Book Description
Ramakrishna was a nineteenth-century Bengali devotee of Kali, the Hindu goddess of death and destruction. He assumed the demeanor and dress of a woman, acted like a monkey, a child, a madman, and a comedian at various times during his career. Using the concept of play (lila), as both spontaneous activity and dramatic performance on behalf of Kali, Carl Olson provides a interpretive key for unlocking Ramakrishna's life and his often contradictory forms of behavior. Olson places Ramakrishna in his social and historical context, examines his relationship to women, and investigates his status as a mystery or stranger to his contemporaries. ... Read more

Book Description
From the darkest depths of artistic angst, from the steaming pits of punk-rock putrescence, from the grinding gears of the Kustom Kulture Krypt comes The Workshop of Filthy Creation: The Art of Johnny Ace and Kali Vera.Beginning with his career as an official Big Daddy Roth artist, veering through the birth of punk poster art, and now surfing on the cutting edge of lowbrow art and the new "Kustom Kulture" explosion, Johnny Ace (and his studio cohort, Kali Vera) has taken art by the throat and taught it a lesson itill never forget! Eye-wrecking posters, Fink-tastic sculptures, voodoo pin striping, and every manner of doodad, gimcrack, and unholy talisman imaginable are on display. So get some culture, why don'tcha, and appreciate some art, eh? ... Read more

Book Description
This vibrant collection presents 145 brief Bengali lyric poems dedicated to the Hindu goddesses Kali and Uma. These poems--many of which are presented here for the first time in English translation--were written from the early eighteenth century up to the contemporary period. They represent the unique Bengali tradition of goddess worship (Saktism) as it developed over this period. Included are forty poems by the most famous of all Sakta poets, Ramprasad Sen (c.1718-1775) and ten lyrics by the renowned 20th-century poet Kaji Najrul Islam. McDermott's lucid introduction places these works in their historical context and shows how images of the goddesses evolved over the centuries. Her lively translations of these poetic lyrics evoke the passion and devotion of the followers of Kali and Uma and shed light on the history and practice of goddess worship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Om Kali Om Durga Om Ma
I am a blown out Sixties Hippie running on an 8th grade education so was not sure if the Barnard scholar's book would resonate with me. It found that it surely did. I have been a western devotee of the this Goddess since I was a flowers in your hair San Franscisco runaway kid. I am not much of a singer and know little Bengali or Sanskrit yet I have repeated mantras and prayers in those languages as the structure of my daily faith since those early years. To find meaningful devotional poerty to the Goddess so well done in English is very rare and really adds much to my life. I read the Lex Hixon translations and found them full of later doctrine and much too wordy and full of Hixon for me to use in prayer. The translantions in M's own 1907 and the latter spruced up Gospel of Sri Ramkrishna are better but IMHO still a tad overdone and therefore rather weak (at least to this heart) Previous to this work by Rachel McDermott I have used devotionally Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair by Nathan and Seely which I found match my inner longings and experience perfectly as does this more expansive work by McDermott. I want to thank her for introducing me to a such wider range of voices of this tradition (all so well presented, so very crisp and clear). I am also reading her Mother of My Heart Daughter of My Dreams. I was suprised how much this scholary research has added to my inner landscape. Most other "texts" I have read leave me yawning and very tangled in mind. The author seems to have just the right knack for planting soul into the soil of facts to keep in all in the now and so alive. Her finding of an original oil painting of Ramprasad done in his time blew my mind. He looks just like what every young Haight Asbury yogi was aspiring to be. These short poems are large in number, disarmingly simple, vibrant and full of comlex power. I don't know what they mean for the world of the intellect or historical research but they represent a wonderful freshness of vision: a brand new toolbox containing whole yak load of gorgeous devotional feelings to an average guy like me. Rachel, thank you again, again and again. Joy Ma Anandamoi ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Translating Kali's Feast is an interdisciplinary study of the Goddess Kali bringing together ethnography and literature within the theoretical framework of translation studies. The idea for the book grew out of the experience and fieldwork of the authors, who lived with Indo-Caribbean devotees of the Hindu Goddess in Guyana. Using a variety of discursive forms including oral history and testimony, field notes, songs, stories, poems, literary essays, photographic illustrations, and personal and theoretical reflections, it explores the cultural, aesthetic and spiritual aspects of the Goddess in a diasporic and cross-cultural context. With reference to critical and cultural theorists including Walter Benjamin and Julia Kristeva, the possibilities offered by Kali (and other manifestations of the Goddess) as the site of translation are discussed in the works of such writers as Wilson Harris, V.S. Naipaul and R.K. Narayan. The book articulates perspectives on the experience of living through displacement and change while probing the processes of translation involved in literature and ethnography and postulating links between 'rite' and 'write,' Hindu 'leela' and creole 'play.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Gripping story with great characters
This is a great book.I loved Kali O'Brien and found the secondary characters, including the angry, closed-mouth man she's defending, fascinating.There is some courtroom stuff, but not a lot.The plot twists are unexpected and clever, yet entirely believable.I read the first book in the series, Shadow of Doubt, and liked it as well.Can't wait for the next one.

Great vacation material - entertaining!
I enjoyed this book so much that I e-mailed the author (her address is in the back of the book) and she responded with a very nice note. I thought this was much better than Sue Grafton's latest. She has good characterizations and the story really holds your attention. If you like Karen Kijewski (sp?) or Sue Grafton, try Jonnie Jacobs! Can't wait until the next in this series!

Grisham, move over
This is the second in a series, and even better than the first (which was excellent.)Kali O'Brien in a complex, but likable, character.The story captured my interest from the beginning and moved swiftly toward a surprising conclusion.Wes Harding is accused of murdering a woman and her five-year-old daughter.He's the town trouble-maker and someone Kali knew when she was in high school.He's unwilling to cooperate in his own defense and is clearly hiding something.The unfolding of Wes's story is as interesting as the solution to the murder.I found all of the characters (including the minor ones) well-drawn, interesting and believable.This is a first rate legal mystery.

Even in her hometown,Kali can't get away from murder
Attorney Kali O'Brien left her job at a lucrative San Francisco firm to open up a practice in her small hometown.One of her first clients that she agrees to help defend is Wes Harding, accused of murdering a local waitress and the woman's daughter.However, Wes rejects her efforts to assist on his defense team. To add to Kali's frustration, the townsfolk are totally convinced Wes did the crime, especially when the evidence proves he was at the scene. Kali interviews everyone linked to the victim, the alleged culprit, and even remotely connected to the case.She soon learns that the deceased was not just a waitress and that the two deaths might be linked to an incident from the waitress's past.As the clock ticks and she struggles with a cruel prosecutor, Kali realizes that she must pull a rabbit out of the hat very soon. If she fails her client will be convicted of an act he might not have committed. EVIDENCE OF GUILT is a well written mixing of a who-done-it with a legal thriller.Though the story line is fast-paced and interesting, the serpentine curves occur a bit too fast, sometimes confusing readers in the process.Kali remains an interesting character and hopefully more about her personal life will be forthcoming in future novels.In her second novel starring Kali, Jonnie Jacobs has shown that she can write a terrific and intriguing on-going series that will keep readers (including this reviewer) coming back for more. Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Book Description
   The rich popular tradition of India's women writers is finally available in this collection of short stories translated from seven of the country's languages. The writers and their heroines reflect the complex mosaic of Indian life-they are old and young, rural and urban, rich and poor. Here we meet Muniyakka, called "walkie-talkie" because she mutters to herself; Shakun, the dollmaker, an exploited artist who needs to feel that others depend on her; and Jashoda, professional mother to children of the rich, from Mahasveta Devi's acknowledged masterpiece "The Wet Nurse." These stories "are dense with thsoe customs, manners, and objects that usually remain locked within regional languages," wrote Anita Desai in the New York Review ofBooks. Meena Alexander's thoughtful introduction places the stories and the writers in the context of modern India. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Different women, different lives
The _Truth Tales_, originally published by Kali for Women, is an inaugural anthology of Indian women's writings, and serves a fitting prelude to thetwo-volume collection _Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present_also published by the Feminist Press, in 1991. The seven short stories inthe ensemble--six in English translation from regional languages Bengali,Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Urdu, and the seventh an Englishoriginal--provide a miniature sample of contemporary fiction bydistinguished writers.

