Kali
"Most feared destroyer of all beings"
Fun Facts
- Accepter of Sacrifices- By a human sacrifice, [Kali] is pleased for a thousand years, and by the sacrifice of three men, a hundred thousand years.
- She is depicted as a four armed half naked, dark-skinned woman holding a sword, dagger, and two severed heads.
- Goddess of Terror and Fire
The Annihilation of Raktabija
Insatiable thirst for blood comes from killing the Demon, Raktabija. When a drop of his blood is spilled, it forms a clone. To defeat him, Kali drinks every drop of blood from his body and eats all of the clones.
The Dance Off
When Kali gets too violent, her husband, Shiva, asks her to calm down. After refusing to, Shiva proposes that the two of them have a dance off to settle the argument. Shiva wins and Kali calms down.
Mother Kali
Kali does have a kind, maternal side. Once, to calm Kali from another rage, Shiva turns himself into a baby and lays down in front of Kali. Hearing the crying infant, Kali picked him up and started mothering him.
Bibliography
Weelock, Reed. "A Discussion of Hindu Myths." Accessed Apr. 23, 2013. http://sites.lafayette.edu/rel101-sp12/2012/03/02/a-discussion-of-hindu-myths-or-why-kali-is-the-coolest-mythical-character-ever/.