Lord Shiva's consort is Devi, the Mother-goddess and Divine Mother Energy. She appears in many different forms which including, Sati, the goddess of marital fidelity, the more peaceful Parvati (Uma in Thailand), and Kali, the goddess of death. Kali sprang from Parvati's forehead during a fit of rage. The unleashed form of Kali often becomes wild and uncontrollable, and only Shiva is able to tame her.

She is represented with perhaps the fiercest features among all the world's deities. Fierce, black in color (destructive energy), her body is bathed in sacred ash. She has large wild red eyes, her tongue protrudes from her mouth, and her face and breasts are sullied with blood. She stands destructive, triumphantly smiling amidst the slaughter of billions of demons, wearing a necklace of skulls and a skirt of severed arms, glowing effulgently like the full moon in the night sky, holding the head of a demon, a Trident that flashes like lightning and a knife etched with sacred mantras and infused with Divine Shakti. She stands with one foot on the thigh and another on the chest of her husband, Shiva. Kali shines with the brilliance of a Million Black Fires of Dissolution and Just as the night sky appears black due to its fathomless depth and as the ocean appears deep blue due to it's fathomless depth - so too Kali appears dark due to Her Infinite depth. Kali assumes the form that reflects the attitude and emotions of the person who approaches her. In truth, Kali is all of these forms and beyond them.

Kali

(Editor's note, March 19, 2010: This page is still under construction so come back again.)

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