THE STORY OF UTKATA KONASANA | The Pose of Goddess Kali

UTKATA KONASANA | How Goddess Pose got its name

While “utkata konasana” actually translates to “fierce angle pose” directly from the Sanskrit, we typically call it “goddess pose” or “goddess squat” in English, because of how closely it resembles depictions of the fierce goddess Kali. So today’s story is a bit of a continuation from yesterday’s post, in that it’s all about the other forms of the divine feminine goddess, Sati/Shakti.

 

 

When Sati reincarnated after her self-immolation, she was reborn as the goddess Parvati. Together, Shiva and Parvati represent the union of the divine masculine and the divine feminine energies that exist in us all. They have two children, Ganesha (the elephant-headed god–more on him another day), and Kartikeya (Skanda/Murugan).

 

 

Her sweet, loving, mothering nature earned the beautiful Parvati a number of other names–including Jagadambe, the mother of the universe. But the sweet softness isn’t the whole story.

 

When duty calls, Parvati transforms into her fierce warrioress forms.

 

In one such story, a buffalo demon named Mahishasura was terrorizing the gods, after being granted a wish that he could never be killed by man nor god.

 

Mahishasura had so doubted the powers of the feminine, that he hadn’t accounted for women and goddesses in his wish. As the increasingly desperate gods were clearly losing their battle with the demon, they called upon Parvati to help, gifting her with all of their best weapons. Through the strength of her love for others, Parvati transformed into the warrior goddess Durga, rode into battle on her lion, and defeated the demon.

 

Mahishasura is SHOOK

 

Which brings us to the story of Kali, and of goddess pose.

 

In this story, another demon, named Raktabija, decided to wage war with the gods. In commonly told versions of the story, Durga again went into battle to help, but when she sliced the demon in half, he multiplied and became two demons. In fact, whenever a single drop of Raktabija’s blood would hit the ground, new demons would spring from the spot. He was multiplying. Seeing this, Durga became enraged, and through her anger, she was transformed into an even fiercer form–the goddess Kali.

 

Ma Kali

 

Kali is sometimes translated as the “dark one,” as she turned dark with the power of death. When you see images of Kali, her tongue is usually out–in some tellings of this story, she began catching the droplets of demon blood on her tongue so they would never hit the ground and have the chance to multiply. In doing so, she became bloodthirsty, and with her sword, she slaughtered every single demon, wearing their skulls around her neck like a garland. She became so crazed with bloodlust that she started killing any wrong-doer, demon or not, and was unable to stop.

 

This is where her beloved Shiva stepped in. He knew that their love was more powerful even than the power of death. So Shiva went into the battlefield and laid himself at Kali’s feet. In her bloodlust, she stepped on his chest and raised her sword to kill him, but when she looked into his eyes, she recognized him as her husband, and transformed back into the sweet, loving form of Parvati.

 

 

When I hear these stories, I think of all the demons that we have to slay in our own lives. Though we do our best to be kind and caring to all like Parvati, there are moments that call for our strength and ferocity as well, to overcome that which is holding us back. It might be fear, anxiety, addiction, depression… When I think of how the buffalo demon doubted the power of the loving Parvati, I see a goddess who overcame what others thought of her in order to stand up in her full power.

 

 

These stories also bring to mind the intense powers that mothers often display when their children are in danger–like extreme strength to lift a car if their child is trapped beneath it. Where does that power come from? In the end, it’s the power of love. I find these depictions of the goddess to show the full nature of femininity that lives in us all–from the loving wife and mother, to the fierce warrioress rising up to slay demons.

 

The shape of utkata konasana is both powerful and feminine, reminiscent of how our ancestors gave birth, open hips and heart, unafraid. Similar to what I wrote about the warrior poses yesterday, Goddess un-does our self-protective, fearful patterns of posture. It allows us to face the world head-on, wide open, as powerful and courageous as Kali.

 

Goddess Pose with Kali Mudra

 

“Kali mudra” is attained when we clasp our hands together with the pointer fingers extended, representing Kali’s demon-slaying sword. It adds some more of her power to utkata konasana, and allows us to physically embody the ability to overcome adversity (demons) in our own lives.

 

In this pose, we take the shape of the mother of the universe, in all her ferocity and all of her tenderness.

 

Some mantras to invoke Kali energy, for the moments when you need to be fierce:

 

Jai Mata Kali, Jai Mata Durgay

Kali Durgay, Namoh Namah

Jai Jagadambe, Jai Ma Durga

 

“Jai” means victory or “hail to” and is used in a lot of mantras–it’s a general word of admiration for someone. “Mata” means mother, and Namo Namah is a phrase of worship. And Jagadambe means “mother of the universe.” So the above mantra means: Hail mother Kali, hail mother Durga, Kali Durga, I bow to you. Hail the mother of the universe, hail mother Durga”

 

Some powerful modern versions:

Kali Durga – Santocha

Ma Durga – Krishna Das

 

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If you want to learn more, join me in Bali for a deep-dive/spiritual immersion into the gods.