The 15 Kālīs | & How To Worship Them

In the Tantrik worship of Mā Kālī, after She is worshipped, we then worship Her āvarana devatās, attendant/auxiliary deities which can be each of them conceived of as emanations of Her Being. 

Among these emanations are the 15 yoginīs, also known as the Nitya-Kālīs, often described as banshee-like dākinī figures that make up her retinue. There is very little on the internet about these yoginīs/dākinīs/nitya-kālī because their worship is rather esoteric and quite guarded. 

In this lecture, I first make a few broad overarching comments about spiritual life and particularly about how to gauge your progress in spiritual life just so that we can get clear on the goal and the proper motivation behind worshipping Mā in this Tantrik way. 

Then, we offer a brief description of the 15 Kālīs and what they represent in the context of Tantrik embodiment. Finally, I suggest a simple way to worship these energies in the context of your daily pūjā. Below is their meditation mantra which can also be used to invoke them:

ध्यानम्
ॐ सर्वाः श्यामा असिकराः मुण्डमालाविभूषिताः।
तर्जनीं वामहस्तेन धारयन्त्यः शुचिस्मिताः॥
दिगम्बरा हसन्मुख्यः स्व–स्व–भर्तृसमन्विताः। 

dhyānam
oṁ sarvāḥ śyāmā asikarāḥ muṇḍamālāvibhūṣitāḥ।
tarjanīṁ vāmahastena dhārayantyaḥ śucismitāḥ॥
digambarā hasanmukhyaḥ sva–sva–bhartṛsamanvitāḥ।

"They are all black, holding swords, garlanded in heads; they are each holding out their index finger of their left hand and they are all smiling sweetly. They are naked, joyful and filled with the bliss of the self/self-satistified."

To offer a flower to the whole group of 15 simply chant:

OM ete gandha pushpe kālī devyāmbādi-panca-daśa-yoginībyho namah: 

or you can offer each one a flower (or a flower petal) individually as follows:

OM ete gandha pushpe srī kālī devyāmba srī-pādukam pūjāyami namah
OM ete gandha pushpe  srī kapalinī devyāmba srī-pādukam pūjāyami namah 
OM ete gandha pushpe srī kullā devyāmba srī-pādukam pūjāyami namah
OM ete gandha pushpe srī kurukullā devyāmba srī-pādukam pūjāyami namah...

etc. Just work your way down the list of names! Notice the mantra is pretty much the same for each offering; it's only the name of the nitya-kālī in question that is changing!  

Here are all their names, perhaps published for the first time for the general public on the internet as far as I know:

1. Kālī
2. Kapālinī
3. Kullā
4. Kurukullā
5. Virodhinī
6. Vipracittā
7. Ugrā
8. Ugraphrabhā
9. Dīptā
10. Nīlā
11.Ghanā
12. Balākā
13. Mātrā
14. Mudrā
15. Mitā

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM