Karālī

Karālī, “the fierce one”

Grammar: feminine noun.

Meaning: (1) the second of the four poison fangs of a snake; (2) the first of the seven tongues of Agni.

In the scriptures: the Purāṇa uses the word in these two senses.

• The poison fang: Kaśyapa Maharshi tells Gautama that four of a snake’s 32 teeth are full of poison: Makarī, Karālī, Kālarātrī and Yamadūtī. Bhagavān Vishṇu is the adhipati of Karālī. It forms when the snake is two months old. Its bite mark is like a crow’s foot, its nature is pitta, its colour is red, it stands on the right, and its varṇa is Kshatriyā. One bitten by it is given kashāyānna, astringent food (Brahma Parva, Chapter 33).
• The tongue of Agni: in the consecration of a garden, Sūta gives the seven tongues of Agni as Karālī, Dhūmalī, Śvetā, Lohitā, Svarṇaprabhā, Atiriktā and Pārāgā. Each receives one oblation, with mantras, of havishya mixed with ghee and honey (Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1).

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 33; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 33; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1