The 12 Secret Kālīs | & The Most Closely Guarded Secret in Tantra Artwork

For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

The world of Yoga is wide and varied. In this podcast, yogi Nish the Fish shares the deeper dimensions of Yoga, Vedanta and Tantra, asking the big questions: why do we practice? What is meditation? What is the purpose of a human life? What is Beauty? What is Death? Nishanth Selvalingam studied various South Asian philosophies with his Shaivite grandfather in an ashram in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and moved to Los Angeles to study philosophy, teach yoga and play guitar in a rock band. Join him and special guests as they explore Yoga, in all its splendours. For more episodes and instruction, and to support this humble offering of the heart, visit me on Patreon: patreon.com/yogawithnish

All Episodes

For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

The 12 Secret Kālīs | & The Most Closely Guarded Secret in Tantra

February 11, 2025 • Nishanth Selvalingam • Season 8 • Episode 122

This might be the most closely guarded secret teaching in non-dual Tantra!

First, we discuss some of the non-dual, "left" leaning traditions within Tantrik Shaivism with an emphasis on the Kaula marga and its profound liturgy and philosophy.
Then, we introduce the "formless Kali who is pure Void", the "point in Shiva which even Shiva cannot objectify" and the 12 Kalis that are the threefold expressions of the Four Goddess of the Trika!

Lots of exciting Non-Dual Tantrik material! Let's have at it!

Here are a list of the secret Kali's presented in the lecture:

aparā (prameya)

Sṛṣṭikālī = manifesting an object internally, she then
Raktakālī (bahirmkuhī) = becomes passionate towards that object
Sthitināśakālī = wishes to reabsorb it and starts to internalize it
Yamakālī = manifests and dissolves a "vighna" (obstacle) to re-absorption

parāparā (pramāna)

Saṃhārakālī = reabsorbs the object
Mṛtyukālī = and contemplates "svabhava": my very nature is to reabsorb!
Rudrakālī = perceives a subtle impression left over from perception + also Pure Consciousness
Mārtaṇḍakālī = reabsorbs the solar-mandala of 12 faculties into the "Lord of the Circle" (ego)

parā (paramātr)

Paramārkakālī = reabsorbs the Lord of the Circle (ego)
Kālāgnirudrakālī = reabsorbs the separation of one purusha (individual knowing subject) from another (mayīya-mala)
Mahākālakālī = reabsorbs the Universal Subject (Shiva) into full expansion
Mahābhairavacaṇḍograghorakālī = reabsorbs even that fully expanded ground into...what? void unspeakable!

For more detailed instructions for how to perform Kālī pūjā, watch this playlist: https://www.patreon.com/collection/233799

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and again Friday at 6pm 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