The Goddess Devi as Shmashsâna

This Rajasthan miniature folio portrays Kali seated cross-legged atop a corpse, evoking the shava samdhana or the Tantric ritual of sitting on a corpse’s chest. In contrast to the Dakshinakali’s benevolence towards devotees, Samshana Kali (Kali of the cremation ground)—worshipped by renunciates and tantriks—exudes power and fear. Practitioners seek the vision of Kali in order to conquer their fears by confronting and embracing death. The cremation ground signifies the annihilation of not only the physical body but also of desires and material interests attached to it. She is shown here with a halo, a crescent moon adorning her forehead, and a garland of skulls. The composition is enclosed within a deep red border and employs a flat perspective that is characteristic of the miniature tradition.