Mahakala

Mahakala (Sanskrit for “Great One Beyond Time”) is a wrathful protector deity worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists. A fearsome and terrifying god, Mahakala has many titles including (but not limited to) the God of Time, Entropy, Destruction, Inevitability, Defender of the Dharma, the Great Black One, and Destroyer of Ignorance. Considered by both Hindus and Buddhists to be an avatar of an even greater deity (Shiva and Avalokiteshvara respectively), Mahakala is always depicted as a monstrous figure with black skin, red eyes, and vicious fangs; his great and terrible form naked save for a crown of skulls and a tiger skin loincloth held up by a belt of severed heads. In his many hands (often four or more) Mahakala wields a sword, trident, hammer, and bow (his chosen weapons), bears aloft severed heads, and carries goblets made from human skulls. Contrary to what this appearance may imply, however, neither Hindus nor Buddhists believe Mahakala is a force of evil.

Present in all major denominations of Hinduism, Mahakala is believed to be the embodiment of time as an inevitable, unavoidable, force of destruction. Said to be the husband of Kali, the equally terrifying Goddess of Death and the Apocalypse, Hindu texts describe Mahakala as utterly beyond the concepts of time and space; existing within them yet not bound by their restrictions. Hindus believe Mahakala is the incarnation of time itself and does not discriminate when he chooses his victims. Mahakala said to take the heads of men, women, and children alike, for none are beyond the grasp of time. Despite his brutal nature, Hindus also believe Mahakala to be a benevolent and ultimately necessary force that must exist to perpetuate the endless cycle of death and rebirth. The Buddhist conception of Mahakala differs substantially. Known to Buddhists as “the Great Black One” or simply “the Lord”, Mahakala is an important figure in every Buddhist tradition as a potent defender of the teachings of the Buddha. Regardless of denomination, Mahakala is believed to be the wrathful form of Avalokiteshvara (the great bodhisattva of Compassion), who appears not to kill but to destroy evil and demolish obstacles to enlightenment.

In Tibetan Buddhism (the Mahayana and Vajrayana denominations in particular), Mahakala is strongly associated with the protection of holy sites where images of him are often displayed prominently as a warning to people and spirits who would threaten those who dwell within. Buddhist depictions of Mahakala are often like those of Hinduism; a large, black skinned, multi-armed, monster adorned with skulls and severed heads. Mahakala’s ferocious appearance, however, is rife with symbolism. His weapons (a sword, trident, hammer, and bow) represent the power to destroy obstacles to reaching enlightenment while skulls and severed heads represent obstacles that have already been destroyed. Mahakala is also often depicted holding a damaru (a Tibetan ritual drum), which represents the will to achieve enlightenment and free oneself and others from the endless cycle of suffering. In his left hand(s) Mahakala is commonly shown either holding or drinking from a kapala (a human skull fashioned into a bowl or cup), which is a prominent symbol of divine wisdom and power (especially in Vajrayana Buddhism). Perhaps his most prominent symbol, however, is the Vajra (thunderbolt); a common tantric symbol that represents the absolute and irrepressible power gained from enlightenment. Occasionally Mahakala is also depicted having sexual intercourse with another deity. This symbol, called Yab-Yum (Tibetan for “Mother-Father”) represents the primal union of infinite wisdom (the knowledge of enlightenment and how to achieve it) and infinite compassion (the dedication to help others along the path to enlightenment, even at the cost of reaching it themselves). Because tantric Buddhism asserts that sexual pleasure can be a valid path to enlightenment, Yab-Yum is popular in Vajrayana images of Mahakala and is understood to symbolize the concept of non-dualism (the concept that seemingly opposite things, such as purity and impurity, are ultimately meaningless). By depicting Mahakala engaging in Yab-Yum, Vajrayana Buddhists show that he has felt carnal pleasure and seen that it, as with all things, is empty compared to the bliss of enlightenment when one is freed from the shackles of ego and desire.

Hindu myths involving Mahakala tend to present him as a brutal force that performs a terrible yet ultimately necessary service. This is perhaps best exemplified in the story of how he came to exist. According to the myth, the world and everything in it was created by the mighty god Brahma. When he had finished his work shaping the primordial substance of the cosmos and given life to the creatures of the earth, Lord Brahma smiled as he surveyed the fruits of his labours. Yet even though the world he had created was a masterpiece, Lord Brahma saw that all was not well with the creatures that dwelt upon it. He counted them all, one by one, and realized there were more than he had created mere moments earlier. Puzzled, Lord Brahma summoned his wife, the wise and powerful goddess Saraswati, to his side. “The world is perfect, yet its inhabitants are not” explained Lord Brahma. “Perhaps your eyes will see what I cannot”. Saraswati bowed her head, directed her gaze down to the mortal world, and immediately recognized her husband’s mistake. “Mighty husband, your creation is indeed perfect but for a single flaw: the creatures of the world cannot die”, the goddess announced. “If nothing is done to control their numbers, they will devour your creation and everything upon it until nothing remains”. Lord Brahma saw the wisdom of his wife’s words and resolved to correct his error, creating the goddess Mrityu and tasking her will killing all living things when their time has come. Mrityu was horrified at this command and fled Lord Brahma’s palace in tears, declaring that even Lord Brahma could not command her to do such a thing. Seeing that he had again erred, Lord Brahma summoned the god Shiva and tasked him with convincing Mrityu to obey his command. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Shiva agreed and quickly found Mrityu sobbing alone. “My dream is to bring life, hope, and goodness into the world” the young goddess cried “yet Lord Brahma commands me to do the unthinkable”. When at last Mrityu had finished sobbing, Shiva spoke. “Death is not the end, but the beginning” Shiva declared “for all who die shall be born again anew, thus shall you be the mother of all creatures and the savior of all the world”. Seeing the rightness of his words, Mrityu at last agreed to carry out Lord Brahma’s command and became Kali. To ensure that she would never again despair at her task, Shiva became Mahakala and swore to assist her as she carries out her terrible task.

Buddhists have a different interpretation of Mahakala’s creation. According to Buddhist belief, the great bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara chose to forgo his own enlightenment until all peoples are free of the cycle of death and rebirth. Assuming a form with eleven heads and one thousand arms, all the better to teach others, Avalokiteshvara struggled to bring wisdom to all but the learned and the wise. Avalokiteshvara paused and meditated for an entire week, pondering how best to reach others. Eventually he came to realize that assuming a wrathful form would be best for three reasons. First, that he would be able to subdue the degenerate creatures that prey on mortals. Second, that many people experience considerable anxiety and fear in the time between lives and he would be able to protect them during that period. Lastly, he saw that he would be able to protect and provide for the poor and suffering people of the world who would otherwise die before learning of the teachings of the Buddha. Convinced of the rightness of this path, Avalokiteshvara sounded a dark blue HUNG syllable and transformed into the Defender of the Dharma, Mahakala; the Great Black One. Believed to use crows as messengers, Mahakala is also said to be the personal protector of the Dalai Lama; himself believed to be the mortal reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara. The 14th Dalai Lama once described how a pair of black crows would perch by his window every morning and that similar occurrences are believed to have occurred at the births of the First, Seventh, Eighth, and Twelfth Dalai Lamas. According to the Dalai Lama, this is proof that Mahakala continues to protect Avalokiteshvara and the Buddhist community even into the twenty-first century.