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Hindu
Goddess
Kali
the Malevolent form of Devi |
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To aid her son in his
endeavor to rid the three worlds of the multiplying demon, Raktabija,
Parvati
entered the
cosmic battlefield as the dreaded goddess
Kali – dark as death,
gaunt with sunken eyes, gaping mouth, with long disheveled hair
covering her naked body.
Kali spread her tongue
over the battlefield and licked the demon’s falling blood catching
on her long, outstretched tongue before the drop could find it’s way
to the ground springing a demonic life anew. Raktabija, without his
multiplying numbers was left powerless.
Skanda
was able to dispatch Raktabija and all his remaining duplicates with ease.
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Lotus Sculpture's Statues of Kali
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Skanda,
guardian of the heavens, went on to destroy many demons who opposed
the reign of the gods. But he could not defeat the demon Raktabija.
Whenever this demon’s blood touched the ground, a thousand new
demons sprang to life. He seemed unconquerable.
Skanda thanked his mother
for her timely help. To celebrate her victory,
Kali danced wildly
on the battlefield, bedecking herself with a garland of served heads
and a girdle of severed hands.
Shiva Calms Kali
Intoxicated with
Raktabija’s blood,
Kali ran amuck across the three worlds,
destroying everything and everyone in her sight.
To restrain her,
Shiva
took the form of a corpse and blocked her path. As the goddess,
blinded by bloodlust, tripped on his lifeless body, she was jolted
out of her frenzy . She wondered if she had killed her own
husband. She placed a foot on
Shiva’s chest and brought him back to
life.
Shiva then took the form
of a little child and began to cry, stirring maternal love in the
heart of
Kali. This forced her to shed her fierce form;
Kali became
Gauri, the radiant mother, bestower of life.
Click here to see all
Lotus Sculpture's Statues of Kali
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