Cutting across lines of class, religion andgeneration, the plots revolve around women negotiating their survival in adifficult world. The deep feminist engagement of the writings derives fromthe authors' inquiries into diverse topical issues of social injustice,sexuality, mandates of culture, and the material struggle for many livingon the frayed edges of society to stay alive. Mahasweta Devi's story"The Wet Nurse" maps the intersection of sexuality and survivalin a context outside of prostitution; Jashoda's entire body advances hercareer as a wet nurse, but eventually ruptures under protracted abuse.Whether victims or survivors, the women labor to expand their life-chances.In Suniti Aphale's "The Dolls," Shakun's financial resources andsolitude draw her into a vortex of parasitic relations; while herusefulness sustains her sense of self-worth and compensates her want ofsocial contact, it also authorizes her control over those dependentlives.

The Truth Tales offers a series of memorable footages on women'slives narrated with simplicity, sometimes with humor, and with sympathy andsadness but always with restraint. There are no morals attached to the endsand despite the palpable anger suffusing some of them, the socio-politicalcritique seldom interferes with the pleasure of reading a good story.However, most but not all the stories are of a uniformly superior caliber.But whether it is due to the untranslatability of systems of meaning andregional particularities into another language it is difficult to assess.Meena Alexander's introduction provides a crisp but somewhat simplisticcontour of the social and cultural contexts germane to the stories forunfamiliar readers. Together with its sequel _The Slate of Life_, the_Truth Tales_ is a valuable addition to the archives of women's writings. ... Read more

Product Description
Kali's father is a snake catcher - the best in the village. Kali knows that is really something to be proud of, but at school he sometimes gets embarrassed. The other children seem to think there is something very strange about having a snake catcher for a father and eating things like fried termites for a snack. Plus, Kali is the teacher's pet. How will he ever make friends? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Kali and the Rate Snake is A wondeful Cultural Exploration
Title: Kali and the Rat Snake
Author: Zai Whitaker
Illustration: Srividya Nataranjan
Published by: Kane/Miller Book Publishers
ISBN 13: 978-1-933605-10-4
Review by: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine

Teaching kids how to deal with peer pressure is only one of the important messages that Kali and the Rat Snake by Zai Whitaker presents. The bold illustrations and expressive text starts with the tale of a boy who is struggling from the lack of acceptance of his classmates in regards to his unusual background. Children taunt the young Kali and although some children might have bad intentions, Kali only dreams of being accepted by his peers.

He is loved by his teacher and otherwise living a happy life, but being new to school and having trouble making friends is forming a very unhappy side to Kali's life. A moment of crisis changes the course of his future when a snake appears in the school room threatening Kali, his teacher and his classmates. Being the son of a snake catcher, Kali takes immediate action by securing the snake without much effort. Classmates are instantly thankful to Kali for knowing how to capture the potentially dangerous wild snake. Classmate's respect opens the door for Kali to make new friendships and almost insures his acceptance with other students.

The Illustrations by Srividya Nataranjan bring the story alive and help demonstrate how Kali is able to overcome his challenges and gain the respect of his fellow schoolmates. Images are truly unique and bring a level of cultural awareness to youthful readers. Kali and the Rat Snake captured my heart and will surely capture the hearts and minds of today's youth. It a beautiful and well-written book which is a solid contribution to children's cultural literature.

A delightful children's story about accepting differences and learning to appreciate the talents in oneself and others
Set in India, Kali And The Rat Snake is the picturebook story of a boy, Kali, who has trouble fitting in at school. He is one of the Irula, an indigenous tribal people who live in Southern India and who have traditionally made a living as snake catchers. As the son of a snake catcher, Kali feels different from the other children, a teacher's pet, and he has trouble making friends. But when a big rat snake threatens the class, only Kali knows what to do! Energetic color illustrations by Srividya Natarajan pepper this delightful children's story from Zai Whitaker about accepting differences and learning to appreciate the talents in oneself and others. Highly recommended.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

No Intent to Look for Other Books by Jacobs
Whilst this book started off at a pretty fast pace and was pretty interesting in the first couple of chapters the quality died off fast once Betty was killed and O'Brien injured.The rest of the book has the rather boring character O'Brien obsessed with trying to figure out what her dead client wanted.Meanwhile the injured hit man who sent the premature killing hit man that bungled the job wants to know just how much O'Brien knows.Sounds interesting from the description you say, you'd think that wouldn't you and I was one of you but in reality you'll struggle to stick with the boring storyline to the end of the book.

