|
KALIKA
The goddess Kali.
KALIKA
PURANA
One of the eighteen Upa Puranas. “It contains about 9000 stanzas in
98 chapters, and is the only work of the series dedicated to
recommend the worship of the bride of Siva, in one or other of her
manifold forms as Giri-ja, Devi, Bhadra-kali, Kali, Maha-maya. It
belongs, therefore, to the Sakta modification of Hindu belief, or
the worship of the female powers of the deities. The influence of
this worship shows itself in the very first pages of the work, which
relate the incestuous passion of Brahma for his daughter, Sandhya,
in a strain that has nothing analogous to it in the Vayu, Linga, or
Siva Puranas. The marriage of Siva and Parvati is a subject early
described, with the sacrifice of Daksha and the death of Sati. And
this work is authority for Siva’s carrying the dead body about the
world, and the origin of the Pithasthanas, or places where the
different members of it were scattered, and where Lingas were
consequently erected. A legend follows of the births of Bhairava and
Vetala, whose devotion to the different forms of Devi furnishes
occasion to describe, in great detail, the rites and formulae of
which her worship consists, including the chapters on sanguinary
sacrifices translated in the Asiatic Researches (vol. v.). Another
peculiarity in this work is afforded by very prolix descriptions of
a number of rivers and mountains at Kamarupa Tirtha, in Assam, and
rendered holy ground by the celebrated temple of Durga in that
country, as Kamakshi or Kamakshya. It is a singular and yet
uninvestigated circumstance, that Assam, or at least the northeast
of Bengal, seems to have been, in a great degree, the source from
which the Tantrika and Sakta corruptions of the religion of the
Vedas and Puranas proceeded.” – Wilson.
KALINDI
A name of the river Yamuna, as daughter of Kalinda (the sun).
KALINGA
The country along the Coromandel coast, north of Madras. The
Calingae proximi mari of Pliny. The Puranas absurdly make it one of
the sons of Bali.
KALIYA
A serpent king who had five heads, and dwelt in a deep pool of the
Yamuna, with numerous attendant serpents. His mouths vomited fire
and smoke, and he laid waste all the country round. Krishna, while
yet a child, jumped into his pool, when he was quickly laced and
entwined in the coils of the snaked. His companions and friends were
horrified, but Bala-rama called upon him to exercise his divine
power. He did so, and the serpents were soon overcome. Placing his
foot on the middle head of Kaliya, he compelled him and his
followers to implore mercy. He spared them, but bade Kaliya and his
followers to free the earth from their presence, and to remove to
the ocean. The Asura Kala-nemi is said to have been animate in
him.
KALI
YUGA
The fourth or present age of the world, which is to endure for
432,000 years. It commenced in 3102 B.C. See Yuga.
KALKI,
KALKIN
`The white horse.’ Vishnu’s tenth incarnation, which is yet to come.
See Avatara.
KALMASHA-PADA
A king of the Solar race, son of Su-dasa (hence he is called
Saudasa), and a descendant of Ikshwaku. His legend, as told in the
Maha-bharata, relates that while hunting in the forest he
encountered Saktri, the eldest son of Vasishtha, and as this sage
refused to get out of his way, he struck him with his whip. The
incensed sage cursed him to become a cannibal. This curse was heard
by Viswamitra, the rival of Vasishtha, and he so contrived that the
body of the king became possessed by a man-eating Rakshasa. In this
condition he caused human flesh to be served up to a Brahman named
Mitrasaha, who discovered what it was, and intensified the curse of
Saktri by a new imprecation. One of Kalmasha-pada’s first victims
was Saktri himself, and all the hundred sons of Vasishtha fell a
prey to his disordered appetite. After remaining twelve years in
this state, he was restored to his natural condition by Vasishtha.
