This areticle tried to describe the mother goddess in the shades of black and white with reference to the Vedas and Tantras. As the Vedas means vid or to know or video or light, similarly Tantra is related to the word 'tamasa' meaning darkness. It is the art of rescuing from darkness by darkness---'tamasa tomosoh trayatey iti tranta'
1. Kali(kaalI)-The Black Goddess
(There is a hymn of the black goddess with the original
mantra and translationin the following link http://techni-
kali.blogspot.com/2008/08/dakshina-kali-dhyan-mantra.html
Wherever the Sanskrit words are in italics they can be
found in the English Sanskrit Dictionary of Sir
MonierWilliams. They are the „ITRANS‟ version. Refer
http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/.)
We have explained earlier thatpraaNa (commonly known as
„life force‟) is our active soul who at one end is
immutable, stationary, unchanged and is active as praaNa at
the other end. Consciousness at one pole is inactive,
immutable, only knowing oneness in oneness and at other end
is splitting, multiplying as many. This active aspect
(praaNa) is also called „kaala‟ whose common meaning is
„time‟. In Sanskrit, the word „kaala‟ actually signifies
the control or the action that creates the events. Thus
actions of „kaala‟ or „praaNa‟ is known as „inception‟ or
„creation‟, „continuity‟ or „presence‟ and „termination‟ or
„annihilation‟. These three actions are known as „sRiShti‟
(creation), „sthiti‟(continuation or existence) and
„laya‟(termination) respectively. In us, this flow or
action of time (kaala) is felt as the flow of life(praaNa).
In Sanskrit, for the „so called time‟ there is a word
called „samaya‟ which means „sama‟ (same or synchronized) +
„ayana‟(motion or orbital motion). Our normal sense of time
is the sense of synchronization. We synchronize our self
with the clock. We are synchronized with the sun, with the
weeks, months and seasons. The control, action, that makes
the sun to rise and set, that makes the seasons to cycle
and is behind every event and change is „kaala‟. This is
action of consciousness. Action of consciousness means
„knowing‟ and „knowing‟ means „becoming‟. Any conscious
action means a revelation i.e. vision or eye. So in the
system of life, in the centre, we find a sun, the source of
life, vision and time. The internal seat of this is our eye
which is also the source of vision and time. (We discussed
these to some extent in our earlier publications in
„Scribd‟.)
Vedas have addressed the universal praaNa as „mukhya’(
„principal‟ or „originating from mouth‟) praaNa’. This is
„praaNa‟ who is beyond life and death. Life and death are
created from praaNa or from actions of „kala‟. The word
„mukhya‟ also means related to „mukha‟ or mouth. The
source, thespace, from where the words are originating
2. (physiologically it isthe hollow or space inside the
mouth). Every split, every differentiation of praaNa is
associated with a definition or word. This is „praj~naana’,
the special form of „knowledge‟ or „consciousness‟
associated with that „word‟. Upanishads have said „praaNa‟
and „praj~naana‟ are same. It is as if every word has given
consciousness or „praaNa‟ a shape called „praj~naana‟. Thus
Upanishads have called „word‟ or the „fundamental word‟ as
the consort or „shakti‟ of „praaNa‟. This „fundamental
word‟ or this aspect of consciousness is the celebrated
goddess of word called „vaak‟ in the Vedas and Upanishads.
Thus in the Upanishads „praaNa‟ and „vaak‟ are the eternal
conjugal pair from whose copulation every grain of the
universe is created. This conjugal pair has also been
termed as„saama‟ and „Rik‟in the Vedas /Chandogya
Upanishads.
The Vedas are also called „nigama‟ meaning „going back
finally‟ or the „return journey‟ to the source. Tantras are
called „agama‟ that is „to arrive‟ or what is coming out of
source. There are always two motions, toward the source and
away from the source. „vaak‟ of Vedas has been termed as
„kaala‟ in „tantra‟.
This knowledge shared here belongs to the seers who for the
benefit of the society and to maintain the quality of the
society havespoken and written down their experience in the
texts. This knowledge lives with them and departs with
them. They used to teach this in private, in seclusion, to
the near and dear ones who would accept the knowledge with
faith and practice. We are discussing now because
„knowledge‟ is fast vanishing and getting extinct.