excellent quick and suspenseful read
I've just discovered this author and will certainly go search out other books in the series.The characters were well developed (which is not always the case in this genre) and the story fast paced but believable.There are several viewpoint stories that all converge once we are into the the story and I thought it worked very well.I found all three of the women characters appealing in their own right.Highly recommended.

fast paced
This is the sixth book in a series of Kali O'Brien book's.
The heroine Kali, an attorney,has a new mysterious clientwho get's killed before she find's out why Kali was contacted in the first place. Kali learns that the killing is connected to a disappearance that took place year's earlier. Fast paced but with a disappointing ending.

Was I even reading the same book?......I totally disagree.
This has to be the lamest book I've read in a very long time.I thought the premise sounded great, but it was put into an empty story.I wanted to care about the characters, but they had little depth.I almost stopped reading it all together when at least some action started up, but that only led to a very dissapointing ending.There was no real workup to a climax.It got to a certian point of the story when it just threw all the characters in the same room and ended it.Maybe Jonnie Jacobs was getting bored with it too and wanted to get it over with.Do yourself a favor....skip this one.

Every bit as good as "Cold Justice"!
Gotta hand it to writer Jonnie Jacobs.Her 5th novel in the Kali O'Brien series, "Cold Justice", was such a winner, I went back in time and read the first four.In this 6th outing, Kali's still running her own small legal firm in San Francisco, but much of the action takes place around Lake Tahoe, where Kali has a mysterious new client, and in Las Vegas.(Some minor plot details, below, no big spoilers!)

The plot opens with a bang as Kali never gets to find out what her new client, Betty Arnold, needed her to do, and why she was maintaining such secrecy.Kali and Betty become targets at their meeting place, and Betty is killed. Over time, Kali's vague memories of the shooting and Betty's words lead her to continue to probe what her client was hiding, and why she was a target.O'Brien shows the mettle and instincts we've seen her develop over the series to chase down people from Betty's past, and to follow it home, despite the danger that might await her.

An active second subplot that seems well-written and true to life involves sheriff's deputy Kim Wong, who is assigned to the case, helps to wrap up a plausible suspect, and then follows her own instincts (with help from Kali), to undermine the "false case" and focus on the real killer.Jacobs goes out of her way to present a fair synopsis of how the police feel pressured to lock down a case for trial, even though loose ends are bothersome.If Jacobs' interest in O'Brien is waning, she's certainly set an interesting new character to follow in Deputy Wong, who feels a fish out of water as the highest ranking woman in the department, a transfer from LA and an outsider..."not only was there a glass ceiling, but glass walls, too"....let's hope Kim Wong returns to Jacob's dance card in the future.

By page 130, you are wondering how a contract kill "arranger", Sid Mertz, and a Las Vegas waitress, Irene Thompson, will tie in to the plot.Jacobs admits excerpts from both their storylines, and although you are making a connection, your suspicions don't start to crystallize until around that time.The rest of the book is a fast-paced roller coaster, with more surprising twists at the end.

Bryce, the SFPD offier that Kali became interested in, in "Cold Justice" is back, and the relationship between the two of them stays interesting...Kali "doubted she'd affected his heart so much as assaulted his ego".Jacobs gives us the right mix of professional and personal, and the right stuff with her heroine, Kali O'Brien.

There's intensity in the plot of "Intent to Harm", and you'll want to get to the bottom of it, as soon as possible.

Highly recommended....best if you've read the books in series, though. ... Read more

Book Description
The Hindu goddess Kali is believed to personify maternal feminine energy and helps to disarm negativity by destroying old patterns, ending unhappy situations, and beginning relationships anew. The enclosed book radiates with reproductions of Indian art and includes Hindu myths about Kali, as well as examples of mantras, prayers, and rituals to summon her primal feminine power. IncludesHand-painted Kali figurine
96-page hardcover book
Exquisite box that transforms into a shrine ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Dark Mother who dances among the ashes of her enemies
For me personally this book in a box is all about the Goddess Kali, its not so much about where it was made, or who wrote it or why for that matter they wrote it in the first place.

