Kali the Mother

At first exposure, Mother Kali is a stretch from all we have learned about God in the West. She comes across as violent and mysterious. The fact that she is a woman may seem strange, and to be called "mother" really adds to the mystery.

The author, Sister Nivedita writes, "Whether we know it or not, we are Her children, playing around her knees. Life is but a game of hide-and-seek with Her, and if, in its course we chance to touch Her feet, who can measure the shock of the divine energy that enters us? Who can utter the rapture of our cry of 'Mother?'"

Sister Nivedita was born in England and became one of Swami Vivekananda's most fervent disciples. In her own Victorian way, she explains for us the enigma in our eyes of Kali. In India, the concept of Kali the Mother is one of the most popular symbols of God.