Goddess Kali in the Birth-Giving Posture

In the foreground flows the river Ganga, which originates from Shiva's hair, who is shown seated on an elephant skin. Next to Shiva is Vishnu, holding in his arms his usual symbols - the mace, lotus, discus, and conch. Next to him is the four-heaed Brahma, and finally there is Indra with multiple eyes on his body.

The mighty goddess is shown black though not beautiful in the conventional sense. Her large pendulous breasts, wild hair, small eyes, and the two tusks forming a white crescent moon on her face add to her gruesome appearance. Wearing a yellow dhoti and a garland of skulls, her right hands hold a sword and severed head respectively, while the left arms make the gestures of assurance and charity. The posture in which the goddess sits is the classic position of giving birth and is encountered in many images in early Indian art. It also is the posture in which Kali straddles Shiva in reverse sexual intercourse.

Here it must be observed that the Tantric Goddess and one of the ten Mahavidyas Shodashi too is shown seated on a throne made up by these four important deities. A link to her image can be found below.

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Of Related Interest:

The Mahavidya Shodashi (Miniature Painting On Paper)

Mother Goddess as Kali - The Feminine Force in Indian Art (Article)

Wisdom Goddesses : Mahavidyas and the Assertion of Femininity in Indian Thought (Article)

Kali The Mother (Book)

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