Friday, November 13, 2009

KALI UPASANA/SADHANA

कालिकायै विद्महे श्मशानवासिन्यै धीमहि

तन्नो घोरा प्रचोदयात्।

I was thinking of posting an article about Upasana/Sadhana of Maa Kali in the web site. A long unfulfilled promise.

I will now post a series about Kali Upasana, Kali Mantras and also trace the history of Kali worship in India.

Kali is worshiped all over India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. There is a mistaken impression that Kali worship is confined to eastern India. This is far from true.

We hear of Kali worship from the times of Kalidasa the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C4%81lid%C4%81sa

His famous poem on Mother Kali is Shymala Dhandakam

You can find an English translation here.

http://www.sthothrarathnas.com/shyamala_dandakam

Some of you especially from South India may shout now. "Stop. Shymala Dhandakam is about Saraswathi and not Kali. I know the poem. My grandmother used to recite it. It is very popular in South India."

Yes. It is very popular in South India and is known as a poem on Saraswati. But that information is wrong. The above quoted translation is by a Tamil Brahmin. See his comments. Then Kalidasa who called himself as Kali's servant would be writing about Kali and not Saraswati. The term Shymala means dark colored one. We also call Maa Kali, Shyama. Pray when did Saraswati become dark in color? She is portrayed as fair in color in all other slokas.

Matha marakatha shyama as Kalidasa calls her.

Of course there is another theory that Shyamala is Matangi or Raja Matangi. But there is nothing to indicate that Kalidasa was a worshipper of Raja Matangi.

Maa Kali is well known for bestowing her Upasakas with Kavithvam or the ability to compose poems. There are slokas for that. About that later.

Again Kalidasa lived during the period of King Vikramaditya. We all know the stories of Vikramaditya, his minister Bhatti and of course the famous Vethaal. Vikramaditya was again a worshipper of Maa Kali. The stories are full of magical powers (Ashtama Siddhi) and Kali Upasana is well known for getting Astama Siddhi.

The place of birth of Kalidasa and Vikramaditya viz. Ujjain has played a major role in the spread of Kali worship.

By the way The mantra that Kalidasa reportedly used was the Shadakshari (six lettered ) Mantra

क्रीं - क्रीं -हुं - हुं - ह्रीं - ह्रीं

15 comments:

  1. Jai Ma!
    Kaali is Saraswati and Saraswati is Matangi so thereby Kaali is Matangi! Maa has various forms
    as shown in her Das Mahavidyas and Maa has still more forms and many we cannot comprehend. Maa is everywhere, in you, in me, in the people from South who say it's Saraswati not Kaali, in my cat, in my shakti...

    Thanks for starting this blog. I will see what I can contribute here.

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  2. Upasana is directed towards a particular Deity. A particular form of that Deity. In Kali Upasana it could be Maha Kali, Dakshina Kali, Smasana Kali, Bhadra Kali or any of the hundreds of forms of Maa Kali.

    Though Kali in all her forms resides in Smasana, the form of Smasana Kali is distinct.

    The Mantra and the Dhyana Sloka are different for each form.

    This is what makes Mantra Upasana unique.

    Please do understand. Mantra, Dhyana Sloka and Deity are bound together in a package. The same Deity may have different Dhyana Slokas and Mantras. For example Dakshna Kali has a number of Mantras and Dhyana Slokas.

    We will see the different forms of Maa Kali and the Mantras in my next post.

    Jai MAA KAALI !!!

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  3. Thank you for this blog. I totally agree what Sumit said.
    Ya Devi Sarva Bootheshu Sakti Roopena Samstita.
    Please post if any of you know the particulars of Kali Upasana. Jai Kaali Maa.

    Regards
    NareN

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  4. Pls if anybody knows Kali upasana, just post for others

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  5. Pls if anybody knows Kali upasana, just post for others

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  6. im interested to practise kali upasana. guide me

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  7. me think Ma is everything and the ultimate power. She herself is The Consciousness and platform of the world. She may known in different names and forms and also in triGunas but she is beyond all and Herself is the Maheshwara. All the worldly incidents are her naughty playings! She keeps playing eventually. No God is there without the Motherhood love and care! I've no words to say more other than this. life is her, death is her. Heaven is her and hell is her! Vidya and avidya both are her forms! Lets us praise Her glories! Amen.

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  8. Jai Ma Kali, Hai Ma sab sukhi ho, koi na ho dukhari, sab ho nirog mata dunia mai jeev dari. Jai Mata Di

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  9. Ma bali (sacrifice) mangti hai. Bali Ahankar ki, Bali Kam, Karodh Moh ki.


    Jai Mata Di

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  10. I want to do Maa Kaali Upaasana. I want know the Vidhi,Vidhana of Upaasana and a best Guru. Please post if you can help me in this regard.
    Regards..
    G.H.Rao..

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  11. Which mantra did kalidassa said

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  12. For kali upasana contact us 9790607087 bramanathar

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  13. If soul is exist we have to realise that
    if god is exist we have to see god
    yes after taking kali maa upasana i had seen maa kali in my eye on that time if feel i was in right path to reach my spiritual goal

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  14. I want to do kali upasana. Pls help me.

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  15. What are the do's and don't for chanting this mantra. For how many days we have to chant and how many times?

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