Kali

[Wherenextcolumbus]

I'm atheist, but I am also quite attracted to Kali. I've read there are different forms of her can someone please explain what her different forms mean? Also feel free to add anything else about her, like any experiences you've had while worshipping her. I'm just generally interested in her so I wanted to start a Kali thread

 

[Andal]

Welcome!

I can't answer your first question but I do have a special connection with Kali. I had a situation a few years ago where someone lied about me in a way that jeopardized my entire career. I was so hurt and honestly wanted revenge. I wasn't comfortable going to Vishnu about this as my heart was less than sattvic. I sang to Kali. My career was restored and this person experienced the immediate result of their karma.

I was in Varanasi this summer and visited her shrine in the famous Durga temple. It was one of the most powerful experiences I've had. The shrine to her was a very dark cove where you have to be kneeling on the ground to see her. You have to kind of craw inside the space. It was both unnerving and peaceful n the entire time I was both unnerved but wanted to be close to her. It was very cool!

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[AdityaMookerjee]

There is no specific idea of the Mother Goddess Kali. She is supposed to be everyone's ideal. You can see her as being opposites, at the same time, or at different times. For example, I don't know, if God in Abrahamic faith's can take a life, if he gives life. The idea of duality in Hinduism, is that God gives life, and 'destroys' life. I feel, some people might feel, that 'God' in Christianity might not be the cause of death, if a soul can be condemned to hell eternally.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

There is no specific idea of the Mother Goddess Kali. She is supposed to be everyone's ideal. You can see her as being opposites, at the same time, or at different times. For example, I don't know, if God in Abrahamic faith's can take a life, if he gives life. The idea of duality in Hinduism, is that God gives life, and 'destroys' life. I feel, some people might feel, that 'God' in Christianity might not be the cause of death, if a soul can be condemned to hell eternally.

This is similar to what I read in a book called Aghora, it said Kali will appear to you as you see her so for example if you're afraid of her then she will be frighting. But it also mentioned that there are different aspects of her but only talks about one, Kali of the cemetery which is supposed to be the most powerful form of her.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Welcome!

I can't answer your first question but I do have a special connection with Kali. I had a situation a few years ago where someone lied about me in a way that jeopardized my entire career. I was so hurt and honestly wanted revenge. I wasn't comfortable going to Vishnu about this as my heart was less than sattvic. I sang to Kali. My career was restored and this person experienced the immediate result of their karma.

I was in Varanasi this summer and visited her shrine in the famous Durga temple. It was one of the most powerful experiences I've had. The shrine to her was a very dark cove where you have to be kneeling on the ground to see her. You have to kind of craw inside the space. It was both unnerving and peaceful n the entire time I was both unnerved but wanted to be close to her. It was very cool!

Aum Hari Aum!

Awesome! When I was Christian as a teenager an elder said to me that the Christian God is approachable but the Hindu Gods aren't because of what they look like "they look frighting" he said. I secretly disagreed, always thought they looked cool.

 

[Riverwolf]

For me, Kali is the Great Mother of All Things. There is no Force beyond or behind Kali that moves Her, for She is That by which All Things move. She is Time. She is Fate. She is Life and Death together. By Her are we given Life, and by Her do we come to Death. She is beyond all concepts of right and wrong, good and evil, for in Her are all dualities.

Jai Kali Maa! Jai Mahakali!

 

[Jainarayan]

Awesome! When I was Christian as a teenager an elder said to me that the Christian God is approachable but the Hindu Gods aren't because of what they look like "they look frighting" he said. I secretly disagreed, always thought they looked cool.

I don't think it's non-approachability because they look frightening, I think at times they just don't listen and you have to really bug them. I heard once that to get their attention you have to be really persistent. Why this is, I don't know. I haven't found it to be the case, but things work differently for everyone.

 

[Jainarayan]

I can't answer your first question but I do have a special connection with Kali. I had a situation a few years ago where someone lied about me in a way that jeopardized my entire career. I was so hurt and honestly wanted revenge. I wasn't comfortable going to Vishnu about this as my heart was less than sattvic. I sang to Kali. My career was restored and this person experienced the immediate result of their karma.

This is interesting, but really not unexpected, imo. Lord Vishnu/Krishna, being the lover He is, I think it less likely to mete out immediate justice. I think He has a much "longer fuse" (consider the story of Shishupala) than Kali. I analogize Kali's intervention as that of a mother bear or mother wolf who will viciously and savagely defend her children against an attacker or threat, yet when her rampage against the attacker is over, she will turn to nuzzle, lick and nurse her young.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

Kali. Krishna.

K R/L Ī Ṃ {[anusvara]}

They are either the same in bija terms or swappable.

Further reading:
Shri Krishna as Kali

There was also a beautiful picture posted here sometime back of Krishna with the iconogrpaphy of Kali striding next to Durga opposite Hanuman

 

[Jainarayan]

Fascinating, and good to remember that God is one, and has different forms for different needs for different circumstances, if I read this correctly.

Btw, I sooo hate you and envy you for being as intelligent as you are. Kidding, though I'm never not in awe. Hmm... envy... must meditate on Amoghasiddhi?

 

[Maija]

This is interesting, but really not unexpected, imo. Lord Vishnu/Krishna, being the lover He is, I think it less likely to mete out immediate justice. I think He has a much "longer fuse" (consider the story of Shishupala) than Kali. I analogize Kali's intervention as that of a mother bear or mother wolf who will viciously and savagely defend her children against an attacker or threat, yet when her rampage against the attacker is over, she will turn to nuzzle, lick and nurse her young.

Jainji- i am so happy for that analogy of the mother wolf, uve never felt drawn to Maa Kali before bt your anaolgy made feel warmth.

 

[Jainarayan]

Good!

 

[Andal]

Awesome! When I was Christian as a teenager an elder said to me that the Christian God is approachable but the Hindu Gods aren't because of what they look like "they look frighting" he said. I secretly disagreed, always thought they looked cool.

Kali can be frightening in appearance but it is out of protection. She took that form to protect us from demons along time ago (or the demons in our own minds). Sometimes we need to become that which we strive to overcome so that we know it inside and out.

Many of our other deities are quite beautiful. Take my ishtadeva, Vishnu, he is very handsome. In fact one of his names means he who mesmerizes even the cupids. His completion is blue like the infinite sky and fortune bearing monsoon clouds. His features are soft reflecting the unity of both male and female in God. One of his forms though is very frightening, a half man half lion (Nrisimha)who disemboweled the Hiranyakashipu.

Some deities are scary at first but when understood are very tender. Other deities are beautiful at first but can become terrifying when the balance of good and evil is swayed.

Aum Hari Aum

 

[Andal]

This is interesting, but really not unexpected, imo. Lord Vishnu/Krishna, being the lover He is, I think it less likely to mete out immediate justice. I think He has a much "longer fuse" (consider the story of Shishupala) than Kali. I analogize Kali's intervention as that of a mother bear or mother wolf who will viciously and savagely defend her children against an attacker or threat, yet when her rampage against the attacker is over, she will turn to nuzzle, lick and nurse her young.

I like his very much

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Kali can be frightening in appearance but it is out of protection. She took that form to protect us from demons along time ago (or the demons in our own minds). Sometimes we need to become that which we strive to overcome so that we know it inside and out.

Many of our other deities are quite beautiful. Take my ishtadeva, Vishnu, he is very handsome. In fact one of his names means he who mesmerizes even the cupids. His completion is blue like the infinite sky and fortune bearing monsoon clouds. His features are soft reflecting the unity of both male and female in God. One of his forms though is very frightening, a half man half lion (Nrisimha)who disemboweled the Hiranyakashipu.

Some deities are scary at first but when understood are very tender. Other deities are beautiful at first but can become terrifying when the balance of good and evil is swayed.

Aum Hari Aum

I'm a massive goth anyway so Godesses like Kali don't frighten me they just attract me. I was first introduced to her when I went to a museum and there was a statue of her and was like wwwoooahhh :bow:
I don't think the Christian god is more approachable, first of all we don't know what he looks like and second of all the Jews were scared of his voice,
So can you imagine what he looks like If his voice is scary.

 

[apophenia]

This is interesting, but really not unexpected, imo. Lord Vishnu/Krishna, being the lover He is, I think it less likely to mete out immediate justice. I think He has a much "longer fuse" (consider the story of Shishupala) than Kali. I analogize Kali's intervention as that of a mother bear or mother wolf who will viciously and savagely defend her children against an attacker or threat, yet when her rampage against the attacker is over, she will turn to nuzzle, lick and nurse her young.

Don't forget, when Krishna ( Madhusudhana - demon slayer) slays a demon, that demon is instantly liberated, so it's not at all vindictive. Such a different mindset to the Abrahamic version of god !

 

[Jainarayan]

Don't forget, when Krishna ( Madhusudhana - demon slayer) slays a demon, that demon is instantly liberated, so it's not at all vindictive. Such a different mindset to the Abrahamic version of god !

Good point to bring up... it's not out of vindictiveness, but I guess you could say mercy and love. It's counterintuitive to us, but it's because the demon's or evil-doer's thoughts are ever on God, even if they are thoughts of hatred. Consider Hiranyakashipu who had an unbridled hatred for Vishnu. His thoughts of hatred for Vishnu were always uppermost in his mind. So when he was slain by Narasimhadeva, he was liberated.

 

[Yogi1054]

If one looks into the eyes of Kali then one sees the true self - I think Jai Uttal said that in one of his albums

 

[Me Myself]

There is definetely something about Kali...

Made a drawing

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Nice!