Last Updated on January 10, 2025 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Kali is the Goddess who takes away darkness. She cuts down all impurities, consumes all iniquities, and purifies her devotees with the sincerity of Her Love.
Kali Puja is a treasure chest of Her wisdom. It contains an abundance of Kali’s tools for living: Her sattvic, or divine energy, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, and various mantras for offering.
This puja teaches us to worship Her according to ancient traditions. Kali is the Divine Mother because of Her radiant complexion, which mirrors the infinity of space. She is dark because She is the remover of all our darkness; the egoistic assertions which obscure the brilliant Light of our true Being.
Mother Kali dances on the stage of Infinite Consciousness the chest of Shiva in a dance of endless freedom from limitation and attachment. Her dance is pure love which accepts nothing less than complete emancipation from ignorance.
Kali Puja: Class 1
Introduction and Beginning Worship
In this video class we begin with a detailed description of Kali Ma and her greatness. The puja starts with our respects to the lineage and the ancient Gods and Goddesses. Also in the video class is a description of the ceremonial offerings we make at the beginning of the worship to please Kali Devi. This section ends with the all-pervading peace mantras. These Sanskrit mantras are chanted first and then are translated into English.
Kali Puja: Class 2
Ganesha Puja, Punya Havachana, and Svasti Vachana
This video starts with a few of Mother Kali’s mantras, and then a small puja is performed for Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. This dissipates any obstacles that could stand in the way of our worship in the external and internal existence. Also in this video class sacred mantras are chanted for proclamation of merits and eternal blessings.
Kali Puja: Class 3
Kali Puja, Establishment of the Pot, Offerings, and Kali Gayatri
This class begins with an establishment of purified water for offerings in the puja. Mother Kali’s dhyanam, or meditation is also chanted with various verses in praise of her eternal glories. The video class also contains the bathing of Kali Maa with all of the sacred offerings. These methodic mantras are first chanted in Sanskrit and then the translation is given in English.
Kali Puja: Class 4
Prana Pratishtha, Nyasa, and Adya Stotram
The video contains the Prana Pratistha, the establishment of life into the murti, or image of God. The Nyasa, or establishment of mantras in our bodies is described as well. Also in this video class is the Adya Stotram, The song of the Foremost is presented with a detailed explanation of the esoteric meanings of the mantras. The mantras are recited in Sanskrit and then are explained in English.
Kali Puja Class: 5
Visesarghya and Puja Naivedya
At the beginning of this video class the visesarghya, establishment of the conch shell is presented along with the mantras and articles that are offered into the conch. After this is the puja naivedya, or the offerings of worship.
Kali Puja Class: 6
Kali Kavacham, Kali Sahasranam, Names 1 to 136
In this video class the Kali Kavacham, The Armor of Kali, is beautifully presented. This recitation brings protection from all of the darkness of this age. Also in this video class are the first 136 names from the Sri Kali Sahasranama Stotram, The Thousand Name of Kali Maa. Contemplation of her names brings an aspirant to a place free from darkness and struggle in one’s internal and external world.
Kali Puja Class: 7
Kali Sahasranam Names 137 to 711
This video is a continuation of the Sri Kali Sahasranama Stotram, or the Thousand Names of Mother Kali. The video class starts off with 137th name, which is Shanta. Shanta means She Who is Peace. If some one meditates on Kali Devi’s name of peace, then they can guide the Self to experience Shanta throughout their existence. The mantras are chanted in Sanskrit first, and then translated into English.
Kali Puja Class: 8
Kali Sahasranam Names 712 to 1000
This video class begins at the 712th name of Kali Maa. The recitation of Kali Devi’s Sahasranama can bring the devotee to a place of contentment within the heart and mind. All of her names are pointing toward illumination of ones true nature. Goddess Kali is the remover of darkness, so if one contemplates her names with concentration and discipline then she will grant you relief from difficulties.
Kali Puja Class: 9
Tantric Offerings
The consecration of Tantric offerings is presented in great detail. The Tantric offering is an important part in all worship, but especially in the worship to Goddess Kali because the Kali is the consumer of all inequities and negative qualities and so we offer her our animal nature. This video class offers a description so beautifully said that one can take the teachings and try to make them part of your spiritual sadhana, or practices. The goal is to make our “practices” a way of life so then they are no longer something we need to do, they are something that we yearn to do. The mantras are chanted first in Sanskrit and then translated in English.
Kali Puja Class: 10
Engendering Spiritual Children and Offering to the Sun
In this class the Gharbha Dhana Viddhi, the system of making spiritual children is presented with great detail, along with the Surya Arghyam, the offering to the Sun. This video class also shows and discusses mudras, or hand postures that will allow you to dive deeper into the practice of Tantra contained inside the Kali puja.