Structure and Symbolism of the Kali Yantra

 

Devipuram · Guruji - Kālī Yantra Symbolism

(Guruji's Kālī talk at Devipuram on 02-04-2013)

I'll describe that yantra to you so that you have an idea of what it is like.

What this yantra has, starting from the center coming out… in the center there's a dot, bindu.

Unconnected with the dot are the five upward triangles positioned fairly close, one inside the other. Five upward triangles; means triangles with apex pointing up. You might remember that a triangle with its apex up represents a Śiva. A Śiva is called a liṅga, liṅga means a property, an attribute. What do five triangles stand for? The five elements. Kāla means time, which is above the five elements. The five elements are chakras 1 to 5, and above that there's Kāla. So it represents the 5 elements that you are familiar with — space, air, fire, water and earth.

Surrounding those are the three circles. One outside the other. These three circles represent the three knots or granthis. Knot means something that you have to untie, it's like you are locked by these three, you've got to open these keys to get into the inner chambers.

And surrounding that there is a lotus with eight petals. You can think of the eight directions, whatever.

And interestingly, there's an upward triangle outside of this one, this guy here. And this is on top of that.

So all these eight petals, three knots, five elements, and time are sitting on top of Śiva. The Śakti is sitting on top of Śiva — that's the implication.

And then the square and the four entrances — that represents the earth.

The symbolism is fairly clear. It is representing all the chakras in your body, right up to this point. There are six chakras, each pair of chakras constitute one knot, one lock, one key, and you have to unlock that thing before you go to the next chakra. So each pair of chakras together constitute one knot.

The first knot [Brahmā granthi] — the chakras 1 and 2,
The second knot [Viṣṇu granthi] — the chakras 3 and 4, and
The third knot [Rudra granthi] — the chakras 5 and 6.

Then you have covered all the five elements properly. And then you get the aṣṭaiśvaryas. Aṣṭaiśvaryas mean the wealth of the Lord. Īśvara means the controller of the world, aiśvarya is a derivative of Īśvara, the property of Īśvara is the world itself. The world is his wealth.