As the word Veda (veda) is connected to the word „vid‟
meaning to know and also illumination or light (vid,
video,vide, vision…), similarly the word „tantra‟ has its
roots in darkness that is „tama‟ (darkness). Our preachers
have told us that „tantra‟ means the art of rescuing from
darkness by darkness, i.e. „tamasa (by darkness)
tamosah(from darkness) trayatey (rescues)‟. Thus we worship
the black goddess „kaalI‟. „kaalI‟ means the goddess from
whom the „time is originating‟. There is also arelated word
called „kebala‟ meaning „only‟ or „only One‟. The word
„kaala‟ also means black. Black means where everything has
got shrouded by universal Oneness, nothing else is visible,
but one and only one who has overridden all the dualities.
This aspect of the goddess has been cited in the Chandogya
Upanishads where the aspect of „bhUman‟(unending, eternal)
3. has been described. There itis stated that„bhUma‟(„bhUman‟)
is the pleasure and there is no pleasure in anything that
is less or limitedor not „bhUma‟(„bhUman‟).
In the Chandogya (Note1) it is stated as below.
“Here in „bhUman‟ one does not see anything which is
different; no duality is seen; all vision is in
Oneness;here in „bhUman‟ one does not hear anything which
is different;no duality is heard;all sound is in Oneness;
here in „bhUman‟ one does not know anything which is
different, no duality is known;all knowledge is in Oneness;
where duality is seen, heard and known, there it is
„less‟,‟limited‟;
what is „bhUman‟ is „amRita‟ or eternal, there is no
pleasure in what is less („alpa‟), limited or mortal;
there is no root of „bhUman‟, „it is in it‟; (herethere is
nothing like creature, creation and creator; all in
Oneness;)
„bhUman‟(eternity) is there in the up and there down;
„bhUman‟ is everything; ‟me is in every direction‟; „the
soul is in every direction‟; one who knows like this, the
one(soul) rejoices in Oneself(in soul);all domain is within
him/her; he/she roams everywhere as desired;
one who knows like this, he sees that the life is flowing
out of the soul/the ONE; the hopes are rising from the
soul/the One;the reminiscences are flashing from the
soul/the One; the sky/the space is spreading from the
soul/the One; the radiations are emanating from the
soul/the One; the water flows from the soul/the One; the
usher and departure both are in the soul/the One; the
food/the nourishment is happening from the soul/the One and
so is the „strength‟/ the „force‟, so is the „science‟ or
the „process of knowing‟, so is the „mind sustaining the
self‟, so is the „determination‟, so are the „mind, words,
names and mantras‟, so are the „activities‟; it is the
soul, it is the One who is everything!“
Thus here everything is shrouded by Oneness.
The tongue of the goddess is the organ by which She, the
universal consciousness has worded herself or created the
universe. Everything She creates she feels it. Every word
She utters, She tastes it. This is the specialty of the
tongue.
4. Tongue in you is the one who receives the oblation. You
offer the food to the praaNa, to the agni, to the fire
burning as life in you. How earnestly we offer the food.
How the tongue, the jihvaa, receives the oblation, how the
tongue dissolves the oblation in joy of the taste. It
dissolves the duality in oneness, it assimilates. What you
eat becomes your ingredient.
The tongue also radiates the words. The soul, your core,
splits as words. There is only One soul everywhere, in
everything. He splits by words, and everything is His word.
Here is the god „jihvaa‟(meaning tongue in Sanskrit)
or the god „Jehovah‟. The word „jihvaa‟ is from the root
„hu‟ meaning „to sacrifice‟, „to offer oblation‟, ‟to eat‟,
„to sprinkle‟.
Every organ has two roles, sensory and functional. For
example:
(i) eye(vision)---sensory, leg(motion)---functional;
(ii) ear ---sensory(listening to words, feeling;
feeling means to become same as what is felt; );
tongue---functional(uttering the words,creating);
(iii) lips---sensory, hands---functional;
(iv) taste or tongue--- sensory(assimilating in
oneness); genitals---functional(splitting into
many-reproduction,creation);
(v) smell----sensory, anus----functional.
