What is the significance of Goddess Kali’s rolling red tongue?
Kali is possibly the most intriguing deity in the Hindu pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. What other deity rolls her tongue at devotees?
But Kali represents the supreme – deity deeply linked to concepts of time, death, and destruction. Her origins can be traced back to the pre-Vedic and Vedic era traditions of goddess worship in ancient India, and, in the Hindu tantric tradition, Kali is recognized as the first of the ten Mahavidyas, holding a position as the supreme deity in the Kalikula worship tradition.
But what is the significance of her tongue?
According to history scholar Sumit Biswas, every part of Kali has a deep sense of symbolism associated with it. In a candid chat, Biswas, who is otherwise busy with his neighborhood Kali puja explained that in popular folklore, Shiva had laid down in front of Kali to blunt her immense rage in the heat of the battle with asuras, but when she realized she had stepped on his body, the goddess rolled out her tongue in embarrassment.
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“However, this folklore is a later incorporation, which a male-dominated society had slowly created to showcase the relationship of a husband and wife,” Biswas stated.
According to him, sadhaks or Kali worshippers usually attach deeper significance to that vestige of the dark goddess. “Sadhaks will tell you, the red rolling tongue of Kali is a part of the three gunas – the Sattva guna, the Rajas guna, and the Tamas guna. Kali’s tongue particularly represents the Tamas guna.”
The Rajas guna said Biswas, represents activity and passion (like those of warriors and kings), the Sattva guna is all about harmony like that of brahmins and sages, while the Tamas guna is about darkness and chaos.
“Kali’s rolling tongue not only represents the darkness and chaos but also in a way shows the triumph over lust. The actual representation encompasses both Sattva guna and Tamas guna. If you look closely, the white of Goddess Kali’s teeth stands in sharp contrast to her red tongue, almost as if biting down on it. That in a way represents the triumph of enlightenment on such base emotions as greed and lust, as per sadhaks,” he explained.
“Kali’s facial iconography is almost the dominance of light over psychological and spiritual blindness,” he added.
However, Kali’s tongue has a historical context as well.
“The present iconography of Kali, and especially her rolling tongue, dates back to ancient temples, including Kalkaji in Delhi, where an Ekanamsha like Kalka Devi is worshipped,” he said.
Ekanamsha is a Hindu goddess primarily associated with the illusory power of Vishnu, known as Yogamaya. She is thought to have been worshipped by the Vrishnis. Numerous “kinship triads” featuring Vasudeva Krishna, Balarama, and their sister Ekanamsha have been discovered in the Mathura region, dating back to the early centuries of the Common Era.
“This Kalka Devi is almost a historical prototype of Goddess Kali,” said Biswas. “You will see her nose is almost pointed. This was known as Balaka Matrika – which signifies the bok, or a crane and its beak. That extension, over the years, according to scholars, became the tongue of Goddess Kali.”
There is no denying that Goddess Kali plays a dominant role in Hindu mythology and religious practice. She is featured in many stories, the most popular being her emergence from Goddess Durga’s fury to vanquish the demon Raktabija. Kali is worshipped as the Divine Mother, the Mother of the Universe. A representation of divine feminine energy, she is revered for her role in destroying evil and protecting the innocent.
Kali. (2024, October 29). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali
Kali. (2024, October 29). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali