Kāli

**Kāli** (The Black One, The Endless One), also known as **Kāli Mā** (Mother Kali) or **Mahakāli** (Great Endlessness), is the Hindu goddess of time, creation, destruction, purification, spiritual liberation and enlightenment, change, power, and justice. She is also the chief of the Mahavidya, ten aspects of Herself who guide and protect people.

Other names for Her include **Parvati** (She of the Mountains), **Durga** (invincible), **Uma** (Mother), **Sati** (The Truthful One) and **Shakti** (Power).

## History

Although she is the consort of Shiva, the god of time, She is much more powerful than Shiva. Like Shiva, She represents eternity and infinity, because She is Shakti, the infinitely divine force of the universe.

Long ago, She was Sati, a descendant of the creator god Daksha who emerged from Brahma. She agreed with Brahma to appear on the world for Daksha's devotion, on the condition that he will not mistreat Her, or She will leave the world. Her devotion and Her honesty won Her the blessing of Shiva, whom married Her. Her father, who ruled as a king, performed a fire ritual to honour the Gods, but he did not invite Shiva and Sati. When Sati was there, he angrily cursed Her and Her consort. Seeking to break all ties with Her father for his offense against the Lord of Knowledge, She went into the sacred fire and burned Her own body, vanishing from the world.

Saddened and furious from the death of his beloved, Shiva tossed a lock of His hair, which emerged as the wrathful deities Virabhadra and Bhadrakali. They joined Him as He danced in wrath, unleashing much destruction and killing Daksha. When Shiva's wrath was gone, He forgave Daksha and brought him back to life, and had his lost head replaced with that of a goat.

Sati's remains were scattered across India, torn apart during the dance of destruction. The places where they landed became holy, known as the Shakti Pithas (Thrones of the Endless Power).

Ages later, Sati was reborn as Parvati, the daughter of the mountain god Himavat. Like Her, he was a devotee of Shiva, and their faithfulness led to Her marriage and reunion with Shiva as His blessed consort.

One notable legend about Her was that she was Durga, who was fighting a war against the demon Raktabija. Every time Raktabija is killed, drops of his blood became into more demons. The gods called upon Durga for help, and in Her rage, She became Kali. As She and the other goddesses slew Raktabija, She collected every drop of his blood and drank it, annihilating him. In Her fury she not only destroyed the other demons, but She also danced and nearly destroyed the world. Only by the timely intervention of Shiva, who let Her step on His chest, did She stop as She was shocked. She bit Her own tongue, ashamed of Her actions.

Another account involved several bandits attempting to murder a man as a sacrifice to Kali. They foolishly chose a young Brahmin man, whose holiness caused the statue of Kali to be scorched. Kali manifested and slew the bandits, freeing and rescuing the Brahmin.

She and Her family live at Mount Kailash, a mountain to the north.

## Appearance

Kali is depicted as a fierce woman with blue (or black) skin and four arms. In another appearance, She is shown with ten arms, as the almighty Mahakali. She is also seen with a garland of heads and stepping over a subdued Shiva, symbolising Her power to defeat anything, including time and death. Her weapons include a sword (representing knowledge), a trident (the trishula), a severed head of a demon, and a cup to collect blood from the demon's head. The demon's head represents selfishness and corrupt desires that every student of Hers must defeat to achieve salvation, and Her other gestures (mudra) are *abhaya* and *varada*, representing that those who sincerely seek Her will be guided in life and saved in the afterlife.

Around her neck are fifty skulls or heads. As the fifty heads are in the traditional number of letters in the Sanskrit abugida, they represent various weaknesses every student, devotee, and child of Kali must defeat to achieve enlightenment and salvation.

She is accompanied by serpents and a jackal.

Her divine warriors are the yakshas, the dakinis, and the sixty-four Yogini. The yakshas are the spirits of the forest and wilds, who are also fierce and savage like the lands they inhabit. The dakinis are horrific demons who hunt and feast on unfortunate humans, but Kali Ma stops them and makes them obey Her to fight evil instead. The Yogini are Kali's aspects, having supernatural powers and dreadful ferocity.

## Personality

Although Kali is fierce, She is loving and protective of Her children, such as those who invoke Her. She also values humility and righteousness in Her students: to compel them into behaving better and understanding the worth of eternity, She allows them to face disasters and suffering.

## Relationships

Her consort is Shiva. They also have several sons: Murugan (or Karttikeya), the god of war and victory; and Ganesha, the god of fortune and salvation.

## Aspects

Parvati is her peaceful stance.

As Durga, She leads the righteous to victory. Durga rides on a lion and wields a trident to slay demons and evil people.

Parvati also has other embodied aspects Who appear alongside Her elsewhere at once. The Navadurgas, the Mahavidya, and the sixty-four Yogini are among Her countless forms.

## Worship

"*Oṃ jayantī mangala kālī bhadrakālī kapālinī*
*Durgā kṣamā śivā dhātrī svāhā svadhā namō'stu‍tē*"
- A mantra used to worship Kali:

*"Hail, Ever-Victorious, Ever-Auspicious, Endless Kali, Triumphant over Death, Bearer of the Garland of Skulls; Hail, Great Mother, Forgiving One, the Auspicious, Supporter of All Life, and the End of all Offerings. I bow to You!"*

Although Kali accepts all people into Her presence, those who seek Her must be aware that She prefers that they have to be humble. They have to let go of their attachments to this world, for She always reminds them that there are greater goals than the pleasures of this world. She might even let Her devotees face disasters to purify them of their faults, and refine them into better people.

By worshipping Her, people learn to be kind, to be brave, to be humble, and to be wise. Although the puja is a proper way to worship Kali, She also accepts simple offerings such as a prayer, a meditation, or a hymn: as long as it brings the worshipper closer to Her.

One way to worship Her is by fasting on Tuesdays on the holy month of Shraavan (July to August). Another, at Kali Puja (October or November), is to spend the whole night in meditation to Her, to bring one's self closer to Her holiness. In that sacred day, the most ideal time to honour Her is at midnight, with a puja (ceremony) facing north. The worshipper should wear red or orange, and the image of Kali should be placed on a red cloth.

Devotees to Kali must also never eat beef or harm cattle, for the cow is sacred to Her.

## In the Rabydosverse

### Inspiration of Justice

The Denlotia's members worshipped Kali at first to mock their enemies, who feared Her and associated Her with destruction. But as they continued to venerate Her as the Goddess of Justice, they started to notice that they were becoming more fair and just. Their rage and hatred of their enemies were turned away from extermination of Terrans to only the destruction of the worst criminals. In the Denlotia, Kali Ma was also known by many of its people as "Mother Justice" or "Lady Justice", her wrath and her wisdom inspiring them to build a better world.

The account of Kali killing the demon Raktabija and drinking his blood became a popular motif in Denlotian art. Just as Kali drank Raktabija's blood to prevent him from terrorising the world, so did the Denlotia engage in many harsh methods to prevent evil and injustice from ever existing on Jerde and its many peoples.

Later, as the devout Denlotians refused to depict their many Gods in surfaces that may be easily dirtied (like documents or even flags and emblems), they used a simple image of a cup burning the blood inside to ash, later a burning chalice, and ultimately a torch with jewels.

### Elsewhere on Jerde

Kali is the national deity of Vanga, a humble river nation to the east of Prisapura. Like Shiva, Kali is also venerated in various nations as a bringer of knowledge and a purifier and protector of souls. Perhaps due to the popularity of Vangaian music and art or Denlotian justice, Parvati in some countries (such as Hmoong Av and Pinoguni) is best-known as Kali and Durga.

Eastward into Pinoguni, the Hindu Kumaso tribe prays to Her as Toroga, derived from Her aspect as Durga Ma.

