Introduction/Kali

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Celeste.

 

We don't end up discussing Kali all that

often in this group. Other goddess forms

tend to get more airtime.

 

Since you're drawn to Kali, you might

be interested in an essay I scanned in

and posted last January:

 

Fusion of the Soul: Jayashri Ma and the Primordial Mother

by June McDaniel

/message/28676

/message/28677

/message/28695

/message/28710

/message/28719

 

, Shankari Kali

<shankari_kali wrote:

>

> Many of us Westerners are drawn here by beloved Mahakali.

>

> --- On Thu, 12/25/08, Lotus of Kali <frozen_winter_tears wrote:

>

> [....] I have been drawn to Kali Ma [....]

>

[Guest guest]

And while we're on the topic of Kali,

here is the Kalikula section from the

very well-done Shaktism article at

Wikipedia:

 

Kalikula: Family of Kali

 

The Kalikula (family of Kali) form of Shaktism

is most dominant in northern and eastern India,

and is most widely prevalent in West Bengal,

Assam, Bihar and Orissa, as well as parts

of Maharashtra and Bangladesh. Kalikula lineages

focus upon the Devi as the source of wisdom

(vidya) and liberation (moksha). They generally

stand " in opposition to the brahmanic tradition, "

which they view as " overly conservative and

denying the experiential part of religion. "

[bengali Shakta, World Culture

Encyclopedia, South Asia]

 

The main deities of Kalikula are Kali,

Chandi and Durga. Other goddesses that

enjoy veneration are Tara and the all other

Mahavidyas as well as regional goddesses

such as Manasa, the snake goddess, and Sitala,

the smallpox goddess - all of them, again,

considered aspects of the Divine Mother.

[bengali Shakta]

 

Two major centers of Shaktism in West Bengal

are Kalighat in Calcutta and Tarapith in

Birbhum district. In Calcutta, emphasis is

on devotion (bhakti) to the goddess as Kali:

She is " the loving mother who protects her

children and whose fierceness guards them.

She is outwardly frightening - with dark

skin, pointed teeth, and a necklace of skulls -

but inwardly beautiful. She can guarantee a

good rebirth or great religious insight, and

her worship is often communal - especially at

festivals, such as Kali Puja and Durga Puja.

Worship may involve contemplation of the devotee's

union with or love of the goddess, visualization

of her form, chanting [of her] mantras,

prayer before her image or yantra, and

giving [of] offerings. "

[bengali Shakta]

 

At Tarapith, Devi's manifestation as Tara

( " She Who Saves " ) or Ugratara ( " Fierce Tara " )

is ascendant, as the goddess who gives liberation

(kaivalyadayini). [...] The forms of sadhana performed

here are more yogic and tantric than devotional,

and they often involve sitting alone at the

[cremation] ground, surrounded by ash and bone.

There are shamanic elements associated with the

Tarapith tradition, including 'conquest of the goddess',

exorcism, trance, and control of spirits. "

[bengali Shakta]

 

The philosophical and devotional underpinning

of all such ritual, however, remains a pervasive

vision of the Devi as supreme, absolute divinity.

As expressed by the nineteenth-century saint

Ramakrishna, one of the most influential figures

in modern Bengali Shaktism:

 

" Kali is none other than Brahman. That which

is called Brahman is really Kali. She is the

Primal Energy. When that Energy remains inactive,

I call It Brahman, and when It creates, preserves, or

destroys, I call It Shakti or Kali. What you call

Brahman I call Kali. Brahman and Kali are not

different. They are like fire and its power to

burn: if one thinks of fire one must think

of its power to burn. If one recognizes Kali

one must also recognize Brahman; again, if one

recognizes Brahman one must recognize Kali.

Brahman and Its Power are identical. It is

Brahman whom I address as Shakti or Kali. "

[Nikhilananda, Swami (trans.), The

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center

(New York, 1942, 9th ed. 2000).]

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaktism#Kalikula:_Family_of_Kali

 

 

> , Shankari Kali

> <shankari_kali@> wrote:

> >

> > Many of us Westerners are drawn here by beloved Mahakali.

> >

> > --- On Thu, 12/25/08, Lotus of Kali <frozen_winter_tears@> wrote:

> >

> > [....] I have been drawn to Kali Ma [....]

