Kālarātrī (Fang)

Kālarātrī · kāla-rātrī, “the night of death”

Grammar: feminine noun, a compound of kāla (death, time) and rātrī (night).

Meaning: the third poison fang of a snake.

In the scriptures: Sumantu Muni tells King Śatānīka how Kaśyapa Prajāpati taught Gautama on Meru. Four of a snake’s teeth are poison fangs: Makarī, Karālī, Kālarātrī and Yamadūtī. Of Kālarātrī, Kaśyapa gives these marks (Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 33):

  • adhipati: Rudra;
  • it forms when the snake is three months old;
  • its bite mark is like a hand;
  • its nature is śleshma;
  • its colour is yellow, and it stands on the right;
  • among the four varṇas of the fangs, it is Vaiśyā;
  • food for one so bitten: food with pungent spice.

Related terms: Makarī · Karālī · Yamadūtī · Sarpa

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 33