Kali: Bipolar Goddess

Steve Avino Kali: Bipolar Goddess She is always black or dark, is usually naked, and has long, disheveled hair. She is adorned with severed arms as a girdle, freshly cut heads as a necklace, children's corpses as earrings, and serpents as bracelets. She has long, sharp fangs, is often depicted as having claw like hands with long nails, and is often said to have blood smeared on her lips. Her favorite haunts heighten her fearsome nature. She is usually shown on the battlefield, where she is a furious combatant who gets drunk on the hot blood of her victims, or in a cremation ground, where she sits on a corpse surrounded by jackals and goblins. David R. Kinsley, "Chapter 1 Kālī," Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West, ed. Rachel Fell McDermott and Jeffrey J. Kripal (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003) 23 It may seem like something out of a horror film, but the above passage is in fact describing the Hindu Goddess Kali. This passage evokes many questions in one’s mind. Who is this seemingly terrifying Goddess? Is she always dark and violent or does she have a softer side? What is her history and how did she develop to become the Goddess so revered by modern Hindus? How is she worshipped today and what are some festivals dedicated to her? Kali’s true nature can be very confusing. She is a Goddess who appears both as a terrifying force and a motherly figure. Sarah Caldwell emphasizes Kali’s dual nature by calling her the “embodiment of the fundamental, bipolar opposites that ground human existence.” Sarah Caldwell, "Chapter 11 Tracing Kālī Through Time, Space, and Culture," in Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West ed. Rachel Fell McDermott and Jeffrey J. Kripal (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003), 249 This is also reiterated in the Introduction of Encountering Kali when it is said that, “Kālī is commonly perceived as a goddess who encompasses and transcends the opposites of life. “ Rachel Fell McDermott and Jeffrey J. Kripal, eds., Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003) Also, Swami Chetanananda writes that Kali “manifests in both benign and terrible ways” Swami Chetanananda , Kali Mandir: Library: Is Kali Terrible?, Available From: Kali Mandir, <http://www.kalimandir.org/library/libraryhome.asp?page=articles&item=08_is_kali.xm> and that “In this aspect of all power, She has a twofold form. The devout Hindu worships Her as both.” Swami Chetanananda , Kali Mandir: Library: Mother Destroys but To Save?, Available From: Kali Mandir, <http://www.kalimandir.org/library/libraryhome.asp?page=articles&item=13_sw_chid.xml> Kinsley writes “Although Kali is sometimes said to be beautiful, and contemporary lithographs sometimes portray her as almost cherubic, Hindu texts referring to the Goddess are nearly unanimous in describing her as terrible.” David R. Kinsley, “Kali: Blood and Death Out of Place”, Devi: Goddesses of India, ed. John Stratton Hawley and Donna Marie Wulff, (Berkley, Ca: University of California Press, 1996), 77 In other words, the first impression one often gets of Kali is one that involves violence and death. This can be shown through the works of many scholars. Traci Pintchman writes that “Kālī not only destroys demons but also devours them. “ Tracy Pintchman, The Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition / (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994), 198 The very word Kali means “The Black One” in Hindi. The Columbia Encyclopedia 6th ed., s.v. "Kali," Hugh B. Urban speaks of “the figure of the bloodthirsty, violent, and explicitly sexual goddess Kālī" . Hugh B. Urban, "Chapter 8 Kālī in the Colonial Imagination," in Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West ed. Rachel Fell McDermott and Jeffrey J. Kripal (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003), 169. Kinsley also writes that “Kālī plays the role of Pārvatī's dark, negative, violent nature in embodied form” Kinsley, "Chapter 1 Kālī," Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West, 26 and that “The figure of Kālī conveys death, destruction, fear, terror, the all consuming aspect of reality” Kinsley, "Chapter 1 Kālī," Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West, 30. But is this the only side to Kali? Is she simply a violent uncontrollable Goddess? It seems that this is not the case. Kinsley writes below that: The eighteenth-century Bengali saint Ramprasad Sen saw in Kali not only the ferocious wild aspect of the divine, he saw in her, too, the benign, the loving, the comforting. For Ramprasad worshiped Kali first and foremost as Mother, as she who scolds and punishes, but who ultimately soothes and protects her children. Kinsley, David. "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali." Numen, no. 22 (1975): 201. This motherhood aspect of Kali is shown again when Chetananda writes that, “Kali is not cruel or partial; She loves all beings because all are Her children.” Chetanananda , Kali Mandir: Library: Is Kali Terrible? So it seems that Kali can be seen as both a violent, blood-thirsty Goddess and a loving mother. How did this come about then? How did a Goddess become to be known as a being of such two extreme natures? To answer this question, one should start at the beginning. Kali makes her “official debut” in the Devi-Mahaimya. