The Assertion of Femininity in Indian Thought (2)

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1. KALI, THE ETERNAL NIGHT

 

Kali is mentioned as the first amongst the Mahavidyas. Black as the

night, she has a terrible and horrific appearance.

 

In the Rig-Veda, the world's most ancient book, there is a 'Hymn to

the Night' (Ratri sukta), which says that there are two types of

nights. One experienced by mortal beings and the other by divine

beings. In the former all ephemeral activity comes to a standstill,

while in the latter the activity of divinity also comes to rest. This

absolute night is the night of destruction, the power of kala. The

word kala denotes time in Sanskrit. Kali's name is derived from this

word itself, as also from the Sanskrit word for black. She is thus the

timeless night, both for ordinary mortals and for divine beings.

 

At night we nestle in happiness like birds in their nests. Dwellers in

the villages, theirs cows and horses, the birds of the air, men who

travel on many a business, and jackals and wild beasts, all welcome

the night and joyfully nestle in her; for to all beings misguided by

the journey of the day she brings calm and happiness, just as a mother

would. The word ratri (night) is derived from the root ra, "to give,"

and is taken to mean "the giver" of bliss, of peace of happiness.

 

 

2. TARA, THE COMPASSIONATE GODDESS

 

The similarities in appearance between Kali and Tara are striking and

unmistakable. They both stand upon a supine male figure often

recognizable as Shiva but which may also be an anonymous corpse.

 

Both wear minimal clothing or are naked. Both wear a necklace of

freshly severed heads and a girdle of human hands. Both have a lolling

tongue, red with the blood of their victims. Their appearances are so

strikingly similar that it is easy to mistake one for the other.

 

The oral tradition gives an intriguing story behind the Goddess Tara.

The legend begins with the churning of the ocean. Shiva has drunk the

poison that was created from the churning of the ocean, thus saving

the world from destruction, but has fallen unconscious under its

powerful effect. Tara appears and takes Shiva on her lap. She suckles

him, the milk from her breasts counteracting the poison, and he

recovers. This myth is reminiscent of the one in which Shiva stops the

rampaging Kali by becoming an infant. Seeing the child, Kali's

maternal instinct comes to the fore, and she becomes quiet and nurses

the infant Shiva. In both cases, Shiva assumes the position of an

infant vis-à-vis the goddess. In other words the Goddess is Mother

even to the Great Lord himself.

 

The distinguishing feature in Tara's iconography is the scissors she

holds in one of her four hands. The scissors relate to her ability to

cut off all attachments.

 

Literally the word 'tara' means a star. Thus Tara is said to be the

star of our aspiration, the muse who guides us along the creative

path. These qualities are but a manifestation of her compassion. The

Buddhist tradition stresses these qualities of this Goddess, and she

is worshipped in Tibet as an important embodiment of compassion.

 

3. SHODASHI, THE GODDESS WHO IS 16 YEARS OLD

 

Shodashi, or Tripura-Sundari, is believed to have taken birth to save

the gods from the ravages of a mighty and wrathful demon. The tale

begins when Shiva burnt down Kama, the god of love, who tried to

distract Shiva from his meditation. One of Shiva's followers then

scooped off Kama's ashes and formed the image of a man out of them.

This man then persuades Shiva to teach him a powerful mantra. By the

power of this mantra, one could gain half the might of one's

adversary. But because he was generated from the ashes of Shiva's

wrath he is transformed into a fierce demon. Intoxicated with his new

found power he proceeded to rampage the kingdom of the gods.

Apprehending defeat and humiliation, the gods all propitiate Goddess

Tripura-Sundari to seek her help. The goddess appears and agrees to

help them. Taking the battlefield she heaps a crushing blow on the

mighty demon, thus saving the gods.

 

Iconographically this Goddess is shown seated on a lotus that rests on

the supine body of Lord Shiva, who in turn lies on a throne whose legs

are the gods Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Rudra.

 

This is a direct and hard-hitting portrayal of the Goddess dominating

the important male deities of the Hindu pantheon, a central belief of

the Mahavidya ideology. She is the savior of all, the Last Refuge.

 

She holds in her hands a pair of bow and arrows. The bow significantly

is made of sugarcane, a symbol of sweetness. Her darts thus are

sweetness personified. One of her epithets is 'Tripura-Sundari,'

meaning 'One who is beautiful in the three realms.' Another of her

names 'Lalita' implies softness. These two qualities give rise to

images that depict her as ravishingly beautiful and of unsurpassed

splendor.

 

The word 'Shodashi' literally means sixteen in Sanskrit. She is thus

visualized as sweet girl of sixteen. In human life sixteen years

represent the age of accomplished perfection after which decline sets

in. Indeed sixteen days form the completed lunar cycle from the new

moon to the full moon. The full moon is the moon of sixteen days. This

girl of sixteen rules over all that is perfect, complete, beautiful.

Her supreme beauty too has an interesting story behind it:

 

Once upon a time Shiva referred to Kali (his wife) by her name in

front of some heavenly damsels who had come to visit, calling her

"Kali, Kali" ("Blackie, Blackie") in jest. This she took to be a slur

against her dark complexion. She left Shiva and resolved to rid

herself of her dark complexion, through asceticism. Later, the sage

Narada, seeing Shiva alone, asked where his wife was. Shiva complained

that she had abandoned him and vanished. With his yogic powers Narada

discovered Kali living north of Mount Sumeru and went there to see if

he could convince her to return to Shiva. He told her that Shiva was

thinking of marrying another goddess and that she should return at

once to prevent this. By now Kali had rid herself of her dark

complexion but did not yet realize it. Arriving in the presence of

Shiva, she saw a reflection of herself with a light complexion in

Shiva's heart. Thinking, that this was another goddess, she became

jealous and angry. Shiva advised her to look more carefully, with the

eye of knowledge, telling her that what she saw in his heart was

herself. The story ends with Shiva saying to the transformed Kali: "As

you have assumed a very beautiful form, beautiful in the three worlds,

your name will be Tripura- Sundari. You shall always remain sixteen

years old and be called by the name Shodashi."

 

 

(Continued ...)