कालरात्रि
Kalaratri
Iconography
A dark-complexioned, fierce form with dishevelled hair and three eyes, riding a donkey. She is four-armed — bearing a sword and an iron hook, with the other two hands in the abhaya and varada mudras.
Significance
The fiercest of the nine forms — the destroyer of demons and of ignorance. Fearsome to behold, she is nonetheless ever-auspicious, and is also called Shubhankari for this reason. She is worshipped to dispel deep fear.
Worship mantra
Mantra text
oṁ devī kālarātryai namaḥ
Transliteration is under scholarly review — treat as provisional.
Om, salutations to Goddess Kalaratri.
Dhyana shloka
Mantra text
ekaveṇī japākarṇapūrā nagnā kharāsthitā | lamboṣṭhī karṇikākarṇī tailābhyaktaśarīriṇī || vāmapādollasallohalatākaṇṭakabhūṣaṇā | vardhanmūrdhadhvajā kṛṣṇā kālarātrirbhayaṅkarī ||
Transliteration is under scholarly review — treat as provisional.
Single-braided, hibiscus flowers at her ears, unclad, mounted upon a donkey; full-lipped, with prominent ears, her body anointed with oil; her gleaming left foot adorned with an iron-creeper thorn, her hair raised aloft like a banner — the dark and terrifying Kalaratri.
Bhog for the day
Jaggery (gur)