Thus tongue is in the category of both functional
and sensory roles.
jihvhaa is the seat of nectar, elixir, source of all the
juices those can effuse. Thus jihvhaa is also called
„rasanaa’ connected with the word meaning „rasa‟ or nectar.
There are seven tongues of the goddess „kaalI‟(also known
as the tongues of „agni‟(fire) as stated in the
Upanishads.(Note2) They are:
„kaalI, karalI, monojaba, sulohita, sudhrumravarNa,
sphulingini, vishvaruchi.
(1)kalI----The word kalI is also related to the word
„kebala‟ meaning „only one‟ . This is the first sacrifice,
the first oblation. Upanishads have said that at the
beginning there was only the Truth (positivity, light) and
also have said in the beginning there was „nothing‟,
5. „death‟ or negativity(the Creator exclaimed
„nanyakinchamIShat‟----„there is no one else‟!). This is
probably the most intense light, this is probably the most
intense darkness! In the beginning of time there is
Oneness.
(2)karalI—the gaping void! There is void in the process of
creation. Two different entity means there is a void
between them. Without void no multiplication happens. There
is void in the plane of time as well as in the plane of
space. There is void between two minds, so we do not get
mixed with each other. There is void between two galaxies,
we see the expanding universe. It‟s the Energy that
maintains the differentiation. Upanishads have said that
the element of space is the „word‟. (shabda---tattva,
akaasha----tanmatraa.) It is the „vaak‟, the Goddess of
word who has kept two entities, two „formed words‟
separate.Thus the creation is realized, otherwise it won‟t
be stable.
(3)manojava---mano(than mind) +java(faster)—who travels
before mind, before any materialization. This is why, one
name of „agni‟ or fire or „praaNa‟is „purohita‟(puro=before
+ hita=existing) meaning priest or who exists prior to
everything.
(4)sulohita-----su(well)+ lohita(reddened)
lohita= red;
rohita = red, blood;
lOuha=iron;
lih= to lick;
lehana= act of licking;
lola= tongue, penis, fickle or changeable(time);
(It may be noted that the blood, hemoglobin contains iron
and also saliva contains blood group substances and
Lactoferrin which is an iron binding protein.)
„sulohita‟ means who becomes red in the most elegant way.
Red is the longest wave in the visible spectrum, the
furthest from the source, the ingredient of final
formation. By red, by iron, by blood She builds the
structures.
sudhrUmravarna---su(well) + dhUmra(smoke) +
varNa(complexion)----the complexion that shields the
fire/the source/the origin; always in the transitions
between the shapes and shapeless.
6. sphulingini------sparkling(note the „sparkling‟ firework
played during Deepavali or Kalipuja);the universe, the
creation is effusing as sparks;
vishvaruchi-----everything is to Her taste; who likes
everything, every one; vishva=universe, universal;
ruchi=taste, light, liking.
This universe in its external form is vast and inert,
extremely awesome; we tend to lose our existence looking at
its vastness. Internally it is full of love, unpledged,
unconditional love of oneness! Here in „bhUman‟, in eternal
Consciousness everything is naked. Nothing covered.
Everything is known, everything is felt to its full,
everything is seen from its origin to the destination, it
is the spontaneous plane of omniscience. Here all the
memory comes back; one identifies oneself with the
universal soul.
The external universe is externally extremely noisy and
full of inertness. If you see around its all seems to be
dead; ours is a lonely planet. It is noisy too. The noise
of anxieties and agonies are always tormenting us.
Thus Her face is grim(karAla-badanAm) and at the same time
bearing the smile of love; the tongue is out like a
spreading flame. Her abode is full of thunderous sound and
splendid power(ghorarabAmmahA-roudrim ).Her abode is the
„shmashaana‟ (sashAnAlaya-bAshinim), the cremation ground,
where everybody lies dead with Her, in oneness with Her,
where all mortality burns in the fire of
consciousness,praaNa, praNaagni(praaNa +agni-fire). So many
worldsShe has created, so many worlds She has annihilated!
So many seed worlds are sleeping in Her waiting to be
born!This universe is only giving us the feeling as if
nobody elseis livinghere except ourselves. Apparently we
are the only living, animated beings. Thus all the sounds
we are listening, all the feelings we are getting are
inert! Or they are less lively; they are ending,
terminating. Thus her two ear rings are made of two
dreadful corpses, the dead sounds, the dead words. Her
hairs are neither plaited nor with knots. Her hairs are
free flowing (mukto-keshi) along her right-side
shoulder(danturamdakshina-byapilambomAnkaccho-choyAam )!