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 186 The Devi-Mahaimya is a text written about fifteen hundred years ago; its title is roughly translated as "The Specific Greatness (or Virtue) of (the) Goddess”. Thomas B. Coburn, Encountering the Goddess: A Translation of the Devi-Mahatmya and a Study of Its Interpretation (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1991), 1 The text is divided into three episodes. The first two episodes describe Devi or Durga in a fight with demons. In the third episode Kali makes her debut. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 186 Her first appearance portrays a fierce violent Goddess from the get-go. From the knitted brows of her forehead's surface immediately Came forth Kālī, with her dreadful face, carrying sword and noose. She carried a strange skull-topped staff, and wore a garland of human heads; She was shrouded in a tiger skin, and looked utterly gruesome with her emaciated skin, Her widely gaping mouth, terrifying with its lolling tongue, With sunken, reddened eyes and a mouth that filled the directions with roars. She fell upon the great Asuras in that army, slaying them immediately. She then devoured the forces of the enemies of the gods. Attacking both the front and rear guard, having seized the elephants Together with their riders and bells, she hurled them into her mouth with a single hand. Likewise having flung the cavalry with its horses and the chariots with their charioteers Into her mouth, she brutally pulverized them with her teeth. She seized one by the hair, and another by the throat. Having attacked one with her foot, she crushed another against her breast. The weapons and missiles that were hurled by the demons She seized with her mouth, and crunched them to bits with her teeth. The army of all those mighty and distinguished demons She destroyed: she devoured some, and thrashed the others. Some were sliced by her sword, others pounded with her skulltopped staff. Coburn, Encountering the Goddess: A Translation of the Devi-Mahatmya and a Study of Its Interpretation, 61 From the above quote from the Devi-Mahaimya, it can be assumed then that Kali is in essence a manifestation of Durga; an avatar created from her brow to do her bidding. She is controlled by Durga and can not be independent from her. Yet today, her worshippers see her as a separate deity who has gained her independence. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 188 How she gained this independence is somewhat of a mystery but Kinsley comes up with a list of three factors that contributed to the elevation of Kali as a Goddess in Hindu thought. He lists her association with the Siva, Tantrism, and the Bengali Poet-Saints like the aforementioned Ramprasad Sen as these major factors. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 189 In her appearances after the Devi-Mahaimya, Kali is still portrayed as a minor deity and servant of Durga. She appears in the Agni-puranas and Garuda-puranas as a Goddess invoked for success in war. In the Bhagavata-puranas, a band of thieves seek her blessing and capture an innocent Brahmin man to sacrifice to her, Kali stops the sacrifice and slaughters the thieves. Ibid, 189 This is of particular interest because it shows that despite being extremely violent, Kali seems to be concerned for the well-being of “good” people. She next appears by name in Kalidasa’s Kumarasambhava as part of Siva’s wedding procession. Under different names, she makes appearances in Subandhu’s Vasavadatta, Vakpati’s Gaudavah, and Bhaavabhuti’s Malatimadhava. In all of these appearances, as Kinsley points out, kali is “primarily a terrifying, demonic creature worshiped by those on the periphery of society.” Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 190 She has not yet become one of the “Great Goddesses”. She doesn’t seem to emerge as a major deity until the beginning of Kinsley’s first factor: her association with Siva. Parvati is the wife of the God, Siva. Kathleen M. Erndl, Victory to the Mother: The Hindu Goddess of Northwest India in Myth, Ritual, and Symbol (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), 6 It is with Parvati that Kali somehow becomes linked. Their names become interchangeable in certain texts Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 190-192 and finally in the Linga-purana “Kali’s association with Parvati (and by implication with Siva) is firmly and dramatically affirmed.” Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 193 In this story, Parvati creates Kali to fight a female demon and it is here that we first get a glimpse of Kali’s motherly attributes. In this story, Kālī again has defeated her enemies on the battlefield and begun to dance out of control, drunk on the blood of those she has slain. To calm her and protect the stability of the world, Śiva appears in the midst of the battlefield as an infant, crying out loudly. Seeing the child's distress, Kālī stops her dancing, picks him up, and kisses him on the head. Then she suckles him at her breasts Kinsley, "Chapter 1 Kālī," in Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West, 36 The above passage shows so clearly Kali’s two sides; her violent and motherly side, both appearing within sentences of one another. Kali’s association with Siva would continue to grow in the South Indian myths of dance contests between the two, which Siva always ends up the winner. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali.", 194 Yet, in other cases, Kali is shown being dominant over Siva. In a story from the Devi-Bhagavata, Kali is shown to be the true form of Shiva’s love Sati, and after Siva refuses to attend a social event with her, she transforms into her true form Kali and frightens Siva. She explains that Kali is who she transforms into to perform tasks of creation and destruction and that she only became Sati to reward Siva. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali." 195-196 Another story in the Adhyatama Ramayana tells of how Siva lied like a corpse beneath Kali’s feet in order to stop her rampage. Kinsley seems to see this as another way that Kali dominates Siva because “he subdues her, certainly, but only in the most humiliating way.” Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali." 196-197 Yet, as Patricia Dould points out, “"Kālī “is astonished and embarrassed and stops her dance. ” " Patricia Dold, "Chapter 2 The Śākta Devotionalism of the Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa," in Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West ed. Rachel Fell McDermott and Jeffrey J. Kripal (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003), 54 So how can this be a victory for Kali if essentially Siva shamed and embarrassed her? The second important factor in the elevation of Kali is Tantrism. The American Heritage Dictionary defines tantra as “Any of a comparatively recent class of Hindu or Buddhist religious literature written in Sanskrit and concerned with powerful ritual acts of body, speech, and mind. “ Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tantras (accessed: November 14, 2007). It is from this literature that Kali is given a much higher position than the minor deity one sees in the older texts. The Tantras were especially kind to Goddesses. Pintchman writes that “One of the most distinguishing features of Tantrism--and its main contribution to our discussion--is the elevation of non-Vedic goddesses to supreme status in Tantric mythology.” Tracy Pintchman, The Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition, 109 Kali is definitely no exception to this as Kinsey states “In many tantric texts Kali’s position is unambiguously declared to be that of a great deity; indeed, in many texts she is declared to be the supreme deity, triumphant over all others, equivalent, in fact, to Brahman. “ Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali." 196-197 The one-time believed to be servant of Durga had now become the Supreme Deity to tantric thinkers. The third of Kinsley’s factor is the devotion given to Kali by the Bengali Saints. Kinsley states that “In almost every sense Kali is not portrayed as a mother in the Hindu tradition prior to her central role in Bengali devotion beginning in the eighteenth century.” Therefore, it would be the Bengali Saints that would establish the maternal aspect of Kali. David R. Kinsley, Hindu Goddesses, (Berkeley, Ca: University of California Press, 1986), 126 Particularly important of these saints was Ramakrishna. He had an intensely personal relationship with Kali. Ramakrishna would approach her as a child would his mother, and in response Kali would be child-like as well. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali." 202-203 And as Ramakrishna was childlike when he approached Kali, she, too, became like a child in response to him. Behind her dreadful appearance she finally revealed to Ramakrishna that hidden child. Ramakrishna himself relates a vision he had of her: “She came to me as a (Muslim) girl six or seven years old. She had a tilak on her forehead and was naked. She walked with me, joking and frisking like a child.” Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali." 203 The Bengali saints saw Kali as a loving mother with a scary mask that hides her true loving nature. All they needed to do was not be afraid of her for her to show them her true nature. Kinsley, "Freedom From Death In The Worship of Kali." 204 Among Modern Hindus, worship of Kali is still prevalent. Today, because of the work of the Bengali saints, Kali is most popular in Bengal. Kinsley, “Kali: Blood and Death Out of Place”, Devi: Goddesses of India, 77 Every year she is celebrated during Deepavali. A Bengali-American writes about this celebration: "This autumn festival, also known as Deepavali, is observed on the dark night of the new moon in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik, which encompasses October and November. It is perhaps the most widely known Hindu social and religious event celebrated across India