A Psycho-analytic Study of the Hindu Mother Goddess (Kali) Concept

The worship of the Great mother or Magna mater or the Goddess Sakti, as the supreme divine power, is very popular indeed in India even at the present day. The same divine mother Sakti is worshipped in various forms of which the Durga and the Kali forms are most popular.

How old is this Kali or Sakti cult, nobody knows definitely. Unfortunately there is neither any written record nor any old image, statue, figure or artistic representations preserved or found in India or elsewhere which can attest to its remote antiquity. There are some plausible reasons to account for this lack of ancient records about the kali image or kali concept, now extant in India. Firstly in that remote past written language was either absent or was in such elementary stage that detail expression of such a complex theme was not possible. Secondly the sacred religious rites and practices were kept completely secret by the priestly class. These were handed down to the select few of the next generation. Transmission was verbal and the recipient must memorise the whole thing. This gave envious position and prestige to the priestly class and at the same time a mystic envelope round the religious rituals and mantras (hymns and prayers). Thirdly the climatic conditions of India and the white ants etc. possibly destroyed the records, if there be any. Fourthly there was no paper then, and if anything was to be permanently recorded, that was to be done either on rocks, tree leaves or fibres (unfortunately these last two things are destroyed, in course