The Hindu Goddess Kali Introduction to Kali, the ferocious form of the Divine Mother

Kali is a ferocious form of the Divine Mother, who sent her Shakti, the Mother Gauri, to free the gods from the dominion of the demonic forces Shumbh and Nishumbh, who had conquered the 3 worlds of earth, the astral plane and the celestial plane.

Kali is the goddess of time and of the transformation that is death (Kala). Lord Shiva and Mother Gauri in their destructive form are known as Mahakala and Mahakali or Kali.

Kali is the Kundalini energy that paralyses the attachments produced by the solar and lunar currents (both demons mentioned above). This attachment causes fear of death. In the ignorant ones she creates fear, while for others Kali removes the avidya (ignorance) that makes us fear death, the basic insecurity of the First Chakra , a fear rooted in the brain stem or primitive brain.

The Hindu goddess Kali is the first of the ten Mahavidyas - the others are Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta and Dhumavati, Matangi, Kamala and Bagla Mukhi. Therefore Kali is also known as Adya, the firstborn.

Dhanwantari (or Dhanwantri) Introduction on the Hindu god Dhanwantari

Dhanwantari is the physican of the gods, the promulgator of the Ayurveda.

Dhanwantari arose at the time of the churning of the ocean of milk, holding the cup of Amrita, the life-giving elixir. He also carriede the Jalooka (leech, used by Ayurvedic practitioners for blood letting) and the Vaishnava symbols like Srichakra and Sankh. To some he is really an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Dhanwantari was also born as a king of Benares, who brought medical science to the world. Images of Dhanwantari are often found in the shrines of Ayurvedic docters. He is also considered as a great surgeon who taught Ayurvedic surgery to Susrutha, the father of Ayurvedic surgery.

Kartikay Introduction on the hindu god Kartikay

Kartikay is a son of Shiva and brother to Ganesha. While Ganesha symbolizes a spiritual attitude, Kartikay is the scientist of the gods. Kartikay bears 31 names, among which are Karttikeya, Kumara, Guha… Kartikay rides on a peacock, the killer of serpents.

When Brahma had granted the demon Taraka the boon of invulnerability to all but a son of Shiva and Taraka became extremely powerful, the gods sought to persuade the ascetic Shiva to produce a son with Parvati. Finally Agni could pick up a seed of the great god but dropped it in a river. From the seed Kartikay was born.

Six goddesses, the Krtikkas (Pleiades), were filled with compassion for the new born. They were quarreling over him, because each of them was eager to nurse the baby. To satisfy them all, Kartikay grew six heads and grew up under their guidance. Kartikay became commander of the army of the gods and slew the demon Taraka.

Dhumavati Introduction to the Beholder of Smoke

Dhumavati is the smoky form of Shakti. She is also known as the eternal widow, the Shakti without Shiva. She is ugly and also called Alakshmi, the one who is without lakshmi or radiance .

Dhumavati is the Divine Mother at the time of the deluge, when the Earth is under water. While being ugly and fearsome, she is blessing with her right hand those who can still see the Divine Mother in her. The black crow on her flag is the symbol of dark forces and black magic.

Dhumavati is one of the ten Mahavidyas - the others are Kali, Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta and Matangi, Kamala and Bagla Mukhi. The Mahavidyas represent some or other incarnation or manifestation of the Divine Mother. They are in this sense also to be regarded as Vidyas or different approaches to (tantric) knowledge.

Sadhana of Dhumavati as unorganised divine energy leads to total awareness. Worship of Dhumavati is done in a completely naked state, in a crematorium or in a lonely spot on the darkest night in the descending moon cycle.

The Hindu goddess Durga Introduction to the Hindu Goddess Durga that kills your demons

Durga is an incarnation of Devi or the Mother Goddess, a unified symbol of all divine forces. For Shaivas Durga is the wife of Shiva. For Vaishnavas and Shaktas Durga is another form of Uma or Parvati.

The Hindu Goddess Durga manifested when evil forces threathened the very existance of the Gods. To destroy these demons, all gods offered their radiance to her creation and each formed part of Durga's body. Durga also obtained very powerful weapons, such as the chakra from Vishnu and a trident from Shiva.

The name "Durga" in Sanskrit means "invincible". The syllable "du" is synonymous with the 4 devils of poverty, sufferings, famine and evil habits. The "r" refers to diseases and the "ga" is the destroyer of sins, injustice, irreligion, cruelty and laziness.

Durga killed the powerful demon Mahish and all his great commanders. Demonic forces are self-destructive but very powerful. Divine forces are constructive but slow and efficient. When demonic forces create imbalance, all gods unite, becoming one divine force called Shakti or Durga.