THE NAME...
Many people have asked 'what does that mean?' , well, it means sooooooo much!
As many words change definitions through translation and over time its important to get to the source also its equally important to consider re-established relative definitions especially when it come to names/titles.
Kemetic (Egyptian) hieroglyph for KA
KA - Life force, spiritual power (also called Chi, Prana, Ether, Nyama)
KALI - (kä`lē) [Hindi,= the Black One]
'Kali Ma' is the Triple Mother Goddess of creation, preservation & destruction in "Hinduism".
Known also as Durga [the Inaccessible] and as Chandi [the Fierce]
KALI
In Sanskrit it means "Beyond Time" or "Black"
In Swahili it means "Fierce" or "Intense"
In Hawaiian it mean "Hesitating"
In Senufo , a language spoken in Northern Ghana & Mali it means "Lively" or "Energetic"
Kali Ma is often depicted Black, Brown or dark Blue with various symbolic features and signs.
There are many stories about Kali Ma (or Kalika, or Maa Kali)
NOTICE THE SWORD IS A FEATHER! (remember that)
Side note: Other names include Kālarātri ("black night") and Kālikā ("relating to time")
The Kalika Purana a Hindu religious text dedicated to the worship of Kali Ma calls her the "Fundamental Power" & "Beyond Nature"...The Kalika Purana also describes Kali as possessing a soothing dark complexion, as perfectly beautiful, riding a lion, four-armed, holding a sword and blue lotuses, her hair unrestrained, body firm and youthful.
In the practice of Tantra Yoga Kali Ma is praised as 'the highest reality' or 'greatest of all deities'.
In most myths and pictures her image is seemingly of death & destruction although Kali Ma is regarded as a most kind & loving mother of the entire universe.
In other words ...Perfect ,complete blackness or MAmma's womb!
THERE ARE MANY , MANY DIFFERENT MEANINGS BEHIND THE DIFFERENT ARTISTIC EVOLUTIONS OF KALI MA
Kali's most common four armed iconographic image shows each hand carrying variously a sword, a trishul (trident), a severed head and a bowl or skull-cup (kapala) catching the blood of the severed head.
Two of these hands (usually the left) are holding a sword and a severed head. The Sword signifies Divine Knowledge and the Human Head signifies human Ego which must be slain by Divine Knowledge in order to attain
Moksha. The other two hands (usually the right) are in the
abhaya (fearlessness) and
varada(blessing)
mudras, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshiping her with a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and in the hereafter.
Kali Ma is also said to reflect or derive from the divine Kemetic Goddess Sekhmet
Sekhmet's name meaning & attributes suit her function and parallels with Kali Ma.
Sekhmet: the (one who is) powerful. She also was given titles such as the (One) Before Whom Evil Trembles, the Mistress of Dread, and the Lady of Slaughter.
Sekhmet also was seen as a bringer of disease as well as the provider of cures to such ills, the name "Sekhmet" literally became synonymous with physicians and surgeons (as Kali Ma is with Yoga & meditation) . Many members of Sekhmet's priesthood often were considered to be on the same level as physicians.
Sekhmet (also spelled Sachmet, Sakmet, Sakhet, Sekmet, Sakhmet and Sekhet) was originally the warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing.
She was envisioned as a fierce lioness, and in art, was depicted as such, or as a woman with the head of a lioness, who was dressed in red, the colour of blood. Often you will find Sekhmet & Kali Ma with the sun or fire on top or behind them. Sometimes the dress she wears exhibits a rosetta pattern over each nipple, & defined hair which can be traced to observation of the shoulder-knots (braids or dreads) hair on lions. Occasionally, Sekhmet was also portrayed in her statuettes and engravings with minimal clothing or naked meaning purity (like Kali Ma).
Also known as a divine arbiter or judge of the goddess MA'at
"AS WE KNOW, ALL RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS WERE BORN FROM ANCIENT EGYPT OR ETHIOPIA, SO WE CAN DRAW CONNECTIONS FOR DAYS BUT YOU HAVE TO DO MORE OF THAT KNOWLEDGE ON YOUR OWN!"
---------------**********************----------------
MA' or MAA - is a timeless, shortened term for Mother or Mamma
In the case of our little Kali Maa it is also a name short for Maat (or Ma'at)
Maat is personified as the Kemetic goddess of harmony, justice, and truth represented as a young woman sitting or standing, holding a scepter, the symbol of power, in one hand and an ankh, the symbol of eternal life, in the other. Sometimes she is depicted with wings on each arm or as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head
Ma'at is a process not an event....
Here is an actual relief of Ma'at & Sehkmet getting offerings
When the dead were judged, it is was the feather of Ma'at that their hearts were weighed against. If hearts of the deceased are as "light as a feather", they were granted eternal life. The near-weightlessness of their hearts indicated that their souls were not burdened with sin, ego and evil.
-----------------------------------------------
YES! KALI MAA is her name!
