Kaalratri : Destroyer of Evil

The nine days of Navratri are dedicated to different forms of Shakti, and the seventh day belongs to the ferocious and fearful Kaalratri, the form of Shakti which is in great contrast with all her other forms. This is the story of the distinct goddess, who devourers time itself.

Maa Kalratri. Image Credits: Blodsky Hindi

Even someone unaware of the story of Kaalratri can ascertain that she’s different from all the other goddesses just from her imagery. Kaalratri is dark-skinned, with four hands. She holds a scimitar and the vajra in her left hand and her right hands are in varada (blessing) and Abhaya (protecting) position. She rides an unusual vahana, a donkey. This is clearly in contrast with all the other forms of Shakti, except for maybe one, Kali.

While some believe that Kaalratri and Kali are two separate entities, others believe that they are the same goddess, with a slight variation in their imagery. Kaali is shown wearing a garland of skulls, with bloodied tongues, hands and weapons. She also carries a severed head in one of her hands. Kali and Kaliratri, whether they are the same goddess or not is still up for debate, but one clear thing is that they are goddesses associated with bloodshed and violence. They personify the rage of the Eternal goddess. Some believe that they symbolise the wrath of mother nature, which is unpredictable but just.

The first mention of Kaalratri can be found in the Sauptika Parva, the tenth book of Mahabharat. After the Kurukshetra war, a vengeful Ashwatthama goes against the conduct of war and plans to assassinate those who were on the side of Pandavas in their sleep. He infiltrates their camp and starts wreaking havoc. Ashwatthama massacres all the Panchalas and sons of Pandavas. During this assault, Kaalratri appears with a bloody mouth and bloody eyes.

In many ways in Mahabharat, Kaalratri personifies or even embodies the horrors of war and the terror of violence.

The larger part of her legend can be found in the Markandeya and Skanda Purana, where her story unfolds as part of the larger legend of Navdurga and her battle with Shumbh and Nishumbh. When two rakshasas, Shumba and Nishumba begin to cause chaos in the Devlok. The gods plead with Goddess Parvarti to save them. Thus from Parvati, originates Kaalratri.

In certain interpretations of Skanda Purana, it is believed that the Mother-Goddess Parvati, removed her golden-coloured skin to reveal her dark-skinned form of Kaalratri.

In other versions of the story, Goddess Parvati creates and sends goddess Chandi, her warrior form to take care of the rakshasa. Chandi first faces Chanda and Munda and creates the Kaalratri form to bring Chanda and Munda to her as they keep escaping. Kaalratri chases Chanda and Munda on her donkey, apprehends them and brings them to Chandi, who kills them and thus also become known as Chamunda.

Then arrives the asura Rakhtbeej on the battlefield, with an almost invincible boon. Rakhtbeej had the boon that even a single drop of his blood, that fell on the battlefield would turn into a clone of him. Thus when Kaalratri attacked him, his blood turned into more versions of him. To get around this impossible boon, Kaalratri began to drink his blood after attacking him, thus preventing it from spilling. After defeating Rakhtbeej, Kaalratri along with goddess Chandi defeat the rakshasas Shumbh and Nishumbha.

However amid the battle, with continuous bloodshed, Kaalratri lost control of her rage and began destroying everything that came in her way. The Gods prayed to Lord Shiva to stop her, so he went and lay down in her path. As Kaalratri stepped on Shiva, she bit her tongue with surprise and as such, she is often depicted with her tongue outstretched. The guilt of stepping on her beloved stops her for a moment and Shiva calms her down.

The Kaalaratri form of Devi is ferocious, it incites fear even in the hearts of the gods. In many ways, Kaalratri also signifies the end of time itself.

In Vedic tradition, time is personified as the devourer of everything and in Mahnirvana tantra, during the end of the universe, Kaala (Time) would devour the entire universe and then he is himself engulfed by the supreme creator force Kali.

Moreover, in the yogic and tantric tradition, Kaalratri is also associated with the Sahashra Chakra and gives boons of knowledge and wealth to the invoker.

In the larger Hindu tradition, Brahma is the creator god, Vishnu the protector and Shiva the destroyer but in Shakta and tantric tradition, The Eternal Goddess plays all three roles, in her different forms. She is the creator and the mother goddess, she is the warrior, Mahishasurmardini and she is Kali or Kaalratri, the devourer of time itself. An entity beyond time, an eternal destroyer of evil.

The difference in the imagery of Kaalratri and Kali; Image source: Wikipedia and Wordzz

The first mention of Kaalratri can be found in the Sauptika Parva, the tenth book of Mahabharat. After the Kurukshetra war, a vengeful Ashwatthama goes against the conduct of war and plans to assassinate those who were on the side of Pandavas in their sleep. He infiltrates their camp and starts wreaking havoc. Ashwatthama massacres all the Panchalas and sons of Pandavas. During this assault, Kaalratri appears with a bloody mouth and bloody eyes.

In many ways in Mahabharat, Kaalratri personifies or even embodies the horrors of war and the terror of violence.

The larger part of her legend can be found in the Markandeya and Skanda Purana, where her story unfolds as part of the larger legend of Navdurga and her battle with Shumbh and Nishumbh. When two rakshasas, Shumba and Nishumba begin to cause chaos in the Devlok. The gods plead with Goddess Parvarti to save them. Thus from Parvati, originates Kaalratri.

In certain interpretations of Skanda Purana, it is believed that the Mother-Goddess Parvati, removed her golden-coloured skin to reveal her dark-skinned form of Kaalratri.

In other versions of the story, Goddess Parvati creates and sends goddess Chandi, her warrior form to take care of the rakshasa. Chandi first faces Chanda and Munda and creates the Kaalratri form to bring Chanda and Munda to her as they keep escaping. Kaalratri chases Chanda and Munda on her donkey, apprehends them and brings them to Chandi, who kills them and thus also become known as Chamunda.

Then arrives the asura Rakhtbeej on the battlefield, with an almost invincible boon. Rakhtbeej had the boon that even a single drop of his blood, that fell on the battlefield would turn into a clone of him. Thus when Kaalratri attacked him, his blood turned into more versions of him. To get around this impossible boon, Kaalratri began to drink his blood after attacking him, thus preventing it from spilling. After defeating Rakhtbeej, Kaalratri along with goddess Chandi defeat the rakshasas Shumbh and Nishumbha.

However amid the battle, with continuous bloodshed, Kaalratri lost control of her rage and began destroying everything that came in her way. The Gods prayed to Lord Shiva to stop her, so he went and lay down in her path. As Kaalratri stepped on Shiva, she bit her tongue with surprise and as such, she is often depicted with her tongue outstretched. The guilt of stepping on her beloved stops her for a moment and Shiva calms her down.

The Kaalaratri form of Devi is ferocious, it incites fear even in the hearts of the gods. In many ways, Kaalratri also signifies the end of time itself.

In Vedic tradition, time is personified as the devourer of everything and in Mahnirvana tantra, during the end of the universe, Kaala (Time) would devour the entire universe and then he is himself engulfed by the supreme creator force Kali.

Moreover, in the yogic and tantric tradition, Kaalratri is also associated with the Sahashra Chakra and gives boons of knowledge and wealth to the invoker.

In the larger Hindu tradition, Brahma is the creator god, Vishnu the protector and Shiva the destroyer but in Shakta and tantric tradition, The Eternal Goddess plays all three roles, in her different forms. She is the creator and the mother goddess, she is the warrior, Mahishasurmardini and she is Kali or Kaalratri, the devourer of time itself. An entity beyond time, an eternal destroyer of evil.