The 12 forms of Kali

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Kali appears in 12 forms(as explained by Kashmiri Tantra). These are

the forms of the Shaktis of the Jiva, on his path to becoming Shiv:

 

1. Srishti Kali- This is the part of Kali that creates the universe.

This creation is in respect to creating an object different from

herself(as Shiv/Shakti are pure subjectivness).

 

2. Rakta Kali- She maintains the world through the 5 senses.

 

3. Sthitinasha Kali- When Kali withdraws from the world, & rests in

herself. She is purely introverted.

 

4. Yama Kali- In this form, she is beyond introvert/extrovert aspect,

existencing in an undefinable aspect.

 

These 4 forms are to do with the external object. The next four are to

do with means of knowledge of the objective world:

 

5. Samhara Kali: She withdraws all objects into herself. She is

different from Sthitinasha Kali, as she not only withdraws objective

world, but also means of knowledge. So Sthitinasha Kali says " I have

known this object " , while Samhara Kali says " This object is a part of me " .

 

6. Mrityu Kali- She swallows even traces of the objective world.

 

7. Bhadra Kali- Also called Rudra Kali, she dissolves all name & forms

into herself. So now there is no means of knowledge, as she dissolves

them.

 

8. Martanda Kali- Martanda means sun. The 12 indriya(5 organs of

knowledge, 5 of action, mind & Buddhi) are also called the sun as they

allow us to see external objects. She dissolves even this " sun " of 12

indriya, & hence not only is the objective world destroyed, but means

to know about it also.

 

The last 4 forms of Kali are to do with the limited subject:

 

9. Parmarak Kali- Once Martandana Kali destroys 12 indriya, Parmarak

Kali brings out the Ahankaar or pure Ego . This pure ego, not to be

confused with lower ego of mind, is what is also called Saakshi Bhaav,

ie that which watches the body/mind as witness only without

participating in their world.

 

10. Kalagni Rudra Kali- The Pure Ego still thinks itself different

from Universal ego. This form of Kali makes individual ego realise it

is part of Universal Ego.

 

She is also called Mahakali, as she holds he whole Universe inside

her, even Kala or Time.

 

11. MahaKala Kali - She destroys now completely the idea of

Individual soul different from Universal Soul, & only the Universal

Soul remains.

 

12. Mahabhairav Ghora Chand Kali- She takes the Soul now to the state

of ParaShiv, or Parabrahm, which is beyond even Universal Soul. This

is a completely undefinable, unknowable state.

 

 

The interesting thing is- it shows even Pure awareness is a form of

Shakti, & not Shiv, who is completely unknowable. This Shiv can only

be reached through his Shaktis, not directly.

 

love

Shantnu