There is no confinement, no knot here by fixed
instincts.Here it is free instincts! Here you can become a
tree or a bird as you like! She is holding a curved sword
(khaDga) in her hand and other strange weapons
(khaTTaa~Nga). These are weapons which „khaT‟ or cut
everything. She is dissecting herself, splitting herself
7. out of unbounded joy! Thus she is wearing the garland of
bleeding heads (universes) around her neck(munda-
mAlAbibhushitAm)which are the universes from which the
vibrations of creation are gushing out.Her one hand is
holding a freshly cut head (sadya-chinnashira )! Every
creation is nascent in Her,every moment is just created,
nothing is really worn out, every moment is fresh and
new.The blood is oozing out from the two corners of her
mouth (srikkadayagaladrakta-dhArA ). Blood, called „rakta‟
means „red‟ as well as „affection‟ (raga). The blood
flowing in you is out of the love from consciousness.
She, the universal consciousness tastes what she is
becoming; she is assimilating in her all the duality, all
of us are returning to the source.The tongue dissolves the
foods with saliva with immense satisfaction of taste. We
are dissolving in the Oneness. She is standing on Siva
displaying Her tongue, the universal soul whose self is
also our „selves‟. Whatever She does, She does standing on
Her unchanged, immutable form, called Siva(shaba-rupamahA-
deva hridayo-parisangsthitAm). They are complimentary to
each other, the black goddess and the white Shiva.
She is surrounded by the jackals(shibArbi-
ghorarAbArvichatur-drikkhusamanitwAm ) who utter the yelp
during the sunrise and sunset, during the activation and
inactivation of time or „kaala‟, during the joining period
of the day and night, life and death. Here, in this aspect
of consciousness, existence has become of less prominence
by the dominance of the sense of creation and annihilation!
These jackals are very noisy and vocal, cunning, and
monogamous animals. They mate for the life, mating is
between One and One! They are very vocal during mating!
They steal away the foods and preys with unthinkable skill
and audacity like the time who steals our moments of joy or
sorrow, moments of life (or death) with skill beyond our
perception! The face of the jackals are very prominent,
they are quite pointed. The face seems to be like pointed
words or an arrow. We hurl words, pointing at some one.
Words points at something, i.e. directed. We have mentioned
(see below) that all the shapes or shapes of words are
created from the directions. As you are inclined, as your
praaNa is inclined so are your words. Vedas /Upanishads
have told, „praNavadhanu‟(the fundamental word OM—oMkaara
is beyond all the words is the bow), „sharo hi aatmaa‟(self
or the word uttered is the arrow). When you utter a word,
you throw yourself, your soul splits and reveals as that
word.
Jackals are called „shiva’, ‘shRigaala’, ‘sRigaala’ and
also „shRikaala‟. The Sanskrit alphabet „sa‟ is the dental
„sa‟ and the alphabet „sha‟is the palatal „sha‟. When a
8. word is under final moderation just before the final phase
of creation (i.e. through teeth) it is dental „sa‟, but
before that when it is being regulated at an upper level it
is „sha‟, i.e. palatal „sha‟. The word „gaala‟ means
something produced with throat or the articulated word. The
word „gala‟ means neck or throat and also reed. The word
„kaala‟ means time. Thus the jackals are conveying,
carrying the mysteries of „kaala‟(time) and „vaaka‟(the
goddess of words).
Animals are called „vaahana‟, i.e. they are the carriers
(vehicles, conveyors) of the divinity.
(I am not sure if this knowledge has any connection with
„Anubis‟ of Egypt).
Her free flowing hairs are spread over her right shoulder
along the right side of her body(danturamdakshina-
byapilambomAnkaccho-choyAam). Right, the south belongs to
“dakShiNaagni”(dakShiNaagni—the fire on the southern side).
In our earlier publication(Agni) we have explained that
south is that inclination of praaNa by which the event and
happenings of our lives, our destiny and destination after
the life and rebirth are determined.
