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Bhadrakali

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the consort of Virabhadra. For the form of Parvati, see Kali. For the goddess of time and death, see Mahakali.
For other uses, see Bhadrakali (disambiguation).

Bhadrakali
Goddess Bhadrakali, gouache on paper (ca. 1660–70)
Other namesMahamaya
Mantraoṃ bhadrakāl̤yai namaḥ
Weaponsword, trident, mace, discus, bow and arrow, noose, skull, rudraksha beads
DayTuesday or Friday[1]
MountVetala
TextsShiva Purana, Kalika Purana, Devi Bhagavata Purana
ConsortVirabhadra
A 17th-century wooden sculpture of Bhadrakali from Kerala

Bhadrakali (Sanskrit: भद्रकाली, romanized: Bhadrakālī, lit. 'auspicious Kali'[2]) is a fierce form of the Hindu supreme goddess Adi Shakti. She is worshipped predominantly in the South Indian state of Kerala[3] and Nashik.[4]

In Vaishnavism, Bhadrakali is among the many epithets of Yogamaya, the internal potency of illusion of the preserver deity, Vishnu.[5] In some Shaiva traditions, she accompanies Virabhadra, a form of Shiva, as manifestations of Shiva's wrath.[6]

Etymology

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The name Bhadra comes from Sanskrit. In Sanskrit, "bhadra" means "auspicious" or "fortunate". Another interpretation traces the name to the Sanskrit root word (bija akshara) "bha" and "dra". The letter "bha" signifies "delusion" or "maya", while "dra" is used as a superlative meaning "the most" or "the greatest". Together, "bhadra" may mean "maha maya" or "great delusion".[7][8]

Legend

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Main article: Daksha yajna

According to the Brahma Purana, after learning of the self-immolation of his consort Sati at her father Daksha's yajna, an enraged Shiva beat the earth with his matted hair. Virabhadra and Bhadrakali emerged from this act, and were commanded to lay waste to the yajna in vengeance.[9]

According to Tamil Puranas, Lankalakshmi, the guardian of Lanka, tried to stop Hanuman from entering the city. Struck down by him, she regained her true form as Bhadrakali and returned to Kailasha. When she told Shiva she wished to witness the Lanka War between Rama and Ravana, he instructed her to go to the Dravida region and dwell in a temple with a self-manifested lingam. There, he said, he would personally compose the Ramayana in Tamil, allowing her to see and hear the story. In time, Shiva was born as the son of Cinkaravalli, a widow devoted to the deity of the temple. Fearing scandal, she abandoned the child, who was found and adopted by a local chieftain and named Kambar. Under the Chola king, Kambar and the poet Ottakkuttar were tasked with composing the Ramayana in Tamil. While Ottakkuttar completed his section, Kambar delayed until the final night, when the goddess Saraswati was said to have written the verses for him. The next day, the poem astonished the royal court, and the story of the war was performed before the goddess. Thus, Shiva, as Kambar, fulfilled his promise, reciting the Ramayana while Bhadrakali watched and danced.[10]

Worship

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According to Kerala traditions, the events described in the Markandeya Purana associated with Bhadrakali (her slaying of the demon Darika to liberate the universe from evil) took place in Kerala, near Madayi in the Kannur District.[11] She is seen to protect the honour of women and to bestow all spiritual knowledge.[12] In Kerala, she is worshipped as a kuladevata of Nair clans.

References

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  1. ^ "Article - Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Kali in the West".
  2. ^ Hudson, D. Dennis (25 September 2008). The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 562. ISBN 978-0-19-536922-9.
  3. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Bhadrakālī". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Sri Bhadrakali Shaktipeeth (Chin), Nashik, Maharashtra". sannidhi.net. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  5. ^ Bryant, Edwin F. (18 June 2007). Krishna: A Sourcebook. Oxford University Press. p. 468. ISBN 978-0-19-028756-6.
  6. ^ Dalal, Roshen (18 April 2014). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin UK. p. 371. ISBN 978-81-8475-396-7.
  7. ^ "Sanskrit Dictionary". sanskritdictionary.com.
  8. ^ "A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary". Dsal.uchicago.edu. 1 June 2002. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  9. ^ Books, Kausiki (15 May 2021). Brahma Purana 1: English Translation only without Slokas: English Translation without Slokas. Kausiki Books. p. 325.
  10. ^ Mani, Vettam (1 January 2015). Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 110. ISBN 978-81-208-0597-2.
  11. ^ Maha Kshethrangalude Munnil, D. C. Books, Kerala.
  12. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 12: Santi Parva: Mokshadharma Parva: Section CCLXXXIV". sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.

Further reading

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  • Media related to Bhadrakali at Wikimedia Commons
  • Kodimatha Pallipurathu Kavu Bhagavathy Temple Kerala | Kerala Pilgrim Centers
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