Kali

==Dakshina Kali and Krishnananda Agamavagisha==
The popularity of the worship of the Dakshinakali form of Goddess Kali is often attributed to [[Krishnananda Agamavagisha]]. He was a noted 17th-century Bengali Tantra thinker and author of ''Tantrasara''. Devi Kali reportedly appeared to him in a dream and told him to popularize her in a particular form that would appear to him the following day. The next morning he observed a young woman making cow dung patties. While placing a patty on a wall, she stood in the ''alidha'' pose, with her right foot forward. When she saw Krishnananda watching her, she was embarrassed and put her tongue between her teeth, Agamavagisha realized that this was the divine form of maa kali he was looking for.<ref name="Dold2003"  />{{rp|54}}<ref name="Sircar1998">{{cite book
|last1=Sircar
|first1=Dineschandra
|author-link=Dineschandra Sircar
|title= The Śākta Pīṭhas
|year=1998
|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ
|isbn=978-81-208-0879-9|page=74}}</ref> Krishnananda Agamavagisha was also the guru of the Kali devotee and poet [[Ramprasad Sen]].<ref name="Harding" />{{rp|217}}

===Samhara Kali===
Samhara Kali, also called Vama Kali, is the embodiment of the power of destruction. The chief goddess of Tantric texts, Samhara Kali is the most dangerous and powerful form of Kali. Samhara Kali takes form when Kali steps out with her left foot holding her sword in her right hand. She is the Kali of death, destruction and is worshipped by tantrics. As Samhara Kali she gives death and liberation. According to the Mahakala Samhita, Samhara Kali is two armed and black in complexion. She stands on a corpse and holds a freshly cut head and a plate to collect the dripping blood. She is worshipped by warriors, tantrics – the followers of [[Tantra]].<ref name="Harding" />

===Other forms===
Other forms of Kali popularly worshipped in Bengal include Raksha Kali (form of Kali worshipped for protection against epidemics and drought), Bhadra Kali and Guhya Kali. Kali is said to have 8, 12, or 21 different forms according to different traditions. The popular forms are Adya kali, Chintamani Kali, Sparshamani Kali, Santati Kali, [[Siddhikali Temple|Siddhi Kali]], Dakshina Kali, Rakta Kali, Bhadra Kali, Smashana Kali, Adharvana Bhadra Kali, Kamakala Kali, Guhya Kali, Hamsa Kali, Shyama Kali, and Kalasankarshini Kali.<ref name="Pravrajika Vedantaprana 2015 p.16"/>