Kali
Kālī
Hindu Living tradition
Hinduism is a living religion. These goddesses are worshipped today, and their festivals are celebrated by millions.
Fierce goddess of time and transformation, and a loving mother to her devotees.
In the Devi Mahatmya, Kali springs from Durga's brow in battle. Later she helps defeat the demon Raktabija, from whose every drop of spilled blood a new demon arose, by drinking his blood before it could touch the ground. In Bengal she is worshipped as a compassionate mother, especially at Kali Puja.
Symbols
Sword Garland of skulls Outstretched tongue
In the ancient sources
The Upanishads and the Devi Mahatmya
- Cāmuṇḍā
- “slayer of Chanda and Munda” Devi Mahatmya 7
- Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.4 Kali, 'the black one', is the first of the seven flickering tongues of the sacrificial fire.
- Devi Mahatmya 7 Kali springs from the dark, angry brow of the goddess Ambika, gaunt and skull-garlanded, and kills the demons Chanda and Munda.
- Devi Mahatmya 8 Every drop of Raktabija's blood becomes a new demon, so Kali spreads her mouth wide and drinks the blood before it can touch the ground.
Here she is a fierce form of the warrior goddess. Her role as a loving mother grew later, above all in Bengali devotional poetry.
Cross-checked against these texts and records, in public-domain or freely available versions where they exist. Line, section and chapter numbers follow the standard editions, so a particular translation may differ slightly.
Correspondences Explore all
- Festival
- Kali Puja
- Plants
- Red hibiscus
- Animals
- Jackals
These come from the tradition itself, and practice differs between regions, lineages and houses. To go deeper, learn from the people and communities who keep this tradition.