The Vishnu Purana tells the story differently. The king went out to
hunt and found two destructive tigers. He killed one of them, but as
it expired it was changed into a Rakshasa. The other tiger
disappeared threatening vengeance. Kalmasha-pada celebrated a
sacrifice at which Vasishtha officiated. When it was over and
Vasishtha went out, the Rakshasa assumed his appearance, and
proposed that food should be served. Then the Rakshasa transformed
himself into a cook, and, preparing human flesh, he served it to
Vasishtha on his return. The indignant sage cursed the king that
henceforth his appetite should be excited only by similar food. A
wrangle ensued, and Vasishtha having found out the truth, limited
the duration of his curse to twelve years. The angry king took water
in his hands to pronounce, in his turn, a curse upon Vasishtha, but
was dissuaded from his purpose by his wife, Madayanti. “Unwilling to
cast the water on the ground, lest it should wither up the grain,
and equally reluctant to throw it up into the air, lest it should
blast the clouds and dry up their contents, he threw it upon his own
feet,” and they were so scalded by it that they became black and
white, and so gained for him the name of Kalmasha-pada, `spotted
feet.’ Every day for twelve years, at the sixth watch of the day, he
gave way to his cannibal appetite, “and devoured multitudes of men.”
On one occasion he devoured a Brahman in the midst of his connubial
happiness, and the Brahman’s wife passed upon him a curse that he
should die whenever he associated with his wife. At the expiration
of Vasishtha’s curse, the king returned home, but, mindful of the
Brahmani’s imprecation, he abstained from conjugal intercourse. By
the interposition of Vasishtha, his wife, Madayanti, became
pregnant, and bore a child in her womb for seven years, when she
performed the Caesarean operation with a sharp stone, and a child
came forth who was called Asmaka (from Asman, `a stone’.)
KALPA
A day and night of Brahma, 4,320,000,000 years. See Yuga.
KALPA,
KALPA SUTRAS
Ceremonial; one of the Vedangas. A ceremonial directory or rubric
expressed in the form of Sutras, short technical rules.
KAMA,
KAMA-DEVA
The god of love. Eros, Cupid. In the Rig-veda (x. 129) desire is
said to have been the first movement that arose in the One after it
had come into life through the power of fervour or obstruction.
“Desire first arose in it, which was the primal germ of mind; (and
which) sages, searching with their intellect, have discovered in
their heart to be the bond which connects entity with non-entity.”
“It is well known,” observes Dr. Muir, “that Greek mythology
connected Eros, the god of love, with the creation of the universe
somewhat in the same way.” “This Kama or desire, not of sexual
enjoyment, but of good in general, is celebrated in a curious hymn
of the Atharva-veda,” which exalts Kama into a supreme God and
Creator: “Kama was born the first. Him neither gods, nor fathers,
nor men have equalled. Thou art superior to these and for ever
great.” In another part of the same Veda Kama appears to be first
desire, then the power which gratifies the desire. Kama is also in
the same Veda often identified with Agni, and when “distinguished
from each other, Kama may be looked upon as a superior form of the
other deity.” According to the Taittiriya Brahmana, he is the son of
Dharma, the god of justice, by Sraddha, the goddess of faith; but
according to the Hari-vansa he is son of Lakshmi. Another account
represents him as springing from the heart of Brahma. A fourth view
is that he was born from water, wherefore he is called Ira-ja, `the
water-born;’ a fifth is that he is Atma-bhu, `self-existent,’ and
therefore he is called, like other of the gods, A-ja, `unborn,’ or
An-anya-ja, `born of no other.’ In the Puranas his wife is Rati or
Reva, the goddess of desire. He inspired Siva with amorous thoughts
of Parvati while he was engaged in penitential devotion, and for
this offence the angry god reduced him to ashes by fire from his
central eye. Siva afterwards relented and allowed Kama to be born
again as Pradyumna, son of Krishna and Rukmini or Maya, `delusion.’
