Kali

Kali: Death, Feminine Energy and Warrior Goddess

Kali is a goddess of death in the Hindu religion. According to Mark Cartwright, she is usually associated with violence, violence on the battle field, sexuality, and femininity. Her name is the feminine spelling of the word “Kala” which means “black” or “death.” Her name gives some clue to a version of her origin story. The story is extremely similar to the origin of Athena from Greek mythology. Durga, a warrior goddess, was incredibly angry on the battlefield; in her rage, her face turned black and from her forehead sprung Kali, fully formed and ready to devour demons. As she killed the demons, she strung the heads on a cord and wore them. Kali is depicted as a dark-skinned woman (her skin is often blue in Hindu art) with 4, 8, 10,12, or sometimes 18 arms with a weapon or symbolic object in each hand. She is usually depicted naked, wearing a necklace of severed heads and a skirt of arms. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, her tongue is generally outstretched, referencing another version of an origin story where she had to lick up the blood of a god before it hit the ground (he could reincarnate himself from the blood shed on the battlefield). In addition, most frequently she is seen dancing or walking on top of Shiva, a powerful and important god. Along with her violent nature, many associate her with motherly love.

                                  Kali in her most prevalent depiction. Notice the necklace of heads,                                                                                              tongue sticking out, and her posture standing on top of Shiva. 

Kali is an embodiment of Shakti, a goddess to some, or more specifically, divine feminine energy that is ever-present in the world. According to Melissa Eisler, Shakti is found in many different forms, in this case, Kali. While Kali is seen as a destroyer and bringer of death, often compared to the devil in Christianity, she is also a main symbol of female power and female prosperity in Hinduism. The idea of Shakti, while often associated with and omnipresent energy, similar to Brahman, represents creation in all aspects. Kali maintains balance by being the bringer of creation and fertility, while simultaneously acting as a bringer of death. She is “an archetype who you might call upon for strength, fertility, and power” (Eisler). Shakti takes the form of Kali to bring balance to the world and be a source of strength to women.

Kali representing feminine energy: notice her tongue.
This also helps her be recognizable, as her tongue is a strong symbol. 

In the modern world, Kali is still called upon for aid by women all over the world. Modern feminists look to Kali as a sexually liberating force of strength. Her strength and power are never questioned because she is a woman, which is always inspiring to me, but also surprising considering how old her stories are and how much different the social structure was in the early days of Hinduism. Personally, the stories of Kali and what she stands for/against really teach important lessons without blatantly saying them. I have often run into the idea that someone can be a mother, caring, nurturing, and soft or a hardened warrior with insatiable bloodlust, never both. I find the depictions of Kali to be extremely powerful. She is almost always seen walking or standing on top of Shiva, the sort of leader of the pantheon of Hindu gods. Also, some depictions make her look terrifying but strong. Kali is a representation of female power, sexuality and strength and is unquestionable a fantastic warrior woman.

Sources:

Cartwright, Mark. "Kali." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 21 June 2013. Web.

Doniger, Wendy. "Kali." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 21 July 2017. Web.

Eisler, Melissa. "Shakti: A Universal Force." The Chopra Center. The Chopra Center, n.d. Web.