### Sarmelonid worship of Kali

Millennia ago, Emperor Silojennoz claimed that Kali Ma spoke to him in his dreams, telling him to build his empire on justice and fairness instead of supremacy and brutal force. In his state religion, Kali Ma did appear as the goddess Akali, the Eternal Weaver.

### Veneration in Porashon

In Porashon, She and Shiva are venerated as the spiritual rulers of the republic and the protectors of souls. Her sacred day, Kali Puja, is also considered as the country's own Children's Day, as it honours Kali for protecting children from danger and guiding them to well-being. Porasonids (and some of their Ontemazei descendants) celebrate Kali Puja by lighting lanterns, doing good deeds to help people, and giving their friends and children beautiful gifts.

The Porasonids believe that even though Kali may look frightening and deathly, She is the goddess of justice. One of Her ancient, timeless names was "Uma", "Mother": it became more meaningful, when the Porasonids worshipped Her as an eternal parent Who loves them in spite of bearing the sins of their ancestors. Like Shiva, Kali Ma is seen as someone who cleanses even the most hated of monsters like the Porasonids themselves, for they are willing to follow Her teachings to free themselves from their own evils.

Because She and Shiva are considered the highest gods in their pantheon, therefore it is a duty for every Porasonid to be fair and helpful: they believe that virtue, justice, and improvement are more pleasing to Kali than a million vain offerings. Perhaps their devotion to Kali has also influenced the Porasonids to become more fair to all, from the poorest and most miserable people in their nation to even remorseful Kalokei and Wannaenids who defected to them. It was that same devotion that continued their ancient drive to defend their allies and anyone under their protection.

Like with all the Hindu deities, the Porasonids never offer any meat to Kali. As they are approaching the Supreme Goddess, they must make themselves pure as though they are entering Her presence, and meat defiles the sanctity around Her. Killing a cow or a bull is especially blasphemous against Her, as the cow is a sacred symbol of Her presence.

### The Goddess of Justice

In Porashon, the demon Yatana (known as Jotane) is regarded as the antithesis and the enemy of Kali: Yatana represents cruelty, hatred, and torment, reckless and unnecessary ruin. Every good person who opposes cruelty is therefore an enemy of Yatana. Every enemy of Yatana becomes an agent and even a child of Kali, as they help Her restore justice to the world and defend the innocent.

The Kalokei, the remnants of the Ontemazei Empire, sometimes cursed the Porasonids for their alignment with the hated humans by murdering people as offerings to the Gods. Such abominable acts made the Porasonids very furious, as they regarded human sacrifice as a great blasphemy against all the Gods, including Kali. In their cruelty and hatred of the Porasonids, the Kalokei were notorious for mocking the Porasonid devotion to Her, by killing their prisoners in front of statues of Her.

For this offense against the Endless One, and especially for the cruel murders, the Porasonids sentenced Kalokei leaders who committed such evil acts to be burned alive. The fires were not a sacrifice like the Kalokei murders, but simply a punishment to condemn the Kalokei murders used to curse against the goddess. Even as some Kalokei continue to curse the goddess and Her children, the Porasonids continued to coldly watch in silence, not uttering a single prayer to ensure that the desecrators will face their long-lasting punishment in the afterlife.

After the temples and towns were rebuilt, the Porasonids prayed to Kali to cleanse the rebuilt sites, and bring the victims of those wrongful sacrificial murders to Paradise.

### The Ever-pure Protector

The worship of Kali and Shiva was brought to Bujan by a few among the Kalokei prisoners under Wannaenid rule. They called upon the Gods to forgive their ancestors' grave sins, and purify them and save them from their tormentors. Their prayers were answered when the Bujanski revolted against the Wannaenid emperor, allowing them to break away from their oppressors. They believed that Kali had cleansed their hearts by making them understand what they should be doing to absolve their sins.