Her mouth isgaping (karAla-badanAm), the whole universe is
inside, in the her sky, in her inner sky, in the hollow of
Her mouth! She is dense(ghorAm), dense with oneness.Her
teeth are fierce(ghora-drashtAm), her face is grim (kara-
lAsyAm)but still displaying the smile(hasan-mukhim) and
pleasure(sukha-prassanna-badanAmsmerAnana..)! Have you ever
seen such contrast?
The teeth bite the hardness of the foods to make them
dissolve in saliva. The teeth bite the inert to arousethe
sense of consciousness. Her complexion is that of a great
radiant cloud. The word „cloud‟ is „megha‟ in Sanskrit and
originating from a root word „migh‟ meaning to sprinkle.
Thus cloud complexioned(mahA-megha-prabhAm) means that She
is sprinkling, raining the time (kala), direction(dik) and
space(desha). The time, events, universes are raining from
Her!
Her dresses are the directions (dik), i.e. it is not
covered by the shapes, it is uncovered, naked (digambarim);
„sarveydishasarveypraaNa‟----all directions are the
inclinations of praaNa, inclinations of the active
Consciousness. Her unbounded, unabated flow of actions,
„knowing‟, flowing of consciousness is defining Her dress!
Allshapes and dimensions, all definitions are held in
directions, in the vectors. If I know the mysteries of
direction and I say flower, the entire space of flower, I
mean flower of all varieties, in all possible terms of
9. existence, across the time and space is held in this
direction of „flower‟. Thus She is not bound by any
definition.
A cover around Her waist is madeby danglingsevered hands of
corpses raising clapping sound while striking with each
other (shabanAmkarasanghAtayikrita-kAnchim) i.e. made by
all the forms of touch of duality! Her one leg is forward
on the Shiva‟s chest indicating the creationand the other
leg backward indicating the inward amalgamation! Her three
eyes are (bAlArkamandalA-kAralochana tri tayAnitwam) like
the three suns rising in the dawn. They are the three
dimensions of time, the three motions of kala or praaNa,
the three steps of viShnu (the divine praaNa). Time is
always here early, the sun is always here as if in dawn,
that‟s why Her consort Shiva known also as mahaakaala (the
great time or endless time) is described as „shishu‟ or
infant (where time is always in early stage) in the texts.
In the origin,the time is always in the early stage.
Her vision, her time, is radiating from three centres. The
solar sphere (sUrya-maNDala), the lunar sphere
(somamaNDala), the ignescent/terrestrial sphere (fiery
sphere---agnimandala,). Meaning of the sun, moon and fire
is not limited to the two luminous spheres in the sky and
the fire. The solar sphere is known to have twelve
phases(dvaadashakalaa). kalaa means phase and
etymologically means the „akara‟(shape) of „kaala‟(time).
The sun who is illuminated by self, is the self-revealing
self, is the centre of vision and time. Your life is
centredaround your vision. Your whole perception, your all
the feelings are flagrant in your eyes. The eyes and the
sun are same centres, absolutely same. This is why the
being in the eye is called „indha‟(meaning who is flagrant,
who is ignescent) and also „indra‟ (meaning who is looking;
indang(it) + dra(seer)= seeing everything). There are
several quotes in the texts about these two centres (the
sun and the eye) in the macro and micro, some references of
them are given in the Note4 at the end of this article.
The sun, the soul, the aaditya, who isthe son of „aditi‟
(the goddesswithout „duality‟) is seeing or radiating the
time. It is raining in the sky as the years, seasons,
months, weeks, days and nights, hours, moments….In
Sanskrit, the work „IkShaNa‟ means „seeing‟ and also
„action of time‟.
In Chandogya it has been stated,
„asouvaaadityadevamadhu‟(that sun is the honey of
all the gods), tasyadourevatIrachInavaMsha(the divinity is
his bent or curved stream of genealogy). The
10. time streaming out with curvature.This is constitutingthe
genealogy, the step by step progression (and regression) of
the creation.
This is the divine fire, „aahavanIyaagni‟.
The moon is the centre of assimilation. Whatever is being
created that is being tasted, assimilated! This is as if
the creator is embracing in earnest whatever is created!
