Shyama Kali: The Benevolent Godess Of Life And Destruction
Introduction
Origin Of Goddess Kali
According to the Markandeya Purana, Kali was created from the anger of goddess Durga. In a deadly battle with the demon Raktabija, Devi Durga became infuriated as every drop of blood from the demon created another demon like him, resulting in an endless battle between the two. This made the goddess so aggressive that she transformed herself into Kali, a personification of destruction and time. This extreme form of the goddess led to the end of the demon Raktabija, as she drank all his blood till there was not a single drop left. But this caused great havoc to the cosmos and living. This deadly form of the goddess becomes so aggressive that she fails to control her anger and starts to destroy existence itself. Finally, Lord Shiva, who is considered the husband of Dugra, had to intervene to stop this celestial calamity. As Kali or Rudra Kali calms down, she transforms herself into Shama Kali, a variant who knows to control her fearsome anger yet, if needed, can destroy evil in seconds. Shama Kali, or Kalika, is considered one of the ten prime variants of Shaki, according to the lore of the Ten Mahavidyas, and is deeply connected with Sakta traditions and Buddhist traditions.
The Duality Of Goddess Kali
Shama Kali is a much more toned-down version of Rudra Kali. According to the ancient doctrine, this variation of the goddess of destruction and time knows to control and sustain her anger and powers. Because of this, people often portray or worship this goddess as a protector rather than a destroyer. Shama Kali is very popular in West Bengal, as the place holds the highest amount of “Shakti Piths” compared to the other states and countries. Her story has intertwined with the culture of Bengal and its neighbouring states like Assam, Jharkhand, and Bihar, so much that they consider the deity as a family member who protects them from evil.
Depiction Of Shyama Kali
Shama Kali is often depicted as a dark-skinned woman, as this variant of Shakti has the ability to destroy time and space. The dark complexion represents the void and the unknown aspects of the spacetime continuum. She has four hands, representing creation, blessing, punishment, and destruction. Her upper right hand consists of a Khadga, representing destruction. Her lower right hand holds a human head, representing punishment. The other two hands represent creation and blessing. She is often mounted over dead bodies, representing the harsh reality of life and death.
Shyma Kali And Tantra Sadhana
According to Sakta devotionalism, Shyma Kali is one of the prime and most important goddesses. Her teachings, or “vidya,” are considered the most powerful vidya, according to the doctrines of the Yogini tantra and the Niruttara tantra. Samhara Kali, another variant of Kali, is depicted as the most horrific and dangerous form of Kali and, hence, is very popular in Tantra worshipping. Other than that, Krishna Kali is also a variant, which is very popular amongst the Vaishnavism. This form of Kali is an amalgamation of Lord Krishna and goddess Kali.
Shyma Kali And Impact On Pop Culture
Due to her immersive popularity in Bengal, Shyama Sangeet, an independent genre of Bengali devotional music, appeared during the 12th–13th centuries, creating a never-ending popularity. These chains of music mainly emphasise the kindness of Shyma Kali, respecting her fearsome powers and endless kindness to her devotees and innocents who are in trouble. Ramprasad Sen, Pannalal Bhattacharya, Dhananjay Bhattacharya, and Ramkumar Chatterjee are some prolific Shyma Sangeet singers who pioneered the art of devotion and storytelling in the form of songs, connecting the commoners to and to worship the goddess even more.
Symbolism Of Shyma Kali In Modern Era
Kalika, or Shyma Kali, represents the true embodiment of women’s empowerment in modern settings. In short, she represents the true meaning of “Calm and Chaos.” In human society, women play the most important role; they are the key that sustains and maintains the dynamic masculine power. But also has the capability to overshadow it if the situation is needed. In this generation, a woman also should have the ability to mould herself into both ways so that she could be the protector of the family and also a destroyer of evil-eyed people and evil minds.
Conclusion
Shyma Kali is more than just a deity or a fearsome variant of Goddess Shakti. She represents the multifaceted physical and mental traits of an ideal woman, representing both the ability to sustain and to explode with different situations of good and evil. Her duality of both kindness and destruction makes her story more dynamic and inspiring, especially amongst the women. She represents the nature of a warrior monk, who, when needed, can destroy anything that comes in front of her eyes. On the other hand, her devotion towards her beloved ones represents how a woman manages with society, ignoring the small stereotypical dogmas that still surround us today, only opposing if it is justifiably needed.