THE KALIKAPURANA

Description

The Kalika Purana is one of the eighteen (Upa) Puranas’. Though
technically an upa-purana, it is called Kalika-Purana or Kali-Purana,
composed to popularise the cult of Sakti, particularly the worship of the
mother Goddess Kamakhya.
The first half of the Kalika-Purana (though not divided into parts) deals
with the marriage of Sakti to Siva, her death and re-birth and re-union
with Siva, the identification of Mahamaya (Goddess) with Kamakhya,
the Naraka myth and Vasistha’s curse on Kamakhya etc.
The second half deals exclusively the ritual procedure of worshipping
the Goddess. Kalika Purana also gives a vivid description of the hills,
rivers and secred places of Kamarupa, with the presiding deities. The
text of the Kalika Purana has been edited critically by comparing all the
printed text including one edited by the present author and four
manuscripts, two from India Office Library, London. The Sanskrit text is
followed by a faithful English translation with verse-index, notes, study.