To honour the Gods, the Kalokei (now known as Ontemazei) never eat beef or kill cows, although they sometimes had to attend such sacrifices if they pray at Rodnover temples. When they do, they close their eyes and pray, seeking Her forgiveness. Over time, many temples all over the kingdom no longer kill cattle or eat beef out of kindness for the Ontemazei, with almost no objection.

On the month of August (Soravan, Shraavan), Ontemazei do not eat at daytime on Tuesdays in honour of Kali. They also celebrate Kali Puja while other countries observe Durga Puja (which basically honours the same goddess) with blue lanterns, prayers, thanksgiving, and giving gifts to children; because Kali is considered as a guardian, the festival became their equivalent of Children's Day.

Radumo is one of many Ontemazei in Bujan who are devout Rodnovers, and her patron deity is Svarog. But even then, whenever she or her friends are in danger, she prays to Kali Ma to protect them from harm or heal them.

The Hall of Niravadi at Djaripol is a Hindu temple, with Kali as its main goddess: Radumo goes there every month to pray to the Divine Protectress of her family and loved ones. Bujanski shrines and temple-halls to Kali tend to be painted with dark colours and decorated with stars, to remind the visitors to think of eternity and put aside their earthly matters, except the problems and thanks they wish to offer to the Endless One.

During the War of Bujanski Independence, the Bleeding Hill in the northeast was a site of dark rituals. There, Terrans murdered victims or each other to vile entities and claim its alleged magic powers. The revolutionaries fought the Terran cultists and defeated them and consecrated the hill to Kali Ma, after they were attacked by a great monster with many teeth all over its bleeding skin. A temple was built to honour Her and purify the hill from its curse, presumably dispelling the presence of the cannibal warrior Gula forever.

In 1909 AT, the nearby kingdom of Irajon granted citizens of Terran descent full citizenship, encouraged by social reforms in Bujan. Fittingly, the day also fell on the same date as Kali Puja, so they celebrated that day by reflecting on their history and how they redeemed themselves to Irajonian society. Some Terrans also went to pray to Kali Ma, believing that She might have guided them to free themselves from their own wickedness.

### The Illuminating Darkness

On the night before Purulli and her departure to the Northern Wastes, Radumo had a nightmare where her friends lay murdered and mangled around her, within the ruins of the arctic research station she was assigned into. Before her stood several Wannaenid supersoldiers, their weapons raised to kill her brutally. One soldier burned her with a flamethrower, but as she cowered she found that she was unharmed.

The timid pink student heard a woman's voice, speaking to her "like a queen from beyond time and space". The voice told her:

"*Stand up.*

*Do it for your friends, who cried out to Me.*

*The hubristic ones hurt those whom you love, but you must not fall with them.*

*They are coming for you, but they shall pay. You can do it.*

*Rise, for your friends need you.*

*This is not the end, My child.*”

With her mysterious, renewed strength, Radumo dodged and fired back at her enemies from any remaining barricades, and her dream ended. On the next day, when she told her friends about the dream, Radumo was unsure whether was that the voice of Kali Ma or not. Either way, it gave her hope against her coming doom.

## Trivia

* In Western popular culture, such as Indiana Jones or Smite, Kali was depicted either as a frightening horror, or as an exotic symbol of wildness. Many Hindus are very upset by those dishonourable portrayals, as the goddess is actually kind and just, destroying evil to ensure the well-being and salvation of humanity.
	+ The Kalokei ritual murders may have been inspired by the Thuggee of Indiana Jones, who practice a distorted and ruinous form of worship.
	+ The Porasonid wars to stop the murders may correspond to actual Kali-worshippers stopping injustice and cruelty. It is part of a trope by the author about actual people stopping stereotypes of themselves.
	+ It is implied that the Porasonids and their alliance are Kali Ma's instruments on Jerde - their wars against the Kalokei and various other tyrannies were Her judgment against these enemies. It may also suggest that every good person who fights injustice is also, by extension, Her instruments of judgment.
* The twelfth day of November was the date for Kali Puja on 1909.

## See also

* Hel, another death goddess who is actually compassionate.