About Kaali
Kali is the first and foremost among the Mahavidyas, and the patron deity of the Kalika Kula school of Shaktism. Kali is Adya, the Primordial Goddess, and is regarded as Nirguna Brahman. Her consort is Mahakala.
Her form was fearful, her hair untied and loose, her body the color of a dark cloud. She had deep-set eyes and eyebrows shaped like curved swords. She stood on a corpse, wore a garland of skulls, and earrings made from the bones of corpses. She had four hands — in one she held the head of a skull, and in another a curved sword with blood dripping from it. Her other two hands displayed mudras — one giving freedom from fear and the other giving blessings. She roared, and the ten directions were filled with that ferocious sound.
The exploits of this Goddess Kali are outlined in the Chandi Path. She is the Goddess who killed Chanda and Munda and also drank the blood of Raktabija. She is known as Kaushiki, She who came from within, and is the Slayer of Shumbha and Nishumbha. Kali is the first of the Dasa Mahavidyas. She is beyond time. She takes away darkness and fills us with the light of wisdom, which is why She is the embodiment of Jnana Shakti. She resides in the cremation grounds, where all creation dissolves.
Kali is also renowned as the patron of Bhakti saints such as Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharjee. She is worshiped more in West Bengal than anywhere else, and appears in various forms such as Dakshina Kali, Adya Kali, Maha Kali, Smashana Kali, Bhadra Kali, Chamunda Kali, Hamsa Kali, Krodha Kali, Guhya Kali, Kamakala Kali, Chintamani Kali, Krishna Kali, Raksha Kali and Nitya Kali.
Beeja Mantra
Gayatri
