Guest guest Posted October 30, 2004 Report Share Posted October 30, 2004 In the page in ShaktiSadhana.org that talks about Tantra tradition, a mention is made that a Tantrika master will put his/her feet/foot on the forhead of the disciple to transmit power to him/her as initiation. Maybe Kali puts her power on Shiva or Kama or whomever she stands on? My apologies if somebody already mentioned this. I'm catching up right now on the e-mails on this topic. Blessings of Shakti, Cathie In a message dated 10/28/2004 8:03:46 PM Mountain Daylight Time, swastik108 writes: > Kali breaks all the rules. > > In Hinduism feet are generally considered dirty, but it changes in the case > of deities and Gurus when even their feet are considered sacred. You give > pranam to your parents and Guru when you touch their feet. It is a type of > salutation and symbolic of the idea that the God or person stands above you. > > There are different myths to explain the image of Kali. The idea of a wife > standing on her husband is in sharp contrast to traditional Hindu cultural > norms. He hair is unbound. She doesn't wear clothes. Basically in the > iconography > of Kali you have a type of perfectly depicted paradox which is a great way > to > portray the divine. > > The whole image is one of liberation. > > Now the traditional myth that I'm familiar with is that when Durga created Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2004 Report Share Posted October 30, 2004 I know that it is a common meditation for Vaishnavas (especially Krishna-worshippers) to envision Vishnu or Krishna's soft lotus-feet as touching the devotee's crown or forehead. I have seen Vishnu-pada (images of Vishnu's feet) as jewelry, or paintings, but not images of Kali's feet. (Ramprasad wrote that Kali's feet are made more lovely by the demons' blood with which they are stained... Yecch!) Most images of Kali dancing on Shiva show Shiva as staring at Kali (or specifically at her feet) with an expression of divine bliss. There was a Medieval Kali devotee, the poet Kamalakanta, who used to balance a small statue of Kali on his chest, and imagine he was Lord Shiva being danced on by the Mother. (I have done this myself -- a very intoxicating visualization!) -- Len/ Kalipadma Enticed is the bee of my mind/ by the black lotus feet of my Divine Mother.../ On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 08:30:11 EDT SophiasHeaven writes: > > In the page in ShaktiSadhana.org that talks about Tantra > tradition, a > mention is made that a Tantrika master will put his/her feet/foot on > the forhead of > the disciple to transmit power to him/her as initiation. > Maybe Kali puts her power on Shiva or Kama or whomever she stands > on? > ______________ Speed up your surfing with Juno SpeedBand. Now includes pop-up blocker! Only $14.95/ month - visit http://www.juno.com/surf to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2004 Report Share Posted October 30, 2004 In a message dated 10/30/2004 9:49:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time, kalipadma writes: I have seen Vishnu-pada (images of Vishnu's feet) as jewelry, or paintings, but not images of Kali's feet. Also of note on the issue of feet as icons. When I went into the inner sanctum of the Tarapith temple I was greeted not only with an image of the goddes beautiful face and crown of silver but at the bottom of the idol, the only part you are encouraged to touch is a set of large metal "steel?" feet. The pujaris took me inside the gate and allowed me to place my head fully upon them and it was an amazing experience for me. They sell images of the same feet along Tarapith road and I really wish that I had bought a set for my home altar. Aside from this in India buses are highly adorned with paintings of religious icons to protect and bless them. I did see more than once and image of the Devis feet above a red hibiscus with JAY MA KALI written in Bangla over it. Although as was pointed out: not as common as Visnu. I myself am planning on doing a series of paintings copying the Vishnu icon style but using Kali's footprints as the main motif. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 31, 2004 Report Share Posted October 31, 2004 Swastik wrote: > They sell images of the same feet along Tarapith road and I really > wish that > I had bought a set for my home altar. The Kali Mandir in Laguna Beach Califormnia sells a beautiful photograph of white metal feet (with a hybiscus offering on them) from a Tara temple in Eastern India. Swastik continues: > I myself am planning on doing a series of paintings copying the > Vishnu icon > style but using Kali's footprints as the main motif. I would love to see these paintings! -- Len/ Kalipadma On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 01:56:46 EST swastik108 writes: > > kalipadma writes: > I have seen Vishnu-pada > (images of Vishnu's feet) as jewelry, or paintings, but not images > of Kali's feet. > Also of note on the issue of feet as icons. When I went into the > inner > sanctum of the Tarapith temple I was greeted not only with an image > of the goddes > beautiful face and crown of silver but at the bottom of the idol, > the only part > you are encouraged to touch is a set of large metal "steel?" feet. > The pujaris > took me inside the gate and allowed me to place my head fully upon > them and > it was an amazing experience for me. > > They sell images of the same feet along Tarapith road and I really > wish that > I had bought a set for my home altar. > > Aside from this in India buses are highly adorned with paintings of > religious > icons to protect and bless them. I did see more than once and image > of the > Devis feet above a red hibiscus with JAY MA KALI written in Bangla > over it. > > Although as was pointed out: not as common as Visnu. > > I myself am planning on doing a series of paintings copying the > Vishnu icon > style but using Kali's footprints as the main motif. > > > ______________ Speed up your surfing with Juno SpeedBand. Now includes pop-up blocker! Only $14.95/ month - visit http://www.juno.com/surf to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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