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

To top everything off, in the Chandi Path, a central Devi scripture, Durga takes

three main forms. That of Kali, Saraswati, and Lakshmi. Then you have the ten

Mahavidyas which are different forms of Kali, and some of these forms are

similar or the same as Lakshmi and various other goddesses. I'm not sure if any

of the Mahavidhyas mirror Saraswati, but I think Bagalamukhi may be somewhat

like Saraswati.

 

In Devi worship all the goddesses are different faces of the same goddess.

 

Jai Maa!

Shankari

 

Enquire: 'Who am I?' and you will find the answer. Look at a tree: from one seed

arises a huge tree; from it comes numerous seeds, each one of which in its turn

grows into a tree. No two fruits are alike. Yet it is one life that throbs in

every particle of the tree. So, it is the same Atman everywhere. --Sri

Anandamayi Ma

 

http://shankarikali.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Jai MAA from Kolkata... my husband and I are on pilgrimage and about to fly

to Guwahati to visit Kamakhya Mata for several days. It's an incredible

blessing.

 

Of the Mahavidyas, Matangi is associated directly with Sarasvati, Kamala

with Lakshmi. This is according to the Shakta tradition at Kamakhya, but

also elsewhere. At the Kamakhya temple, Kamakhya is identified both with

Kali and with Mahatripurasundari/Sodasi (see the Kalikapurana Stotram,

Yogini Tantram and Kamakhya Tantram for numerous references). So for Shaktas

at Kamakhya, both Kali and Mahatripurasundari are supreme devis, depending

on who you talk to. And often you'll be told " there is no difference

between them, " especially by sadhakas/sadhikas.

 

Jai MAA

-sundari

 

 

On 12/30/08, Shankari Kali <shankari_kali wrote:

>

> Namaste:

>

> To top everything off, in the Chandi Path, a central Devi scripture, Durga

> takes three main forms. That of Kali, Saraswati, and Lakshmi. Then you have

> the ten Mahavidyas which are different forms of Kali, and some of these

> forms are similar or the same as Lakshmi and various other goddesses. I'm

> not sure if any of the Mahavidhyas mirror Saraswati, but I think Bagalamukhi

> may be somewhat like Saraswati.

>

> In Devi worship all the goddesses are different faces of the same goddess.

>

> Jai Maa!

> Shankari

> http://shankarikali.wordpress.com/

>

--

***

 

You'll find Mother in any house.

Do I dare say it in public?

She is Bhairavi with Shiva,

Durga with Her children,

Sita with Lakshmana.

She's mother, daughter, wife, sister -

Every woman close to you.

What more can Ramprasad say?

You work the rest out from these hints.

 

- Ramprasad Sen (1720-1781)

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sundari,

I am so glad you got to visit India for the New Year. What a blessing!

 

Of the Mahavidyas, Matangi is associated directly with Sarasvati, Kamala

 

with Lakshmi.

 

I did not know that Matangi is associated with Saraswati. Thank you so much.

Tripura Sundari is considered the Supreme Deity in the Sri Vidya tradition.

 

Jai Maa!

Shankari

Enquire: 'Who am I?' and you will find the answer. Look at a tree: from one seed

arises a huge tree; from it comes numerous seeds, each one of which in its turn

grows into a tree. No two fruits are alike. Yet it is one life that throbs in

every particle of the tree. So, it is the same Atman everywhere. --Sri

Anandamayi Ma

 

http://shankarikali.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for bringing this essay. It is appreciated. I look forward to

reading it.

 

Celeste

 

" When you hear about the Self, meditate upon the Self,

and finally realize the Self...

you come to understand everything in life. "

 

--Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.5

 

 

--- On Mon, 12/29/08, msbauju <msbauju wrote:

 

msbauju <msbauju

Fusion of the Soul: Jayashri Ma and the Primordial Mother

by June McDaniel

http://groups. / group/Shakti_ Sadhana/message/ 28676

http://groups. / group/Shakti_ Sadhana/message/ 28677

http://groups. / group/Shakti_ Sadhana/message/ 28695

http://groups. / group/Shakti_ Sadhana/message/ 28710

http://groups. / group/Shakti_ Sadhana/message/ 28719