I bow to the victorious Mother, the auspicious Kali—Bhadra Kali, Kapalini, Durga, the forgiving Mother Khama, the consort of Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, Lord Agni, and our Ancestors.
In appearance, Mother Kali is one of the most formidable deities in Hinduism. Yet, what makes her even more powerful is her identity as a mother. Her ferocity is an extraordinary feminine trait. In the temple, we have a large ten-armed representation of the holy Mother.
Her story is narrated in various Puranas, including the Devi Bhagavatam, Agni Puran, Skanda Puran, and Markandeya Puran. The most well-known account is from the Markandeya Purana’s Durga Saptashati, which is recited by devotees every Navaratri. Mother Kali is recognized as the most fearsome form of Mother Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva.
During the battle with the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh, their army was led by Raktabeej, a demon with a boon that enabled him to clone himself with every drop of his blood that touched the ground. In her fury, Durga Devi summoned an incredible energy from her brow, which manifested as Kali Mata. Dark and fearsome in appearance, she fought the demon and defeated all his clones. Realizing that the cloning was due to his blood spilling on the ground, she began to drink the blood before it could touch the earth, thus preventing any further clones from being created. After vanquishing the demons, she became intoxicated with her victory and started to pursue both humans and gods. To restrain her, Lord Shiva lay in her path. When she accidentally stepped on him, she recognized her mistake and felt ashamed, causing her to bite her tongue.
This is why Kali Mata is often depicted standing on the body of Lord Shiva with her tongue sticking out. Following this, Durga Mata went on to defeat Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Mother Kali embodies motherhood in its purest form, demonstrating her profound care for her children. In defense of her progeny, she battled countless demons. She represents the protective aspect of feminine Shakti—spiritual energy. Adorning herself with the limbs of slain demons, she sends a clear message that no harm shall come to her children (humankind) while she is present. Her name, Kali, derives from the Sanskrit root Kaal, meaning time.
She is the master of time and embodies the feminine energy behind destruction, as represented by her dark color. Just as all colors are absorbed in black, everything created is ultimately absorbed into time.
Hindus primarily worship Mother Kali in Kolkata, particularly at the renowned Dakshineshwari and Kalighat temples. Shri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda are among her famous devotees. The practice of animal sacrifices is inappropriate for the Kali Yuga, and we should not condone such actions today. Scriptures advise that this practice has ended, urging us to surrender our animalistic tendencies to the Mother. Those who misinterpret this as permission to consume meat only deepen their sins instead of purifying themselves. Eating meat is a cardinal sin in Hinduism, and we must awaken to our Lord’s teachings. Our bodies should be temples; consuming meat transforms them into cremation grounds inhabited by negative forces like lust, pride, greed, anger, and gluttony.
Let us strive to make our bodies temples fit for the Lord.
By worshipping the Holy Mother, Hindus are blessed with protection from negative energies and the assurance of a successful family life filled with unity and harmony.