He has a son named Aniruddha, and a daughter, Trisha. He is lord of
the Apsarasas or heavenly nymphs. He is armed with a bow and arrows:
the bow is of sugar-cane, the bowstring a line of bees, and each
arrow is tipped with a distinct flower. He is usually represented as
a handsome youth riding on a parrot and attended by nymphs, one of
whom bears his banner displaying the Makara, or a fish on a red
ground.
The mysterious origin of Kama and the universal operation of
the passion he inspires have accumulated upon him a great variety of
names and epithets. Among his names are Ishma, Kanjana and Kinkira,
Mada, Rama or Ramana, and Smara. As produced in the mind or heart he
is Bhava-ja and Mano-ja. As Pradyumna, son of Krishna, he is
Karshni, and as son of Lakshmi he is Mayi or Maya-suta and
Sri-nandana. As reduced to ashes by Siva he is An-anga, `the
bodiless.’ He is Abhi-rupa, `the beautiful;’ Darpaka and Dipaka,
`the inflamer;’ Gadayitnu, Gridhu, and Gritsa, `lustful or sharp;’
Kamana and Kharu, `desirous;’ Kandarpa, `the inflamer of Brahma;’
Kantu, `the happy;’ Kalakeli, `the gay or wanton;’ Mara,
`destroyer;’ Mayi,`deluder;’ Madhu-dipa, `the lamp of honey or of
spring;’ Muhira, `the bewilderer;’ Murmura, `the crackling fire;’
Raga-vrinta, `the stalk of passion;’ Rupastra, `the weapon of
beauty;’ Rata-naricha, `the voluptuary;’ Samantaka, `destroyer of
peace;’ Sansara-guru, `teacher of the world;’ Smara, `remembrance;’
Sringara-yoni, `source of love;’ Titha, `fire;’ Vama, `the
handsome.’ From his bow and arrows he is called Kusuma-yudha, `armed
with flowers;’ Pushpa-dhanus, `whose bow is flowers;’ and
Pushpa-sara, `whose arrows are flowers.’ From his banner he is known
as Makara-ketu; and from the flower he carries in his hand he is
Pushpa-ketana.
KAMA-DHENU
The cow which grants desires, belonging to the sage Vasishtha. She
was produced at the churning of the ocean. Among the examples of her
supernatural powers was the creation of a host of warriors who aided
Vasishtha against Karta-virya. She is called also Kama-duh, Savala,
and Surabhi.
KAMAKSHI
A form of Devi worshipped at Kamarupa-tirtha in Assam. See Kalika
Purana.
KAMANDAKI
Author of a work known by his name on “The Elements of Polity.” The
text has been printed in the Bibliotheca Indica by Rajendra Lala
Mittra.
KAMAPURA
The north-eastern part of Bengal and the western portion of Assam.
The name still survives as Kamarup.
KAMBOJAS
A race or tribe always associated with the tribes living to the
northwest, and famous for their horses. They were among the races
conquered by King Sagara.
KAMPILYA
The city of King Drupada in the country of the Panchalas, where the
swayam-vara of Draupadi was held. It corresponds with the Kampila of
modern times, situated in the Doab on the old Ganges, between Badaun
and Farrukhabad.
KAMYAKA
The forest in which the Pandavas passed their exile on the banks of
the Saraswati.
KANADA
The sage who founded the Vaiseshika school of philosophy. See
Darsana.
KANCHI
One of the seven sacred cities, hodie Conjeveram.
KANDARPA
The Hindu Cupid. See Kama.
KANDARSHI
A Rishi who teaches one particular Kanda or part of the Vedas.
KANDU
A sage who was beguiled from long and severe austerities by
Pramlocha, a nymph sent from heaven by Indra for this purpose. He
lived with her some hundreds of years, which seemed to him only as a
day, but he at length repudiated her and “went to the region of
Vishnu.” Pramlocha gave birth, in an extraordinary manner, to his
daughter Marisha (q.v.).
Previous Next |
