Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

93 kalpa

are treated as synonymous. The main

festivity focusing on Kälï–Durgä is

Kälï/Durgäpüjä. The major feat

associated with her is the killing of the

buffalo demon Mahi•äsura.

Kali Yuga (‘age of strife’)

The last and worst of the four ages of

the world, the one in which we find our-

selves at present. It began in 3102 BCE

(with the Mahäbhärata war) and is to

last a total of 432,000 years.

Kälidäsa (fifth century CE)

(‘servant of Kälï’)

The greatest of India’s classical Sanskrit

poets and dramatists, one of the ‘nine

gems’ at the court of King Vikramäditya

at Ujjaini. His most famous drama is

Ÿakuntalä, one of the first Sanskrit plays

translated into English (by H. H.

WILSON).

Kälikä Pïflha

A special place of worship of the

Goddess, associated with a limb of the

Goddess after she took her life and was

dismembered by Ÿiva. There are 51 such

Kälikä or Ÿakti Pïflhas in India, the most

famous at KÄMÄKHYÄin Assam.

Kälikä Puräæa

One of theUpapuräæas, dealing with

the Goddess (DEVÏ), differentiating her

worship according to the various parts

of her body.

Käliya, alsoKäliya näga

A serpent king possessing five heads,

(although he is also described as ‘the

thousand-headed’) who lived in the

Yamunä near VØNDÄVANA together

with his retinue. He emitted smoke and

poisonous fumes, endangering the entire

region of Braja. Kø•æa jumped into the

water, danced on Käliya’s heads and

threatened to kill him. Käliya begged for

mercy, and was allowed to live, on con-

dition that he move further downstream.

The place where this event occurred is

marked in Vøndävana by a little temple

with a sculpture depicting the scene.

Kalki (‘the white horse’)

The future and last AVATÄRAof Vi•æu,

which will come finally to conquer evil

and to save the good at the end of the

KALIYUGA.

Kalki Puräæa

One of the Upapuräöas, describing the

(future) KALKI AVATÄRAand events asso-

ciated with his appearance.

kalpa

A day and night of BRAHMAN, compris-

ing 4,320,000,000 years. Each kalpa

consists of four yugas. (See alsoTIME,

DIVISIONS OF.)

The ancient image of Kälï being

worshipped in the famous

Kälï temple in Calcutta.

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