The book that comes with the figurine is not a complex academic treatise about Kali, but nor is it what you could term a "fun" item for Kali is the Goddess of Creation and Destruction, life and death in fact so she is a contradiction in terms butshe is also a mother with a mother's instinct to protect her children.

I have to admit I am biased when it comes to Kali as I have a passion for her, in fact I am a devotee of Kali, and this is where my worry comes into play with regard to this item being sold on amazon.

Whilst on one level I like it because it makes people mere aware of this enigmatic Goddess whose love for her children makes her the ultimate mother, on another level it concerns me because Kali is not a Goddess one should dally with if you do not have a passion for her in the first place, for she is a jealous mother whose wrath can no know bounds.

Treat this book and figurine with respect for Kali is not a mother figure really want to get on the wrong side of, believer or not.

Well..I have no idea what to say about this box set...
FYI, this page has several glicks in it...for instance the other (maybe not all but pretty close) reviews are for the Ganesh box as is the "look inside" link.If you want to know what's in this book, or what it's really about...look elsewhere as Amazon.com refuses to update this page correctly.

Better luck elsewhere
This book is mainly an incomplete rehash of information found in more complete form elsewhere. Loving Ganesa by Satguru Sivaya is one that jumps immediately to mind. As for the statue, there are much better ones available, or read about the iconography and make your own -- making images of the gods is said to be pleasing to them.

This item is made in China
This book/statue combination is fabricated in China. By purchasing it, you are supporting a government that represses the religious freedom of countless MILLIONS of people.

Better yet
This marvellous package of a book and statuette of the Hindu god Ganesha -Remover of Obstacles (the elephant god), is better yet than the Buddha Boxthat Manuela Dunn Mascetti published a couple of years ago.Stand theelephant god on your desk and all obstacles to progress will vanish!! Wonderful and ingenious. ... Read more

Product Description
Study of Kali's role in Calcutta culture, on rituals, places of worship, many color plates. scholarly and informative, but useful for general reader ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Kemetic Science known to all of Alkebu-lan
This treatise first delivered by lecture to the Astrological Society of London in 1899 by Professor J A Abayomi Cole was reanimated for publication by the Northscale Institute in 1990, updated with a preface, editors notes, commentaries and suggested readings.Astrological Geomancy can be defined as an occult science of ancient Kemet that was eventuallyintroduced and shared with other tribes all across the African continent and is still practiced within the tribal traditions today.It includes tribal divination, astronomical configurations, the zodiac signs, tarot,math and science calculations,etc., using the map of the heavens to accurately make individual and event predictions that are influenced by the magnetic planetary forces and its influences on the earth.

Towards the end of this great speech Professor Cole professes that " The science of Astrology teaches us one great lesson and that is that God does not reject existing knowledge because it happens to be brought to light or belongs to heathen nations, he adopts and purifies it for he is the author of all wisdom."

I agree with the editor that "true wisdom is universal and ageless". This is one speech where knowledge trancends generations.Great information!! ... Read more

Book Description
The complete worship of the Divine Mother who Takes away Darkness, includes Her advanced puja, Her thousand names, the mantras and mudras for traditional offerings, as well as the systems of worship for begetting spiritual children. Also available to accompany the text is a beautiful CD or cassette of Shree Maa's recitation of the thousand names. It includes the original Sanskrita mantras, Roman phonetic transliteration and English translation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

With instruction, a powerful little book.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati's Kali Puja book is breathtaking in its beauty and scope. Devotees who are serious about performing puja will find this to be an invaluable guide, providing all of the mantras and many of the mudras necessary for traditional household worship.

However, I suspect that this book was not meant to be used in a vacuum - that is, it seems designed to be used within the context of practical instruction with a qualified teacher. Beginners will find this book overwhelming and intense - except for a short and beautiful introduction on the nature of Kali as the Divine Mother, there is very little explanation of procedures and the deeper meanings of mantras. The translations are very literal, and thus can be difficult to parse - for instance, it is difficult for one who has never received diksha (initiation) to understand that the "subtle body" relates to the mind and all of those things which can be thought of. This is never explained in the text (though a good teacher should be able to elaborate on these things, and in fact www.devimandir.com has many Q&A sessions in its archives that answer many of these questions, as well as free online courses on performance of various pujas).