This process of assimilation is the centre of progression
and regression of creation. Here our development and
destiny are determined. Thus this is the place of cooking,
tasting and assimilation too. In the texts this is also
referred as the „fire that digests‟.
This is „dakShiNaagni‟.
The terrestrial fire, the fire inside the earth, is also
the life burning inside the body. As every physical shape
is a terrestrial shape, similarly every articulated word,
word aired is the terrestrial word, word caught in gravity,
physical word. There is fire inside the word, living,
burning life worded; thus in the several places of the
texts word and fire are identified as same, fire and earth
are identified as same, word and earth are identified as
the same(Note3). This is the electricity earthed. When it
strikes earth it burns as the terrestrial fire.
This is physicality. This is „gRihapatiagni‟, the fire
predominating over the physicality.
aahavanIya, the divine fire is behind all revelation. Thus
this belongs to the guru. (gu ---gupta—hidden; ru—rUpa,
revelation).
dakShiNaagni, the lunar fire is behindthe processingof all
those are created. Thus evolution happens through the realm
of this fire. Thus this belongs to the mother.
gRihapati(meaning lord of the house) is the fire through
which a current state is cast or as you are cast and held
now. This is the presence or existence. This is the
terrestrial fire, belong to father, genealogy.
These three fires, revelation aspects, are Her three eyes.
She is in reverse congress with Him(mahAkAlena cha
samambiparita-ratAturam) . Everything is past here,
everything is already done here, and everything is already
accomplished.
Note1. Refer Chandogya Upanishad, 7th Chapter, chapter 23,
24,25,26.
11. Note2: Hymns from Mundak Upanishad (First Mundaka(head)
/Chapter, second part, fourth hymn.)
„kaalIkaralI cha monojaba cha,
sulohitajaa cha sudhrumravarNa,
sphulinginI, vishwaruchI cha devI,
lelaymanaa (like a flickering flame)
itisapta(seven) jihvaa(tongues)‟.
Note3
Refer Vrihadaranyaka Upanishad,1st Chapter,5th Brahmin(5th
Part)11th hymn---
tasaivachoprithivIsharIramjyotirupamayamagni----the body of
the word is the earth and fire is the word‟s radiance.
Refer Chandogya Upanishad, 1st Chapter, 3rd part, 7th Hymn---
„prthivItham‟(earth is the end point or the state of
stability)…..‟agnitham‟ (agni or fire is the end point or
the state of stability;)
Refer Chandogya Upanishad, 2nd Chapter, 17th part, 1st
Hymn---„prthivIhinkaroh‟(earth is the hinkar or the state
that confirms); refer Chandogya Upanishad, 2nd Chapter,
20th part, 1st Hymn---„agnihinkaroh‟ (agni or fire is the
hinkar or the state that confirms).
Refer Chandogya Upanishad, 3rd Chapter, 18th part, 3rd
Hymn---„vagebabhramhanachaturthapadasa angina
jyotishavati(„vaak‟ the word is the 4th state of the
absolute and is expressed by the „fire‟)
Note4
Refer ReferVrihadaranyaka Upanishad,3rdst Chapter,9th
Brahmin(5th Part)20th hymn----
„kimdevatoasyamprachyamdishiasi?(which deity is related to
the east direction?);aadityadevata(the deity who is
„aaditya‟ or the sun;);
sahaadityahkasminpratisthitah?(where the sun has its
foundation?); chakhurIti(in the eye).
Refer Chandogya Upanishad, 13th Chapter, 23rd part, 1st
Hymn------
„tasyabaaetasyahridaysyapanchadevahsushoyoh;(there are five
divine doors/tunnels connected to the heart;)sah yah
asyapraaksuhoyohsahpranah, tat chakhu, saaaditya(the tunnel
that is in the eastern direction it leads to „praaNa‟, it
leads to the „eye‟, it leads to the „sun‟.
12. (There are many more hymns in the Vedas and Upanishads.)
{This article is written from the teachings received from
the Seers Shri. BijoykrishnaChattopadhaya (1875-1945) and
his principle disciple ShriTridibnathBandopadhaya(1923-
1994). This article was earlier published in Scribd.------
DebkumarLahiri.}
(you may write to the author at dkldk@rediffmail.com or
debkumar.lahiri@gmail.com for any comments or query)