and in Indian communities throughout the diaspora. Bengalis observe this festival with a special worship for goddess Kali, who we consider the Divine Mother, the cosmic energy (shakti) and the support of the universe." Realization of Self Offers Insight to Gain Wholeness," The Washington Times, 27 October 2003, A02, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002020191. From the above quote, one can assume that for Modern Bengali Hindus, worship of Kali is very important. This is especially true in the city of Calcutta. This is a city which name literally means, “Field of Kali” Colin Robinson, Kali Mandir: Library: How An Indian City Worships Kali, Available From: Kali Mandir, <http://kalimandir.org/library/libraryhome.asp?page=articles&item=06_city.xml>. That is how important the Goddess is to the city. Colin Robinson states that: “In Calcutta, worship of Kali is mainstream religion. It is non-sectarian, inclusive and pluralistic. Above all, it is a living religion. Images of Kali are everywhere: on the dashboards of taxis, on the walls of shops, behind reception counters of hotels. Before Kali Puja, an annual festival of the Goddess, billboards can be seen which declare that the local traffic police wish everybody a happy Puja. “ Ibid From the above quote, one can conclude that worship of Kali has gone a bit secular as well, at least in the city of Calcutta. Yet, Kali still has strong devotees. There are many temples dedicated to Kali in Calcutta, the oldest being Kalighat and the largest being the Dakshineswar temple in suburban Calcutta. Ibid The Dakshineswar Temple has an interesting history. Its second head priest was the aforementioned Bengali Saint named Ramakrishna. It is said that Ramakrishna had an encounter with the Goddess Kali at the temple. It is said that “From the first days of his service in the shrine of the goddess Kali, he was filled with a rare form of the love of God known in Hinduism as maha-bhava. Worshipping in front of the statue of Kali, Ramakrishna would be overcome with such ecstatic love for the deity that he would fall to the ground and, immersed in spiritual trance, lose all consciousness of the external world.” Martin Gray, Kali Temple of Dakshinswar, < http://www.sacredsites.com/asia/india/calcutta.html> Ramakrishna is often worshipped on Kali’s behalf in Calcutta today. Robinson writes “Alongside Kali herself, people in Calcutta venerate modern saints of the Goddess ... One whose picture can be seen in many places is the nineteenth-century visionary Sri Ramakrishna.” Robinson, Kali Mandir: Library: How An Indian City Worships The Dakshineswar Temple remains an important place for Kali worshippers to this day. It is a pilgrimage site for travelers from all over India. “Once a month, large crowds of Ma's children gather for a special worship held on amavasya, the mystic night of the dark moon, an auspicious time for Kali worship. Sincere devotees from far and wide come for this event. They come from all over the state, some driving over four hours to see Her and sing Her names.” Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati and Brahmachari Parameshwara, Kali Mandir: Library: The Art of Seeing God: The Heart of Devotional Worship, Available From: Kali Mandir, <http://www.kalimandir.org/library/libraryhome.asp?page=articles&item=02_art.xml> Festivals and temples are not the only way Kali Devotees worship the Goddess. Swami Chetanananda, a monk, was asked about how an individual should worship Kali. He had this to say: “Please maintain external and internal cleanliness. Before approaching an awakened deity, have a shower or wash your hands and face, and rinse your mouth. Put on clean clothes. Bow down to the Mother and sit on your asana (meditation seat). Put some flowers on the shrine. Don't smell them beforehand, and discard any that fell to the floor. Repeat your mantra, and meditate. Then chant some hymns and read a chapter of the Gita or the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. If you offer any cooked food, fruit or sweets, don't taste them beforehand or breathe on them. Offer the deity a glass of water. The offering vessels should not be used for anything else. Always be mindful that you are serving your beloved God.” Kali Mandir: Library: About Puja: An Interview with Swami Chetanananda, Available From: Kali Mandir, <http://www.kalimandir.org/library/libraryhome.asp?page=articles&item=01_ab_puja.xml> One can assume from this that it is extremely important among modern Hindus to be respectful of a Kali Shrine. To conclude, Kali is a two-sided Goddess in almost every way. This can be seen in her history: where she is at first portrayed as the violent, darker side of the Goddess Durga to the Tantric view of Kali as the world creator all the way to the Bengali saints’ ideas of her as the divine mother. It can be seen in descriptions of her as both a kind mother and as a blood-thirsty and horrifying deity. Today, Kali’s dual personality is what she is known and loved for by her followers and devotees. She is both creator and destroyer; nurturing and violent; light and dark. She is truly a bipolar Goddess.