Kabïr (1440–1518)

Famous poet-saint, composer of many

hymns used by Hindus, Sikhs and

Muslims, author of the Bijak and founder

of the non-sectarian Kabïr-Panth.

Kädambarï (1)

Daughter of Chitraratha, king of the

GANDHARVAS(1) and one of the sixteen

sons of KAŸYAPA and Madirä (also

called Väruöï, the goddess of wine).

Kädambarï (2)

Title of a Sanskrit prose work by Bäna

(seventh century CE).

Kaikeyï

A princess of the Kaikeya nation, a

major figure in the RÄMÄYA¢A, one of

the three wives of Daÿaratha, and moth-

er of BHARATA(3). When she nursed

Daÿaratha back to life after he was

severely wounded in a battle, he

promised to grant her any two wishes.

Prompted by her maid-servant

Mantharä, and fearing that Daÿaratha’s

eldest son, Räma, would kill his rivals,

she used this promise to prevent Räma

from ascending the throne, and to send

him into a 14-year forest exile.

Kailäsa

Mountain in the Himälayas, Ÿiva’s

heaven.

kaivalya (‘aloneness’)

The ultimate aim of PATAÑJALAYOGA.

Käla (‘time’)

A name of YAMA, the king of the dead.

(See alsoTIME.)

Kalahasti

Famous Ÿiva temple in Andhra Pradesh,

connected with the story of how an ele-

phant, a spider and a snake gained sal-

vation by worshipping a Ÿiva LI¢GA (3).

Kälarätrï (‘black night’)

One of the names and forms of the

Goddess (DEVÏ).

Kälï (1) (‘the black one’)

In the Vedas the name was associated

with AGNI, who was represented as hav-

ing seven tongues to devour butter: kälï

was his black or terrible tongue.

Kälï (2) (‘black [Goddess]’)

The fierce aspect of DEVÏ, associated

with disease, death and terror. She is

usually represented by a black image,

with a red tongue protruding from the

mouth and a garland of skulls around

the neck. In former times she was pla-

cated with human SACRIFICES; today she

is honoured by the sacrifice of goats,

which are decapitated. Kälï and DURGÄ

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