Seventh Narata - Maa Kaalratri

Long before Raktabija appeared, two demon brothers, Shumbha (शुम्भ) and Nishumbha (निशुम्भ), gained great power. They performed severe penance (कठोर तपस्या) and received a boon from Lord Brahma.

The boon was: They can’t be killed by any God, Demon or Human (देवता, दानव, मानव).

Drunk with arrogance, they attacked heaven. They defeated Indra and other gods. They threw the gods out of their homes and took control of the three worlds (त्रिलोक - स्वर्ग लोक, मृत्युलोक/भूलोक, पाताल लोक). Chaos and injustice spread everywhere.

The defeated gods fled to the Himalayas. They prayed with all their heart to the Supreme Goddess. Moved by their cries, Goddess Parvati transformed into a new radiant form—Ambika, also called Kaushiki. She promised, “I will destroy them and bring back balance.”

A fierce war began.

Ambika, along with her divine forms, the Matrikas (Brahmani, Vaishnavi, Maheshwari, Indrani, Kaumari, Varahi, Chamunda ), killed many powerful demons.

The demon army grew weaker. But Shumbha still had hope. He sent his strongest warrior—Raktabija (रक्त = Blood, बीज = Seed).

Every drop of his blood that touched the ground gave birth to another Raktabija. One wound meant countless new demons.

The goddesses struck Raktabija with their weapons. Blood flowed from his wounds. And from every drop, a new Raktabija rose.

One became hundreds.

Hundreds became thousands.

Soon the battlefield was filled with endless clones.

The gods watched in despair. Their weapons only made him stronger. The battle seemed impossible to win.

Ambika’s face turned fierce with rage. From her brow emerged a terrifying new form—Kaalratri, also known as Kali.

Her appearance was fearsome:

Skin black as night.

Eyes were having blood in them (completely red).

Body thin and skeletal.

Wild, unbound hair.

A roar that shook the worlds.

Even the gods trembled.

Kaalratri commanded: “Keep striking him. I will handle the blood.”

“तुम सब निरंतर इस दानव पर प्रहार करो, मैं इसके रक्त को संभाल लूँगी।”

The goddesses attacked Raktabija again. As blood poured out, Kaalratri spreaded her enormous tongue (विशाल जीभ). She drank every drop before it touched the earth (भूमि).

She drank the streams of blood. She devoured the countless clones already on the battlefield.

Raktabija lost his power to multiply. He became weak and terrified. Without his boon, he was just an ordinary demon.

The Goddess struck him down. The battle ended. Peace returned to the three worlds.

After killing Raktabija, Shumbha, and Nishumbha, the Goddess stayed in her fierce form. She was Maa Kali, full of raw power. The battle was over, but her rage did not end. Her energy had no target left. She began a wild dance on the battlefield.

This was the Tandava, the dance of destruction. Her steps shook the earth. Her roar shook the skies. The dead demons were crushed under her feet.

Her fury kept growing. It seemed she would destroy the whole universe. She was lost in her own shakti, blind to everything around.

The gods were terrified. They had called her for help. Now she was about to destroy the cosmos.

They prayed to her. They sang hymns. But she could not hear them. She was trapped in her rage.

The gods rushed to Lord Shiva. They begged him to save the world. He was the only one who could stop her.

Shiva understood that he could not fight her. Power against power would only bring more destruction.

So he chose silence. He walked to the battlefield. He lay down among the corpses. He became like a shava (a lifeless body). He placed himself in Kali’s path.

Kali danced on without pause. She crushed everything underfoot. Then, she stepped on a body unlike the rest.

The moment her foot touched it, she felt a shock. This was not a demon. It was Shiva.

She looked down. She saw her own husband. Her other half. The consciousness to which she was bound forever.

Her fury broke. Her eyes widened in shame. Her tongue fell out in lajja (embarrassment).

Her dance stopped. Her rage vanished. The Goddess became calm once again. The universe was safe.