If you are serious about performing traditional Kali Puja, this book is a necessity, but so is a qualified teacher. It may be easiest simply to read it through the first time and sit with it a while before attempting to actually perform any puja. I find this book most useful for its rich source material - things that were nearly impossible to find all in one place before the publication of this volume. If you want the correct spelling of Sanskrit mantras for Kali, this book is invaluable.

This text is not worth the paper its printed on
This book serves as a practical guide to worshipping the Goddess Kali. However, there are various downfalls to this book and I intend to discuss only the most pressing of these issues.

Firstly the methodology and most portions of this book are based on Maha-Nirvana Tantra; a contemporary kulachara (the tradition or sect of school) text which entails a generalized discussion between various methods, styles and classes of worshipping the Goddess.

It, in no way is the basis of true orthodox tantric stylus of invoking Devi. Texts like Maha Kala Samhita, Brihad Nila Tantra (incorporating Chinese and Nepali style of worshipping Kalika), Devi Rahasyam and Siddha Kapala Bhedana Samhita are texts which truly pertain to the "Tantric" worship of Kali; a feat which cannot be done so easily.

The book entails worshipping which is normally conducted (usually on a Monthly basis) in most Hindu homes dedicated to the orthodox worshipping of the Maha Vidyas (A list of ten Goddesses, most commonly incorporating Kali - no definite list is known) where Kalika is the major diety.

Kali Puja in reality incorporates a concept known as Prayoga, this simply translated means "application". Most people know that anyone devoute to their religion worship their God/Gods regularly. The same is true for most Hindus, and the regular Puja (prayer) is often classified as sadhana.

Sadhana is an archaic protocol based practice which is passed from generation to generation. Texts containing the architecture and practice of Sadhana are often called Tantras or Samhitas (lit. Compendium). The regular application of Sadhana results in the mastery of the practice, furthermore such masters apply their commonly routined practice into elaborate applications which result in various effects (i.e. premenitions, attracting a particular target and so on).

This book does not entail any such sadhana, it is a mere abstract of various different hymns and commonly used rituals. It does not even explain their symbolism, esoteric nature nor their potency, all of which are a MUST to be known by the practitioner prior to commencing such rituals. This is clearly stated in a text known as Mantra- Purushcharana; the big daddy of books when it comes to the ritualistic worship of most Dieties.

So In conclusion, the book has no orthodox practice pertaining to Tantric Worship. It may result in no "Tantric effects" such as prayogas nor will it yield any siddhi.

As Shiva said in the Rudrayamala tantra
"Without a master and without full knowledge, the application of tantra is merely like a helpless child crying in forest"

Bhairava in his Agamas also states that those who ignorantly invoke the power of the Goddess will get nothing but harm from it.

Namasmarana (recitation of Devi's Name), Bhakti (devoution to her) are different from Prayoga and Siddhanta (Application and Perfection). Truth be told, the first two are a must and are the platform for the latter but it does not translate to be the latter. Therefore be careful as to where hopeful practitioner's get their knowledge.

I strongly reccomend (English Books) the Saundarya Lahiri for worshipping. There is also a website htttp://sanskrit.gde.to which has a lot of material and praying to Goddess. One does not need to do Tantric worship (which is volatile and therefore potentially harmful) to appease her.

very complete and very traditional - but how useful is it?
This is a good book, but it is not exactly an easy book to use.The various sections are not clearly separated from one another, and the book really almost reads as one continuous piece from beginning to end at first glance.

The method of Kali worship outlined here is very traditional and very particular.There are many Hindu terms used, even in the English translation, where no explanation is given, and this is not particularly helpful either.

In short, this is really a book that is designed for the person who wishes to worship Kali in the way that the authors do, and the book probably goes well with their teachings.It will not be useful to someone who is not already familiar with Kali worship and Hinduism, and may in fact confuse them terribly.

The problem with the book and the teachings within is that they are not practical for the person who has to deal with everyday life.Very few people have the time, or can make the time, to do these worship exercises in the way this book recommends.The poetry that appears throughout the book is beautiful, but it is difficult to read, given the line by line translation of the text, which is given first in Sanskrit, then in phonetic Sanskrit, then in English.

Overall, I must admit, I found this book to be a disappointment, and I certainly would not recommend it for someone who is just being introduced to the Dark Goddess.This is a book that is very definitely oriented toward a particular type of Kali worship, and very specifically Kali worship as it is practiced and taught by Shree Ma and Swami Satyananda.If you are not a follower of those people or that particular path, this book may not be what you are looking for.

