millions of Hindus revere Her as such.<ref name="Sister Nivedita">Kali the Mother, Sister Nivedita p. 25.</ref>

==Yantra==
[[File:Kali_yantra_color.jpg|thumb|Dakshina Kali Yantra]]

Goddesses play an important role in the study and practice of [[Tantra]] Yoga, and are affirmed to be as central to discerning the nature of reality as are the male deities. Although [[Parvati]] is often said to be the recipient and student of [[Shiva]]'s wisdom in the form of ''Tantras'', it is Kali who seems to dominate much of the Tantric iconography, texts, and rituals.<ref name="D. Kinsley p. 122">D. Kinsley p. 122.</ref> In many sources Kali is praised as the highest reality or greatest of all deities. The ''Nirvana-tantra'' says the gods [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]], and [[Shiva]] all arise from her like bubbles in the sea, ceaselessly arising and passing away, leaving their original source unchanged. The ''Niruttara-tantra'' and the ''Picchila-tantra'' declare all of Kali's mantras to be the greatest and the ''Yogini-tantra'', ''Kamakhya-tantra'' and the ''Niruttara-tantra'' all proclaim Kali ''vidyas'' (manifestations of ''Mahadevi'', or "divinity itself"). They declare her to be an essence of her own form (''svarupa'') of the ''Mahadevi''.<ref>D. Kinsley, pp. 122–123.</ref>


==Mantra==
==Mantra==

Revision as of 05:15, 10 October 2016

Dakshina Kali
Devanagariदक्षिणा काली

Dakshina kali (Bengali: দক্ষিণাকালী, Sanskrit: दक्षिणा काली) is the most popular form of Hindu goddess Kali and is the goddess of fertility and power. She is considered to be the consort of Shiva. The form of goddess is worshiped in India as a great Mother figure. The Dakshina kali iconography is different from Mahakali ( Goddess of time and death ) and Smashan Kali (who is worshiped at Cremation grounds). Dakshina kali is highly associated with Mother Nature and Shakti (Power).[1] According to the devotees of Dakshina kali she is the ultimate truth who consumes fear. The Kali idol in Dakshineswar Kali Temple called Bhavatarini Kali is Dakshina kali.She stands, with her right foot on the chest of shiva (one meaning of "dakshina"). Unlike Smashan Kali, Hindus Dakshina Kali at home as a loving benevolent mother.[2][better source needed] So today while she is venerated as Chamunda, a deity who verges on the macabre and grotesque, she is also adored in household shrines in one of her milder forms, Dakshina-Kali. It is this evolution of Kali—from her origin as a tantric goddess to her metamorphosis into a divinity in mainstream religion.[3][better source needed]

Origin

Krishnananda Agamavagisha (born in 1533 to a Vaishnavism family), the author of the Brihat Tantrasara wanted to portray Kali as a benevolent mother as he understood the deep iconography of her which is based on mother nature. One dawn when Krishnananda came out of his house, he found a young cowherdess engaged in her work. She was standing with the right knee thrown to the front and the left leg firm behind in a slanting position. Her complexion was dark. Her hair was open and the black lady was keeping her hands as raised. On the sudden consciousness of being noticed by Krishnananda the woman felt very much ashamed and pressed her tongue that lolled with her teeth. The appearance of the woman as seen by Krishnananda Agamavagisha is worshipped as the image of Dakshina Kali.[4][unreliable source?][5][unreliable source?]

Iconography

A gentle Kali idol, in Bengal, India

Dakshina Kali’s four arms represent the complete circle of creation and destruction of evil forces, which is contained within her. She represents the inherent creative and destructive rhythms of the cosmos.The head that hangs in Dakshina Kali's hand is a symbol of ego and ignorance and the scimitar which she is holding represents power and wisdom. The scimitar has a single eye. It is a wisdom eye. Symbolically, it is the scimitar of wisdom that cuts through the ego and ignorance that keeps a human being from realizing the Self.It is believed that Dakshina Kali is protecting the human race by that scimitar and also destroying the negativity and ego within human being. The body lying under Kali symbolizes ruination, is actually a form of Shiva. Dakshina Kali steps her right leg on the chest of the body and suppress ruination . Since she is standing on the pure white chest of Lord Shiva who, as pure primal awareness, lays in a passive reclining position, peacefully lies with his eyes half open in a state of bliss.Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says "Shiva and Kali are like fire and its power to burn, like milk and its whiteness." From the union of Shiva and Kali the multiverse arises. Her hair is long, black and flowing freely depicting Her freedom from convention and the confines of conceptualization.[6] The white teeth which Kali has stands for conscience and her red tongue represents greed. By pressing her white teeth on her tongue Kali refers to control greed. The goddess may appear terrible from outside but every symbol in Kali signifies truth of life. Since the earth was created out of darkness, the color of Dakshina Kali symbolizes the color from which creation takes place. Her right hand side arms she shows the Abhaya mudra(gesture of fearlessness by upper right hand) and Vara mudra (gesture of welcome and charity by lower right arm) respectively . But on the other arm in left side she holds a bloody scimitar (by upper left hand) and a severed head (by lower left hand) depicting destruction and end of ego. She wears a girdle of severed arms on her waist, symbolizing that she is independent of human actions.[7]

Dakshina Kali as a symbol of Mother Nature

When there were neither the creation, nor the sun, the moon, the planets, and the earth, there was only darkness and everything was created from the darkness. The Dark appearance of Dakshina kali represents the darkness from which everything was born. Sometimes her complexion is deep blue, like the sky and ocean. As she is also the goddess of Preservation Dakshina Kali is worshiped as mother to preserve the nature. Dakshina Kali is standing calm on Shiva ,her appearance represents the preservation of mother nature. Her free, long and black hair represents nature's freedom from civilization. Under the third eye of Dakshina kali, the signs of both sun, moon and fire are visible which represent the driving forces of nature.Dakshina Kali is not always thought of as a Dark Goddess. Despite Dakshina Kali’s origins in battle, She evolved to a full-fledged symbol of Mother Nature in Her creative, nurturing and devouring aspects. She is referred as a great and loving primordial Mother Goddess in the Hindu tantric tradition. In this aspect, as Mother Goddess, she is called as Kali Ma, meaning Kali Mother, and millions of Hindus revere Her as such.[8]

Mantra

Om karala-badanam ghoram mukta-kEshim chatur-bhuryam.
kalikam dakshinam dibyam munda-mala bibhushitam
sadya-chinna shira kharga bama-dordha karambujam
abhayam baradan-chaiba dakshina-dardha panikam

(Om. Fierce of face, she is dark, with flowing hair and four-armed.
Dakshina Kalika divine, adorned with a garland of heads.
In Her lotus hands on the left, a severed head and a sword
She bestows sanctuary and blessings with her right hands.)[9][unreliable source?]

See also

References

  1. ^ Helen Rappaport (2001). Encyclopedia of Women Social Reformers. ABC-CLIO. pp. 651–. ISBN 978-1-57607-101-4. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  2. ^ Kanai Mukherjee. New Age Purohit Darpan: Kali Puja.
  3. ^ Seema Mohanty. The Book Of Kali.
  4. ^ "Origin of Dakshina kali". Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  5. ^ Heritage of Nabadwip (PDF).
  6. ^ "Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar". Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  7. ^ "Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar". Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  8. ^ Kali the Mother, Sister Nivedita p. 25.
  9. ^ Kanai Mukherjee. New Age Purohit Darpan: Kali Puja.
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