Lesson:
1
Lesson 1: The Seventh Archetype
Goddess: Kālarātri
Mantra: ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः
(“Om Devi Kalaratryai Namaha”)
Psychological Archetypes: The Destroyer, The Dark Goddess, The Warrior
Rasa: Bībhatsam
Behold the Valiant Knightess, charging forth with sword ablaze, a warrior fierce and bold, ready to vanquish any foe that dares to stand in her way. She fears not the shadows that lurk in the corners of existence, for she knows that to create anew, one must first shatter the old. The essence of mystery and enigma, she reigns over the night, with its shroud of darkness concealing the secrets of the unconscious mind. Her sword slices through the veil of deceit, and bares the raw truth that lies beneath the surface of illusion.
Goddess Kālarātri
Kālarātri, the seventh form of Goddess Durga, is described as a ferocious goddess who is the destroyer of darkness and ignorance. She is associated with the night and darkness and is believed to destroy ignorance and darkness. The name Kālarātri is derived from two Sanskrit words – “Kāla” meaning time and “rātri” meaning night. She is often depicted as having a dark complexion and wild, unbound hair, and she is shown holding a sword and a severed head in her hands. The sword represents the power to cut through ignorance, while the severed head symbolizes the ego, the false identity, which must be destroyed to attain complete liberation from suffering. Kālarātri’s destructive nature represents the need to confront and integrate our shadow aspects, rather than repressing or denying them.
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