If you are a follower of Shree Ma and Swami Satyananda, this book of course will go well with your studies - and you will also have the benefit, I suppose, of other material provided by them that will explain some of the terms not translated in the book, as well as the reasoning behind why the rituals are conducted in this way.

However, without this knowledge, this beautiful book is quite difficult, and I suspect even if one was a student of the teachers named above, the lack of any sort of layout, section, or chapter separation would be daunting.Perhaps it would have been better to release the book simply with the English translation by itself, and provide a separate section with the Sanskrit and the phonetically translated Sanskrit text.

For someone discovering Kali I would probably recommend Lex Hixon's "Mother of the Universe" before this.This book is primarily useful for disciples of Shree Ma and Swami Satyananda; others will find it difficult.

Jai Ma Kali!
KALI PUJA
by Swami Satyanananda Saraswati and Shree Maa

For those of you who want to worship the Holy Mother as Kali this is a great book to get. It offers a traditional way of worshipping Kali. You will learn the mantras, the mudras, traditional worship and tantric offerings to Kali. It is written in Sanskrit, Roman phonetic translation, and in english. I do wish the Roman phonetic translation was more understandable. Also I wish that they listed all the things that are required for the diffrent sections of this book as well, otherwise its a wonderful book on the Worship of Kali. You can do this book all the way through which will take hours or do a chapter or two at a time. The chapters are: Kali Puja, Sankalpa, Ganesha Puja, Kali Dhyanam, Adya Stotram, Puja Naivdeya- Offerings of worship, Adya Kalikadevyah Shatanama Stotram, Kali Kavacam, Sri Kalisahasranama Stotram, Consecration of Tantric Offerings, Gharbha Dhana Viddhi, Mudras for Worship. The Mudras are hand signals that are used to call the diety into yourself are call forth the ancestors. The Ganesha Puju is a small chapter in calling Ganesha and worshipping him the son of the Divine to remove all obstacles and to announce your desire to worship Kali. Sometimes when i can not pronounce the mantras in the sanskrit I use the english translations mixed with the Sanskrit or should i say the Roman phonetic translations.
From the back of the book
Kali is the Goddess who takes away darkness. She cuts down all impurities, consumes all iniquities (evil) purifies Her devotess with the sincerity of Her Love. Now we can worship Her according to the ancient tradition. Kali puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance Kali's living tools for living: Her sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children. These offerings have great spirtual significance when preformed with the mantras which explain the meanings and appropiate circumstances for such worship. Shree Maa, the Respected Holy Mother from Kamakhya in Assam, has devoted her entire life to the worship of the Divine Mother. Swami Satyananda Saraswati has translated numerous volumes of Samskrita Scriptures published in India and abroad, and both are teachers respected around the world. Kali Puja is presented in the original Samskrita, a Romanized phonetic transliteration, and a complete English Translation. This is without doubt the first time that many of these mantras have been translated from their original language. At last the rest of the world is invited more deeply into the mystery of the Divine Mother.
This is a great book as now the secrets have been revealed! Finaly we the rest of this world can worship Ma Kali traditionally. There is no other book that I know of today that gives details into the worship of the Mother like this, at least not one that is published in English.
Despite my two gievences with this book it deserves 5 stars

A book ofprayers/affirmations madeKali personal to me...
Anexcerpt: "She who is pleasedastheautumnmoon, Shewhosepurityshinesinherlotuseyes. Shewho hasgreatlaugh inextremepleasure, shewhospeakswordsofremembrance, Shewho hasexcellentexpression, shewhoselotus lipssmile"~~ Thisbookcontainsmany suchmantras and prayers....youcould opento any page andfind something peaceful, insightful..andmotivating. This book will not tell you aboutthehistoryofKali, thisbookis moreofexperiencingKalithroughmeditativemantras /prayers....
Iopen this book atrandom , usuallybeforebed...forsomethingto easeany stress or thoughtsof theday...Ihighlyrecommendthisbook to devoteesofKali, but makesuretoalso getahistoricalbook as well! ... Read more

