This Question is for Devi Bhaktas: Jai Mata ki. Why Mother Kali is depicted as?

Question

- wearing a garland of skulls
- black color
- naked

(thanks to Jitenderji & Aumji for encouraging me by giving best answers and points so that I can ask more questions on Mother)

Answer 1

You know chamunda I was long back thinking of asking the same question. Mahakali is my favorite and I love her as much as Krishna. (do you know Beeja Manta of Krishna Kali are same ?)

Our ancient sages were really great. To make people digest the difficult and spiritual meaning of Gods, they made their idols to show their attributes.

Mahakali is Adi-Shakti, the Energy aspect of Maha-kaal (sada-shiv). Whe she manfests as Universe, she changes herself to Luxmi, Saraswati and Kali (prosperity, knowledge & destruction).

Mahakali's time starts when the whole universe is destroyed, when Time and Spaces ceases to exist. The Universe is what is hiding her from us...the cosmos is like her clothes, and when her clothes are removed she comes in her real form.
So the rishis made her looking naked...means Mahakali is when there is nothing but her.

She is wearing skulls garlands. This have two meanings...one is the garland denotes all the egos of the universe become her garland when she destroys the whole world. She uses these egos again to manifest the world agains

Another explanation is that she wears a garland of 50 skulls, which denotes 50 primodal sounds from which Sanskrit's words originiated. So garland of skulls also mean...the sounds and words go originate from her..and go back to her after Pralaya.

Black color is very interesting...black is no color but black is the all the colors.... try this on computer mix all the colors to their extreme..and u get pure black color

So black denotes extreme and origin of all colors, also absence of any other light than her own....it also means the Dark Matter holding the universe..It also denotes purest form of Tamoguna which she manifests to destroy the world. Black also means Mystery and secret.

She is also shown sitting on a dead body... it also denotes that she comes to her full form, when the whole creation is destoyed, that is also the reason she is called Shamsanvasini(living in cremation ground)

Mahakali is thus worshipped with following Mantra

शवारूढ़ा महाभीमा घोरद्रंष्टां हंसन्मुखीम
चतुर्भुजां खड् गमुण्ड वराभयकरां शिबाम
Riding a deadbody, strongest, horrible teeth and fierced, four armed having sword, skull but one hand giving blessings of being fearless.

This is the beauty of Mahakali, being so fearsome, She is giving us Blessings to be fearless by surrendering to her.

Aum Kring Mahakalike Namah

Answer 2

According Ratri Sukta from Rigveda
Kalima is Godess of nights that`s why she is kali(Black)
The "night " in broader sence "Before the creation"

Long long back there was nothing in this world
Only black and stagnat endless night was there

Kali represents that "time" which is stopped and hidden.

Kali being the godess of nights protects us from dangers when we lost ourselves in deep sleep.
She brings a thick black carpet (night) to cover all the creation to get sleep.

She is naked because she is ulitmate form of truth and that is death (is also night to the particular Atma)
She helps Shiva to destroy and rebuilt the Sristi.

Shiva and Kali are sometimes recognised as digambara(naked) because they are representing the greatest truth.

When you try to cover the truth...it will not be truth
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And now about Rundamaala(garland of skulls)
--------------------
There should be eight(8) skulls in the garland
These eight skulls (human) representing
a) kama b) krodha c)Lobha d)Moha e)Mada f)Matsara g)Bhaya and h) Lajja
(a. Lust b.Anger. c.Greed d.Possesive love e. Egomania f. Jealosy g.Fear h. Shyness)

That, we have to offer our all these eight elements to her and pray Her to cut them away.
She arranges a mala from them to wear
She wears them with ulitmate love upon us and smiles at us

And there is 9th runda in her hand
It is nothing but Ahankara
The ego

When all those 8 are gone the ego will vanishes
And she will be ours
Even if don`t offer her anything
She loves us
And waits our arrival on the doors of SMASHAAN

Answer 3

the maya as the authority of the lord, manifests this Universe.

Than the process of authority for different modes of nature takes place. This is done after the supreme time i started by glance of the lord.

The supreme time, starts the creation process, and then there should be authority to aid in this creation, its management and also its annihilation, so that the cycle can be repeated.

Kali, is one of the authority for the annihilation which is mapped to the ignorance mode of material nature.

So, She is called mother because she is the part of the energy that gives birth to the material existence ( so she is truely , responsible for giving birth to this material manifest )

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>>This Question is for Devi Bhaktas: Jai Mata ki. Why Mother Kali is depicted as?

- wearing a garland of skulls
- black color
- naked

Before explaining i would like to give you a similar meaning for another deity, so that you can understand easily.

Siva's paraphernalia symbolize:

moon - time measurement in months,
three eyes - tri-kala-jna,
snake around the neck - time measurement in years, necklace of skulls with snakes - changing of ages and begetting and annihilating of mankind.

Similarly, The Maya, or sakthi in the form of Kali has the following symbolization for her paraphernalia :

- wearing a garland of skulls : changing of time and annihilating of living beings in material form.

- black color : She is the authorized representative of the supreme, and she acts on ignorance mode of nature ( The nature is dark, and she acts upon this darkness, and executes her destruction .)

- naked : Because though being involved in supreme management, of material manifest, She is free form all modes of nature, and off course ignorance also. she is naked, the one who is not affected, by modes of nature.
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-deito

Answer 4

You are asking for "Maa Kali's Roopa" later named as "CHAMUNDA" by Maa Mahalaxmi Mother (Origin) of all Devi's.
1.She wear Garland of Skulls belongs to those 'ASUR'S" she killed along with Chand & Mund i.e. why Maa Mahakali is named as "Chamunda"

2. Her Black colour is because of Burning with "KARODHA" anger to kill all ASURA'S in heights of Himalaya's.

3. Naked because she left all shame in "Kali Roopa" to kill all ASUR'S forgetting about Mercy upon them.

In fact Devi Bhaktas worship this "Roopa" of Maa Mahakali called "CHAMUNDA" in all Jagran's but hardly any body knows about it or any priest in Jagran tells them.

Answer 5

I liked all the above onces. It's nice to learn new things. I am waiting for Aum's answer too. If anyone can tell what are these which magnolia flora explains the words ..." Lodha, Mada, matsara in tamil". that would be more helpfull to make me understand.

To me i was thinking black colour is, as when we pray to her, she takes away our dirty in all characters from us.

Answer 6

Very good question and very good answer. I learnt a lot from your question

jai maan kali

Answer 7

thanks for such a beautiful question .