# महाकाली (mahākālī)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/mahakali

महाकाली (mahākālī) is a Sanskrit word meaning a form of Shiva as destroyer, or a place sacred to him, an attendant of Shiva, of Vishnu, vishnu-rupa, name of a teacher, a species of cucumber. Its 19 recorded definitions are grouped into 8 contexts, among them Mahākālī (Goddess Durgā/Śakti aspect), Jaina Religious Context, Associated with Viṣṇu.

- **SLP1:** `mahAkAlI`  **IAST:** mahākālī  **Devanagari:** महाकाली
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahakali
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/mahakali/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Mahākālī (Goddess Durgā/Śakti aspect) (6 definitions)
- an epithet of Durga in her terrific form  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3B) [Printed book page 795,1] महा (mahā) — काली (—kālī) f. N. of Durgā in her terrific form, MBh.; Buddh. [ ID=159374 ]
- an epithet of Durga in her terrific form  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > महाकाली (mahākālī) [Printed book page 560-08 ] महा - काली (mahā-kālī) f. an epithet of Durgā in her terrific form. [ ID=29492 ]
- Uma  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > महाकाली (mahākālī) [Printed book page 455-1 ] Mahākālī = Umā: IV, 195; VI, 797; XII, 10304. [ ID=6784 ]
- a Varna shakti  
  *The Purana Index*
  > महाकाली (mahākālī) [Printed book page 2-649 ] Mahākālī (I) — a Varṇa śakti. Br. IV. 44. 57; 32. 4. [ ID=10309 ]
- a mind-born mother  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Mahākālī (II) — a mind-born mother. M. 179. 14; Vi. II. 13. 49. [ ID=10310 ]
- originating from the wrath of Shiva  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Mahākālī (III) — came out from the wrath of Śiva. Vā. 101. 298. [ ID=10311 ]

### Jaina Religious Context (3 definitions)
- one of the nine treasures in Jainism  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (with Jainas) one of the 9 treasures, L. [ ID=159372 ]
- one of the sixteen Vidyadevis in Jainism  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (with Jainas) of one of the 16 Vidyā-devīs, Hemac. [ ID=159376 ]
- a goddess who executed the commands of the fifth Arhat of the present Avasarpini  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a goddess who executed the commands of the 5th Arhat of the present Avasarpiṇī, ib. [ ID=159377 ]

### Associated with Viṣṇu (2 definitions)
- of Vishnu  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of Viṣṇu, DhyānabUp. [ ID=159367 ]
- Vishnu-rupa  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > = विष्णु - रूपा (viṣṇu-rūpā) खण्ड - दण्डायमान - समय (khaṇḍa-daṇḍāyamāna-samaya) (?), L. [ ID=159368 ]

### Divine Attendants (2 definitions)
- an attendant of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of one of Śiva's attendants, MBh.; Hariv.; Kathās. &c. ( - त्व (-tva) n., Hariv. ) [ ID=159366 ]
- an attendant of Durga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of one of D° 's attendants, W. [ ID=159375 ]

### Mahākāla (Śiva aspect/sacred entity) (2 definitions)
- A form of Shiva as destroyer, or a place sacred to him.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 795,1] महा (mahā) — काल (—kāla) m. a form of Śiva in his character of destroyer (being then represented black and of terrific aspect) or a place sacred to that form of Śiva, MBh.; Kāv. &c. [ ID=159365 ]
- an epithet of Shiva  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3B) [Printed book page 795,1] महा (mahā) — काल (—kāla) n. N. of a Liṅga in Ujjayinī, Kathās. [ ID=159378 ]

### Types of Plants (2 definitions)
- a species of cucumber  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a species of cucumber, Trichosanthes Palmata, Kāv. [ ID=159370 ]
- the mango tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the mango tree (?), W. [ ID=159371 ]

### Human Teacher (1 definition)
- Name of a teacher  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a teacher, Cat. [ ID=159369 ]

### Mythical Mountain (1 definition)
- Name of a mythical mountain  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a mythical mountain, Kāraṇḍ. [ ID=159373 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546