Book Description
It's summertime and the Wish Pond Road gang is getting ready to go to Camp Blue Lake. Mallory's not so sure she wants to go. What if she gets homesick or none of the other kids like her? Her best friends, Mary Ann and Joey, convince her how fun it will be to go swimming, boating, and roast marshmallows over a campfire. But when Mallory arrives at camp, nothing goes as planned. Will Mallory ever find a way to be a happy camper? ... Read more

Book Description
This spiritual classic, written about 16 centuries ago by author or authors unknown, weaves into a verbal tapestry the central text for worshippers of the Hindu Devi, the Divine Mother. The Devimahatmya addresses the perennial questions of the nature of the universe, humankind, and divinity. Written in the form of a narrative of a dispossessed king, a merchant betrayed by the family he loves, and a seer, this classic presents a trilogy of myths concerning the all-powerful Divine Mother, Durga-, and the fierce battles she wages against the throngs of demonic foes. These allegories represent our all-too-human impulses toward power, possessions, and pleasure. This easy-to-read translation of the Devimahatmya combines sound scholarship with an insider's perspective based on 35 years of spiritual practice within the Hindu religion. Includes Sanskrit text with transliteration. For scholars, devotees, and readers looking for a thorough introduction to Hinduism as well as insight into goddess worship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful !
This is an insightful, lovely translation.
Very Inspirational.

The Introduction is quite informative and delightfully written.
Included in the text is the "Armor of the Devi" along with all of the shorter hymns and texts that accompany the recitation of the Devi Mahatmya. The comentaries of the different verses are very thought provoking

The only problem I had with the book is that the transliteration is VERY small. If a person wants to recite the text using the Sanskrit transliteration...they may find it difficult..it was for me. Also, the transliteration is separate from the translation. A benefit of having the 2 together is that over time, one does acquire an understanding of meanings of Sanskrit words if a text is chanted on a regular basis when the translation and transliteration are together

If you are looking for a excellent translation and commentary..this is your book..

As a chanting text, I would recommend the "Chandi Path" by Swami Satyananda Saraswati as the transliteration type face is much easier to read...

Truly a treasure for any serious collector of Devi texts...It is a joy to read... outside of this problem I had with the transliteration..I would highly recommend it

Beautiful translation, introduction, and commentary!
This is a superb translation and presentation of the Devi Mahatmya, complete with a long introduction, insightful commentary sections after each of the Devi Mahatmya's chapters, endnotes, the original devanagiri Sanskrit text, and transliteration of that script into English lettering for easy chanting by those not (yet) adept at reading the ancient sanskrit lettering.

Devadatta Kali (David Nelson) has not only translated the 13 original chapters of the Devi Mahatmya or Candi (inserted circa 6th century into the Markandeya Purana), but also the 6 ancillary short texts including the 3 "rahasya" secret texts on Sakta theology. He has also translated and explained two ancient hymns from the Rg Veda (x.125, 127), the Ratrisukta and Devisuktra, that are chanted to open and close recitation of the Devi Mahatmya.

This is a work to have and to cherish-- transparent for the Divine Mother's mysterous power, beauty, and love.

--Timothy Conway, Ph.D., author, *Women of Power & Grace: Nine Astonishing, Inspiring Luminaries of Our Time*

Great introduction to the Devadatta
Enjoyed reading this book. It is my first experience reading a complete poem about Hindu Gods and Goddesses.Read some excerpts of poems in other books, and became quite confused after reading them. The commentaries in this book cleared up alot of questions regarding Hindu mythology, and what can be learned from it.It will now be easier for me to read other books on Hindu mythology and the sacred books of Hinduism.The translation was easy to follow.I especially found interesting and helpful the comments regarding thehistory and development of the worship of the Devi from the earliest periods of civilization, to the present time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

No doubt = very good!
This was a first read for me.Heroine was likeable. Mystery was interesting. Solution was not easy.
Kali goes home to clear up her father's estate without help from her siblings. Her 'boyfriend'was a jerk and you welcomed a new interest for her. Loretta was adorable. An old and dear friend inadvertently nets her into involvement with a murder and its solution.
This book was pleasant, a quick read. I might try another.

A great mystery!
What a great mystery! I like this book very much! Until the end, I couldn't find who the murderer was. It's the second book from Jonnie Jacobs I read, both are great. I will read all the others. (Please excuse myenglish, I'm French!) ... Read more