Kali Mantra - Embracing The Primal Power
The celestial Defender of Earth is the Hindu goddess Kali, also referred to as Kalika. But due to her destructive prowess, Kali also goes by the name "Dark Mother." The Sanskrit word "Kala," which means time, is the source of the name Kali. She thus stands for Time, Modification, Strength, Creation, Preservation, and Destruction. The feminine noun "Kali" derives from the Sanskrit adjective Kala, which also means "the black one."
She is viewed as a fierce manifestation of Parvati, also known as Durga, who is Lord Shiva's consort. However, she is typically portrayed as fierce in the interpretations. She is the world's mother and the repository of compassion. She is viewed as the primordial substance that gave rise to all life.
The Great Goddess, or ultimate reality, has ten manifestations, or Mahavidyas, the first of which is Kali. Shiva, the Hindu God, who is often depicted lying calmly and prostrating beneath her, is often shown standing or dancing on her. Hindus in all of India, but especially in Bengal, Assam, Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, worship Kali.
Kali is typically represented in two ways:
The popular four-armed form: She is depicted in popular Indian art as blue or black. Her eyes were said to be red from intoxication and utter rage. Small fangs can occasionally be seen sticking out of her mouth, and she has messy hair and a lolling tongue. She is frequently shown naked or only dressed in a skirt made of human arms and a wreath of human heads. Serpents and a jackal support her as she stands on a serene, prostrate Shiva.
Each of Kali's four arms typically holds a sword, a Trishul (trident), a severed head, and a bowl or skull-cup (kapala) to catch the blood from the severed head in the four-armed iconography of Kali.